when it appeared a furer guide than Resenius. M. GORANSON, a Swede, hath published it with a Swedish and Latin version, but he has only given us the first part of the EDDA: Prefixed to which, is a long Differtation on the Hyperborean Antiquities; wherein the famous RUDBECK seems to revive in the person of the Author *. Notwithstanding these helps, it must be confefsed, that the EDDA hath been quoted by and known to a very small number of the learned. The edition of Resenius, which doubtless supposes much knowledge and application in the Editor, presents itself under a very unengaging form; we there neither meet with observations on the parallel opinions of other Celtic or Gothic' people, nor any lights thrown on the customs illuded to. Nothing but a patriotic zeal for the Antiquities of the North can carry one through it. Besides, that book is grown very scarce; but few impressions were * The Latin Version of M. GORANSON is printed at the end of this Volume, by way of SUPPLEMENT to M. MALLET'S Work. The curiosity of the subject, and literal exactness of the Version, it is hoped will atone with the Reader of taste, for the barbarous VOL. II. coarseness of the Latinity. In a piece of this kind, classic elegance is less to be defired than such a strict minute (even barbarous) faithfulness, as may give one a very exact knowledge of all the peculiarities of the original. C т. worked worked off at first, and the greatest part of them were confumed in the fire which, in the year 1728, destroyed a part of Copenhagen. M. Goranson's edition, as it is but little known out of Sweden, and is incompleat, hath not prevented the EDDA of Resenius from being still much fought after; and this may justify the present undertaking. Without doubt, this task should have been affigned to other hands than mine. There are in Denmark many learned men, from whom the public might have expected it, and who would have acquitted themselves much better than I can. I dissemble not, when I avow, that it is not without fear and reluctance, that I have begun and finished this work, under the attentive eyes of fo many critical and observing judges: But I flatter myself that the motives which prompted me to the enterprize, will abate fome part of their severity. Whatever opinion may be formed of these Fables and of these Poems, it is evident they do honour to the nation that has produced them; they are not void of genius or imagination. Strangers who shall read them, will be obliged to soften some of those dark colours in which they have usually painted our Scandinavian ancestors. Nothing does so much honour to a people as strength of genius and a a love of the arts. The rays of Genius, which shone forth in the Northern Nations, amid the gloom of the dark ages, are more valuable in the eye of reason, and contribute more to their glory than all those bloody trophies, which they took so much pains to erect. But how can their Poetry produce this effect, if it continues unintelligible to those who wish to be acquainted with it; if no one will translate it into the other languages of Europe ? The professed design of this Work required, that the Version should be accompanied by a Commentary. It was necessary to explain some obfcure passages, and to point out the use which might be made of others: I could easily have made a parade of much learning in these Notes, by laying under contribution the works of BARTHO LIN, WORMIUS, VERELIUS, AMKIEL, KEYSLER, SCHUTZE, &c. but I have only borrowed from them what appeared abfolutely necessary; well knowing that in the present improved state of the republick of letters, good sense hath banished that vain oftentation of learning, brought together without judgment and without end, which heretofore procured a tranfitory honour to so many perfons laborioufly idle. I am no longer afraid of any reproaches on that head: One is not now required 1 to beg the Reader's pardon for presenting him with a small book. But will not fome object, To what good purpose can it serve to revive a heap of puerile Fables and Opinions, which time hath so justly devoted to oblivion? Why take so much trouble to dispel the gloom which envelopes the infant state of nations? What have we to do with any but our own cotemporaries? much less with barbarous manners, which have no fort of connection with our own, and which we shall happily never see revive again? This is the language we now often hear. The major part of mankind, confined in their views, and averse to labour, would fain perfuade themselves that whatever they are ignorant of is useless, and that no additions can be made to the stock of knowledge already acquired. But this is a stock which diminishes whenever it ceases to increase. The same reason which prompts us to neglect the acquifition of new knowledge, leads us to forget what we have before attained. The less the mind is accustomed to exercise its faculties, the less it compares objects, and discovers the relation they bear to each other. Thus it loses that strength and accuracy of difcernment which are its best prefervatives from error. To think of confining our studies to what one may call neer nec ffary truths, is to expose one's felf to to the danger of being shortly ignorant of those truths themselves. An excess and luxury (as it were) of knowledge, cannot be too great, and is never a doubtful sign of the flourishing state of science. The more it occafions new researches, the more it confirms and matures the preceding ones. We fee already, but too plainly, the bad effects of this spirit of economy, which, hurtful to itself, diminishes the present stock of knowledge, by imprudently refufing to extend it. By lopping 'off the branches, which hasty judgments deem unprofitable, they weaken and impair the trunk itself. But the truth is, it would cost some pains to discover new facts of a different kind from what we are used to; and therefore men chuse to spare themselves the trouble, by continually confining themselves to the old ones. only show us what resembles our own manners. In vain hath nature varied her productions with fuch infinite diversity. Although a very small movement would procure us a new point of view, we have not, it seems, either leifure or courage to attempt it. We are content to paint the manners of that contracted society in which we live, or perhaps of only a small part of the inhabitants of one single city; and this paffes without any opposition for a com Writers pleat |