'TALES FROM THE GERMAN.' If the accomplished translator of these tastefullyexecuted volumes had selected his stories with less judgment, and clothed them in a less attractive English garb, then might the apology contained in his preface have perhaps been necessary. As it is, we are bound to say that Mr. GREENE has laid the reading public under an obligation to him, which we venture to predict they will repay by a wide perusal of his work, and a proper appreciation of his labors. The tales are 'taken almost at random from the thirteen volumes of VAN DER VELDE's works, of which they are a fair specimen.' 'Arwed Gyllenstierna,' a tale of the early part of the eighteenth century, occupies the first volume; the second contains 'The Lichtensteins,' 'The Sorceress,' and 'The Anabaptist.' Boston: AMERICAN STATIONERS' COMPANY.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A SOUTHERN MATRON: By CAROLINE GILMAN, Author of 'Recollections of a New-England Housekeeper.' We intended to have done justice to this charming volume, but our leisure and space will not permit. We may commend it, however, to our readers, as natural, various, and entertaining, in no common degree; and as better, even, than the 'Recollections of a Housekeeper,' in the same spirit and with the same object as which, it has been penned. Every essential part is founded on events of actual occurrence, and the whole is intended to present, and no one can doubt that it does present, as exact a picture as possible of local habits and manners. Miss SEDGWICK must look to her laurels. She has a counterpart in the field. HARPER AND BROTHERS.

MR. WARD'S ADDRESS. Although late, and perchance out of season, we are inclined to have our brief 'say' in reference to the Address delivered at the opening of the Stuyvesant Institute, in November last, by SAMUEL WARD, Jr. We commend it to the reader, for the merits of a good style and valuable inculcations, and particularly for the course it marks out for the intellectual American merchant. The address deserves notice on another account. It is, without exception, the most beautiful specimen of American printing we have ever seen, and equals, in every respect, the finest English typography. It is from the press of Messrs. G. F. HOPKINS AND SON.

MR. BUCKINGHAM'S LECTURES.-'Shall we send,' (say the editors of the 'NewYork Observer,' a well known religious journal,) to Rome, and bring over the Coliseum for Mr. BUCKINGHAM to lecture in? At his last lecture, Chatham-street Chapel, (the largest public room in the city,) could not contain all who wished to attend.' It were superfluous to add to this substantial testimony in favor of the lecturer's performances. The perusal of his 'Address to the American Public,' attached to this work, will convey to our distant readers some idea of the variety and extent of his intellectual resources; and to this we invite their attention.

PETER PARLEY'S UNIVERSAL HISTORY.-This work, on the basis of a geography for the use of families, in two handsome volumes, is one of the clearest, and best arranged, and most admirably written, of any similar volumes which have fallen under our observation. We lack space to go into the detail of their many merits, and must ask the reader to trust our judgment in relation to their contents, since a mere glance through them will confirm the justice of our verdict. They are beautifully printed, and illustrated by numerous good engravings on wood, maps, etc. New-York: WILEY AND PUTNAM.

THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER. We have read, with much gratification, an 'Address delivered before the College of Teachers, at Cincinnati, on the Moral Dignity of the Office of the Professional Teacher.' By SAMUEL EELLS. It is sound in its positions, and forcible as well as often eloquent in its style. Like the article 'Pedagogy,' which we published a short time since, it will serve to elevate the office of the teacher, and to inculcate in teachers themselves a larger regard for the important station which they are called to fill.

ROBERT R. RAYMOND, Esq., a young gentleman of fine talents, whose contributions to this Magazine have made him favorably known to our readers, has assumed the associate editorship of the 'Long-Island Star,' a semi-weekly journal of good repute, and honorable longevity.

AN AVANT COURIER. It is both meet and proper, at this stage of our new volume, that we should render an account of our more prominent literary stock,' consigned, and on hand. Imprimis, therefore:

