lect08-第4章

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incapacity　for　regarding　men；　grouped　together　by　virtue　of　any


institutions　whatsoever；　as　connected　otherwise　than　through


blood…relationship。　We　find　that；　through　this　barrenness　of


conception；　they　are　apt　to　extend　the　notion　of　consanguinity


and　the　language　beginning　in　it　to　institutions　of　their　own　not


really　founded　on　community　of　blood；　and　even　to　institutions　of


foreign　origin。　We　find　also　that　the　association　between


institutions　arising　from　true　kinship　and　institutions　based　on


artificial　kinship　is　sometimes　so　strong；　that　the　emotions


which　they　respectively　call　forth　are　practically


indistinguishable。　These　phenomena　of　early　thought　and　feeling


appear　to　me　amply　to　account　for　some　facts　of　Irish　history


which　nearly　all　English　writers　on　Ireland　have　noticed　with


extreme　surprise　or　indignation。　The　expressions　of　Sir　John


Davis；　while　stating　that　many　of　the　early　Anglo…Norman


adventurers　settled　in　Ireland　became　in　time　pure　Irish


chieftains；　reflect　the　violent　astonishment　and　anger　which　the


transformation　excited　in　Englishmen。　'The　English　Colonists　did


embrace　and　use　the　Irish　custom；　after　they　had　rejected　the


Civil　and　Honourable　Laws　and　Customs　of　England；　whereby　they


became　degenerate　and　metamorphosed　like　Nebuchadnezzar；　who；


although　he　had　the　face　of　a　man；　had　the　heart　of　a　beast；　or


like　those　who　had　drunk　of　Circe's　cup　and　were　turned　into　very


beasts；　and　yet　took　such　pleasure　in　their　beastly　manner　of


life　as　they　would　not　return　to　their　shape　of　men　again；


insomuch　as　within　less　time　than　the　age　of　a　man；　they　had　no


marks　or　difference　left　among　them　of　that　noble　nation　from


which　they　were　descended。'　The　fact；　stated　in　this　bitter


language；　is　not　especially　marvellous。　We　have　seen　the　general


complexion　of　Irish　society　giving　its　colour　to　institutions　of


all　sorts　　associations　of　kinsmen　shading　off　into　assemblages


of　partners　and　guild…brothers　　foster　parentage；　spiritual


parentage；　and　preceptorship　taking　their　hue　from　natural


paternity　　ecclesiastical　organisation　blending　with　tribal


organisation。　The　Anglo…Norman　captain　who　had　thought　to　conquer


for　himself　an　Irish　signory　passed　insensibly　in　the　same　way


into　the　chieftain　of　an　Irish　tribe。　The　dependants　who


surrounded　him　did　not　possibly　draw　any　clear　distinction


between　the　actual　depositary　of　power　and　the　natural　depositary


of　power；　and；　as　the　contagiousness　of　ideas　is　in　proportion　to


their　fewness；　it　is　intelligible　that　he　too　was　affected　by　the


mental　atmosphere　in　which　he　lived。　Nor　were　other　motives


wanting。　The　extreme　poverty　and　constant　distractions　of　Ireland


did　not　prevent　an　extraordinary　amount　of　the　pride　of


authority；　of　the　pride　of　birth；　and　even　of　the　pride　of　wealth


from　centring　in　the　dignity　of　an　Irish　Chief。