deed, from the Arabic fabling, but the latter came quickly to incorporate with them; and the romance of the Arab ferved only as a fplendid caparifon to the chivalry of the Goth,

Our learned Author has favoured us in this differtation with fome very ingenious obfervations on the Gothic poetry, a fubject which has lately fo much attracted the attention of thofe whofe enquiries have led to the arts of antiquity .

Among other arts which Odin's Goths planted in Scandinavia, their skill in poetry, to which they were addicted in a peculiar manner, and which they cultivated with a wonderful enthufiafm, feems to be most worthy our regard, and efpecially in our prefent inquiry.

As the principal heroes of their expedition into the north were honourably distinguished from the Europeans, or original Scandinavians, under the name of As, or Afiatics, fo the verses, or language, of this people, were denominated ASAMAL, or ASIATIC fpeech. Their poetry contained not only the praises of their he roes, but their popular traditions and their religious rites; and was filled with thofe fictions which the moft exaggerated Pagan fuperftition would naturally implant in the wild imaginations of an Afiatic people. And from this principle alone, I mean of their Afiatic origin, fome critics would at once account for a certain capricious fpirit of extravagance, and those bold eccentric conceptions, which fo ftrongly diftinguish the old northern poetry t. Nor is this fantaftic imagery, the only mark of Afiaticism which appears in the Runic odes. They have a certain fublime and figurative caft of diction, which is indeed one of their predominant characteristics ‡. I am very fenfible that all rude nations are naturally apt to cloath their fentiments in this ftyle. A propenfity to this mode of exprellion is neceffarily occafioned by the poverty of their language, which obliges them frequently to fubftitute fimilitudes and circumlocutions: it arifes in great measure from feelings undisguised and unrestrained by custom or art, and from the genuine efforts of nature working more at large in uncultivated minds. In the infancy of fociety, the paffions and the imagination are alike uncontrouled. But another caufe

Monf. Mallet, Dr. Percy, &c.

Linguam Danicam antiquam, cujus in rythmis ufus fuit, veteres appellarunt ASAMAL, id eft, Afiaticam, vel ASARUM SERMONEM; quod eum ex Aha Odinus fecum in Daniam, Norwegiam, Sueciam, aliafque regiones feptentrionales, invexerit." Steph. Stephan Præfat. ad Saxon. Grammat. Hift.

A most ingenious critic obferves, that "what we have been long accuffomed to call the ORIENTAL VEIN of poetry, becaufe fome of the EARLIEST poetical pro ductions have come to us from the eaft, is probably no more ORIENTAL than ocCIDENTAL," Blair's Crit. Diff, on Offian, vol. ii. p. 317. But all the LATER Oriental writers through all ages have been particularly diftinguished for this VEIN, Hence it is here characteristical of a country not of an age. I will allow, on this writer's very juft and penetrating principles, that an early northern ode fhall be as fablime as an eaftern one. Yet the fublimity of the latter fhall have a different cha❤ racter; it will be more inflated and gigantic.'

Thus, a Rainbow is called, the bridge of the gods. Poetry, the mead of Odin, The earth, the vessel that floats on ages. A fhip, the barfe of the waves. Ice, the vaß bridge. Herbs, the fleece of the earth. A Battle, a bath of blood, the bail of Odin, the bock of bucklers. A Tongue, the fword of words. Night, the veil of cares.. Rocks, the bones of the earth. Arrows, the bailfiones of belmets, &c. &«.'

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feems to have concurred in producing the effect here mentioned. When obvious terms and phrafes evidently occurred, the Runic poets are fond of departing from the common and established diction. They appear to ufe circumlocution and comparisons not as a matter of neceffity, but of choice and skill: nor are these metaphorical colourings fo much the refult of want of words, as of warmth of fancy.

Their warmth of fancy, however, if fuppofed to have proceeded from the principles above fuggefted, in a few generations after this migration into Scandinavia, mut have loft much of its natural heat and genuine force. Yet ideas and fentiments, especially of this fort, once imbibed, are long remembered and retained, in favage life. Their religion, among other caufes, might have contributed to keep this fpirit alive; and to preferve their original ftock of images, and native mode of expreffion, unchanged and unabated by climate or country. In the mean time we may fuppofe, that the new fituation of thefe people in Scandinavia, might have added a darker fhade and a more favage complexion to their former fictions and fuperftitions; and that the formidable objects of nature to which they became familiarifed in thofe northern folitudes, the piny precipices, the frozen mountains, and the gloomy forefts, acted on their imaginations, and gave a tincture of horror to their imagery.

