TRAVELS 
3 CQ 
» 1 *' t • o v • •*> 7 1 v •' -of r ’*'• y : \r rtn’) x ^i• v> t *>/?■ >?j 3/fai 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
The national Poetry of Finland—Runic Verfes—Turn of the Fin¬ 
landers for Poetry—Manner in which they recite their poetical 
Compoftions—Specimens of Flnmjh Poetry — A funeral Elegy on 
the Death of a Brother—An odd Tale, called the Paldamo-Pafty — 
The Females particularly addi&ed to the Amufement of Poetry —• 
The Jauho Runot, or Mill Songs—A beautiful Ode , or Elegy, by 
a country Girl, on the Abfence of her Lover—Lullaby if the Fin - 
nifh Nurfes—■Songs intended for magical Purpofes, and, among 
other Virtues , fuppofed alfo to pojfefs that of healing Wounds, and 
curing Dlfeafes—This Superjlition prompts the Clergy to difcourage 
the Runic Poetry in which it is clad—Probability arifng from 
that Circunftance, and others, of the Runic Poetry falling quite 
into Difufe. 
? |^HE fun of literature caft a feeble ray upon the mountains 
of Finland, long after it had enlightened the reft of Europe : 
this ray has been, however, preferved in the tingle univerfity of 
Abo. 
It has been frequently obferved, that letters can only be culti¬ 
vated in times of peace, and that the tumult and confufion of war 
are inimical to the fciences, which demand the retirement of aca¬ 
demic 
