an omnipotent Creator over a
finite creature. Every action of the body, every impulse of the mind,
was the immediate result, in the system of worship among the Goths of
the direct, though invisible interference of the divinities they
adored. When, therefore, they observed that women were more submitted
in body to the mysterious laws of nature and temperament, and more
swayed in mind by the native and universal instincts of humanity than
themselves, they inferred as an inevitable conclusion, that the female
sex was more incessantly regarded, and more constantly and remarkably
influenced by the gods of their worship, than the male. Acting under
this persuasion, they committed the study of medicine, the
interpretation of dreams, and in many instances, the mysteries of
communication with the invisible world, to the care of their women.
The gentler sex became their counsellors in difficulty, and their
physicians in sickness--their companions rather than their
mistresses,--the objects of their veneration rather than the purveyors
of their pleasures. Although in after years, the national migrations
of the Goths changed the national temperament, although their ancient
mythology was exchanged for the worship of Christ, this prevailing
sentiment of their earliest existence as a people never entirely
deserted them; but, with different modifications and in different
forms, maintained much of its old supremacy through all changes of
manners and varieties of customs, descending finally to their posterity
among the present nations of Europe, in the shape of that established
code of universal courtesy to women, which is admitted to be one great
distinguishing mark between the social systems of the inhabitants of
civilised and uncivilised lands.

This powerful and remarkable ascendancy of the woman over the man,
among the Goths, could hardly be more strikingly displayed than in the
instance of Hermanric. It appeared, not only in the deteriorating
effect of the constant companionship of Goisvintha on his naturally
manly character, but also in the strong influence over his mind of the
last words of fury and disdain that she had spoken. His eyes gleamed
with anger, his cheeks flushed with shame, as he listened to those
passages in her wrathful remonstrance which reflected most bitterly on
himself. She had scarcely ceased, and turned to retire into the tent,
when he arrested her progress, and replied, in heightened and accusing
ton