566 
ence peopled, were marked by certain 
diversities of character, so minute as to 
batiie the penetration of foreign histo- 
rians. This, indeed, is a conclusion, far 
_ from being so unwarrantable, as*some 
may infer, if we are to adopt, as a cri-- 
terion, the recorded dissimilarity of 
habits, and religious and legislative in- 
stitutions, which prevailed even amongst 
neighbouring tribes. Cesar himself re- 
lates,* that the Ubu, who dwelt on the 
banks of the Rhine (chiefly in those 
parts, which now form the Dukedom of 
Berg) had become, through their inter- 
course with the neighbouring Gauls, and 
travelling merchants, greater lovers of 
domestic comfort, than any of their 
compeers. . The Suevi wore their hair 
in long, knotted tresses; wlhulst those, 
who inhabited the neighbourhood of the 
lower Rhine, cut their’s short off, and 
close to the head. The elder Pliny, 
speaking of the Chauci, who abode near’ 
the mouth of the Weser, thus describes 
them: “ The sea rises twice a day so 
high in those quarters, as to render it 
disputable, whether they ought to be 
called sea er land: the natives have 
raised mounds, equal in height to the 
flux of the ocean, and build their huts 
upon them. They catch the fish, which 
the waves propel towards the shore, in 
nets made of reeds and sea-rushes, 
They have neither milk, nor cattle, nor 
game, nor shrubs. Earth is exposed by 
them, rather to the air, than to the sun, 
fur the purpose of dressing their victuals 
upon it. Their only beverage is rain- 
water, which they collect in pits dug 
before their huts.”+ Of the inhabitants 
of Rhetia Vandelicia, and Noricum, 
less is known: but they are generally de- 
scribed as cruel, uncouth in their man- 
ners, aud given to theft.{ If such 
were the diversities, which respectively 
obtained in the habits and situation of 
cotemporary tribes, is it not more than 
probable that their characters were 
equally diversified? 
The Reman historians, who have de- 
scribed the Germans inost particularly, 
speak of them in terms of high eulogy. 
In those days, they were strangers to 
craft and dissimulation, alive to hos- 
pitality, and so rigid in the observance of * 
their promises, that he, who had gam- 
bied away his freedom, entered without 
hesitation into the service of a weaker 
“® De Bello Gailico, }. iv. “ 
4) Histellat, ibs av bie 
} Strabo, lib. iv. 
On the Ancient Germans. 
[July ts 
antagonist. Their faith once pledged, 
nothing could impel them to violate it 
a word, nay, a pressure of the hand, was 
of equal weight with them, asa solemn 
oath is with their descendants. Though 
custom, indeed, gave its sanetion to 
polygamy, yet, adultery, and the onna- 
tural crimes which accompany liber- 
tinism and luxury, were held in uni- 
versal detestation, and subjected to the 
severest. punishments. ‘Their. women 
performed the menial: offices, tended 
their flocks, and made their raiments. 
To no pursuit were they so passionately . 
addicted, as warfare, and in none did 
they display so much activity and per- 
severance. They were born to arms, 
and imbibed the warlike spirit with their 
mother’s milk: their earliest occupations 
formed them to be warriors; they were 
taught to swim, to bear the extremities 
of cold and hunger with fortitude,* and 
to wield their weapons with dexterity. 
This passion for warfare, was so inex 
tinguishable, that, when other means of 
gratifying it were wanting, they did not 
scruple to enter into the service of 
foreign nations. No infamy was more 
intolerable, than that of havirg fled, or 
Jost their shield, in the field of battle; 
it was followed, in most cases, by suicide. 
The plundering another of his property, 
and the revenging of an insult by mur- 
der, were looked upon as lawful: they 
were as inveterate towards an obstinate 
adversary, as merciful towards him who 
was weuponless, or resigned the contest 
voluntarily.¢ Next to war, their favou- 
rite occupation was hunting, When the 
master of a family had supplied himself 
with a sufficient provision of game, and 
ascertained the proper discharge of their 
duties.on the part of his slaves, his 
avocations were at an end for some 
days to come: the time was then in- 
dolently passed by his fire-side, or he 
indulged his lethargy, under some shady 
tree, im the open air. When weariness, 
at length overcame him, he had recourse 
to gaming and feasting, where the great- 
est. intemperance prevailed; and of 
which, quarrels, ending in acts of violence, 
were the fatal consequence. In games” 
of hazard, they frequently staked their 
whole property; nay, their freedom it- 
self, than which nothing was more dear 
to them. Festivals, and public assem- 
* Pomp. Mela de Situ 
cap. 3 
+ Id. mid. 
Orbis. lib. iii. 
_. plies, 
~ 
