Thesubject，howevervariousandimportant，hasalreadybeensofrequently，soably，andsosuccessfullydiscussed，thatitisnowgrownfamiliartothereader，anddifficulttothewriter。
Weshallthereforecontentourselveswithobserving，andindeedwithrepeating，someofthemostimportantcircumstancesofclimate，ofmanners，andofinstitutions，whichrenderedthewildbarbariansofGermanysuchformidableenemiestotheRomanpower。
[Footnote*:TheScythians，evenaccordingtotheancients，arenotSarmatians。ItmaybedoubtedwhetherGibbonintendedtoconfoundthem。—M。]TheGreeks，afterhavingdividedtheworldintoGreeksandbarbarians。dividedthebarbariansintofourgreatclasses，theCelts，theScythians，theIndians，andtheEthiopians。TheycalledCeltsalltheinhabitantsofGaul。
ScythiaextendedfromtheBalticSeatotheLakeAral:thepeopleenclosedintheangletothenorth—east，betweenCelticaandScythia，werecalledCelto—Scythians，andtheSarmatianswereplacedinthesouthernpartofthatangle。ButthesenamesofCelts，ofScythians，ofCelto—Scythians，andSarmatians，wereinvented，saysSchlozer，bytheprofoundcosmographicalignoranceoftheGreeks，andhavenorealground；theyarepurelygeographicaldivisions，withoutanyrelationtothetrueaffiliationofthedifferentraces。ThusalltheinhabitantsofGaularecalledCeltsbymostoftheancientwriters；yetGaulcontainedthreetotallydistinctnations，theBelgae，theAquitani，andtheGauls，properlysocalled。Hiomneslinguainstitutis，legibusqueintersedifferunt。Caesar。Com。c。i。
ItisthustheTurkscallallEuropeansFranks。Schlozer，AllgemeineNordischeGeschichte，p。289。1771。BayerdeOrigineetpriscisSedibusScytharum，inOpusc。p。64says，Primuseorum，dequibusconstat，Ephorus，inquartohistoriarumlibro，orbemterraruminterScythas，Indos，AethiopasetCeltasdivisit。
FragmentumejuslociCosmasIndicopleustesintopographiaChristiana，f。148，conservavit。VideoigiturEphorum，cumlocorumposituspercertacapitadistribuereetexplicareconstitueret，insigniorumnominagentiumvastioribusspatiisadhibuisse，nullamalafraudeetsuccessuinfelici。NamEphoroquoquomododictaproexploratishabebantGraecipleriqueetRomani:itagliscebaterrorposteritate。Igiturtottamquediversaestirpisgentesnonmodointracommunemquandamregionemdefinitae，unumomnesScytharumnomenhisauctoribussubierunt，sedetiamabillaregionisadpellationeineandemnationemsuntconflatae。SicCimmeriorumrescumScythicis，ScytharumcumSarmaticis，Russicis，Hunnicis，Tatariciscommiscentur。—G。]
[Footnote*:TheGermaniaofTacitushasbeenafruitfulsourceofhypothesistotheingenuityofmodernwriters，whohaveendeavoredtoaccountfortheformoftheworkandtheviewsoftheauthor。AccordingtoLuden，GeschichtedesT。V。i。432，andnote，itcontainstheunfinishedanddisarrangedforalargerwork。Ananonymouswriter，supposedbyLudentobeM。
Becker，conceivesthatitwasintendedasanepisodeinhislargerhistory。AccordingtoM。Guizot，"TaciteapeintlesGermainscommeMontaigneetRousseaulessauvages，dansunaccesd'humeurcontresapatrie:sonlivreestunesatiredesmoeursRomaines，l'eloquenteboutaded'unpatriotephilosophequiveutvoirlavertula，ouilnerencontrepaslamollessehonteuseetladepravationsavanted'uneviellesociete。"Hist。delaCivilisationModerne，i。258。—M。]
