430 NATURAL HISTORY CF 



stock, notwithstanding that their remote ancestors may 

 have resided on the northern shore of the Euxine, as 

 before stated. The name may even be traced as far 

 as Bactria, among the present Rajpoots, celebrated 

 in the Rhamayana for their horses ; and Khomen still 

 reside at the Bay of Cambogia in Siam. 



In Gaul the brown haired tribes prevail, though 

 dark eyed families are exceedingly abundant, and the 

 whole are intermixed with Finns, Alans, Goths, Bur- 

 gundians, and Franks, who nevertheless, though they 

 were mostly nations of real horsemen, have never 

 been enabled to make the Celtic people either in Italy, 

 Gaul, or Catalonia, more than transitorily addicted to 

 a cavalry life, or formidable for their squadrons, not- 

 withstanding that the antique institution of the trimar- 

 chesia,* and the Gallic AlaB in the Roman service, seem 

 to prove the contrary ; at all times this species of re- 

 nown was due only through the Belgic, Allemannic, 

 and Frankish influence in the national manners. The 

 characteristic temperament was ever stimulated by 

 momentary objects, unsteady, factious, often frivolous, 

 always brave, witty, and improvident. This great stem 

 of nations could never permanently arrest the steady 

 progress of the Teutonic and Getic tribes, which gra- 

 dually forced them westward, then mixed with them, 



* Or three horsemen combined ; Tri-march-cesec, a mas- 

 ter and two attendants, according to Pausanius; bnt if 

 there was hut one horse and two foot soldiers, the institu- 

 tion was bad. We must allow that the Polish lancers and 

 the **his were once formed upon this principle. 