A kill in poetry feems in fome measure to have been a national fcience among the Scandinavians, and to have been familiar to almost every order and degree. Their kings and warriors partook of this epidemic enthufiafm, and on frequent occafions are reprefented as breaking forth into fpontaneous fongs and verfest. But the exercife

In a ftrict geographical fenfe, the original country of thefe Afiatic Goths might not be so fituated as phyfically to have produced thefe effects, Yet it is to be obferved, that intercourse and vicinity are in this cafe fometimes equivalent to climate. The Perfian traditions and fuperftitions were current even in the northern parts of Tartary. Georgia, however, may be fairly confidered as a part of Perfia. It is equal in fertility to any of the eaftera Turkish provinces in Afia, It affords the ricnett wines, and other luxuries of life, in the greatest abundance. The most beautiful virgins for the feraglio are fetched from this province. In the mean time, thus much at leaft may be faid of a warm climate, exclufive of its fuppofed immediate physical influence on the human mind and temperament. It exhibits all the productions of nature in their highest perfection and beauty: while the exceffive heat of the fun, and the fewer incitements to labour and industry, difpofe the inhabitants to indolence, and to living much abroad in fenes of nature. Thefe circumftances are favourable to the operations of fancy.'

Harold Hardraad, king of Norway, compofed fixteen fongs of his expedition into Africa. Albion Pruda, a Danish champion, defcribed his paft life in nine ftrophes, while his enemy Bruce, a giant, was tearing out his bowels. "i. Tell my mother Suanbita in Denmark, that she will not this fummer comb the hair of her fan. 1 bad promifed ber to return, but now my side sball feel the edge of the fword. ii ́It was far otnerw fe, when we fat at bome in mirth, chearing ourjelves wirb the drink of alei and coming from Hordeland paffed the gulf in our ships; when we quaffed mead, and conterfed of liberty. Now I alone am fallen into the narrow prijons of the giants. ii. It was far otherwife, &c." Every ftanza is introduced with the fame choral bur den. Bartholin. Antiquit. Danic. L. i. cap to. p. 158. edit 1689. The noble epicedium of Regner Lodbrog is more commonly known. The champion Orvarodd, after his expeditions into various countries, fung, on his death-bed, the most memorable events of his life in metre. Hallmund, being mortally wounded, commanded bis daughter to liften to a poem which he was about to deliver, containing hiftories of

ercife of the poetical talent was properly confined to a stated profef fion: and with their poetry the Goths imported into Europe afpecies of poets or fingers, whom they called SCALDS or POLISHERS OF LANGUAGE. This order of men, as we fhall fee more diftinctly below, was held in the highest honour and veneration: they received the moft liberal rewards for their verfes, attended the festivals of heroic chiefs, accompanied them in battle, and celebrated their victories 4.

Thefe Scandinavian bards appear to have been efteemed and entertained in other countries befides their own, and by that means to have probably communicated their fictions to various parts of Europe. I will give my reafons for this fuppofition.

In the early ages of Europe, before many regular governments: took place, revolutions, emigrations, and invafions, were frequent and almost univerfal. Nations were alternately destroyed or formed; and the want of political fecurity expofed the inhabitants of every: country to a ftate of eternal du&tuation. That Britain was originally peopled from Gaul, a nation of the Celts, is allowed; but that many colonies from the northern parts of Europe were afterwards fuccef fively planted in Britain and the neighbouring iflands, is an hypothefis equally rational, and not altogether deftitate of hiftorical evidence. Nor was any nation more likely than the Scandinavian Goths, I mean in their early periods, to make defcents on Britain. They poffeffed the fpirit of adventure in an eminent degree. They were habituated to dangerous enterprizes. They were acquainted with diftant coafts, exercifed in navigation, and fond of making expedi tions, in hopes of conqueft, and in fearch of new acquifitions. As to Scotland and Ireland, there is the highest probability, that the

his victories, and to engrave it on tablets of wood. Bartholin. ibid. p. 162.` Saxo Grammaticus gives us a regular ode, uttered by the son of a king of Norway, who by mistake had been buried alive, and was discovered and awakened by a party of fol diers digging for treafure. Sax. Grammat. L. 5. p so. There are inftances recorded of their speaking in metre on the most common occurrences.".

