Ossian Collection > Galic antiquities

ii2 A DISSERTATION ON THE
of a little amufement, had a benign afpect on every virtue ; but
was peculiarly favourable to that delicacy with which we find the
tender fex always treated by Offian's heroes. Unlike thofe
tribes to whom they are fometimes unjuflly compared, the ancient
Caledonians had no lands to till, nor any rigorous fervices to im-
pofe upon their females. The only occupation, hunting, was the
province and the pleafure of the men. So that nothing remained
for the other fex, but " to weave the robe for their love." — We
would allow female charms and female virtue that deference which
they never fail to procure when properly exerted, and which make
them capable of fubduing even thofe who can fubdue the elephant
and the lion. But leaving thefe altogether out of the queftion, the
reafon jufl now mentioned, in concurrence efpecially with thofe ta-
ken notice of above, is fuflkient to account for the delicacy with
which the fair fex are treated by our Caledonian heroes. They who
made this objection to the poems of Ofiian, might obferve it was
not peculiar to this people. Many other nations called by the
name of barbarians had the fame efteem for their women. When
Hannibal palled through Gaul to crofs the Alps, it was an article
in a treaty made with him, that if a Gaul offered any injury to a
Carthaginian, he fhould be tried before the court of the Gauliih
women. The Germans allowed their women the like privileges.
And we find die iElians and Pifans fubmitting their differences to a
court of fixteen women. Such alfo was the veneration of the Ethio-
pians for their matrons, that, in the very heat of their quarrels,
they laid down their arms if one of them but made her appearance *.
In
* Vid. Plut. de Mulier. Poly^n. Strat. lefs civilized than the Celts, held at that
',. 7. -Tacit. Hift. 4. 61. Paufan. Eliac. time the female fex in the higheft regard.
See. — Even the Scandinavians, though Vid. Lord Kaims's Sketches.