Odin whispered in the ear of his son Baldur before he had him placed on the funeral pile,-a question by which the astonished giant becomes aware that his antagonist is Odin himself, who was alone capable of answering it, and therefore acknowledges himself vanquished. Although the limits of the present work only allow us to give a mere summary of these ancient myths, we cannot refrain from remarking that most of them admit of a satisfactory explanation. The dispute between Odin and Vafthrúdnir, for instance, is the symbolical expression of the strife between summer and winter -between light and darkness; the earth, (Frigga,) naturally awaiting with anxiety the issue of a combat on which her fate depends. As darkness was also supposed to conceal some profound mystery, some primordial knowledge which could only be revealed by the rays of light dissipating the enshrouding gloom, the disputation of Odin and Vafthrúdnir may typify, not only the elemental antagonism of light and darkness, but also the strife between intellectuality and obscurantism-a strife coeval with man, and which we fear will only end when time shall be no more; although it were certainly much to be wished that obscurantism should become like Vafthrúdnir, a headless monster; or, in other words, that the rays of science should at length dissipate that deadening and soul-withering gloom in which the human understanding is still unfortunately enshrouded.

The Grimnis-mál (Grimnir's lay) contains, among other matters, a description of twelve habitations of celestial deities, which were possibly meant (for we will not venture to speak so dogmatically on the subject as Finn Magnusen, and other interpreters of Eddaic esoteric doctrines,) for the twelve signs of the zodiac. Should this be the true interpretation, Grimnir's lay may be regarded as a mythic-uranographic poem, under which point of view it is well deserving of attention.

The Mythic-ethnologic class contains only one poem, the Rigs-mál, which explains, in an allegorical manner, the origin of the different races, or, more properly speaking, castes, located in Scandinavia at the period it was composed. Heimdall-who, as the warder of heaven, is here a symbol of the sun-wanders, under the name of Rígr, over the earth, then but thinly peopled, probably, according to the notions of the

Skald, only with the immediate offspring of Ask and Embla * Heimdall is received and entertained with great hospitality, first by Ai (Great Grandfather) and Edda (Great Grandmother), dwelling in a lowly hut; then by Afi (Grandfather) and Amma (Grandmother), located in a more comfortable habitation; and lastly by Faðir (Father) and Móðir (Mother), who possess a splendid mansion. The deity, by his beneficent presence, infuses a vital energy into his hosts, and nine months after his departure Edda, Amma, and Modir respectively give birth to a son. The children are sprinkled with water at the moment of their birth +; Edda's son is called Thrall (Thrall); Amma's, Karl (Churl); and Modir's, Jarl (Noble); and Thrall, Churl, and Noble have each of them a numerous offspring. We have thus an aristocratic explanation of the three castes that appear, at a very early period, to have formed the framework of Scandinavian society. The thralls or slaves, the churls or free peasants-bændur or odalsmen, as they were afterwards called-and the nobles. The Skald describes the thralls as having black hair, an unsightly countenance, an uncouth appearance, and as being of a low and deformed stature; physiological traits, characteristic of the Lapps, who were probably reduced to a state of vassalage by their Scandinavian conquerors. The destiny of the thralls is, of course, to toil incessantly, in order that by their labour, the churls may obtain sufficient produce from the earth to enable the nobles to live with becoming splendour. The Skald shows his contempt for this caste by giving Thrall's sons such names as Frousy, Stumpy, Plumpy, Sooty face, Slowpace, Homespun, &c., and calling his daughters Lazybody, Cranefoot, Smokynose, Tearclout, &c. The churls are described as having red hair and a florid complexion; and among the sons of Karl, the progenitor of the caste, we find Stiffbeard, Husbandman, Holder (of land), and Smith, the daughters being

See the Prose Edda, ch. 9.

See note, page 206, and pages 313 and 320.

We trust that all who bear the ubiquitous homonyme of Smith, be they Smiths, or Smyths, or Smithsons, or Goldsmiths, or Smythes, par excellence, will duly acknowledge the sturdy Scandinavian yeoman, Smiðr, son of Churl, son of the jovial old fellow, Grandfather, who had the honour of pledging a bumper with a celestial deity, as their common ancestor.

designated by such names as Pretty face, Swanlike, Blithespeech, Chatterbox, &c. But the Skald reserves all his eloquence for the nobles, who, he tells us, "have fair hair, a clear complexion and fine piercing eyes, their sole avocations being to wield the sword, dart the javelin, rein the fiery steed, chase the deer, and other elegant amusements, which Jarl's descendants still delight to astonish the churls with. The Skald marries, Jarl to Erna (Lively), the daughter of Hersir (Baron), but only gives us the names of their sons, which generally denote relationship, as Cousin, Nephew, &c. The Rigs-mál furnishes a striking proof of the aristocratic spirit that prevailed in Scandinavia at a very early period of its history, and we should recommend its attentive perusal to those writers who, allowing a tolerable free scope to their imaginative faculties, expatiate on the marvels which, according to their notions, have been wrought by the influence of a Scandinavian democratic element, transfused into the veins of the phlegmatic Saxon. For our own part we are inclined to regard an aristocratic feeling as one of the inherent psychological traits of the Teutonic race, and this trait was unquestionably, in the olden time, more conspicuous among the nations forming the Scandinavian branch of this race, than among those constituting its Germanic branch.

