登陆注册
4607100000071

第71章

Society made the same sort of advance, in the gloomy epoch we are reviewing, that the slaves in our Southern States made from the time they were imported from Africa, with their degrading fetichism and unexampled ignorance, to the time of their emancipation. How marked the progress of the Southern slaves during the two hundred years of their bondage! No degraded race ever made so marked a progress as they did in the same period, even under all the withering influences of slavery. Probably their moral and spiritual progress was greater than it will be in the next two hundred years, exposed to all the dangers of modern materialism, which saps the life of nations in the midst of the most brilliant triumphs of art. We are now on the road to a marvellous intellectual enlightenment, unprecedented and full of encouragement. But with this we face dangers also, such as undermined the old Roman world and all the ancient civilizations.

If I could fix my eye on a single State or Nation in the whole history of our humanity that has escaped these dangers, that has not retrograded in those virtues on which the strength of man is based, after a certain point has been reached in civilization, Iwould not hazard this remark. Society escaped these evils in that agricultural period which saw the rise and fall of Feudalism, and made a slow but notable advance. That is a fact which cannot be gainsaid, and this is impressive. It shows that society, in a moral point of view, thrives better under hard restraints than when exposed to the dangers of an irreligious, material civilization.

Nor is Feudalism to be condemned as being altogether dark and uninteresting. It had redeeming features in the life of the baronial family. Under its influence arose the institution of chivalry; and though the virtues of chivalry may be poetic, and exaggerated, there can be no doubt that it was a civilizing institution, and partially redeemed the Middle Ages. It gave rise to beautiful sentiments; it blazed in new virtues, rarely seen in the old civilizations. They were peculiar to the age and to Europe, were fostered by the Church, and took a coloring from Christianity itself. Chivalry bound together the martial barons of Europe by the ties of a fraternity of knights. Those armed and mailed warriors fought on horseback, and chivalry takes its name from the French cheval, meaning a horse. The knights learned gradually to treat each other with peculiar courtesy. They became generous in battle or in misfortune, for they all alike belonged to the noble class, and felt a common bond in the pride of birth. It was not the memory of illustrious ancestors which created this aristocratic distinction, as among Roman patricians, but the fact that the knights were a superior order. Yet among themselves distinctions vanished. There was no higher distinction than that of a gentleman. The poorest knight was welcome at any castle or at any festivity, at the tournament or in the chase. Generally, gallantry and unblemished reputation were the conditions of social rank among the knights themselves. They were expected to excel in courage, in courtesy, in generosity, in truthfulness, in loyalty.

The great patrimony of the knight was his horse, his armor, and his valor. He was bound to succor the defenceless. He was required to abstain from all mean pursuits. If his trade were war, he would divest war of its cruelties. His word was seldom broken, and his promises were held sacred. If pride of rank was generated in this fraternity of gentlemen, so also was scorn of lies and baseness.

If there was no brotherhood of man, there was the brotherhood of equals. The most beautiful friendships arose from common dangers and common duties. A stranger knight was treated with the greatest kindness and hospitality. If chivalry condemned anything, it was selfishness and treachery and hypocrisy. All the old romances and chronicles record the frankness and magnanimity of knights. More was thought of moral than of intellectual excellence. Nobody was ashamed to be thought religious. The mailed warrior said his orisons every day and never neglected Mass. Even in war, prisoners were released on their parole of honor, and their ransom was rarely exorbitant. The institution tended to soften manners as well as to develop the virtues of the heart. Under its influence the rude baron was transformed into a courteous gentleman.