'SCANDINAVIAN LITERATURE AND ANTIQUITIES.'-A very interesting paper thus entitled, has, by the merest inadvertency, been reserved for a place of honor in our next number. It will be accompanied by an editorial notice, should leisure serve, of some of the recent works of the 'Northern Antiquarian Society,' of Copenhagen. Apropos of this. There is an admirable article upon the Discovery of America by the Northmen,' from the pen of Gov. EVERETT, of Massachusetts, in the last number of the North American Review,' which we would commend to general perusal. The belief is gaining ground, in intelligent minds, that this continent was discovered by the Northmen, in the tenth century. The subject is therefore pregnant with interest to the American reader. SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN THE ORIENT. There are few men living, as our readers are doubtless aware, who have traversed a larger portion of the 'fair and fertile East,' than Mr. BUCKINGHAM. From his intimate acquaintance with oriental countries and subjects, acquired by extensive journies through, and long residence in, those interesting regions, he is known generally in Europe as the Oriental Traveller.' His published works on Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia, are among the most frequently quoted by biblical critics, and scriptural commentators, of any that are before the public; and his descriptions of Joppa, Ptolemais, Tyre and Sidon, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Damascus, and Jerusalem, are constantly referred to, in illustration of their scriptural history, and present condition; while his account of the cities beyond Jordan, and of the ancient Ur of the Chaldees, and the ruins of Nineveh, Babylon, and the remains of the Tower of Babel, all of which he personally visited, are seen scattered over many volumes of works devoted to scriptural illustration, from the best editions of Calmet and Watson, to the more recent works of Keith on the Prophecies, and the learned Commentaries of Professor BUSH, of our University. Mr. BUCKINGHAM has still, however, a large portion of his valuable мss. unpublished; and these contain a rich variety of information on portions of the eastern world less frequently visited, and consequently less familiarly known, than those which are described in the published works referred to. A choice and ample selection from these Mss., the literary and classical reader will be gratified to learn, has been secured for insertion, from time to time, in these pages. We have lately occupied some of our space, advantageously and agreeably, we have reason to believe, in describing the remarkable monuments of ancient days in the cities, forts, and sepulchres of the extinct nations of the West. We shall now present a companion to these, in the accounts of ancient monuments of grandeur and utility in the East and in the present number we commence this series, by the narrative of a journey undertaken by Mr. BUCKINGHAM to traverse the Isthmus of Suez, examine its ancient port at the head of the Red Sea, and investigate the tract lying between that Gulf and the Mediterranean, for the purpose of tracing out the vestiges of the ancient canal, commenced by one of the Pharaohs, completed by Darius, and used for navigable purposes up to the time of the Ptolemies and Cleopatra. Some novel and curious information respecting the primitive and patriarchal manners and customs of the Bedouin Arabs, or Wanderers of the Desert, among whom the writer sojourned, will be interwoven with the narrative, together with descriptions of ancient remains, far in the solitude of the desert, supposed to be antediluvian, and varied and exciting personal adventure, etc. But the articles will speak for themselves, and be read, we cannot doubt, with great interest; not less from the intrinsic value and importance of the facts they contain, than from a knowledge of the ability and interest which characterize the author's oral and written efforts. In relation to the former, it may not be amiss to remark in this place, that we hope our readers, in such sections of the country as Mr. BUCKINGHAM may visit, will avail themselves of the intellectual enjoyment which he rarely fails to afford his auditories.

In addition to a series of American Reminiscences,' illustrating novel and stirring events connected with our early history, and struggles for national existence, with 'Ollapodiana,' 'King Christian,' by Prof. LONGFELLOW,' 'Our Wedding-Days,' an admirable companion to 'Our Birth-Days,' by our veteran correspondent, Hon. JUDGE MELLEN, of Maine, and a variety of articles in prose and verse, from many of our old and established,' as well as several from new, AMERICAN contributors, (the cherished of our hearts,) in addition, we repeat, to these, we shall present in ensuing numbers an original romance, on American ground, from the pen of JoHN GALT, ESQ., the amusing bio

grapher of LAWRIE TODD,' of whose high literary reputation no one of our intelligent readers can be ignorant. Each division will possess its own separate interest, independent of what may precede or follow it. Mr. GALT retains a lively recollection of his journey through, and residence in, this country. It so happens,' he writes, 'that all I have ever met with in the United States is as agreeable to remember as the aroma in the vase where the rose hath been;' and I have long desired to be able to give some proof of the feeling with which I cherish transatlantic recollections. I owe much in gratitude to American kindness; and it will be a gratification to think, that many of my old friends among your readers will occasionally see that I have not forgotten them. When in America, I was sensible of having obtained many new ideas; and perhaps it may now and then be thought, that one who has seen as much of the world as most men, may have seen some things in your woody land' not quite in the same light as other travellers from this island.'