AncientGermany，excludingfromitsindependentlimitstheprovincewestwardoftheRhine，whichhadsubmittedtotheRomanyoke，extendeditselfoverathirdpartofEurope。^1AlmostthewholeofmodernGermany，Denmark，Norway，Sweden，Finland，Livonia，Prussia，andthegreaterpartofPoland，werepeopledbythevarioustribesofonegreatnation，whosecomplexion，manners，andlanguagedenotedacommonorigin，andpreservedastrikingresemblance。Onthewest，ancientGermanywasdividedbytheRhinefromtheGallic，andonthesouth，bytheDanube，fromtheIllyrian，provincesoftheempire。Aridgeofhills，risingfromtheDanube，andcalledtheCarpathianMountains，coveredGermanyonthesideofDaciaorHungary。TheeasternfrontierwasfaintlymarkedbythemutualfearsoftheGermansandtheSarmatians，andwasoftenconfoundedbythemixtureofwarringandconfederatingtribesofthetwonations。Intheremotedarknessofthenorth，theancientsimperfectlydescriedafrozenoceanthatlaybeyondtheBalticSea，andbeyondthePeninsula，orislands^1ofScandinavia。
[Footnote1:Germanywasnotofsuchvastextent。ItisfromCaesar，andmoreparticularlyfromPtolemy，saysGatterer，thatwecanknowwhatwasthestateofancientGermanybeforethewarswiththeRomanshadchangedthepositionsofthetribes。
Germany，aschangedbythesewars，hasbeendescribedbyStrabo，Pliny，andTacitus。Germany，properlysocalled，wasboundedonthewestbytheRhine，ontheeastbytheVistula，onthenorthbythesouthernpointofNorway，bySweden，andEsthonia。Onthesouth，theMaineandthemountainstothenorthofBohemiaformedthelimits。BeforethetimeofCaesar，thecountrybetweentheMaineandtheDanubewaspartlyoccupiedbytheHelvetiansandotherGauls，partlybytheHercynianforestbut，fromthetimeofCaesartothegreatmigration，theseboundarieswereadvancedasfarastheDanube，or，whatisthesamething，totheSuabianAlps，althoughtheHercynianforeststilloccupied，fromnorthtosouth，aspaceofninedays'journeyonbothbanksoftheDanube。
"Gatterer，Versucheinerall—gemeinenWelt—Geschichte，"p。424，edit。de1792。Thisvastcountrywasfarfrombeinginhabitedbyasinglenationdividedintodifferenttribesofthesameorigin。
Wemayreckonthreeprincipalraces，verydistinctintheirlanguage，theirorigin，andtheircustoms。1。Totheeast，theSlavesorVandals。2。Tothewest，theCimmeriansorCimbri。3。
BetweentheSlavesandCimbrians，theGermans，properlysocalled，theSueviofTacitus。TheSouthwasinhabited，beforeJuliusCaesar，bynationsofGaulishorigin，afterwardsbytheSuevi。—G。Onthepositionofthesenations，theGermanantiquariesdiffer。I。TheSlaves，orSclavonians，orWendishtribes，accordingtoSchlozer，wereoriginallysettledinpartsofGermanyunknowntotheRomans，Mecklenburgh，Pomerania，Brandenburgh，UpperSaxony；andLusatia。AccordingtoGatterer，theyremainedtotheeastoftheTheiss，theNiemen，andtheVistula，tillthethirdcentury。TheSlaves，accordingtoProcopiusandJornandes，formedthreegreatdivisions。1。TheVenediorVandals，whotookthelattername，theWenden，havingexpelledtheVandals，properlysocalled，aSuevianrace，theconquerorsofAfrica，fromthecountrybetweentheMemelandtheVistula。2。TheAntes，whoinhabitedbetweentheDneisterandtheDnieper。3。TheSclavonians，properlysocalled，inthenorthofDacia。Duringthegreatmigration，theseracesadvancedintoGermanyasfarastheSaalandtheElbe。TheSclavonianlanguageisthestemfromwhichhaveissuedtheRussian，thePolish，theBohemian，andthedialectsofLusatia，ofsomepartsoftheduchyofLuneburgh，ofCarniola，Carinthia，andStyria，&c。；thoseofCroatia，Bosnia，andBulgaria。Schlozer，NordischeGeschichte，p。323，335。II。TheCimbricrace。AdelungcallsbythisnameallwhowerenotSuevi。ThisracehadpassedtheRhine，beforethetimeofCaesar，occupiedBelgium，andaretheBelgaeofCaesarandPliny。TheCimbriansalsooccupiedtheIsleofJutland。TheCymriofWalesandofBritainareofthisrace。