同类推荐
  • 大业杂记

    大业杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 达摩洗髓易筋经

    达摩洗髓易筋经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Liberty

    Liberty

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无能胜大明心陀罗尼经

    无能胜大明心陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 闲燕常谈

    闲燕常谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 大唐女装大佬系统

    大唐女装大佬系统

    贞观元年。这是一个美好的清晨。此时李二陛下初登大宝。此时薛仁贵还在长安城混着社会,绰号飞猪。此时的王玄策还是终南山中一个贪财的小胖子。此时在长安城常乐坊里,一个穿越到唐朝地狱模式开局的宅男叶小娘……开始了他没羞没躁的女装大佬人生。
  • 灵亦天

    灵亦天

    本书为致敬太上布衣的最强反套路系统。同时作为一个支线开展情节,继承皮断腿的操作!另外也会加入一些四大逼王世界的内容,穿插多条世界线,低调这辈子都不可能的。(着重会加入类似徐缺搞事情,张悬走到哪拆到哪还有师道精神等等,算是一个大杂烩了。)希望大家喜欢这本书,并支持正版阅读!
  • 凤凰谋

    凤凰谋

    一道道宫墙,一重重宫门,把情爱权力和欲望编织成网,让他们身陷其中,为之纠缠不休。盈盈舞袖,暗藏杀机;飞花轻梦,硝烟四起。他们深受这红墙碧瓦所害。却也正是这片红墙碧瓦,让他们相遇,相知;让他们相恋,相怨;再让他们相守,相随。让那些曾经为爱、为欲,厮杀纠缠的影子重重叠叠地融进了那道红墙碧瓦之中。直到繁华落尽,一身憔悴时,方知早已掩埋了我的青春,你的爱情。
  • 一剑胜雪

    一剑胜雪

    一场被人预谋的重生,一个横绝天下的剑客,一段血雨腥风的江湖,一次悄无声息的仇杀,不是在暴乱中死亡,就要在金戈铁马,快马为将中成神!竹女,回来吧。你的心和你的人,都回来。我就是江源,独一无二的江源。
  • 宠婚撩人:惑心首席太难搞

    宠婚撩人:惑心首席太难搞

    “这男人今晚我包了,我出双倍价钱。”第二次见面,她错认他是牛郎。一场妹妹精心策划的算计,让她身败名裂,轰动全城;未婚夫被抢,她却只能找那个夺了她身子的男人负责。什么?夺了她身子的竟是个牛郎?一纸婚契,让两人生活有了交集。什么?她老公压根就不是什么牛郎,却是H&J集团的的董事长!这冲击对她实在有些大呀!
  • 在樱花飘落下时的我们

    在樱花飘落下时的我们

    在樱花落下以后,我们还在原地徘徊着吗?你还会在原地等你我吗?你知道吗?你占据了我的心,我爱你,你呢?你是怎样想的,你还爱我吗?我一直会在那棵属于我们的樱花树下等着你回来的…………
  • 都市鸟人

    都市鸟人

    冯昊,一名普通高中生,在上学路上偶得奇遇。从此,人生发生巨大改变!“妈妈,妈妈!天上有一只好大大的鸟在飞啊!”“傻孩子,那是我们的英雄鸟人!”“哇!好屌的名字哦。”没错,我就是鸟人,带你装逼带你飞!教你如何屌丝逆袭!
  • 废柴要逆天:医品毒妃

    废柴要逆天:医品毒妃

    魔道妖女白珞初竟重生在斗兽场?!某妖孽王爷浅浅一笑,珠玉蒙尘蒙不了他的眼!他下毒、戏弄,千方百计只为留她在身边!她暗杀、算计、恭维,绞尽脑汁只为逃离他魔掌!致死纠缠,孰强孰弱?“王爷,这局你输了!”
  • 步步逼婚:总裁请负责

    步步逼婚:总裁请负责

    为了报复出轨渣男,她遇到了命中注定的他。他是商业传奇,挥金如土,身边女人不断,唯独对她紧追不放。他冷酷中又暗藏温柔,她琢磨不通,忍无可忍的爆发,“你够了凌俊宇,离我远点,你究竟想要干什么!”他嘴角上扬,眼神邪魅,“我想要你这辈子也不会离开我!”
  • 至尊美食系统

    至尊美食系统

    没有在乐食坊深夜排过队的人,不足以谈人生……没有在乐食坊品过美食的明星,不足以聊时尚……没有在乐食坊设宴款待的政要,不足以谋外交……美食世界的一朵奇葩,横空出世的远东厨神。——————————————————晚上看,记得要吃夜宵要不然会看饿的——————————————————建了个群,美食团:198611084欢迎朋友们加入哦