of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences-第4章

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　　　　　One　of　the　most　particular　details　of　a　real　dialogue；　which

we　meet　with　in　antiquity；　is　related　by　Polybius；＇9＇　when

Philip；　king　of　Macedon；　a　prince　of　wit　and　parts；　met　with

Titus　Flaminius；　one　of　the　politest　of　the　Romans；　as　we　learn

from　Plutarch；＇10＇　accompanied　with　ambassadors　from　almost　all

the　Greek　cities。　The　Aetolian　ambassador　very　abruptly　tells　the

king；　that　he　talked　like　a　fool　or　a　madman　（lhrein）。　'That's

evident；'　says　his　majesty；　'even　to　a　blind　man'；　which　was　a

raillery　on　the　blindness　of　his　excellency。　Yet　all　this　did　not

pass　the　usual　bounds：　For　the　conference　was　not　disturbed；　and

Flaminius　was　very　well　diverted　with　these　strokes　of　humour。　At

the　end；　when　Philip　craved　a　little　time　to　consult　with　his

friends；　of　whom　he　had　none　present；　the　Roman　general；　being

desirous　also　to　shew　his　wit；　as　the　historian　says；　tells　him；

'that　perhaps　the　reason；　why　he　had　none　of　his　friends　with

him；　was　because　he　had　murdered　them　all'；　which　was　actually

the　case。　This　unprovoked　piece　of　rusticity　is　not　condemned　by

the　historian；　caused　no　farther　resentment　in　Philip；　than　to

excite　a　Sardonian　smile；　or　what　we　call　a　grin；　and　hindered

him　not　from　renewing　the　conference　next　day。　Plutarch＇11＇　too

mentions　this　raillery　amongst　the　witty　and　agreeable　sayings　of

Flaminius。

　　　　　Cardinal　Wolsey　apologized　for　his　famous　piece　of

insolence；　in　saying；　'Ego　et　Rex　meus'；　；　by

observing；　that　this　expression　was　conformable　to　the　Latin

idiom；　and　that　a　Roman　always　named　himself　before　the　person　to

whom；　or　of　whom　he　spake。　Yet　this　seems　to　have　been　an

instance　of　want　of　civility　among　that　people。　The　ancients　made

it　a　rule；　that　the　person　of　the　greatest　dignity　should　be

mentioned　first　in　the　discourse；　insomuch；　that　we　find　the

spring　of　a　quarrel　and　jealousy　between　the　Romans　and

Aetolians；　to　have　been　a　poet's　naming　the　Aetolians　before　the

Romans；　in　celebrating　a　victory　gained　by　their　united　arms　over

the　Macedonians。＇12＇　Thus　Livia　disgusted　Tiberius　by　placing　her

own　name　before　his　in　an　inscription。＇13＇

　　　　　No　advantages　in　this　world　are　pure　and　unmixed。　In　like

manner；　as　modern　politeness；　which　is　naturally　so　ornamental；

runs　often　into　affectation　and　foppery；　disguise　and

insincerity；　so　the　ancient　simplicity；　which　is　naturally　so

amiable　and　affecting；　often　degenerates　into　rusticity　and

abuse；　scurrility　and　obscenity。

　　　　　If　the　superiority　in　politeness　should　be　allowed　to　modern

times；　the　modern　notions　of　；　the　natural　produce　of

courts　and　monarchies；　will　probably　be　assigned　as　the　causes　of

this　refinement。　No　one　denies　this　invention　to　be　modern：＇14＇

But　some　of　the　more　zealous　partizans　of　the　ancients；　have

asserted　it　to　be　foppish　and　ridiculous；　and　a　reproach；　rather

than　a　credit；　to　the　present　age。＇15＇　It　may　here　be　proper　to

examine　this　question。

　　　　　Nature　has　implanted　in　all　living　creatures　an　affection

between　the　sexes；　which；　even　in　the　fiercest　and　most　rapacious

animals；　is　not　merely　confined　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　bodily