ManytribesontherightbankoftheRhine，theGuthiniinJutland，theUsipetiinWestphalia，theSigambriintheduchyofBerg，wereGermanCimbrians。III。TheSuevi，knowninveryearlytimesbytheRomans，fortheyarementionedbyL。Corn。
Sisenna，wholived123yearsbeforeChrist，Noniusv。Lancea。
Thisrace，therealGermans，extendedtotheVistula，andfromtheBaltictotheHercynianforest。ThenameofSueviwassometimesconfinedtoasingletribe，asbyCaesartotheCatti。
ThenameoftheSuevihasbeenpreservedinSuabia。
ThesethreeweretheprincipalraceswhichinhabitedGermany；theymovedfromeasttowest，andaretheparentstemofthemodernnatives。ButnorthernEurope，accordingtoSchlozer，wasnotpeopledbythemalone；otherraces，ofdifferentorigin，andspeakingdifferentlanguages，haveinhabitedandleftdescendantsinthesecountries。
TheGermantribescalledthemselves，fromveryremotetimes，bythegenericnameofTeutons，Teuten，Deutschen，whichTacitusderivesfromthatofoneoftheirgods，Tuisco。Itappearsmoreprobablethatitmeansmerelymen，people。Manysavagenationshavegiventhemselvesnoothername。ThustheLaplanderscallthemselvesAlmag，people；theSamoiedesNilletz，Nissetsch，men，&c。AstothenameofGermans，Germani，CaesarfounditinuseinGaul，andadopteditasawordalreadyknowntotheRomans。ManyofthelearnedfromapassageofTacitus，deMorGerm。c。2havesupposedthatitwasonlyappliedtotheTeutonsafterCaesar'stime；butAdelunghastriumphantlyrefutedthisopinion。ThenameofGermansisfoundintheFastiCapitolini。SeeGruter，Iscrip。2899，inwhichtheconsulMarcellus，intheyearofRome531，issaidtohavedefeatedtheGauls，theInsubrians，andtheGermans，commandedbyVirdomar。
SeeAdelung，Aelt。GeschichtederDeutsch，p。102。—CompressedfromG。]
[Footnote1:ThemodernphilosophersofSwedenseemagreedthatthewatersoftheBalticgraduallysinkinaregularproportion，whichtheyhaveventuredtoestimateathalfanincheveryyear。
TwentycenturiesagotheflatcountryofScandinaviamusthavebeencoveredbythesea；whilethehighlandsroseabovethewaters，assomanyislandsofvariousformsanddimensions。
Such，indeed，isthenotiongivenusbyMela，Pliny，andTacitus，ofthevastcountriesroundtheBaltic。SeeintheBibliothequeRaisonnee，tom。xl。andxlv。alargeabstractofDalin'sHistoryofSweden，composedintheSwedishlanguage。
Note:ModerngeologistshaverejectedthistheoryofthedepressionoftheBaltic，asinconsistentwithrecentobservation。Theconsiderablechangeswhichhavetakenplaceonitsshores，Mr。Lyell，fromactualobservationnowdecidedlyattributestotheregularanduniformelevationoftheland。—
Lyell'sGeology，b。ii。c。17—M。]
Someingeniouswriters^2havesuspectedthatEuropewasmuchcolderformerlythanitisatpresent；andthemostancientdescriptionsoftheclimateofGermanytendexceedinglytoconfirmtheirtheory。Thegeneralcomplaintsofintensefrostandeternalwinter，areperhapslittletoberegarded，sincewehavenomethodofreducingtotheaccuratestandardofthethermometer，thefeelings，ortheexpressions，ofanoratorborninthehappierregionsofGreeceorAsia。ButIshallselecttworemarkablecircumstancesofalessequivocalnature。1。ThegreatriverswhichcoveredtheRomanprovinces，theRhineandtheDanube，werefrequentlyfrozenover，andcapableofsupportingthemostenormousweights。Thebarbarians，whooftenchosethatsevereseasonfortheirinroads，transported，withoutapprehensionordanger，theirnumerousarmies，theircavalry，andtheirheavywagons，overavastandsolidbridgeofice。^3
