Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

128 F I N G A L. Book II.
Here Connal interrupting afk'd ; How fell
435 ^^^ Breaker of the Shields ? I knew full well
The Son of Damman : he was tall, and fair
As the bright Rainbow of the Hill of Deer.
From
V. 436. He -was tall, and fair, iicP^ The Celtic Nations, under what-
ever Climate they were placed, were tall, robuft, and lufty ; of a ruddy-
Complexion, with yellow Hair and large blue Eyes. But of all the
Branches of the CeltiS., the ancient Britons, the Germans not even excepted,
were the greateft in the Height of their Bodies *. They generally exceeded
by Half a Foot the talleft Ror.ians, and even rofe beyond the Standard of
the Gaulsy whofe Perfons (as Florus exprefles itf) were of more than hu-
man Size. C.efar, fpeaking of the Germans, attributes their great Stature
to the grofs Food with which they were nourifhed, and to the continual Exer-
cife which was the natural Attendant on the two Occupations of Hunting
and depredatory War. He likewife afcribes it in Part to the uninterrupted
Freedom of Aftipn they enjoyed in their Youth ; to the Want of Applica-
tion to Study -, and to the confeqnent Abfence of Corredtion when Boys.
The fuperior Stature of the ancient Britons may, in fome Degree, be
afcribed to the Humidity of the Climate under which they lived. The
fame Temperature of Air which favours the extraordinary Growth of Ve-
getables, may contribute to increafe the Size of the human Body, where it
is not checked by that Mode of Life and hard Labour, which civil Im-
provements have introduced into modern Europe. The Inhabitants of
• ProceriJJimi Celtarim funt Britanni. Strnho, Lib. IV. Caledoniam hahitaniium magni
arttu Germanicum origincm ajfcverant , Tacit, Lib. IL
\ GaUis Ittfuhribus corpora fliif^nam humava erant. Lib. IL
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