Northern Antiquities/Chapter 8
CHAPTER VIII.
Of the form of government which formerly prevailed in the North.
THE character of the ancient northern nations is, in some measure, laid open in the former book. It is the nature of every religion which is the handywork of men, always to carry marks of the weakness of its authors, and to breathe forth the same spirit, with which they themselves were animated. Their government and laws are another faithful mirrour, wherein that spirit may be seen with no less advantage. It is obvious, that the laws cannot long be contrary to the genius of a nation. Sooner or later they will be impressed with its character, or they will give it theirs. These are two streams very different in their sources, but which as soon as they unite in the same channel, have but one force and one direction. The importance of this subject makes it incumbent on me to treat it with some extent, and to bring Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/232 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/233 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/234 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/235 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/236 Chiefs and their Followers, evidently con- tains whatever was effential to the nature of Vaffalage, and all the changes which were afterwards made in it were only flight and accidental, occafioned by the conquefts and new eftablishments, which followed from it.
If we confider after this, the character of thefe nations, as it is fketched out by Tacitus, we fhall not be furprized to fee them wedded to inftitutions which they found fo fuitable to their fituation and tem- per: For being the moft free and warlike people upon earth, they muſt have had a natural averfion to the authority of a fingle perfon; and if they placed themſelves un- der leaders, it was only becauſe war cannot be conducted in any other form. As free men, they would only obey from choice, and be lefs influenced by perfonal authority than by reafon: As warriors, they con- ceived no other duty to be owing to a prince, than to be ready to fhed their blood for his cause.
But how came thefe men to preferve themfelves in fo great a degree of liberty? This was owing to their climate and man- ner of life, which gave them fuch ftrength of body and mind as rendered them ca- pable of long and painful labours, of great and daring exploits. “Accordingly we Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/238 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/239 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/240 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/241 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/242 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/243 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/244 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/245 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/246 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/247 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/248 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/249 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/250 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/251 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/252 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/253 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/254 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/255 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/256 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/257 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/258 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/259 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/260 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/261 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/262 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/263 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/264 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/265 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/266 Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/267
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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