OR, AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, RELIGION LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE OF THE ANCIENT SCANDINAVIANS, (DANES, SWEDES, NORWEGIANS AND ICELANDERS.) WITH INCIDENTAL NOTICES RESPECTING OUR SAXON ANCESTORS. Paul Henri TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF M. MALLET, BY BISHOP PERCY NEW EDITION, DIVINITY SCHOO LIBRARY. HARVARD UNIVERSITY REVISED THROUGHOUT, AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED; WITH A TRANSLATION BY I. A. BLACKWELL, ESQ TO WHICH IS ADDED, AN ABSTRACT OF THE EYRBYGGJA SAGA, By Sir Walter Scott. LONDON: HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. THE EDITOR'S PREFACE. BISHOP PERCY'S Edition of M. Mallet's "Northern Antiquities" having been published at a period when the most important documents bearing on the subject were but imperfectly known, the present Editor has necessarily been obliged to revise the work throughout, and omit such portions as were founded on views obviously erroneous, or on authorities which the historical researches of the present age have shown to be fallacious; while he has sought to render the whole more in accordance with these researches, by insertions in the body of the text, and notes critical and explanatory +. Supplementary chapters have also been added, in which, as well as in the remarks on the Prose Edda, several questions that have given rise to learned discussions and conflicting theories have been carefully investigated, and, perhaps, in some instances, placed under a novel point of view. In the prosecution of his laborious task, the Editor has made it an invariable rule to test the statements even of writers who are generally regarded as authoritative on the subject, by referring to the Eddas, the Sagas, and the Grágás, from which almost all the information we possess respecting Scandinavia in the olden time has been, either mediately or immediately, derived. In short, he has endeavoured, by unremitting attention and diligent research, to make this one of the most complete works on Northern Antiquities hitherto published. How far he may have succeeded will be for the reader to judge; who, he trusts, will bear in mind the quaint admonition "of old Dan Geffry" that "For every word men may not chide or pleine London, August 16th, 1847. Distinguished by being placed within brackets. I. A. B. These notes, when they do not refer to his own text, are distinguished by the letters ED. V す。 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. First inhabitants of Denmark, particularly the Cimbri . CHAP. II.-Grounds of the ancient history of Denmark, and of the CHAP. III.-Of Odin, his supposed arrival in the North, and the changes which he is said to have effected CHAP. IV. Primitive worship of the northern nations CHAP. V.-Religion in the North, particularly in Scandinavia, after the primitive worship had been altered CHAP. VI.-Exterior worship and religious ceremonies of the northern 60 71 79 CHAP. VII.-Form of Government which formerly prevailed in the North 122 CHAP. VIII.-Passion of the ancient Scandinavians for arms-their CHAP. IX.-Maritime expeditions of the ancient Scandinavians CHAP. X.-Customs and manners of the ancient Northern Nations CHAP. XI. Sequel of the customs, arts and sciences of the ancient SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTERS BY THE EDITOR. CHAP. I.-Colonization of Greenland, and discovery of the American CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE LEADING DOCTRINES OF THE SCANDI- NAVIAN SYSTEM OF MYTHOLOGY. By the Editor NOTES TO THE PROSE EDDA. By M. Mallet and Bishop Percy. INDEX 464 BISHOP PERCY'S PREFACE. THE Author of the following work had a share in the education of that amiable Prince, Christian VII., king of Denmark. During his residence in the North, Mons. Mallet (who has all the talents of a fine writer) was engaged by the late king, Frederick V., to write a history of Denmark in the French language. By way of introduction to that history, he drew up these two prefatory volumes, the merit of which has long been acknowledged in most parts of Europe. Though intended only as a preliminary piece, it has all the merit of a complete independent work; and, except to the natives of Denmark, is much more interesting and entertaining than the history itself, which it was intended to precede. It very early engaged the attention of the present. translator whose reading having run somewhat in the same track with that of the author, made him fond of the subject, and tempted him to give in an English dress a work in which it was displayed with so much advantage. As he happened also to have many of the original books from which the French author had taken his materials, he flattered himself they would supply some illustrations, which might give an additional value to the version. For this reason, as also to afford himself an agreeable amusement, the Translator some time ago undertook this work; but a series of unexpected avocations intervened, and it was thrown aside for several years. At length he was Bishop Percy's Translation of M. Mallet's work was published in 1770, in 2 vols. 8vo. B |
