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about it is placed the deep fea; the fhores of which were given for a dwelling to the Giants. But higher up, in a place equally diftant on all fides from the fea, the Gods built upon earth a fortrefs against the Giants (E), the circumference of which furrounds the world. The materials they employed for this work, were the eyebrows of Ymir; and they called the place Midgard, or the Middle Manfion. They afterwards toffed his brains into the air, and they became the clouds: for thus it is described in the following verses. "Of

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the flesh of Ymir was formed the earth "of his fweat, the feas; of his bones, the "mountains; of his hair, the herbs of "the field; and of his head, the heavens: "but the merciful Gods built of his eye"brows the city of Midgard, for the chil"dren of men; and of his brains were "formed the noxious clouds."

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REMARKS ON THE FOURTH FABLE.

I beg leave here, once for all, to obferve, that my divifions do not always agree with thofe of the EDDA of Refenius, or thofe of the EDDA of Upfal. For as they differ in the feveral manufcripts, I thought I might egard them all as arbi

trary, and form other divifions when they appeared more commodious.

(A) The fons of "Bore" are the Gods, and particularly - ODIN ; for as to his brothers, Vile and Ve, they are fcarcely mentioned elfe

where.

where. The ancient priefts of the north ** affirmed themselves to be defcended of the family of Bore; and in this, they might the more eafily obtain credit, because among the Celts, as among the Jews, the priefthood defcended from father to fon.

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(B) This.. Giant was faved. on board his bark."] We difcover here evident traces of the hiftory of the deluge. That all the nations of Afia, and even thofe of America, had preferved fome remembrance of it, was generally known but that the fame prevailed among our northern ancestors, theGoths and' Celts, has never I believe been remarked before.

(c)" They infixed the "earth."] The reader will remember that nothing existed as yet, but the Flaming World towards the fouth, wherein refided evil Genii; and thofe maffes of Ice towards the north, which

were formed by the rivers of hell. Between thefe was a void space, called the ABYSS. This is the place into which the Gods threw the body of the Giant. This monstrous fiction probably at first contained fome important doctrine but as at prefent little regard is paid to profound and learned conjectures, I fhall not give myself the trouble to. fathom the meaning of fo ftrange an allegory. Whatever was couched under it, it hath been a fruitful fource of poetic" figures and expreffions; of which the ancient SCALDS inceffantly availed themfelves. Poets have in all ages been fond of appearing to fpeak the language of the Gods, by ufing thefe forts of phrafes; as by this means they could conceal their own want of invention, and poverty of genius.

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Fr. Des Celtes.

ple,

ple, one of the most ancient in the world, believed that in the beginning there was only Water and Darkness; that this Water and Darkness contained in them divers monftrous animals, different in form and fize, which were all reprefented in the temple of Bel; that a female, named Omorca, was the mistress of the Univerfe; that the God Bel put to death all the monsters, destroyed Omorca herself, and dividing her in two, formed of the one half of her the Earth, and of the other the Heavens to which another tradition adds, that men were formed out of her head; whence Berofus concludes, that this occafioned man to be endowed with intellectual powers. I do not pretend to aver, that the Chaldeans and northern nations borrowed all these chimæras of each other, although this is not impoffible. Thefe ancient 'nations had as yet but a few ideas, and their imaginations, however fruitful, being confined within narrow limits, could not at firft give their inven

tions that prodigious va riety, which was display. ed in fucceeding ages.

(D) tr not, &c."] The matter of the fun and ftars exifted long before the formation of those bodies: this matter was theÆther, the Luminous World. One cannot but remark in this Fable, the remains of the Mofaic doctrine; according to which the creation of a luminous fubftance, in like manner, preceeded that of the fun and moon. And what indicates one common origin of both accounts, is what Mofes adds in the fame place, "And God faid, Let "there be lights in the

The ftars knew

firmament of heaven, "to divide the day from

the night; and let "them be for figns of "feafons, and of days "and of years, &c." Gen. C. i. ver. 14.

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with ill to men, and hurt them whenever it is in their power. The Heroes have no employment fo dear and fo glorious as that of making war upon those Genii. At this very day they are fuppofed to be banished among the rocks of Caucafus, or Imaus, ever fince Tahmu

ras, fur-named Divbend (he who fubdued the Dives) vanquished and put them to flight. Mahometism has not been so fevere as Chriftianity, in eradicating these ancient fuperftitions, and therefore the inhabitants of Perfia are ftill very much infatuated with them.

THE

THE FIFTH FABLE.

Of the formation of Afke and Emla.

TH

HESE were indeed important labours, faid Gangler; but whence came the men, who at present inhabit the world? Har anfwered, The fons of Bore, as they were walking one day upon the fhore, found two pieces of wood floating on the waves. They took them, and made a man of the one, and a woman of the other (A). The firft gave them life and foul; the fecond reafon and motion; the third, hearing, fight, fpeech, garments, and a name. They called the man Afke, and the woman Emila. From thefe two, are defcended the human race; to whom the Gods have affigned a habitation near MIDGARD. Then the fons of Bore built, in the middle of the world, the fortrefs of ASGARD; where dwell the Gods, and their families (B). There it is, that fo many wonderful works are wrought on the earth,

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