appetite；　but　begets　a　friendship　and　mutual　sympathy；　which　runs

through　the　whole　tenor　of　their　lives。　Nay；　even　in　those

species；　where　nature　limits　the　indulgence　of　this　appetite　to

one　season　and　to　one　object；　and　forms　a　kind　of　marriage　or

association　between　a　single　male　and　female；　there　is　yet　a

visible　complacency　and　benevolence；　which　extends　farther；　and

mutually　softens　the　affections　of　the　sexes　towards　each　other。

How　much　more　must　this　have　place　in　man；　where　the　confinement

of　the　appetite　is　not　natural；　but　either　is　derived

accidentally　from　some　strong　charm　of　love；　or　arises　from

reflections　on　duty　and　convenience？　Nothing；　therefore；　can

proceed　less　from　affectation　than　the　passion　of　gallantry。　It

is　　in　the　highest　degree。　Art　and　education；　in　the

most　elegant　courts；　make　no　more　alteration　on　it；　than　on　all

the　other　laudable　passions。　They　only　turn　the　mind　more　towards

it；　they　refine　it；　they　polish　it；　and　give　it　a　proper　grace

and　expression。

　　　　　But　gallantry　is　as　　as　it　is　。　To

correct　such　gross　vices；　as　lead　us　to　commit　real　injury　on

others；　is　the　part　of　morals；　and　the　object　of　the　most

ordinary　education。　Where　　is　not　attended　to；　in　some

degree；　no　human　society　can　subsist。　But　in　order　to　render

conversation；　and　the　intercourse　of　minds　more　easy　and

agreeable；　good…manners　have　been　invented；　and　have　carried　the

matter　somewhat　farther。　Wherever　nature　has　given　the　mind　a

propensity　to　any　vice；　or　to　any　passion　disagreeable　to　others；

refined　breeding　has　taught　men　to　throw　the　biass　on　the

opposite　side；　and　to　preserve；　in　all　their　behaviour；　the

appearance　of　sentiments　different　from　those　to　which　they

naturally　incline。　Thus；　as　we　are　commonly　proud　and　selfish；

and　apt　to　assume　the　preference　above　others；　a　polite　man

learns　to　behave　with　deference　towards　his　companions；　and　to

yield　the　superiority　to　them　in　all　the　common　incidents　of

society。　In　like　manner；　wherever　a　person's　situation　may

naturally　beget　any　disagreeable　suspicion　in　him；　it　is　the　part

of　good…manners　to　prevent　it；　by　a　studied　display　of

sentiments；　directly　contrary　to　those　of　which　he　is　apt　to　be

jealous。　Thus；　old　men　know　their　infirmities；　and　naturally

dread　contempt　from　the　youth：　Hence；　well…educated　youth

redouble　the　instances　of　respect　and　deference　to　their　elders。

Strangers　and　foreigners　are　without　protection：　Hence；　in　all

polite　countries；　they　receive　the　highest　civilities；　and　are

entitled　to　the　first　place　in　every　company。　A　man　is　lord　in

his　own　family；　and　his　guests　are；　in　a　manner；　subject　to　his

authority：　Hence；　he　is　always　the　lowest　person　in　the　company；

attentive　to　the　wants　of　every　one；　and　giving　himself　all　the

trouble；　in　order　to　please；　which　may　not　betray　too　visible　an

affectation；　or　impose　too　much　constraint　on　his　guests。＇16＇

Gallantry　is　nothing　but　an　instance　of　the　same　generous

attention。　As　nature　has　given　　the　superiority　above

；　by　endowing　him　with　greater　strength　both　of　mind　and

body；　it　is　his　part　to　alleviate　that　superiority；　as　much　as

possible；　by　the　generosity　of　his　behaviour；　and　by　a　studied

deference　and　complaisance　for　all　her　inclinations　and　opinions。

Barbarous　nations　display　this　superiority；　by　reducing　their

females　to　the　most　abject　slavery；　by　confining　them；　by　beating

them；　by　selling　them；　by　killing　them。　But　the　male　sex；　among　a

polite　people；　discover　their　authority　in　a　more　generous；

though　not　a　less　evident　manner；　by　civility；　by　respect；　by

complaisance；　and；　in　a　word；　by　gallantry。　In　good　company；　you

need　not　ask；　Who　is　the　master　of　the　feast？　The　man；　who　sits

in　the　lowest　place；　and　who　is　always　industrious　in　helping