Modernageshavenotpresentedaninstanceofalikephenomenon。
2。Thereindeer，thatusefulanimal，fromwhomthesavageoftheNorthderivesthebestcomfortsofhisdrearylife，isofaconstitutionthatsupports，andevenrequires，themostintensecold。HeisfoundontherockofSpitzberg，withintendegreesofthePole；heseemstodelightinthesnowsofLaplandandSiberia:butatpresenthecannotsubsist，muchlessmultiply，inanycountrytothesouthoftheBaltic。^4InthetimeofCaesarthereindeer，aswellastheelkandthewildbull，wasanativeoftheHercynianforest，whichthenovershadowedagreatpartofGermanyandPoland。^5Themodernimprovementssufficientlyexplainthecausesofthediminutionofthecold。Theseimmensewoodshavebeengraduallycleared，whichinterceptedfromtheearththeraysofthesun。^6Themorasseshavebeendrained，and，inproportionasthesoilhasbeencultivated，theairhasbecomemoretemperate。Canada，atthisday，isanexactpictureofancientGermany。AlthoughsituatedinthesameparallelwiththefinestprovincesofFranceandEngland，thatcountryexperiencesthemostrigorouscold。Thereindeerareverynumerous，thegroundiscoveredwithdeepandlastingsnow，andthegreatriverofSt。Lawrenceisregularlyfrozen，inaseasonwhenthewatersoftheSeineandtheThamesareusuallyfreefromice。^7
[Footnote2:Inparticular，Mr。Hume，theAbbeduBos，andM。
Pelloutier。Hist。desCeltes，tom。i。]
[Footnote3:DiodorusSiculus，l。v。p。340，edit。Wessel。
Herodian，l。vi。p。221。Jornandes，c。55。OnthebanksoftheDanube，thewine，whenbroughttotable，wasfrequentlyfrozenintogreatlumps，frustavini。Ovid。Epist。exPonto，l。iv。7，9，10。Virgil。Georgic。l。iii。355。Thefactisconfirmedbyasoldierandaphilosopher，whohadexperiencedtheintensecoldofThrace。SeeXenophon，Anabasis，l。vii。p。560，edit。
Hutchinson。
Note:TheDanubeisconstantlyfrozenover。AtPesththebridgeisusuallytakenup，andthetrafficandcommunicationbetweenthetwobankscarriedonovertheice。TheRhineislikewiseinmanypartspassableatleasttwoyearsoutoffive。
Wintercampaignsaresounusual，inmodernwarfare，thatI
recollectbutoneinstanceofanarmycrossingeitherriverontheice。Inthethirtyyears'war，1635，JanvanWerth，anImperialistpartisan，crossedtheRhinefromHeidelbergontheicewith5000men，andsurprisedSpiers。Pichegru'smemorablecampaign，1794—5，whenthefreezingoftheMeuseandWaalopenedHollandtohisconquests，andhiscavalryandartilleryattackedtheshipsfrozenin，ontheZuyderZee，wasinawinterofunprecedentedseverity。—M。1845。]
[Footnote4:Buffon，HistoireNaturelle，tom。xii。p。79，116。]
[Footnote5:CaesardeBell。Gallic。vi。23，&c。ThemostinquisitiveoftheGermanswereignorantofitsutmostlimits，althoughsomeofthemhadtravelledinitmorethansixtydays'
journey。
Note:ThepassageofCaesar，"parvisrenonumtegumentisutuntur，"isobscure，observesLuden，GeschichtedesTeutschenVolkes，andinsufficienttoprovethereindeertohaveexistedinGermany。Itissupportedhowever，byafragmentofSallust。
Germaniintectumrhenonibuscorpustegunt。—M。IthasbeensuggestedtomethatCaesarasoldGesnersupposedmeantthereindeerinthefollowingdescription。Estboscervifiguracujusamediafronteinterauresunumcornuexistit，excelsiusmagisquedirectumdivaricatum，qu?hisquaenobisnotasuntcornibus。Atejussummo，sicutpalmae，ramiquamlatediffunduntur。Bell。vi。—M。1845。]
[Footnote6:CluveriusGermaniaAntiqua，l。iii。c。47
investigatesthesmallandscatteredremainsoftheHercynianwood。]
[Footnote7:Charlevoix，HistoireduCanada。]
