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Shall only produce one piece more, but one much more confiderable than any of the preceding, and which, by the many little circumstantial strokes it abounds with, will give us a still deeper infight into the manners and genius of the times we wish to know. It is extracted from a Collection of ancient historical Monuments of the North, published by Mr. E. J. BIORNER, a learned Swede, under the title of "Nordiska Kâmpedater, &c." i. e. "The Exploits " of the northern Kings and Heroes, &c. Stockholm, 1737." This Author pub lished the following piece from a manuscript preserved in the Archives of the College of Antiquities in Sweden, and accompanied it with a Swedish and Latin Verfion. I have been as much affifted by the former, as I have been careful to keep at a distance from the latter: for Mr. Bior ner, who had faithfully followed his original in the one, hath employed fo many thetorical flourishes in the other, or, to say the truth, a style throughout so puffy and inflated, that instead of an ancient northern Scald, one would think one was hearing a boy newly come from studying his rhetoric. This loofe and faithless manner of tranflating, cannot, in my opinion, be too much

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condemned, especially in works of genuine antiquity; of which the principal merit confists in the fimplicity and original spirit of the compofition.

It would be a frivolous objection to urge, that, as this piece rather belongs to the antiquities of Sweden, than to those of Denmark, it therefore ought not to be inferted in the present work. Those who know the two nations, are not to learn that anciently the manners and customs of them both were so much the fame, that the compositions of the one kingdom might easily be attributed to the other, without caufing any material error or mistake. Besides, the Poem in question hath been claimed in their turn by the Danish Literati, as a production of their own country: and it hath even been printed nearly the fame as it is given here, in a collection of ancient Danish Songs *. For my part, I am inclined to think that it was sung indifferently throughout all Scandinavia, and that each people placed the scene of action among themselves, in order to have the honour of those prodigious feats of valour, which are so largely defcribed in it. Examples of

this kind are frequent enough in all remote ages.

With regard to the time when this Poem was composed, if we may judge from the language of the original as we have it at present, it should feem to be of the thirteenth or fourteenth century: but it certainly must be of a far more distant period; fince the manners described in it, and the Pagan religion, which is more than once alluded to, incontestibly belong to times preceding the tenth century. It is therefore very probable, that the language and stile of this Poem have been occafionally reformed and modernized, as often as was necessary to render it intelligible. It's being so general a favourite throughout the north, must have invited more Poets than one to do the public this acceptable service. Mr. Biorner informs us, that he himself had heard it fung in his youth, with fome flight alterations, by the Peasants of Medelpadia and Angermania, Provinces which lie to the north of Stockholm. As to what he afferts farther, that the Heroes celebrated in it must have lived in the third century, it is a point very difficult to maintain with any certainty.

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THE HISTORY OF CHARLES AND GRY-
MER, SWEDISH KINGS; AND OF HI-
ALMAR, THE SON OF HAREC,

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KING OF BIARMLAND.

HERE was a king named CHARLES, who commanded valiant warriors: in Sweden were his dominions; where he caused to reign repose and joy. Widely extended and populous was his country; and his army was composed of chofen youths. His queen, who was herself most beautiful, had borne him a lovely daughter, called INGUEGERDA; whose lively and graceful accomplishments daily encreasing, were no less the objects of admiration, than was the splendor of her birth and fortune. The breast of the king was replete with felicity.

The defence of the king's power and dominions were intrusted to the care of a valiant count (A), named ERIC. This warrior had past his life amidst the clash of swords and javelins, and had vanquished many a mighty Hero. His wife, a lady of illuftrious birth, had brought him a fon, named GRYMER; a youth early diftinguished in the profeffion of arms; who well knew how to die his sword in the blood of his enemies, to run over the craggy mountains, to wrestle, play at chefs, trace the motions of the stars, and to throw far from him heavy weights; in short, he was poffefsed of every accomplishment that could perfect and compleat the Hero. By the time he was twelve years old, no one durst contend with him, either with the sword, the bow, or at wrestling. He frequently shewed his skill in the chamber of the damsels, before the king's lovely daughter. Defirous of acquiring her regard, he displayed his dexterity in handling his weapons, and the knowlege he had attained in the sciences he had learned. At length he ventured to make this demand; Wilt thou, Ο " fair Princess, if I may obtain the king's

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