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Cæfar obferves of the Suevi, that they
feed chiefly on milk, and exercife them-
felves much in hunting, which together
with the free unreftrained life they lead,
never being from their childhood impelled
againft their inclinations to any difcipline
or duty, he affigns as effective caufes of
their very large and robuft make *. Vege-
tius exprefsly affirms, that the tallness of
the Germans gave them great advantage in
combat over the leffer Romans. The
lances, fwords and other arms which have
been preferved to this time, and may yet
continue to more remote ages, are objects
of curiofity and aftonifhment to thofe
whofe anceſtors were able to wield them.
But the greateft proof of their prodigi-
ous ftrength arifes from the rude enor-
mous monuments of architecture which
were raifed by thefe northern people. We
have all heard of that monument on Sa-
lifbury plain in England, where we fee a
multitude of vaft ftones of monftrous
weight fet up end-wife, and ferving as bafes
to other ftones, many of which are in
length fixteen feet. Nor are the monu-
ments of this kind lefs aftonishing, which
we meet with in Iceland, in Weftphalia,
and particularly in Eaft-Friezeland, Brunf-
- Bell. Gall. lib. iv. c. 1.
VOL. I. Chap. XII. Z wick,
