1G6 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Feb. 27, 1885. 



hizarre philosophy characterising the barbaric miod. But 

 although essentially of the people and about them, with 

 the actual world of living men pictured in faithful detail, 

 there ia a leading motif to which all the incidents are 

 subordinate, and, with more or less intention, supplemental. 

 This is the struggle between Wainamoinen, Ilmarinen, and 

 Lemminkainen, of the bounteous, sunuy land Kaleva, and 

 Louki, Hiisi, and .Joukahainen, of the cold, drear, north- 

 land Pohjola, and the dark underworld Tuonela, the main 

 object of the conflict being the capture and abduction of 

 brides from Pohjola, an incident in which evidence of 

 exogamy, or marriage outside the tribe among the ancient 

 Finns, is perhaps preserved. In the end, the victory is 

 with Wainamoinen. Here are materials promising enough 

 for the solar theorists, with their happy facility in making 

 anything mean everj-thing, to work upon ; for are not 

 Kaleva and Pohjola the I'ght and the darkness, and the 

 chase and capture of Louki's daughter, the winning of the 

 dawn-maiden by the amorous Sun 1 



The nature-origin of the leading characters in the 

 Kalevala is clear, and it is not contended that celestial 

 phenomena, personified by man's rude aualogy, have not 

 been an important factor in the evolution of primitive 

 mvth. Thus far, there is no quarrel with the so-called 

 comparative mythologists. But the poems have other 

 elements than the meteorological, and in their own sphere, 

 not leas turbulent, being born of the passions, and ambi- 

 tions, and unrest of men. Such are love and song, and 

 war, and intrigue, and of these the Kalevala has no lack. 



It was remarked in the former paper, that the only mytho- 

 logy showing any correspondence with the Finnish, is that of 

 the Esthonians, and in comparing their epic, the Kalevipneg, 

 with the Kalevala, the groundwork is found to be identical. 

 The Esthonians, however, tell of their heroes as the ofl- 

 spring of Vanna lisa, begotten before the foundation of 

 the world, while the Finns regard their heroes as the off- 

 spring of the celestial virgin. Daughter of the Breezes and 

 the Air. In the Kalevipoeg, which is less archaic than 

 the Finnish epic, Vanna Issa creates heroes to avail him- 

 self of their skill and counsel.* The eldest is Vannemuine, 

 created old and with the wisdom of age, but young in heart, 

 and with the gift of song. When the god is troubled, 

 Vannemuine soothes him, as David soothed Saul, with hai'p 

 and song. The second hero is Ilmarine, endowed with 

 strength, and an artificer like Tubal Cain. The third son 

 is Lcemmekune, a rollicking, wanton youth. To them, 

 the Ancient Father, with whom they dwell in Kalleve, 

 makes known his intent to create the world, and this he 

 does while they sleep. On awaking they are astonished, 

 and then, while Vanna Issa, wearied with the work of 

 creation, lies down to rest, Ilmarine hammers a metal 

 vault, which he strains like a teut over the earth, hanging 

 therefrom the sun and nailing thereon the moon and stars. 

 Full of gladness, Vannemuine sprang upon the earth, 

 strikes his harp, and tings a song of joy, so that the birds 

 followed him, and wherever his foot touched the ground, 

 flowers blossomed forth and trees grew. This and the 

 merriment of Lajmmekune wakened the Ancient Father, 

 who praised the heroes for making the rough world 

 beautiful. " Soon," said he, " will I people the world with 

 all manner of beasts, and then will I create men who shall 

 rule the world; but man I will make feeble, so that he may 

 not boast of his strength. And ye shall befriend mankind, 

 and mingle with them, so that a race may arise that shall 

 not so easily succumb to evil ; for evil I must not and 

 cinnot destroy, because it is the measure and goad of good." 



* The identity of the names of the Kalevipoeg heroes with thcs; 

 of the Kalevala, as of Kallere with Kaleva, ia obvions. 



OPTICAL RECREATIONS. 



By a Fellow of the PvOY.^l Astron"omic.a.l Society. 



{Continued from p. 4U, Vol. VI.) 



BEFORE proceeding to another division of our subject, 

 we will de.scribe a second and more simple method 

 of producing a distorted figure ; which, viewed from a 

 proper point of sight, will appear absolutely regular. Here, 

 again, we shall illustrate what we have before insisted on 

 (Voh v., p. i37, and e'.sewhere;, that rajs of light go and 

 return by precisely the same route. In Fig. 35, B B' repre- 



B_£_ 



sents a drawing-board upon which paper is strained, pp' 

 is a plate of glass standing upright upon it, and on this 

 glass is painted the object or scene of which wa wish to 

 form our distorted image. L is an ordinary lamp, the 



chimney of which is surrounded by a tin cylinder, C, 

 blackened outside, and with a hole, h, | inch in diameter, 

 perforated in it, opposite the middle of the flame. A 

 glance at the figure will show how the rays h r, hr, 

 passing through the plate of glas.s, will project an image of 



