EllINOLOGY OF THE PliESENT DAY. I57 



in England, and soon passed over to France, and with it also the love of eques- 

 trian performances. Large companies of e(|uestrians Avere formed in the latter 

 country ; and one of the most celebrated of our time is that of Franconi 6c 

 Laloue, who, in the year 1845, built at the extremity of the Elysian Fields 

 the most magnificent circus of the age. It was capable of seating in its am- 

 phitheatre more than 15,000 spectators, and, although finished with painted 

 boards, pasteboard, and paper, aiforded a captivating spectacle by reason of its 

 size and tasteful arrangements. It was burnt to the ground a year afterwards, 

 but rebuilt even more tastefully. 



The Scandinavians. 



The Scandinavians inhabit the peninsula of Jutland, the Danish islands, 

 the whole of Norway and the southern part of Sweden, in the Scandinavian 

 peninsula proper, as well as the maritime provinces almost all round the Gulf 

 of Bothnia ; a great portion of the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland ; 

 also Run Island and a small part of the island of Q^sel, at the mouth of the 

 Gulf of Riga. In Finland and Livonia, also, traces of their former dominion 

 are visible. Thev had, in the eisrhth and ninth centuries, but one lanfruao-e, 

 the Norman or ancient northern, the language of the skalds in the Edda. 

 They are at present split into three divisions : Norwegians, Swedes, and 

 Danes. The Swedish language is divided into the pure Swedish (the written 

 language of the country) and the modern Gothic, which is spoken in the 

 southern part of the kingdom. In like manner, the Danish language appears 

 to be divided into two branches, the pure Danish and the Norwegian, which 

 are, however, essentially the same languages, all the difference being in the 

 enunciation. 



The Swedes have a tall, slender figure, w^iite complexion, blue eyes, and 

 fair or brown hair. In the female sex, ease and grace of movement are 

 united to a good figure. The character of the Swedes is firm and serious ; 

 they are religious and fond of their native land, their laws, and liberty ; 

 honest, unselfish, moral, and courageous, and at the same time hospitable 

 and communicative. They are acute in judgment, but less quick of compre- 

 hension than the people of Southern Europe, and are slow, also, in the 

 undertakins: and execution of their designs. The Swedes are fond of music 

 and poetr^^ The educated classes are very refined ; the lower ones, 

 though industrious, are poor and ignorant, owing to their frequent excesses in 

 drinkinsi;. 



The Norwegians, although they are not favorably disposed towards the 

 Swedes, resemble them very much in their mode of life and disposition ; they 

 are, however, more vigorous, still more serious, and also more temperate 

 than the latter. They are admirable soldiers and still better sailors. The 

 majority of them are husbandmen, and men of this class usually wear a 

 leather or coarse cloth jacket, which is fastened by a broad girdle orna- 

 mented with a single buckle. Shoes and gaiters generally form a part of 

 the holiday dress ; a broad brimmed felt hat, or a Avoollen cap, covers the 

 head. The females are renowned for their beaut}- more than for their 



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