238 MEAD. 



thus highly in their imaginary celestial banquets, 

 was not forgotten at those which they really in- 

 dulged in upon earth. Hence may be inferred 

 the great attention which must have been paid 

 to the culture of the bee in those days, or there 

 could not have been an adequate supply of honey 

 for the production of mead, to satisfy the demand 

 of such thirsty tribes. 



The mythology of Scandinavia (the religion of 

 our Gothic ancestors) was imparted by Sigge or 

 Odin, a chieftain who migrated from Scythia with 

 the whole of his tribe, and subdued either by arms 

 or arts the northern parts of Europe. From him 

 descended Alaric and Attila. In the singular 

 paradise which Odin sketched for his followers, 

 the principal pleasure was to be derived from war 

 and carnage ; after the daily enjoyment of which, 

 they were to sit down to a feast of boar's flesh 

 and mead. The mead was to be handed to them 

 in the skulls of their enemies, by virgins some- 

 what resembling the houri of the Mahometan pa- 

 radise, and plentiful draughts were to be taken, 

 until intoxication should crown their felicity. 

 Hence the poet PENROSE thus commences his 

 " Carousal of Odin." 



" Fill the honey'd bev'rage high, 

 Fill the skulls, 'tis Odin's cry ! 

 Heard ye not the powerful call, 

 Thundering through the vaulted hall ? 



