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by a faction of which he was the avowed enemy. We owe all that is rational, certain and connected in the ancient history of these vast countries, to his writings, and especially to his "Chronology of the Nor"thern Kings." There runs through this whole work so much clearness and order, such a fimplicity of stile, such an air of truth, and fo much good sense, as ought to rank its author among the best hiftorians of that age of ignorance and bad taste. He was alfo a poet, and his verses were often the entertainment of the courts to which he was fent. It was doubtless a love for this art which suggested to him the defign of giving a new EDDA, more useful to the young poets than that of Sæmund. His defign therefore was to select whatever was moft important in the old Mythology, and to compile a short System, wherein should, notwithstanding, be found, all the Fables

opinion attribute it to Snorro, it may be sufficient to say that some writer who lived a few years later than that celebrated sage, may have added a Supplement, drawn up after the manner of Snorro, by way of continuation of that Author's work. Besides, it is a matter of little im

portance which ever opinion we adopt. We are only interested in the first

part of the EDDA; and it is sufficient that the Author of that part, whosoever he was, hath there faithfully preserved the ancient religious traditions of the northern nations.

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explanatory of the expressions contained in the Poetical Dictionary. He gave this abridgment the form of a Dialogue, whether in imitation of the ancient northern poets, who have ever chosen this most natural kind of composition, or whether from fome ancient tradition of a conversation fimilar to that which is the subject of the

Edda.

This name of EDDA hath frequently exercised the penetration of the etymologifts. The most probable conjectures are, that it is derived from an old Gothic word fignifying GRANDMOTHER. In the figurative language of the old poets, this term was, doubtless, thought proper to express an ancient doctrine. The Edda is preceded by a Preface *, of greater or less extent, according to the different Original Copies, but equally useless and ridiculous in all †. Some people have attributed it to Snorro, and he inight perhaps have written that part which contains the same facts that are found in the beginning of his Chronicle; but the rest has certainly been added by some scholar unknown to him; nor do we find it in the manuscript at Upsal, which is one of the most ancient.

* Vid. Verel. ad Her- RANSON'S Latin Version, var. Saga p. 5. at the end of this Volume: Vid. pag. 275-280. It is printed in Italics, to diftinguish it from the EDDA itself.

+ The Reader may fee a literal translation of this PREFACE prefixed to Go

т.

known

I have not translated this absurd piece, and shall only say, that we are there carried back to the Creation and the Deluge, and thence paffing on to the Affyrian Empire, we at length arrive at Troy; where, among other strange circumstances, we find in the heroes of that famous city, the ancestors of Odin, and of the other Princes of the north. We know it has ever been the folly of the western nations to endeavour to derive their origin from the Trojans *. The fame of the siege of Troy did not only spread itself over the neighbouring countries; it extended also to the ancient Celts' and Goths.' The Germans and Franks had probably traditions of it handed down in their historical fongs, fince their earliest writers deduce from the Trojans the original of their own nations. We owe doubtless to the same cause, the invention of Antenor's voyage to the country of the Vineti +; and of Æneas's arrival in Italy, and the origin of Rome.

This conversation, (described by SNORRO) which a Swedish King is supposed to

* Timagines quoted by Ammianus Marcellinus, refers the origin of the Celts to the Trojans.

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have held in the court of the Gods, is the first and most interesting part of the EDDA. The leading tenets of the ancient 'Gothic *" Mythology are there delivered, not as maintained by their Philosophers, but (which makes an important distinction) by their SCALDS or Poets. By reading it with care, we discover, through the rude and fimple stile in which it is composed, more of art and method than could be expected; and such a chain and connection, that I know not whether it can be equalled by any book of Greek or Roman Mythology. It is this part only of the EDDA that I have endeavoured to tranflate with accuracy, and to elucidate with Remarks. The SECOND PART is likewife in the dialogue form, but carried on between other speakers, and is only a detail of different events transacted among the Divinities. Amidst these Fables, none of which contain any important point of the 'Gothic' Religion though they are all drawn from that fource, I have only felected such as appear to contain some ingenuity, or are expressive of manners. the same time, I have only given a very general idea of them. Let me beg of such as regret this omiffion, to confider, that what I suppress, would afford them no in

* Celtique. Orig.

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formation,

formation, and that pleasure alone can plead for a fubject devoid of utility.

In regard to the Poetical Treatise at the end of the EDDA, what I can fay of it is confined to some Remarks and Examples selected from among the few articles which are capable of being translated. The three pieces remaining of the more ancient EDDA of SOEMUND deserve our close attention, both on account of their antiquity and their contents. The first, stiled VOLUSPA, or "Oracles of the Prophetess," appears to be the Text, on which the EDDA is the Comment. In the second, called HAVAMAAL*, or "the Sublime Discourse," are found lectures on morality, supposed to have been given by Odin himself. The third is the "Runic Chapter," which contains a short system of ancient Magic, and especially of the enchantments wrought by the operation of Runic characters. At the end of the EDDA will be found some account of these three Tracts; it would have been very difficult to have been more diffuse about them.

* Maal or Mael, signinifies SPEECH in the old Icelandic; nor is the word unknown in the other dialects of the Gothic language. MELL, vet. "Ang. Loqui. Mellynge,

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"Collocutio. A. S. Mæ" lan. I. ad maela. "quæ refpondent Goth. "MATHLJAN. Huc " pertinent Lat. Barb. "Mallus & Mallare." Lye apud Jun. Etym.

Some

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