b._ 8. & 10. have recorded, that the _Romans_ were so afraid
of the _Gauls_, that they made a Law, whereby all the Dispensations
(formerly granted to Priests and old Men, from serving in their Armies)
were made void, in Case of any Tumult or Danger arising from the
_Gauls_; which _Cicero_ takes notice of in his 2d _Philippick_. _Caesar_
himself in his 6th Book, and after him _Tacitus_, lib. _de moribus
Germanorum_, do testify, That there was a time wherein the _Gauls_
excell'd the _Germans_ in Valour, and carried the War into their
Territories, settling Colonies (by reason of their _great_ Multitudes of
People) beyond the _Rhine_.
Now _Tacitus_ in his Life of _Agricola_, attributes, the _Loss_ of this
their so remarkable _Valour_, to the _Loss_ of their Liberty. _"Gallos
in bellis floruisse accepimus, mox segnities cum otio intravit, amissa_
Virtute _pariter ac_ Libertate--." And I hope the Reader will excuse me,
if the Love of my Country makes me add that remarkable Testimony of the
Valour of the _Gauls_, mentioned by _Justin, lib._ 24.--"The _Gauls_
(says he) finding their Multitudes to increase so fast, that their Lands
cou'd not afford them sufficient Sustenance, sent out Three hundred
thousand Souls to seek for new Habitations. Part of these: seated
themselves in _Italy_; who both took and burnt the City of _Rome_.
Another part penetrated as far as the Shores of _Dalmatia_, destroying
infinite Numbers of the _Barbarians_, and settled themselves at last in
_Pannonia_. A hardy bold and warlike Nation; who ventured next after
_Hercules_, (to whom the like Attempt gave a Reputation of extraordinary
Valour, and a Title to Immortality) to cross those almost inaccessible
Rocks of the _Alps_, and Places scarce passable by Reason of the Cold:
Where after having totally subdued the _Pannonians_ they waged War with
the bordering Provinces for many Years.--And afterwards--being
encouraged by their Success, subdivided their Parties; when some took
their Way to _Graecia_ some to _Macedonia_, destroying all before them
with Fire and Sword. And so great was the Terror of the Name of the
_Gauls_, that several Kings (not in the least threatned by them) of
their own accord, purchased their Peace with large Sums of Money--. And
in the following Book, he says,--So great was the Fruitfulness of the
_Gauls_ at that time, that like a Swarm they fill'd all _Asia_. So that
none of the _Eastern_ Kings either ventured to make War without a
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