20'--"those people who bordered on the
river Sala, called 'Salts,' by the Allemaignes, were on their descent
into Dutch lands called by the Romans 'Franci Salici'" (whence
'Salique' law to come, you observe) "and by abridgment 'Salii,' as if
of the verb 'salire,' that is to say 'saulter,' to leap"--(and in
future therefore--duly also to dance--in an incomparable manner) "to
be quicke and nimble of foot, to leap and mount well, a quality most
notably requisite for such as dwell in watrie and marshy places; So
that while such of the French as dwelt on the great course of the
river" (Rhine) "were called 'Nageurs,' Swimmers, they of the marshes
were called 'Saulteurs,' Leapers, so that it was a nickname given to
the French in regard both of their natural disposition and of their
dwelling; as, yet to this day, their enemies call them French Toades,
(or Frogs, more properly) from whence grew the fable that their
ancient Kings carried such creatures in their Armes."

31. Without entering at present into debate whether fable or not, you
will easily remember the epithet 'Salian' of these fosse-leaping and
river-swimming folk (so that, as aforesaid, all the length of Rhine
must be refortified against them)--epithet however, it appears, in its
origin delicately Saline, so that we may with good discretion, as we
call our seasoned Mariners, '_old_ Salts,' think of these more brightly
sparkling Franks as 'Young Salts,'--but this equivocated presently by
the Romans, with natural respect to their martial fire and 'elan,' into
'Salii'--exsultantes,[17]--such as their own armed priests of war: and
by us now with some little farther, but slight equivocation, into
useful meaning, to be thought of as here first Salient, as a beaked
promontory, towards the France we know of; and evermore, in brilliant
elasticities of temper, a salient or out-sallying nation; lending to us
English presently--for this much of heraldry we may at once glance on
to--their 'Leopard,' not as a spotted or blotted creature, but as an
inevitably springing and pouncing one, for our own kingly and princely
shields.

[Footnote 17: Their first mischievous exsultation into Alsace being
invited by the Romans themselves, (or at least by Constantius in his
jealousy of Julian,)--with "presents and promises,--the hopes of
spoil, and a perpetual grant of all the territories they were able to
subdue." Gibbon, chap. xix. (3, 208.) By any other historian than
Gibbon, who has real