The conquerors of the Roman empire
came from Germany. Though few ancient authors have described their
manners, yet we have two of very great weight. Csar making war against
the Germans describes the manners of that nation;
[2]
and upon these he
regulated some of his enterprises.
[3]
A few pages of Csar upon this
subject are equal to whole volumes.
Tacitus has written an entire work on the manners of the Germans.
This work is short, but it comes from the pen of Tacitus, who was always
concise, because he saw everything at one glance.
These two authors agree so perfectly with the codes still extant of
the laws of the Barbarians, that reading Csar and Tacitus we imagine we
are perusing these codes, and perusing these codes we fancy we are
reading Csar and Tacitus.
But if in this research into the feudal laws I should find myself
entangled and lost in a dark labyrinth, I fancy I have the clue in my
hand, and that I shall be able to find my way through.
