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indeed of all savage people who live under a like climate[1].
Hence proceeded that impetuofity and violence of their paffions when they were once roufed; and hence in their calmer moments that ferious, phlegmatic and in- dolent turn. The exercifes of war and the chace, which are great fatigues to a lefs robuft people, were to them only amufe- ments, the means of fhaking off their lethargy, and of giving an agreeable and even neceffary motion to the body. Their relifh for this kind of life, the effect of
- ↑ Sub Septentrionibus nu- triuntur gentes immani- bus corporibus, candidis co- loribus, fanguine multo, quoniam ab humoris pleni- tate, clique refrigera- tionibus funt confirmati. Sanguinis abundantia ferro refiftunt fine timore. Qui refrigeratis nafcuntur regionibus ad armorum ve- hementiam paratiores funt, magnifque viribus ruunt fine timore, fed tarditate animi refringuntur. Vi- truv. lib. vi. The an- cients bear witness to thefe affertions; The fentiments of Vitruvius are here nothing more than their general opi- nion. [Let the reader caft his eye over the following passages. Septen- trionales populi largo fan- guine redundantes. Veget. I, 2. Gothi confcientia virium freti, robore cor- poris validi, manu prompti. Ifidor. Chronic. p. 730. Germanica nationes, fa- viffimis durata frigoribus, mores ex ipfo cceli rigore traxerunt. Ifid. Orig. lib. ix. cap. 2. Scythe gens laboribus et bellis af- pera: vires corporum im- menfa. Juftin. lib. ii. cap. 3. Firft Edit.]