The Sugdians were a people who lived eastward of the Cafpian Sea, not far from the country of Odin's Goths. Quintus Curtins relates, that when fome of that people were condemned to death by Alexander on account of a revolt, they rejoiced greatly, and teflified their joy by SINGING VERSES and dancing. When the king enquired the reafon of their joy, they anfwered, "that being foon to be RESTORED TO THEIR ANCESTORS by fo great a conqueror, they could not help celebrating fo honourable a death, which was the wish of all brave men, in their own ACCUSTOMED SONGS." Lib. vii. c. 8. I am obliged to Doctor Percy for pointing out this paffage. From the correspondence of manners and principles it holds forth between the Scandinavians and the Sogdians, it contains a striking proof of Odin's migration from the east to the north firft, in the spontaneous exercife of the poetical talent; and fecondly, in the opinion, that a glorious or warlike death, which admitted them to the company of their friends and parents in another world, was to be embraced with the moft eager alacrity, and the highest fenfations of pleasure. This is the doc trine of the Edda. In the fame spirit, RIDENS MORIAR is the triumphant close of Regner Lodbrog's dying ode. [See Keyfier, ubi infr. p. 127.] I cannot help adding here another ftroke from this ode, which feems alfo to be founded on eastern manners. He speaks with great rapture of drinking, "ex concavis crateribus craniorum." The inhabitants of the island of Ceylon to this day carouse at their feafis, from cups or bowls made of the fculls of their deceased ancestors. Ives's VOYAGE TO INDIA, ch. 5. p. 62. Lond. 1773. 4to. This practice these islanders undoubtedly received from the neighbouring continent, Compare Keyfler, Antiquitat. Sel Septentrional, 362. feq.' Scates,

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Scutes, who conquered both thofe countries, and poffeffed them under the names of Albin Scutes and Irin Scates, were a people of Nor way. The Caledonians are exprefsly called by many judicious antiquaries a Scandinavian colony. The names of places and perfons, over all that part of Scotland which the Picts inhabited, are of Scandinavian extraction. A fimple catalogue of them only, would immediately convince us, that they are not of Celtic, or British, origin. Flaherty reports it as a received opinion, and a general doctrine, that the Picts migrated into Britain and Ireland from Scandinavia I forbear to accumulate a pedantic parade of authorities on this occafion: nor can it be expected that I fhould enter in a formal and exact examination of this obfcure and complicated fubject in its full extent, which is here only introduced incidentally. I will only add that Scotland and Ireland, as being fituated more to the north, and probably lefs difficult of accefs than Britain, might have been objects on which our northern adventurers were invited to try fome of their earliest excurfions: and that the Orkney-iflands remained long under the jurifdiction of the Norwegian potentates.'

We fhall here beg leave to ftep back a moment to introduce a fhort digreffion concerning the ancient connection between Wales and Cornwall, &c.

And here I digrefs a moment to remark, that in the circumstance jut mentioned about Wales, of its connection with Armorica, we perceive the folution of a difficulty which at firft fight appears extremely problematical: I mean, not only that Wales fhould have been fo conftantly made the theatre of the old British chivalry, but that fo many of the favourite fictions which occur in the early French romances, fhould alfo be literally found in the tales and chronicles of the elder Welsh bards. It was owing to the perpetual communication kept up between the Welsh, and the people of Armorica who abounded in these fictions, and who naturally took occafion to interweave them into the hiftory of their friends and allies. Nor are we now at a lofs to give the reason why Cornwall, in the fame French romances, is made the fcene and the fubject of fo many romantic adventures +. In the meantime we may obferve, what indeed has

It is conjectured by Wormius, that Ireland is derived from the Runic Yr, a bow, for the ufe of which the Irifs were once famous. Lit. Rao, c. xvii. p. 1or. The Afiatics near the lake Maeotis, from which Odin led his colony in Europe, were celebrated archers. Hence Hercules in Theocritus, Idyll. xiii. 56.

