Page:Northern Antiquities 1.djvu/484

constitution, strengthened in its turn the caufe that produced it. Thus ftrongly moulded by the hand of nature, and ren- dered hardy by education, the opinion they entertained of their own courage and ftrength muft have given the peculiar turn to their character. A man who thinks he has nothing to fear, cannot endure any fort of conftraint; much lefs will he fubmit to any arbitrary authority, which he fees only fupported by human power, or fuch as he can brave with impunity. As he thinks himfelf not obliged to court any one's favour or deprecate his refentment, he fcorns diffimulation, artifice or falfhood. He regards thefe faults, the effects of fear, as the moft degrading of all others. He is always ready to repel force by force; hence he is neither fufpicious nor diftruftful. A declared enemy to his enemy, he attacks openly; he confides in and is true to others; generous and fometimes in the higheſt de- gree magnanimous, becaufe he places his deareft intereft in the idea he entertains and would excite of his courage. He does not willingly confine himfelf to fuch occu- pations as require more affiduity than ac- tion, more application of mind than body; becaufe moderate exercife is not fufficient to put his blood and fibres into such a degree of motion as is necessary to his own ease.