Itisdifficulttoascertain，andeasytoexaggerate，theinfluenceoftheclimateofancientGermanyoverthemindsandbodiesofthenatives。Manywritershavesupposed，andmosthaveallowed，though，asitshouldseem，withoutanyadequateproof，thattherigorouscoldoftheNorthwasfavorabletolonglifeandgenerativevigor，thatthewomenweremorefruitful，andthehumanspeciesmoreprolific，thaninwarmerormoretemperateclimates。^8Wemayassert，withgreaterconfidence，thatthekeenairofGermanyformedthelargeandmasculinelimbsofthenatives，whowere，ingeneral，ofamoreloftystaturethanthepeopleoftheSouth，^9gavethemakindofstrengthbetteradaptedtoviolentexertionsthantopatientlabor，andinspiredthemwithconstitutionalbravery，whichistheresultofnervesandspirits。Theseverityofawintercampaign，thatchilledthecourageoftheRomantroops，wasscarcelyfeltbythesehardychildrenoftheNorth，^10who，intheirturn，wereunabletoresistthesummerheats，anddissolvedawayinlanguorandsicknessunderthebeamsofanItaliansun。^11
[Footnote8:OlausRudbeckassertsthattheSwedishwomenoftenbeartenortwelvechildren，andnotuncommonlytwentyorthirty；
buttheauthorityofRudbeckismuchtobesuspected。]
[Footnote9:Inhosartus，inhaeccorpora，quaemiramur，excrescunt。TaeitGermania，3，20。Cluver。l。i。c。14。]
[Footnote10:Plutarch。inMario。TheCimbri，bywayofamusement，oftendiddownmountainsofsnowontheirbroadshields。]
[Footnote11:TheRomansmadewarinallclimates，andbytheirexcellentdisciplinewereinagreatmeasurepreservedinhealthandvigor。Itmayberemarked，thatmanistheonlyanimalwhichcanliveandmultiplyineverycountryfromtheequatortothepoles。Thehogseemstoapproachthenearesttoourspeciesinthatprivilege。]
ChapterIX:StateOfGermanyUntilTheBarbarians。
PartII。
Thereisnotanywhereupontheglobealargetractofcountry，whichwehavediscovereddestituteofinhabitants，orwhosefirstpopulationcanbefixedwithanydegreeofhistoricalcertainty。Andyet，asthemostphilosophicmindscanseldomrefrainfrominvestigatingtheinfancyofgreatnations，ourcuriosityconsumesitselfintoilsomeanddisappointedefforts。
WhenTacitusconsideredthepurityoftheGermanblood，andtheforbiddingaspectofthecountry，hewasdisposedtopronouncethosebarbariansIndigence，ornativesofthesoil。Wemayallowwithsafety，andperhapswithtruth，thatancientGermanywasnotoriginallypeopledbyanyforeigncoloniesalreadyformedintoapoliticalsociety；^12butthatthenameandnationreceivedtheirexistencefromthegradualunionofsomewanderingsavagesoftheHercynianwoods。Toassertthosesavagestohavebeenthespontaneousproductionoftheearthwhichtheyinhabitedwouldbearashinference，condemnedbyreligion，andunwarrantedbyreason。
[Footnote12:Facit。Germ。c。3。TheemigrationoftheGaulsfollowedthecourseoftheDanube，anddischargeditselfonGreeceandAsia。TacituscoulddiscoveronlyoneinconsiderabletribethatretainedanytracesofaGallicorigin。
Note:TheGothini，whomustnotbeconfoundedwiththeGothi，aSueviantribe。InthetimeofCaesarmanyothertribesofGaulishorigindweltalongthecourseoftheDanube，whocouldnotlongresisttheattacksoftheSuevi。TheHelvetians，whodweltonthebordersoftheBlackForest，betweentheMaineandtheDanube，hadbeenexpelledlongbeforethetimeofCaesar。HementionsalsotheVolciTectosagi，whocamefromLanguedocandsettledroundtheBlackForest。TheBoii，whohadpenetratedintothatforest，andalsohavelefttracesoftheirnameinBohemia，weresubduedinthefirstcenturybytheMarcomanni。