pleat portrait of the age, of the world, and of mankind. It is a wonder if we fhall not foon bring ourselves to believe, that there is no other mode of existence but that in which we ourfelves fubfift.

And yet there never was a time, when the public was more greedy after novelty: But where do men for the most part seek for it? In new combinations of ancient thoughts. They examine words and phrases through a microfcope: They turn their old ftock of books over and over again: They resemble an architect, who fhould think of building a city by erecting fucceffively different houfes with the fame materials. If we would seriously form new conclufions, and acquire new ideas, let us make new obfervations. In the moral and political world, as well as in the natural, there is no other way to arrive at truth. We must ftudy the languages, the books, and the men of every age and country; and draw from these the only true fources of the knowledge of mankind. This ftudy, fo pleasant and fo interefting, is a mine as rich as it has been neglected. The ties and bands of connection, which unite together the different nations of Europe, grow every day ftronger and clofer. We live in the bofom of one great repubLic, (compofed of the feveral European king

doms)

doms) and we ought not to defpife any of the means which enable us to underftand it thoroughly: Nor can we properly judge of its prefent improved state, without looking back upon the rude beginnings from which it hath emerged *.

*The Tranflator hath concluded this Introduction in a manner fomewhat different from his Author, as he had taken occafion to give fome Remarks on the French Language, that would

have been useless in an English Verfion, and had fpoke of his Work with a degree of diffidence, which could now be spared, after it has received fuch full applaufe from the Public.

T.

N. B.

N. B. RESENNIUS's Edition of the EDDA, &c. confifts properly of Three diftinct Publications: The FIRST contains the whole EDDA: Viz. not only the XXXIII EABLES, which are here tranflated; but also the other FABLES, (XXIX in number) which our Author calls in pag. 183. the Second Part of the EDDA, though in the original they follow without interruption; and alfo the Poetical Dictionary defcribed below in pag. xix. and 189, which is most properly the SECOND PART of the EDDA. (vid. p. xix.)

The Title Page of this whole Work is as follows,

“EDDA ISLANDORUM An. Chr. M.CC.XV Islandicé Confcripta per SNORRONEM STURLE Iflandiæ Nomophylacem, Nunc primum ISLANDICE, DANICE et LATINÉ ex Antiquis Codicibus MSS. Bibliothecæ Regis et Aliorum in lucem prodit, Opera et Studio PETRI RESENIJ. J. V. D. Juris ac Ethices Profefforis Publ. et Confulis Havnienfis, &c. HAVNIE, M.DC.LX.V." 4to.

The SECOND Work is thus intitled,

"PHILOSOPHIA Antiquiffima NORVEGO-DANICA dicta Uolulpa, quæ eft pars EDDA SÆMUNDI, EDDA Snorronis non brevi antiquioris, ISLANDICÉ et LATINE publici juris primum facta à PETRO JOн. RESENIO. &c. HAVNIE M.DC.LXV." 4to.

The THIRD Piece is intitled thus,

"ETHICA ODINI pars EDDA SÆMUNDI Vocata Haavamaal, una cum ejufdem Appendice appellato Runa Capítule, a multis exoptata nunc tandem IsLANDICE et LATINÉ in lucem producta eft per PETRUM JOH. RESENIUM, &C. HAVNIE 1665." 4to.

THE

E D D A,

OR,

ANCIENT ICELANDIC

MYTHOLOGY.

The Vision of Gylfe:· and Illusions of Har.

ORMERLY in Sweden reigned a king named GYLFE, who was famous

for his wifdom and skill in magic. He beheld, with aftonishment, the great respect which all his people fhewed to the New-comers from Afia; and was at a lofs whether to attribute the fuccefs of thefe ftrangers to the fuperiority of their natural abilities, or to any divine power refident in them. To be fatisfied in this particular, he refolved to go to ASGARD (A), disguifed under the appearance of an old man of ordinary rank. But the Afiatics* were too

*The original is Æfirnir, (Aja) which fignifies either Gods or Afiatics, T.

VOL. II.

B

difcerning

difcerning not to fee through his defign, and therefore, as foon as he arrived, they fascinated his eyes by their inchantments (B). Immediately appeared to his fight a very lofty palace; the roof of which, as far as his eyes could reach, was covered with golden fhields. The poet Diodolfe thus describes it, "The Gods had formed "the roof of brilliant gold, the walls of "ftone, the foundations of the hall were "mountains (c)." At the entrance of this palace GYLFE faw a man playing with feven little fwords, which he amufed himself with toffing into the air and catching as they fell, one after another. This perfon asked his name; the difguifed monarch told him, it was Gangler, and that he came from the rocks of Riphil. He afked, in his turn, to whom that palace belonged? The other told him it belonged to their king, and that he would introduce him to his prefence. Gangler entering, faw many ftately buildings, and innumerable halls crouded with people; fome drinking, others engaged in various fports, others wrestling. Gangler feeing a multitude of things, the meaning of which he could not comprehend, foftly pronounced the following verfes. "Carefully ex"amine all the gates, before thou advancest "further; for thou canst not tell where at the foes may be fitting, who are placed