1309.} 
blies,*. were opened with the goblet in 
their hand. They were strangers to 
parade and Juxury; and their proudest 
trapping consisted in the high polish of 
their weapons. 
Necessity alone compelled the ancient 
Germans to cultivate their soil, which 
was barren; rather from the want of 
tillage, than from the niggardliness of 
nature. Agricultural pursuits were left 
to the care of old or infirm people, and 
of slaves: nor was any other eulture ate 
tended to by these, but that of oats and 
barley. They lived in the most profound. 
ignorance of those objects, which con- 
stitute the brightest charms of civilized 
iife. The arts and sciences were totally 
unknown to them. It appears that they 
were unacquainted with writing: their 
whole knowledge of poetry and music, 
consisted am waresongs, and  nativnal 
“airs, in which their bards strove to nou- 
rish emulation, by recording the deeds of 
their great men and ‘warriors. ‘To his- 
tory, medicine, geugraphy, astronomy, 
mathematics, and natural philosophy, 
they were utter strangers. They had 
neither teachers nor schools, and were 
indebted for all they knew, to wholesome 
reason, the dictates of experience, and 
the impuise of nature, Like children, 
their delight was in a medley of 
gaudy colours, with which their dwellings 
and bucklers were profusely bedizened. 
‘Their religion was neither deformed by 
impurities, nor disgraced by cruelty. 
They believed ina Supreme Being, whose 
divine nature they abstained from de- 
-basing by human representativis: he 
was worshipped, net in temples, but in. 
‘groves, where their instruments of war 
were kept, and the sacred mysteries were 
solemnized, to which the initiated only 
were admitted. Some adored the earth, 
* At the public assembiles of the people, 
each oné attended as his convenience dictated, 
without regard to any appointed hour. Wo- 
men were exc'uded from them, though they 
“were generally consulted by their husbands 
at home, on the most important affairs, 
When all were met together, the king, or, 
where there was none, their chief, or some 
ether distinguished and eloquent spokesman, 
. propounded the objects for deliberation. The 
people expressed their disapprobation by mur- 
tnurs and clashi:g of swords, whilst their 
approbation was signified by huzzas and 
clashing of shields. At these assemblies, 
kings or leaders were chosen; peace, war, 
alliances, and embassies were resolved upon, 
and heinous public crimes were punished. 
‘Cons. Posselt. Geschichte der Teutschen, 
Gesch. d. T. vol. i. p. 13, 
Monruty Mag. No. 186, 
On Duelling. 
567 
others the sun, the moon, or the stars, as 
the centre whence all their blessings 
were dispensed. The unmortality. of the 
soul, and the rewards and panishments 
of a future state, were objects of their 
firm belief. The priesthood was held in 
great reverence: the maintenance of 
silence and order at public assemblies, 
and the expounding of signs and tokens, 
by which they were influenced on the 
most momentous occasions, formed a part 
of :he priestly functions. \ 
Rome itself recognized freedom as an 
hereditary property of the ancient Ger- 
mans and Seythians. Every freé-born 
German was the lord, the priest, and the 
judge of bis household. He could punish 
and eject lis wife, with the covcurrence 
of her relatives, for a breach of the mar- 
riage vow: he had the power of life and 
death over his slaves. Many of the Ger- 
man nations, or tribes, enjoyed a state 
of perfect independence, and chose a 
new leader at the breaking out of every 
war; whilst those, who tolerated a mo- 
narchical government, were so jealous 
of their freedom, that their king was, 
literally speaking, but the first servant in. 
the state; being bound to consult his 
principal adherents ons matters of the 
inost trivial nature, and to abide by the 
decision of his people on those of general 
moment. 
Such was the state of the primitive in- 
habitants of Germany. It will be ny 
endeavour to shew, on a future occasion, 
to what causes we may ascribe the 
changes, which afterwards took place in 
the aboriginal features of the German 
character. Bf 
Dectus, 
ee 
For the Monthiy Magazine. 
On Deuettine, 
« ON France, the example of Francis T, 
B had drawn after it the most mé- 
lanchoiy consequences. Being charged 
with a breaeh of faith, by the Emperor. 
Charles V. he gave him the lie in form, 
and challenged hit to single combat. 
The difficulty of providing for two such 
combatants a sufficient security of the 
field, and adjusting other circuinstances, 
prevented the meeting; but the mischief 
of the example was complete. This hap- 
pened in the year 1588. In thelatter 
part of the same century, when France 
was torn by the most violent convulsions, 
the rage of duciling mixed itself with the 
animosity of the civil and relivinus 
parties, and contribucd to dep pulute 
the country; nor was its fury abated by 
4 ds te 
' 
To ee ee 
eS 