every　one；　is　certainly　the　person。　We　must　either　condemn　all

such　instances　of　generosity；　as　foppish　and　affected；　or　admit

of　gallantry　among　the　rest。　The　ancient　Muscovites　wedded　their

wives　with　a　whip；　instead　of　a　ring。　The　same　people；　in　their

own　houses；　took　always　the　precedency　above　foreigners；　even＇17＇

foreign　ambassadors。　These　two　instances　of　their　generosity　and

politeness　are　much　of　a　piece。

　　　　　Gallantry　is　not　less　compatible　with　　and

；　than　with　　and　；　and　when　under

proper　regulations；　contributes　more　than　any　other　invention；　to

the　and　　of　the　youth　of　both　sexes。

Among　every　species　of　animals；　nature　has　founded　on　the　love

between　the　sexes　their　sweetest　and　best　enjoyment。　But　the

satisfaction　of　the　bodily　appetite　is　not　alone　sufficient　to

gratify　the　mind；　and　even　among　brute…creatures；　we　find；　that

their　play　and　dalliance；　and　other　expressions　of　fondness；　form

the　greatest　part　of　the　entertainment。　In　rational　beings；　we

must　certainly　admit　the　mind　for　a　considerable　share。　Were　we

to　rob　the　feast　of　all　its　garniture　of　reason；　discourse；

sympathy；　friendship；　and　gaiety；　what　remains　would　scarcely　be

worth　acceptance；　in　the　judgment　of　the　truly　elegant　and

luxurious。

　　　　　What　better　school　for　manners；　than　the　company　of　virtuous

women；　where　the　mutual　endeavour　to　please　must　insensibly

polish　the　mind；　where　the　example　of　the　female　softness　and

modesty　must　communicate　itself　to　their　admirers；　and　where　the

delicacy　of　that　sex　puts　every　one　on　his　guard；　lest　he　give

offence　by　any　breach　of　decency。

　　　　　Among　the　ancients；　the　character　of　the　fair…sex　was

considered　as　altogether　domestic；　nor　were　they　regarded　as　part

of　the　polite　world　or　of　good　company。　This；　perhaps；　is　the

true　reason　why　the　ancients　have　not　left　us　one　piece　of

pleasantry　that　is　excellent；　（unless　one　may　except　the　Banquet

of　Xenophon；　and　the　Dialogues　of　Lucian）　though　many　of　their

serious　compositions　are　altogether　inimitable。　Horace　condemns

the　coarse　railleries　and　cold　jests　of　Plautus：　But；　though　the

most　easy；　agreeable；　and　judicious　writer　in　the　world；　is　his

own　talent　for　ridicule　very　striking　or　refined？　This；

therefore；　is　one　considerable　improvement；　which　the　polite　arts

have　received　from　gallantry；　and　from　courts；　where　it　first

arose。

　　　　　But；　to　return　from　this　digression；　I　shall　advance　it　as　a

　observation　on　this　subject；　of　the　rise　and　progress　of

the　arts　and　sciences；　。

　　　　　It　must　be　confessed；　that　this　maxim；　though　conformable　to

experience；　may；　at　first　sight；　be　esteemed　contrary　to　reason。

If　the　natural　genius　of　mankind　be　the　same　in　all　ages；　and　in

almost　all　countries；　（as　seems　to　be　the　truth）　it　must　very

much　forward　and　cultivate　this　genius；　to　be　possessed　of

patterns　in　every　art；　which　may　regulate　the　taste；　and　fix　the

objects　of　imitation。　The　models　left　us　by　the　ancients　gave

birth　to　all　the　arts　about　200　years　ago；　and　have　mightily

advanced　their　progress　in　every　country　of　Europe：　Why　had　they

not　a　like　effect　during　the　reign　of　Trajan　and　his　successors；

when　they　were　much　more　entire；　and　were　still　admired　and

studied　by　the　whole　world？　So　late　as　the　emperor　Justinian；　the

Poet；　by　way　of　distinction；　was　understood；　among　the　Greeks；　to

be　Homer；　among　the　Romans；　Virgil。　Such　admiration　still

remained　for　these　divine　geniuses；　though　no　poet　had　appeared

for　many　centuries；　who　could　justly　pretend　to　have　imitated

them。

　　　　　A　man's　genius　is　always；　in　the　beginning　of　life；　as　much

unknown　to　himself　as　to　others；　and　it　is　only　after　frequent

trials；　attended　with　success；　that　he　dares　think　himself　equal

to　those　undertakings；　in　which　those；　who　have　succeeded；　have