the infide of it is full of Scorpions and Serpents.". Vid. Hyde de Relig. vet. Perf. p. 399, & 404. (c) "After the death of the Gods."] In the new earth, which was to fucceed that which we inhabit, there were to be again fubaltern divinities to govern it; and men to people it. This, in general, is what the EDDA means to tell us: although the circumftances of the relation are darkly and allegorically delivered: yet not fo obfcurely, but that one eafily fees it was the idea of the northern philofophers, as well as of the ftoics, that the world was to be renovated, and fpring forth again more perfect and more beautiful. This is what is expreffed here with regard to the Sun and Moon. Lif fignifies life; which is a farther proof, that by the fable of these two human beings who are to furvive the destruction of the world, these northern philofophers meant to fay that there ftill existed in the earth a vivifying principle and feed, proper to repair the lofs of the former inhabitants. It is certain that all these different forms of expreffion were understood by thefe ancient people in their true fenfe; viz. only as figurative modes of fpeech, and ornaments of difcourfe; and therefore, we, who in reading their works, continually lose fight of this circumstance, are in reality authors of many of those abfurdities, which we fancy we difcover in them. (D) "Among the peo"ple by oral tradition."] This paffage may poffibly ftart a question, Whether the doctrines here displayed were peculiar to the northern nations, or embraced by the other Go'thic and' Celtic tribes! My opinion is, that the latter had adopted at least moft of the principal points and that they all derived their religious from the fame fource. It is very probable, as the Abbé Banier fenfibly obferves, "That tenets "the northern Celtes, "the ancestors of the "Gauls, borrowed their "doctrines either from "the Perfians or their "neighbours, and that "the Druids were form"ed upon the model of "the Magi." (Mythol. expl. Tom. II. 4to. p. 628.) We are, it is true, but very moderately acquainted with what the Gauls, the Britons or the Germans thought on this head; but as the little we know of their opinions, coincides very exactly with the EDDA, we may fafely fuppofe the fame conformity in the other particulars of which we are ignorant. Let thofe who doubt this, caft their eyes over the following paffages. "If we may believe "you," (fays Lucan to the Druids) "the fouls " of men do not defcend "into the abode of dark"nefs and filence, nor yet into the gloomy "empire of Pluto: you "fay that the same spirit "animates the body in "another world, and "that death is the paf"fage to a long life." Luc. Lib. 1. v. 454. "The Gauls" (fays Cæfar)" are particularly "affiduous to prove that "fouls perifh not." Cæf. Lib. 6. c. 14. Valerius Maximus, in a paffage quoted above in my REMARKS on the 16th Fable*, comes ftill nearer to the doctrine of the EDᎠᎪ ; for he tells us that the Celtes looked upon a quiet peaceable death as moft wretched and difhonourable, and that they leaped for joy at the approach of a battle, which would afford them oppor tunities of dying with their fwords in their hands. "Among the ancient "Irish," fays Solinus, << when a woman is "brought to bed of a son, "The prays to the Gods "to give him the grace "to die in battle." This was to wifh falvation to the child. (See Solin. c. 25. p. 252.) These authorities may fuffice they do not indeed fay all that the EDDA does; but that makes this work fo much the more valuable. I cannot help adding to the authorities of our Author, what Quintus Curtius relates of the Sogdians: a nation, who inhabited to the eastward of the Cafpian Sea; not far from the country of ODIN and his companions. When fome of that people were condemned to death by Alexander, on account of their revolt, Carmen, Lætantium more, canere, tripudiifque & "lafciviori corporis motu, gaudium quoddam animi oftentare cœperunt." When the king enquired the reafon of their thus rejoicing, they anfwered- "A tanto Rege, victore omnium gentium, MAJORIBUS SUIS REDDITOS, boneftam mortem, quam fortes viri VOTO quoque expeterent, "Carminibus fui moris Latitiaque celebrare." Curt. Lib. 7. cap. 8. Edit. Varior. ་ T. THE END OF THE FIRST PART OF THE EDDA. N 3 ΑΝ I DE A OF THE SECOND PART OF THE E D D A. A LL the most important points of the northern * Mythology have been laid open in the preceding Dialogue, which forms the Firft Part of the EDDA. In the Second Part, the Author changing his ftile, confines himself to the relation of feveral adventures which had happened to these Deities whom he hath been describing to us. The ancient SCALDS or Poets, are the guides he follows; and his chief aim is to explain the epithets and fynonymous expreffions, which have been in a manner confecrated in their language. The fame taste and mode of compofition prevails every where through this Second Part as in the former: We have conftantly Allegories, and *Celtique, Fr. |
