nations have innumerable fmall poems, very mechanically difpofed into the shapes of Ovals, Lozenges, and other mathematical figures, exactly parallel to the Eggs, Wings and Axes of fome of the Greek minor Poets; yet both fides may be acquitted from the fufpicion of stealing this happy invention from each other. Upon the whole, therefore, I much doubt whether we ought to attribute the Icelandic attempts of this kind, either to a Perfic or Hebrew origin: even though fome of the first emigrations of the northern people may be allowed to come from the neighbourhood of Perfia. As to the Anglo-Saxon, and Icelandic poetry: these will be allowed to be in all refpects congenial, because of the great affinity between the two languages, and between the nations who spoke them. They were both Gothic Tribes, and ufed two not very different dialects of the fame Gothic language. Accordingly we find a very strong resemblance in their verfification, phrafeology and poetic allufions, &c. the fame being in a great measure common to both nations *. But there is also a refemblance between the laws of verfification adopted by the British Bards, and thofe obferved by the Icelandic Scalds; at least fo far as this; that the metre of them both is of the alliterative kind and yet there does not appear to be the leaft affinity in the two languages, or in the origin of the two nations. But this refemblance of metre, I think, may in part be accounted for on general philofophical principles, arifing from the nature of both languages : and in part from that intercourse, which was unavoidably produced between both nations in the wars and piratical irruptions of the northern nations: whofe Scalds, as we learn from Torfæus, were refpected and admired for their *Compare the AngloSaxon Ode on Athelftan's Victory, preferved in the Scaldic poems. See alfo + See Vol. I. p. 402. the latter part of the Note. ↑ Præfat. ad Hift. Orcad. folio. poetic poetic talents, even in the courts of those princes whofe territories were most invaded by their Danish countrymen. This he exprefsly affirms of the Anglo-Saxon and Irish kings; and it is to the full as likely to have been the cafe with the Welsh princes, who often concurred with the Danes in diftreffing the English. I am led to think that the latter Welsh BARDS might poffibly have been excited to cultivate the alliterative verfification more strictly, from the example of the Icelandic SCALDS, and their imitators the Anglo-Saxon Poets; because the more ancient British Bards were nothing near fo exact and ftrict in their alliterations, as those of the middle and latter ages: particularly after the Norman conqueft of England, and even after king Edward the Ift's conqueft of Wales; whereas fome centuries before this, the Icelandic metre had been brought A very learned and ingenious British Antiquary thus informs me, Our profody depends entirely on what you "call ALLITERATION, 66 and which our Gram marians term Cynghan"nedd, i. e. Concentus, "vel Symphonia Confo nantica. This at first was not very ftrict: for "the Bards of the fixth S not circumfcribed by any rules. The Bards from the [Norman] "conqueft to the death "of Llewellyn our laft 66. prince, were more strict. But from thence to queen Elizabeth's time, "the rules of Allitera tion were to be obferved with great nicery fo O 3 25% that to the highest pitch of alliterative exactness. This conjecture, however, that the Welsh Bards borrowed any thing from the Poets of any other country, will hardly be allowed me by the British Antiquaries, who, from a laudable partiality, are jealous of the honour of their countrymen *; nor is it worth contending for: It is fufficient to observe, that a fpirited emulation between the BARDS that a line not perfectly alliterative, įs condemned as much by "our Grammarians as a falfe quantity by the Greeks and Romans. They had fix or fe"yen different kinds of "this confonantical har પ mony, fome of which were of a loose nature, and were allowed in "poetry, as well as the "moft ftrict Alliteration, * &c." "The most ancient IRISH POEMS, were alfo ALLITERATIVE, according to Mr. LLWYD, of the Mufæum; and as he was well verfed in all the "branches of the Celti now extant, viz. The "British, Irish, Armoric, Cornish and "Manks, no perfon was and "better qualified to judge " in this matter." * It would be unfair to conceal the objections of the fame learned perfon, efpecially as it would de prive the Reader of fome very curious information concerning the ancient Celtic Poetry. <<I can 66 by no means think that 66 our Bards have borrowed their ALLITE"RATION from the "Scalds of the north: " for there are traces of it in fome very old "pieces of the Druids till extant, which I "am perfuaded are older "than the introduction of Chriftianity; and were compofed long "before we had any comέσ merce or intercourfe "with any of the inha"bitants of Scandinavia, and the SCALDS, might excite each of them to improve their own native poetry, and to give it all that artificial polish, which they faw admired in the other language. Whoever would understand thoroughly the Poetry of both people, and compare their respective metre, may examine, for the Icelandic, WORMIUS's Literatura Runica; and for the British, JOHN DAVID RHYS'S Cambro-Britannica Cymraecave Linguæ inftitutiones & rudimenta, &c. Lond. 1 592 *.] or any branch of the "Gothic race whatso"ever and I believe be"fore the Roman Con"quest. Cæfar fays, "The Druids learned a "great number of verses "by rote, in which no " doubt a great deal of "their Morality was "couched, and their "myftical doctrines a"bout the Oak and the "Miffeltoe. These kind "of Verfes are, by the "Britons, called Englyn "Milwr, or THE WAR"RIOR'S SONG, and con"fift of a triplet of fe❝ven fyllables each verfe, "which are unirythm: For Rhyme is as old "as poetry itself, in our T. "language. It is very "remarkable, that most "of our old Proverbs are "taken from the last ❝verse of such a Triplet, "and the other two feem "almost nonsense; they "mention the Oak, high "Mountains, and Snow, "with honour. Thofe "are certainly remains "of the Pagan Creed." * See alfo fome account of the Welsh Poetry in SELDEN's Remarks on DRAYTON'S Poliolbion. And a remarkable paffage in GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS (Cambriæ Defcriptio, p. 260, 261.) beginning thus, Pra cunctis autem, &c. |