OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

357

faculty of man is expanded and exercised, and chap.

the great chain of mutual dependence connects_

and embraces the several members of society.

The most numerous portion of it is employed inconstant and useful labour. The select few,placed by fortune above that, necessity, can,however, fill up their time by the pursuits of in-terest or glory, by the improvement of their es-tate or of their understanding, by the duties, thepleasures, and even the follies of social life. TheGermans were not possessed of these varied re-sources. The care of the house and family, themanagement of the land and cattle, were dele-gated to the old and the infirm, to women andslaves. The lazy warrior, destitute of every artthat might employ his leisure hours, consumedhis days and nights in the animal gratificationsof sleep and food. And yet, by a wonderful di-versity of nature (according to the remark of awriterwhohad pierced into its darkest recesses),the same barbarians are by turns the most indo-lent and the most restless of mankind. Theydelight in sloth, they detest tranquillity.® Thelanguid soul, oppressed with its own weight,anxiously required some new and powerful sen-sation ; and war and danger were the onlyamusements adequate to its fierce temper. Thesound that summoned the German to arms wasgrateful to his ear. It roused him from his un-comfortable lethargy, gave him an active pur-suit, and, by strong exercise of the body, andviolent emotions of the mind, restored him to a

* Tacit. Germ. 15.