- Μασάλις: λαβων ευκαπμία Τοξα.

Compare Salmaf. de Hellen. p. 369. And Flahert. Ogyg. Part. iii. cap. xviii. p. 183. edit, 1685. Stillingfleet's Orig. Brit. Præf. p. xxxviii.

The ftory of LE COURT MANTEL, or the BOY AND THE MANTLE, told by an old French troubadour cited by M. de Sainte Palaye, is recorded in many manufcript Welsh chronicles, as I learn from original letters of Lhuyd in the Afhmolean Mufeum. See Mem. Anc. Chev. i. 119. And Obf. Spenfer, i. § ii. p. 54, 55. And from the fame authority I am informed, that the fiction of the giant's coat compofed of the beards of the kings whom he had conquered, is related in the legends of the bards of both countries. See Obf. Spenf. ut fupr. p. 24. feq. But inftances are innumerable.

Hence in the Armorican tales juft quoted, mention is made of Totness and Exeter, anciently included in Cornwall. In Chaucer's ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE we have "Horopipis of Cornewaile," among a great variety of musical inftruments, v. 4150. This is literally from the French original, v. 3991..”

been

been already implied, that a Arict intercourfe was upheld between Cornwall and Wales. Their languages, cuftoms, and alliances, as I have hinted, were the fame; and they were feparated only by a ftrait of inconfiderable breadth. Cornwall is frequently filed WestWales by the British writers. At the invafion of the Saxons, both countries became indifcriminately the receptacle of the fugitive Britons. We find the Welth and Cornifh, as one people, often uniting themselves as in a national caufe against the Saxons. They were frequently fubject to the fame prince, who fometimes refided in Wales, and fometimes in Cornwall; and the kings or dukes of Cornwall were perpetually fung by the Welth bards. Llygard Gwr, a Welsh bard, in his fublime and fpirited ode to Llwellyn, fon of Grunfadd, the laft prince of Wales of the British line, has a wifh, **May the prints of the hoofs of my prince's fteed be feen as far as CORNWALL. Traditions about king Arthur, to mention no more inftances, are as popular in Cornwall as in Wales; and most of the romantic castles, rocks, rivers, and caves, of both nations, are alike at this day distinguished by fome noble atchievement, at least by the name, of that celebrated champion,"

Of this capital work, fo replete with entertainment and erudition, we fhall continue to prefent our Readers with further

accounts.

↑ Who was fometimes chofen from Wales and Cornwall, and fometimes from ARMORICA. Borlafe, ubi fupr. p. 403. See also p. 375, 377, 393- And Concil. Spelman. tom. i. 9. 112. edit. 1639. fol. Stillingfleet's Orig. Brit. ch. 5. P. 344. feq. edit. 1688. fol. From CORNUWALLTA, ufed by the Latin monkish hiftorians, came the prefent name Cornwall. Borlafe, ibid. p. 325.'

Evans, p. 43.

ART. X. Obfervations on the Difcourfes delivered at the Royal Academy, addreffed to the Prefident. 4to. is. Almon. 1774.

TH

HIS Writer, after some attempts at ridicule, to which he fhews himself altogether unequal, feriously charges the learned Prefident with beftowing an unreasonable applause on the chiaro ofcuro, or, as he calls it, the twilight manner of the Bolognefe fchool, ultimately to recommend his own. This, he fays, must be to the prejudice of the fublime art; and if his complaint be justly founded it deferves attention; but it muft be remembered that controverfies of this kind, like other pole mical engagements, have been carried on by the followers of rival schools with a degree of acrimony that generally loft fight of truth. The Author of this pamphlet feems to be as warm an advocate for the Venetian, as the Prefident could poffibly be for the Bolognefe mafters. We muft, however, do him the juftice to acknowledge that in the following extract there are fome juft, and fome very supportable observations.

1

The Roman, Bolognese, and Venetian fchools, have each had their feparate purfuits, and each may be faid to have excelled in them; and as I am confident that the Venetian's

Would