ng truths. An impartial stranger, instructed
by their discoveries, their disputes, and even their faults, may
describe, from the same original materials, the state of the Roman
provincials, after Gaul had submitted to the arms and laws of the
Merovingian kings. [64]

[Footnote 63: The Abbe Dubos (Histoire Critique, tom. i. p. 29-36) has
truly and agreeably represented the slow progress of these studies; and
he observes, that Gregory of Tours was only once printed before the
year 1560. According to the complaint of Heineccius, (Opera, tom. iii.
Sylloge, iii. p. 248, &c.,) Germany received with indifference and
contempt the codes of Barbaric laws, which were published by Heroldus,
Lindenbrogius, &c. At present those laws, (as far as they relate to
Gaul,) the history of Gregory of Tours, and all the monuments of the
Merovingian race, appear in a pure and perfect state, in the first four
volumes of the Historians of France.]

[Footnote 64: In the space of [about] thirty years (1728-1765) this
interesting subject has been agitated by the free spirit of the count
de Boulainvilliers, (Memoires Historiques sur l'Etat de la France,
particularly tom. i. p. 15-49;) the learned ingenuity of the Abbe Dubos,
(Histoire Critique de l'Etablissement de la Monarchie Francoise dans les
Gaules, 2 vols. in 4to;) the comprehensive genius of the president de
Montesquieu, (Esprit des Loix, particularly l. xxviii. xxx. xxxi.;) and
the good sense and diligence of the Abbe de Mably, (Observations sur
l'Histoire de France, 2 vols. 12mo.)] The rudest, or the most servile,
condition of human society, is regulated, however, by some fixed and
general rules. When Tacitus surveyed the primitive simplicity of the
Germans, he discovered some permanent maxims, or customs, of public
and private life, which were preserved by faithful tradition till the
introduction of the art of writing, and of the Latin tongue. [65] Before
the election of the Merovingian kings, the most powerful tribe, or
nation, of the Franks, appointed four venerable chieftains to compose
the Salic laws; [66] and their labors were examined and approved in
three successive assemblies of the people. After the baptism of
Clovis, he reformed several articles that appeared incompatible with
Christianity: the Salic law was again amended by his sons; and
at length, under the reign of Dagobert, the code was revised
and promulgated in its actual form, one hundred years after the
establishment of