And WORDSWORTH, too, reader, will be with you anon. An intimate friend of his (and a kind friend of ours) writes us as follows, under date of December 2d: 'WORDSWORTH begs me to thank you for the volumes of the KNICKERBOCKER, and BRYANT's poems, which he greatly admires. His sight is at present very bad, and he cannot write himself; but he says that in a few days Mrs. WORDSWORTH shall copy a few of his best unpublished poems for you.' Moreover, we have a series of delightful Letters from an American gentleman abroad, a graceful writer and ripe scholar, who has eschewed hacknied sights and themes; and rare tribute from his considerate hand-an original article of poetry, by that variously-gifted and lamented English statesman, GEORGE CANNING. And with this gratifying intelligence, we close our long gossip.

'KNICKERBOCKERIANA.'- The reader is desired to act his own pleasure about perusing the subjoined paragraphs. There's no compulsion :

A DENIAL.-The review of Mr. BROOKS' 'Scriptural Anthology,' in our last number, bas been attributed, in one or two local sources, to personal motives of depreciation, and to a narrow sectional feeling. Both charges, we scarcely need say, are alike unfounded. The work alluded to is susceptible of a far more enlarged exposure than it has yet received at our hands. In regard to the writer, he was wholly unknown to us, save as such. Sectional feeling, in literary matters, we utterly disclaim, and appeal to the entire numbers of our work, to disprove the accusation. We aim to recognise and applaud merit, wherever found, whether in the north or the east, the south or the west; and while such will continue to be our course, we shall nevertheless not hesitate to rebuke clamorous mediocrity, whencesoever it may proceed.

'RESUSCITATED Joes, Versified.'- FOREIGN CREDIT. Under this head, our droll contemporary of the Gentleman's Magazine' publishes 'The Miniature,' which 'William was holding in his hand,' by our friend Col. MORRIS, of the 'Mirror.' We commend our literary explorer to auother 'resuscitation,' in the same number which contains this alleged revivified 'MILLER.' We mean the poetry entitled The Sum of Life,' which appeared, originally, in these pages, bearing the caption, 'Why are we Here? While on the subject of credit, let us add, that the lines beginning, 'Where is the queenly Ship?' now making the newspaper circuit, as from a late Loudon Metropolitan Magazine, were written for these pages, many months since, by an able correspondent in Montreal. We have heretofore cited four or five kindred instances of reproductive' circulation. There is great virtue, it should seem, in sea-air and a foreign stamp!

CARE IN COMPOSITION.'The pen is an artificial tongue. It speaks to those that are far off, as well as to those that are near; and it speaks to thousands at once.' So says, and most truly, an old English author. We ask our correspondents to bear this in mind, while enclosing us matter for publication; for, if their favors are accepted, they speak through our pages to at least fifty thousand readers per mouth, of the most discriminating class; and not only to readers at home, but to large numbers in European towns and cities.

LITERARY BONDS.- New subscribers, who express their approbation of such numbers of the KNICKERBOCKER as they have received, sometimes add, and if the work continues thus, you may count us life-time readers. Our new friends should remember, that for the fulfilment of our designs, we are already bound, in ELEVEN VOLUMES; and we may add, with 'Boz,' that if it will be any additional security to the public, we have no objection to stand bound, as without doubt we shall, in double the number.

Publishers and Correspondents must bear with us yet a little. We are compelled to emit several notices of new books, the critiques of our theatrical reporters, etc. We hope to bring up arrears in the number for March.

THE KNICKERBOCKER.

VOL. XI.

MARCH, 1838.

SCANDINAVIAN LITERATURE AND ANTIQUITIES.

No. 3.

'A STRONG poetical taste, and a passion for traditionary and mythical lore, pervaded the northern race. The order of Skalds or poets, was the immediate depository of the national traditions. They were the friends and confidential advisers of the kings and earls. They were entertained at

court in time of peace, and in battle were stationed where they could witness the exploits which they were to commemorate. The Skalds were men of the world. Warriors, rovers, chieftains, they mingled in the stir of life; they were trained in the open air of the mountains and the vales, and amidst the wild creations of arctic nature. After the convulsions of continental Scandinavia, Iceland was their favorite seat, the home of stout-hearted refugees, who made this poor frozen rock the abode of traditionary lore and song. Nature, with a kind of caprice, in re-producing in the polar circle an Ausonian age, associated with it the romantic features of a Campanian region. Volcanoes flamed up from eternal glaciers, and fountains of boiling water spouted from snow-clad NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW.

craters.'

