I

REMARKS ON THE PRECEDING ODE.

Will not anticipate the reflections that neceffarily occur to the Reader on perufing this Poem; but will only obferve, that it ftrongly confirms what I have advanced in the former part of this work, concerning the peculiar fentiments of the northern nations with regard to the fair sex. It has been commonly fuppofed, that we owe to the Laws of Chivalry, (i. e. to an institution so late as the eleventh century) that spirit of generofity, which formerly rendered the ladies the umpires of the glo

ry and honour of the male fex; which made their favours the object and the reward of virtuous and gallant actions; which caused the care of ferving, defending and pleafing them, to be confidered as the sweetest and moft noble of all duties; and which hath, even to this day, entailed on them a respect and deference, of which there is not the leaft idea in other climates. But it is certain, that long before the eleventh century, this manner of thinking had been familiar,

and, as it were, naturalized among the Germans and Scandinavians. Let us call to mind what Tacitus fays of the respect shewn by these nations to their women. The Romans by no means introduced fentiments of this kind into the countries they conquered. It was not from them that they were adopted in Spain, France, England, &c. Whence comes it then, that after the fall of the Roman Empire, we find this spirit of gallantry all of a fudden spread fo wide? We fee plainly that this fpirit, fo peculiar to the northern nations, could only be spread and diffused by themselves. Formed and cherished by their religious prejudices, by their paffion for war, and the chastity natural to their women, at the same time intimately connected with their customs and manners, IT could not but follow them into all their fettlements, and there would continue to maintain its influence for many ages. But afterwards, when the nations defcended from them became more civilized and wealthy, the fplendid and fhewy effects, which this fine fpirit of gallantry then produced, would eafily dazzle the eyes of inquirers, and prevent them from difcerning the origin of it among fo rude a race of men as their Gothic ancestors: fo that at prefent, when one would trace it up to its real source, we have ftrong prejudices to encounter and furmount.

I'

F there are many strokes of gallantry in the Ode of king REGNER, the genius of Chivalry itself will feem to speak in that composed by a Norwegian prince, named HARALD THE VALIANT, which is found in an old Icelandic Chronicle, called Knytlinga Saga. This piece is of much later date than the preceding: but it is yet fufficient to show, that these northern people had learned to combine the ideas of love and military valour, long before thofe very nations themfelves, whofe tafte and manners they had afterwards fo ftrong an inclination to adopt. Harald the Valiant lived about the middle of the eleventh century. He was one of the most illuftrious adventurers of his time. He had traversed all the feas of the north, and carried his piratical incurfions as far as the Mediterranean itself, and the coaft of Africa. He was at length taken prisoner, and detained for fome time at Conftantinople. He complains in this Ode, that the glory he had acquired by fo many exploits, had not been able to make any impreffion on Eliffif*, the daughter of Jariflas, king of Ruffia.

In the original, as given by Bartholin, it is ELIZABETH.

T.

THE ODE OF

HARALD THE VALIANT

"

M

Y hips have made the tour of Sicily: then were we all magnificent and fplendid. My brown veffel, "full of mariners, rapidly rowed to the " utmost of my wishes. Wholly taken up with war, I thought my courfe would "never flacken, and yet a Ruffian maiden "fcorns me.

In my youth I fought with the people. "of Drontheim. Their troops exceeded "C ours in number. It was a terrible con"flict: I left their young king dead in the "field: and yet a Ruffian maiden fcorns

me.

"One day we were but fixteen in a ves"fel a ftorm arofe and fwelled the sea: "it filled the loaded fhip, but we diligently cleared it out. Thence I formed

"hopes

hopes of the happiest success: and yet a "Ruffian maiden fcorns me.

I know how to perform eight exer"cifes*: I fight valiantly; I fit firmly on horfeback; I am inured to fwim

ming; I know how to run along in "fcates; I dart the launce; and am fkil<ful at the oar and yet a Ruffian maiden "fcorns me.

"Can fhe deny, that young and lovely "maiden, that on the day, when pofted "near a city in the southern land, I joined "battle, that then I valiantly handled my "arms, and left behind me lafting monu"ments of my exploits? and yet a Ruffian "maiden fcorns me.

"I was born in the high country of "Norway, where the inhabitants handle "their bows fo well. But I preferred guiding my ships, the dread of peasants, among the rocks of the ocean: and far from the habitations of men, I have run through all the feas with my veffels "and yet a Ruffian maiden fcorns me.

r

See the Five Pieces of Runic Poetry, p. 80.