There is only one Eddaic poem, the Háva-mál *, that can be placed in the Ethic class; but it forms of itself a tolerable complete code of Odinic morality, though the reader will find by the following extracts, translated by Bishop Percy †, that several of its precepts would be "more honoured in the breach than the observance."

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1. Consider and examine well all your doors before you venture to stir abroad: for he is exposed to continual danger, whose enemies lie in ambush concealed in his court."

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3. To the guest, who enters your dwelling with frozen

• Háva-mál signifies the discourse or canticle of the sublime; i. e. deity. The canticle of canticles,-Odin himself being supposed to have given these precepts of wisdom to mankind.

Bishop Percy remarks that he made his translation from Mallet's French translation, occasionally consulting a manuscript copy of Resenius's Latin version. We have numbered the verses as in the original, omitting some, unimportant in themselves, which offered too great a discrepancy with the original Norse text published in the third volume of the Edda.

knees, give the warmth of your fire: he who hath travelled over the mountains hath need of food, and well-dried garments."

4. " Offer water to him who sits down at your table; for he hath occasion to cleanse his hands: and entertain him honourably and kindly, if you would win from him friendly words, and a grateful return."

5. He who travelleth hath need of wisdom. One may do at home whatsoever one will; but he who is ignorant of good manners, will only draw contempt upon himself, when he comes to sit down with men well instructed."

7. "He who goes to a feast, where he is not expected, either speaks with a lowly voice, or is silent; he listens with his ears, and is attentive with his eyes: by this he acquires knowledge and wisdom."

8. "Happy he, who draws upon himself the applause and benevolence of men! for whatever depends upon the will of others, is hazardous and uncertain."

10. "A man can carry with him no better provision for his journey than the strength of understanding. In a foreign. country this will be of more use to him than treasures; and will introduce him to the table of strangers."

12-13. "A man cannot carry a worse custom with him to a banquet than that of drinking too much; the more the drunkard swallows, the less is his wisdom, till he loses his reason. The bird of oblivion sings before those who inebriate themselves, and steals away their souls."

16. "A coward thinks he shall live for ever, if he can but keep out of the reach of arms; but though he should escape every weapon, old age, that spares none, will give him no quarter.

17. The gluttonous man, if he is not upon his guard, eats his own death and the gluttony of a fool makes the wise man laugh."

21. "The flocks know when to return to the fold, and to quit the pasture: but the worthless and slothful know not how to restrain their gluttony."

22. The lewd and dissolute man makes a mock of every thing: not considering how much he himself is the object of derision. No one ought to laugh at another, until he is free from faults himself."

23. "A man void of sense ponders all night long, and his mind wanders without ceasing: but when he is weary at the point of day, he is nothing wiser than he was over-night."

32. "Many are thought to be knit in the ties of sincere kindness but when it comes to the proof, how much are they deceived. Slander is the common vice of the age. Even the host backbites his guest."

37. " One's own home is the best home, though never so small*. Every thing one eats at home is sweet. He who lives at another man's table is often obliged to wrong his palate."

39. "I have never yet found a man so generous and munificent, as that to receive at his house was not to receive: nor any so free and liberal of his gifts, as to reject a present when it was returned to him."

41. Let friends pleasure each other reciprocally by presents of arms and habits. Those who give and those who receive, continue a long time friends, and often give feasts to each other."

43. "Love both your friends, and your friends' friends: but do not favour the friend of your enemies."

47. "When I was young I wandered about alone: I thought myself rich if I chanced to light upon a companion. A man gives pleasure to another man.

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Peace, among the perfidious, continues for five nights to shine bright as a flame; but when the sixth night approaches, the flame waxes dim, and is quite extinguished: then all their amity turns to hatred."

55. Let not a man be over wise, neither let him be more curious than he ought. Let him not seek to know his destiny, if he would sleep secure and quiet."

58. "He who seeks to destroy the flock, or to take the life of another, must rise early. The sleeping wolf gains not the prey; neither the drowsy man the victory.'

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67. They invite me up and down to feasts, if I have only need of a slight breakfast: my faithful friend is he who will give me one loaf when he has but two."

70. "Whilst we live, let us live well: for be a man never

This is like our English proverb, "Home is home, be it never so homely."-P.

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