In the first number of the article on Scandinavian Literature and Antiquities, the origin of the Scandinavian people was traced, and some of the prominent events in their history related. Mention was also made of the sources of their literature, and the manner in which it has been preserved. In concluding the subject, it will be necessary to speak of the contents of their historical manuscripts, and of the works recently published by the society formed for the express purpose of elucidating and making known the ancient literature of the North. So much of this is connected with their mythology, that it is extremely difficult to comprehend, and to separate truth from fiction. If there were no other analogy between the Gothic nations and the older nations of Asia, their mythological systems would be sufficient to prove their identity. The Gaelic language, which is now acknowledged to be of great antiquity, and if not the same as the ancient Celtic, is not very far removed from it, has been proved by an eminent Scottish philologist, Dr. Jamieson,* to have a very great affinity to the languages of the North; thus showing the intimate connexion between the Celtic or primitive people of Europe, and the Scandinavians. It is worthy of record, that the northern Sagas make mention of several eclipses which occurred in the ninth and tenth centuries. These have been calculated by Sir David Brewster, and the Norwegian astronomer, Hansteen, and found correct. In this way the truth of many historical events, and the precise period of their occurrence, have been corroborated. There is no better method of testing the correctness of the ancient historians of any country, than by investigating the astronomical

* JAMIESON'S Scottish Dictionary.

+ Introduction to the Report of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries.

phenomena recorded by them. An eclipse of the sun or moon, or the appearance of a comet, were regarded by them as omens, and generally decided their projected invasions, or a mere voyage by sea. Exerting, thus, so great an influence upon their actions, we find that the Scandinavians, in common with other nations of antiquity, did not fail to record their celestial phenomena.

The most ancient Icelandic literature, is that comprised in the Old Edda, which consists of Icelandic poems, collected by Samund Sigfuson, a learned clergyman of the Island, and Are Frode, an eminent historian of the eleventh century. This collection was either concealed, and subsequently forgotten, or was lost in Iceland, for four hundred years, when the remains of it were again brought to light by Bishop Brynjolf Svensen, in 1643, from which period it has been more or less studied; portions of it having been translated into Danish and Latin, and published.

The first class of the elder Edda is mystical. It includes the Volu-Spa, the oracle or prophecy of Vala, which exhibits the mythological system of the Edda, in a very dark, mysterious, and often unintelligible style, resembling the Sibylline verses. Another poem of the same class, is the Grougaldor, or Groa's Magic Song, which contains a collection of magical terms, supposed to be useful in every sort of peril, and other exigencies of human life. Magic and witchcraft appear to have been regarded by the Northmen as essential attributes of the priestly class, who inherited them from Odin. The women, like the witches of New-England, were conspicuous characters in practising mysterious rites. A third poem of the mystical class is the Solar Ljod, or Song of the Sun. It relates to the doctrine of a future life, and the dwellings and occupations of departed souls. The second class of the elder Edda is called Mythio-didactic; this comprises a dramatic dialogue between Odin, the father of the northern gods, and Vafthrunder, a genii, celebrated for his craft and valor. Odin, in the disguise of a mortal, visits the latter, and claims his hospitality. They engage in a dispute upon the mysteries of sacred science, with the condition, that the losing party should forfeit his head! Their subjects are the origin of the earth and heavens; whence proceed day and night, winter and summer; the creation of the human race, the condition of departed spirits, the occupations of departed heroes, etc., etc.*

Preserving his incognito, Odin, who had assumed the name of Gagnrader, at length asks the Genius what are the words which Odin whispered in the ear of his son, Balder, when the latter was placed upon his funeral pile.' At this the astonished Genius recognises Odin, and acknowledges himself vanquished, saying, No mortal man those words can know, which THOU whisperedst in the ear of thy son, at the Beginning of Ages. I read my doom, written in magic characters, and decreed by the celestial fates, for having dared to encounter the all-wise Odin in sacred controversy.'

The next peom in this class is Grimnis-mal, or the Song of Grimner, which contains a description of the habitations of the celestial deities. Other poems contain a variety of matter, some of

* WHEATON'S, History of the Northinen, p. 65, et seq.