142 
CIRCASSIANS. 
who, by their eminent wisdom and patriarchal consequence, 
have acquired the title of Elders ; and are chosen on these occa¬ 
sions by the people, or vassals, to be their representatives. 
These venerable men, in their turn, discuss the matter in debate, 
and give in their opinion. If the three consultations are then 
found to agree for the measure proposed, it is adopted; and if 
it be a question of social right, the decision henceforth becomes 
a precedent, and acts as a sort of national decree. These as¬ 
semblings, like the great meetings, or wittenagemots, of our 
ancestors, are held in an open space, near the habitation of the 
prince. And, indeed, it is curious to observe how much the 
form and spirit, as well as place, of this simple parliament, re¬ 
semble that which was the foundation-stone of our present most 
glorious, and, I trust, adamantine constitution. 
The prince and his nobles have much the same sort of educa¬ 
tion that was bestowed on the great men amongst our Saxon 
ancestors ; manly exercises, and the use of arms. The prince 
alone is regularly taught to read and write. In all but this 
distinction, (which is a real superiority, as its tendency is to 
enlarge the knowledge where most power resides,) he is trained, 
from his earliest youth, along with the younger chieftains, to 
the management of the horse, and the mastery of every weapon 
in use amongst them ; and at a certain age, he accompanies his 
instructors and their followers in occasional excursions against 
the neighbouring predatory tribes, to enure him to brave danger, 
to rescue plunder, or retaliate rapine; and to make him ac¬ 
quainted alike with the passes, which will most readily conduct 
him into the territories of his enemies, and the avenues that 
might easiest lead them to his own. 
O 
