They called the assembly of the people: and here their general resolutions were taken; and the whole might rather be called a general confederacy than a government.

In no other bonds, I conceive, were they united before they quitted Germany.

In this ancient state we know them from Tacitus.

Then follows an immense gap, in which undoubtedly some changes were made by time; and we hear little more of them until we find them Christians, and makers of written laws.

In this interval of time the origin of kings may be traced out.