Excerpt from The Viking Age, Vol. 1 of 2: The Early History Manners, and Customs of the Ancestors of the English-Speaking Nations, Illustrating From the Antiquities Discovered in Mounds, Cairns, and Bogs as Well as From the Ancient Sagas and Eddas
While studying the progress made in the colonisation of different parts of the world by European nations, I have often asked myself the following questions: -
How is it that over every region of the globe the spread of the English-speaking people and of their language far exceeds that of all the other European nations combined?
Why is it that, wherever the English-speaking people have settled, or are at this day found, even in small numbers, they are far more energetic, daring, adventurous, and prosperous, and understand the art of self-government and of ruling alien peoples far better than other colonising nations?
Whence do the English-speaking communities derive the remarkable energy they possess; for the people of Britain when invaded by the Romans did not show any such quality?
What are the causes which have made the English such a pre-eminently seafaring people? for without such a characteristic they could not have been the founders of so many states and colonies speaking the English tongue!
In studying the history of the world we find that all the nations which have risen to high power and widespread dominion have been founded by men endowed with great, I may say terrible, energy; extreme bravery and the love of conquest being the most prominent traits of their character. The mighty sword with all its evils has thus far always proved a great engine of civilisation.
To get a satisfactory answer to the above questions we must go far back, and study the history of the race who settled in Britain during and after the Roman occupation.
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