87 



The Danes, who, for some time, were the predominant 

 people of England, were of as bold and intrepid a spirit 

 as the Saxons had ever been, and rather more fierce and 

 warlike. By their numerous fleets, they rode triumphant 

 in all the European seas, and carried terror and desola- 

 tion to the coasts of Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Scot- 

 land and Ireland. They Avere pagans: and those divini- 

 ties, who were the objects of their worship, had been fa- 

 mous heroes; Avhose favour, they imagined, could only be 

 obtained, by brave exploits in war. Their admission into 

 the hall of Odin, the father of slaughter, the god of fire 

 and desolation, and all their future happiness, (they were 

 taught,) depended on the violence of their own death,* 

 and the number of enemies they had slain in battle. This 

 belief inspired them with a contempt of life and thirst for 

 blood. 



Inde ruendi in ferrum mens prona viris, anintiBeque capaces 

 Mortis, et ignavum rediturse parcere vitas. Lucan. 



Nor was their education less warlike than their religion. 

 Born in fleets and camps, the first objects they beheld 

 were arras, storms, battles and slaughter. Thus all that 

 was terrible, by degrees, became fat liliar, and even de- 

 lightful to them. Their childhood and dawn of youth 

 were spent in running, leaping, climbing, swimming, wrest- 

 ling, 



* See the Song of Regner, Lobtrog, apd the Accounts of the Ppetry of 

 Egil Skallagrim, a famous northern pQet of those times. 



