788 SCANDINAVIA. 
and distinguishing circumstances that characterize the an¬ 
cient Gothic form of government. In his history we see 
kings, who owe their advancement to an illustrious extrac¬ 
tion, presiding, rather than ruling, over a free people. Here 
we see the nation assembling at certain stated times, and 
making resolutions in their own persons on all affairs of 
importance, as to enact laws, to choose peace or war, to 
conclude alliances, to distribute justice in the last resort, and 
to elect magistrates. Here also we distinguish a body of the 
grandees or chiefs of the nation, who prepare and propose 
the important matters, the decision of which is reserved for 
the general assembly of all the free men: that is, we trace 
here the first lineaments, as it were, of what was afterwards 
named in different countries, “ the council of the nation,” 
“ the senate,” “ the house of peers,” &c. Here we discover 
the origin of that singular custom, of having an elective 
general under an hereditary king; a custom received among 
most of the nations of German extraction, who had either 
mayors of the palace, or grand marshals, or constables, or 
counts; for all these different names only expressed the same 
thing in different countries. Lastly, if we examine with 
attention the words of Tacitus, we cannot doubt but vassal- 
age and the feudal tenure had already taken footing among 
this people before ever they left their native forests. For 
although perhaps they did not in those early times give lands 
in fee, and although their fees or fiefs wete then perhaps 
nothing but arms, war-horses, and banquets ; what we read 
of the reciprocal engagements between the princes or chiefs 
and their followers, evidently contains whatever was essential 
to the nature of vassalage, and all the changes which were 
afterwards made in it, were only slight and accidental, occa¬ 
sioned by the conquests and new establishments which fol¬ 
lowed from it. 
If we consider after this, the character of these nations, as 
it is sketched out by Tacitus, we shall not be surprized to 
see them wedded to institutions which they found so suitable 
to their situation and temper; for being the most free and 
warlike people upon earth, they must have had a natural 
aversion to the authority of a single person; and if they 
placed themselves under leaders, it was only because war 
cannot be conducted in any other form. As free men, they 
would only obey from choice, and be less influenced by per¬ 
sonal authority than by reason ; as warriors, they conceived 
no other duty to be owing to a prince, than to be ready to 
shed their blood for his cause. If we inquire how these men 
acquired and preserved so great a degree of liberty, M. 
Mallet replies, they were free, because they inhabited an un¬ 
cultivated country, rude forests and mountains; and liberty 
is the sole treasure of an indigent people; fora poor country 
excites no avidity, and he who possesses little, defends it 
easily. They were free, because they were ignorant of those 
pleasures, often so dearly bought, which render the pro¬ 
tection of a powerful master necessary. They were free, 
because hunters and shepherds, who wander about in woods 
through inclination or necessity, are not so easily oppressed 
as the timorous inhabitants of inclosed towns, who are there 
chained down to the fate of their houses; and because a 
wandering people, if deprived of their liberty in one place, 
easily find it in another, as well as their subsistence. Lastly, 
they were free, because knowing not the use of money, 
there could not be employed against them that instrument 
of slavery and corruption, which enables the ambitious to 
collect and distribute at will the signs of riches. 
Further, that spirit of liberty, arising from their climate, 
and from their rustic and military life, had received new 
strength from the opinions it had produced; as a sucker 
which shoots forth from the root of a tree, strengthens by 
embracing it. In effect, these people, esteeming beyond all 
things the right of revenging an affront, the glory of despis¬ 
ing death and perishing sword in hand, were always ready 
to attack tyranny in the first who dared to attempt it, and in 
whatever formidable shape it appeared. 
By these means was liberty preserved among the inhabit¬ 
ants of Germany and the North, as it were in the bud, ready 
to blossom and expand through all Europe, there to flourish 
in their several colonies. It is remarked by the author of 
the “ Spirit of Laws,” that in proportion as any people 
love liberty, the milder are their punishments. The ancient 
Germans and Scandinavians, the most brave and free race of 
men that perhaps ever existed, knew scarcely any other than 
pecuniary penalties. They carried this spirit with them 
through all parts of Europe, as appears from the codes of 
the Visigoths, the Burgundians, &c. But the governments 
which they established in the more southern countries could 
not subsist with so much lenity. The distribution of the 
people into different communities subordinate to one another, 
the right of being judged every one by the members of his 
own community, the care of watching over each citizen 
committed to the community of which he was a member, 
the general assemblies of the whole nation, with which alone 
the legislative power was deposited, &c., were institutions 
that existed among the Germans in the time of Tacitus, and 
without doubt long before. They prevailed in Denmark 
and Sweden; they were carried into Iceland, where they 
were perfected; they followed the Saxons into England; 
and although in times of confusion they were almost sunk 
into oblivion, the great Alfred immortalized his name by re¬ 
viving them. Traces of them might be easily shewn in the 
first establishments of the Franks in Gaul, of the Goths in 
Spain, and of the same in several parts of Germany. With 
regard to the laws which prevailed in Scandinavia during 
the times of paganism, all that we can say for certain about 
them may be reduced within very small compass. Tradition, 
custom, maxims learnt by heart, and above all, simplicity of 
manners, served this people in the first ages instead of laws. 
They had maxims, which from time immemorial had been in 
the mouths of their sages, and which were thought to have 
been delivered to the first men by the gods themselves. The 
laws of the Scandinavians resembled those of the Angles and 
Jutes, who shared with the Saxons in the honour of being 
conquerors of Great Britain; and for a sketch of these we 
refer to the article Saxons. 
From the whole history of the ancient Scandinavians, it 
appears that they breathed nothing but war, which was at 
once with them the source of honour, riches, and safety. 
Their education, laws, prejudices, morality, and religion, all 
concurred to make that their ruling passion and only object. 
From their most tender age they applied themselves to learn 
the military art; they hardened their bodies, and accustomed 
themselves to cold, fatigue, and hunger. They exercised 
themselves in running, in the chase, in swimming across the 
greatest rivers, and in handling their arms. The very sports 
of childhood itself, and of early youth, were directed all to¬ 
wards this end: dangers were always intermingled with their 
play: for it consisted in taking frightful leaps, in climbing 
up the steepest rocks, in fighting naked with offensive wea¬ 
pons, in wrestling with the utmost fury: it was therefore 
common to see them at the age of fifteen years already grown 
robust men, and able to make themselves feared in combat. 
It was also at this age that their young men became their 
own masters, which they did by receiving a sword, a buckler, 
and a lance. This ceremony was performed in some public 
meeting. One of the principal persons of the assembly 
armed the youth in public. “ This (we are told by Tacitus) 
was his toga virilis, his entrance upon dignities. Before 
this he made only part of a family, now he became a mem¬ 
ber of the state.” After this he was obliged to provide for 
his own subsistence, and was either now to live by hunting, 
or by joining in some excursion against an enemy. Parti¬ 
cular care was taken to prevent these young soldiers from 
enjoying too early an acquaintance with the opposite sex, 
till their limbs had acquired all the vigour of which they 
were capable. Indeed they could have no hope to be ac¬ 
ceptable to the women, but in proportion to the courage 
and address they had shewn in war and in their military ex¬ 
ercises. 
Their children were generally born in the midst of camps 
and armies. Their eyes, from the moment they were first 
opened, saw nothing but military spectacles, arms, effusion 
of blood, and combats either real or in sport: thus as they 
grew 
