or the Lesser Asia, or Egypt, the great fountains of the ancient civility and learning.  And they became more or less, earlier or later, polished, as they were situated nearer to or further from these celebrated sources.  Though I am satisfied, from a comparison of the Celtic tongues with the Greek and Roman, that the original inhabitants of Italy and Greece were of the same race with the people of Northern Europe, yet it is certain they profited so much by their guarded situation, by the mildness of their climate favorable to humanity, and by the foreign infusions, that they came greatly to excel the Northern nations in every respect, and particularly in the art and discipline of war.  For, not being so strong in their bodies, partly from the temperature of their climate, partly from a degree of softness induced by a more cultivated life, they applied themselves to remove the few inconveniences of a settled society by the advantages which it affords in art, disposition, and obedience; and as they consisted of many small states, their people were well exercised in arms, and sharpened against each other by continual war.

Such was the situation of Greece and Italy from a very remote period.  The Gauls and other Northern nations, envious of their wealth, and despising the effeminacy of their manners, often invaded them with, numerous, though ill-formed armies.  But their greatest and most frequent attempts were against Italy, their connection with which country alone we shall here consider.  In the course of these wars, the superiority of the Roman discipline over the Gallic ferocity was at length demonstrated.  The Gauls, notwithstanding the numbers with which their irruptions were made, and the impetuous courage by which that nation was distinguished, had no permanent success.  They were altogether unskilful either in improving their victories or repairing their defeats.  But the Romans, being governed by a most wise order of men, perfected by a traditionary experience in the policy of conquest, drew some advantage from every turn of fortune, and, victorious or vanquished, persisted in one uniform and comprehensive plan of breaking to pieces everything which endangered their safety or obstructed their greatness.  For, after having more than once expelled the Northern invaders out of Italy, they pursued them over the Alps; and carrying the war into the country of their enemy, under several able generals, and at last under Caius Caesar, they reduced all the Gauls from the Mediterranean Sea to the Rhine and the Ocean.  During the progress of this decisive war, some of the maritime nations of Gaul had recourse for assistance to the neighboring island of Britain.  Prom thence they received considerable succors; by which means this island first came to be known with any exactness by the Romans, and first drew upon it the attention of that victorious people.