88 



ling, fighting, and such like exercises, as hardened both 

 their souls and bodies, and disposed and fitted them for 

 the toils of war. As soon as they began to lisp, they were 

 taught to sing the exploits of their ancestors; and their 

 memories were stored with tales of warlike expeditions. 

 Tiieir Aalour was boastful and audacious, attended with 

 much presumption and self-confidence, and stimulated by 

 the fondness for a violent death. They were cruel in war, 

 but of a social and convivial disposition among them- 

 selves. The Danish soldiers, who were quartered upon 

 the inhabitants, in the reigns of Edgar the Peaceable, and 

 Ethelred, were the beaux of those times. They Avere par- 

 ticularly attentive to the dressing of their hair, which they 

 combed, at least, once every da}', and thereby captivated 

 the affections of the English ladies.* The mountains 

 of Germany, Sweden and Denmark, and even Iceland, 

 were not unvisited by the muses. The chronicles of events 

 aujong the natives were in rhime;-)- and they advanced to 

 battle with war-songs. The poems of the ancient bards 

 of the North are said to have produced amazing eftects 

 on their hearers. J Legends of the power of music are 

 found, in the historians of those periods, similar and equal 

 to Avhat is related of the harps of Orpheus and Arion. 

 Many of their metaphors were exceedingly bold and sub- 

 lime. 



* See Henry's History of England. 



t Canute tlie Great and Alfred were poets and musicians. 

 J Venerable Bede (See Henry's History of England) gives a wonderful 

 account of Caedraon, an ancient Saxon poet. 



