Page:The Effects of Civilisation on the People in European States.djvu/65

Rh the woods and pastures of Germany. Whilst these tribes of herdsmen and shepherds remained in their own country, certain lands were annexed to each tribe, proportionable to it, and held in common by the whole tribe, and not possessed by individuals in severalty. Afterwards, when they invaded the neighbouring nations, as Italy, France, Britain, in order to insure their conquests, and keep the conquered in subjection, it was thought necessary to make a division of the lands they had now got possession of. In what manner and on what principles this was done, Dr. Robertson thinks cannot now be determined with any certainty. There is no nation of Europe, he asserts, whose records reach back to this remote period, and that there is little information to be got from the uninstructive and meagre chronicles compiled by writers ignorant of the true end, and unacquainted with the proper objects of history. But Dr. Gilbert Stewart, in his "View of Society in Europe," appears to have taken more pains in making inquiries into these remote transactions. The king or leader of the horde, according to him, upon their obtaining possession of any one of the Roman provinces (which all Europe consisted of at that time), as being of the highest dignity, had