66 66 66 and for the extent of their empire. "For as the planet Jupiter lies between the fervid heat of "Mars and the bitter cold of Saturn; so Italy, in "the middle of the temperate zone, possesses all "that is favourable in either climate. Thus by "conduct in war, the Romans overcome the impetuous force of northern barbarians; and by vigour of arms confound the politic schemes of "her southern neighbours. Divine Providence appears to have placed the Romans in that happy situation, in order that they might become masters of the world."-Vegetius accounts for the different characters of men from the same principle: "Omnes nationes quæ vicinæ sunt so"li, nimio calore siccatas, amplius quidem sapere, "sed minus habere sanguinis dicunt: ac prop(6 terea constantiam ac fiduciam cominùs non ha"bere pugnandi, quia metuunt vulnera, qui se exiguum sanguinem habere noverunt. Contrà, septentrionales populi, remoti a solis ardoribus, "inconsultiores quidem, sed tamen largo sanguine redundantes, sunt ad bella promptissimi*.' 66 66 Servius * "Nations near the sun, being exsiccated by excessive “heat, are said to have a greater acuteness of understanding, "but less blood: on which account, in fighting they are de"ficient in firmness and resolution; and dread the being "wounded, as conscious of their want of blood. The north 66 ern people, on the contrary, removed from the ardour of the sun, are less remarkable for the powers of the mind; but " abounding in blood, they are prone to war."-Lib. i. cap. 2. De re militari. 1 Servius, in his commentary on the Æneid of Virgil*, says, " Afri versipelles, Græci leves, Gal"li pigrioris ingenii, quod natura climatum fa 66 cit +."--Mallet, in the introduction to his History of Denmark, copying Vitruvius and Vegetius, strains hard to derive ferocity and courage in the Scandinavians from the climate: “A great abundance of blood, fibres strong and 66 rigid, vigour inexhaustible, formed the tempe"rament of the Germans, the Scandinavians, and "of all other people who live under the same cli mate. Robust by the climate, and hardened "with exercise; confidence in bodily strength "formed their character. A man who relies on "his own force, cannot bear restraint, nor submis"sion to the arbitrary will of another. As he has "no occasion for artifice, he is altogether a stranger to fraud or dissimulation. As he is always ready to repel force by force, he is not suspi"cious nor distrustful. His courage prompts him "to be faithful in friendship, generous, and even magnanimous. He is averse to occupations that require more assiduity than action; because mo"derate exercise affords not to his blood and "fibres that degree of agitation which suits them. "Hence his disgust at arts and manufactures; and, 66 *En. lib. vi. ver. 724. as "The Africans are subtle and full of stratagem, the "Greeks are fickle, the Gauls slow of parts, all which diver"sities are occasioned by the climate." Is as passion labours to justify itself, hence his opinion, that war only and hunting are honourable professions." Before subscribing to this doctrine, I wish to be satisfied of a few particulars. Is our author certain, that inhabitants of cold countries have the greatest quantity of blood? And is he certain, that courage is in every man proportioned to the quantity of his blood*? he also certain, that ferocity and love of war did universally obtain among the northern Europeans? Tacitus gives a very different character of the Chauci, who inhabited the north of Germany: "Tam immensum terrarum spatium non tenent "tantùm Chauci, sed et implent: populus inter "Germanos nobilissimus, quique magnitudinem suam malit justitiâ tueri. Sine cupiditate, sine impotentia, 66 66 At that rate, the loss of an ounce of blood may turn the balance. Courage makes an essential ingredient in magnanimity and heroism: are such elevated virtues corporeal merely? is the mind admitted for no share? This indeed would be a mortifying circumstance in the human race. But even supposing courage to be corporeal merely, it is however far from being proportioned to the quantity of blood: 2 greater quantity than can be circulated freely and easily by the force of the heart and arteries, becomes a disease, termed a plethora. Bodily courage is chiefly founded on the solids. When, by the vigour and elasticity of the heart and arteries, a brisk circulation of blood is produced, a man is in good spirits, lively and bold; a greater quantity of blood, instead of raising courage to a higher pitch, never fails to produce sluggishness and depression of mind. 66 impotentia, quieti, secretique, nulla provocant bella, nullis raptibus aut latrociniis populantur. Idque præcipuum virtutis ac virium argumen"tum est, quod ut superiores agunt, non per inju"rias assequuntur. Prompta tamen omnibus ar ma, ac, si res poscat, exercitus *." Again, with respect to the Arii, he bears witness, that beside ferocity, and strength of body, they were full of fraud and artifice. Neither do the Laplanders nor Samoides correspond to his description, being remarkable for pusillanimity, though inhabitants of a bitter cold country +. Lastly, a cold climate doth not always make the inhabitants averse to occupations that require more assiduity than action the people of Iceland formerly were much addicted to study and literature; and for many centuries * "So immense an extent of country is not possessed only, "but filled by the Chauci; a race of people the noblest 66 among the Germans, and who choose to maintain their "grandeur by justice rather than by violence. Confident of "their strength, without the thirst of increasing their posses"sions, they live in quietness and security: they kindle no "wars; they are strangers to plunder and to rapine; and "what is the chief evidence both of their power and of their "virtue, without oppressing any, they have attained a supe riority over all. Yet, when occasion requires, they are 66 prompt to take the field; and their troops are speedily rai "sed."-De moribus Germanorum, cap. 35. + Scheffer, in his History of Lapland, differs widely from the authors mentioned; for he ascribes the pusillanimity of the Laplanders, to the coldness of their climate. centuries were the chief historians of the north. They are to this day fond of chess, and spend much of their time in that amusement: there is scarce a peasant but who has a chess-board and men. Mr Banks and Dr Solander report, that the peasants of Iceland are addicted to history, not only of their own country, but of that of Europe *. The • A French author† upon this subject observes, that, like plants, we are formed by the climate; and that as fruits derive their taste from the soil, men derive their character and disposition from the air they breathe. "The English," says he," owe to the fogginess of the air, not only their rich pasture, but the gloominess of their disposition; which "makes them violent in their passions, because they pursue "with ardour every object that relieves them from melan"choly. By that gloominess they are exhausted, and render"ed insensible to the pleasures of life. Depressed in mind "they are unable to endure pain; as it requires strength of "mind to suffer without extreme impatience. They are never content with their lot, hating tranquillity as much as "they love liberty." Where a fact is known to be true, any thing will pass for a cause; and shallow writers deal in such causes. I need no better instance than the present: for, if I mistake not, effects directly opposite may be drawn from the cause assigned by this writer; as plausible at least, I do not say better founded on truth. I will make an attempt: it may amuse the reader. And to avoid disputing about facts, I shall suppose the fogginess of the fens of Lincoln and Essex to be general, which he erroneously seems to believe. From that supposition I reason thus: "The fogginess of the English air, makes the people dull and languid. They suffer +Lettres d'un François. "under |