The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1853-03-24
Northland.

'Sioho Va soOutHCiu I-ulo)C3 IL lS a. ilttlC
gular how great our ignorance is with re-
gard to similar facts in the history of those
nations that dwelt and even now do dwell
between the North Sea and the Baltic
Their annals run back to an antiquity us
ancient and venerable, us that which over
shadows France or makes the glory of Spain.
Their chronicles are as brilliant and warlkc
as those of the Cid, their ronances as gor-
gcous us those of Amadis or Charlemagne,
their literature us refined us that of the Nj
bclungcn. These nations that flourishcd
" In Juland, in Iceland, OH Ncustria's shore.
Where er the dark pillows their gallant barks bore"
were remarkable for the influence they en-
crtcd on their own time and on all the
times which have succeeded them. Their
discoveries anticipated those Of Columbus
and the Vcspucci; their conouests cxcclled
those of Gustavus OF Charles the NIL
They were the real founders of English su-
prcInacy and the creators of what is most
noble i'll France. And vet we know al
most nothing Of their names or their histo-
ry; OF their literature, their laws, or tIieir
Religions.
Some few facts sustain themselves, like
floating islands in the occah of forgetfulness
and antiquity, which has swallowed up ill
minor monuments Of the Northland, or at
least so oblit.ratcd the leaves as to render
them illegibIc to common eyes. These
facts arc tingcd with the mournfui interests
tha; pertains to all brave deeds of valor
done by heroes whose names are half for
gotten and whose exploits have become
fabulous by this age. The borrews of
Scandinavia, with tile rough Runic inscrip-
tons found near them, doubtless commcm-
crate the high valor and courage of Vikings
that lived and drank "kacl' long before tile
sogcS OF Snorro We're committed to paper
Or the ce''laS reduced to writing. The men
tISt sleep under them cmulatcd the rude
gods they worshippcd and laborcd to depict
i'll this life their conceptions of the existence
to be spent with Odin and Thor in the incv-
table NalhalIa. They fought fierce battles
that have not been sung, 9uia socra cate
carct, and did lofty deeds Of arms that died
with them. They are the shadowy forms
that tower like pillars of smoke III the
dreams Of Fingal and pcrlncate the entire
mythology and literature at Scandinavia
They were advcnturers and heroes
Their little barks first reached and then
conquered Iceland; sailing still further to-
wards the sunset, they discovered and col
onizcd Greenland /; pursuing their vcntu-
rous voyage, the powers of the Northland
penetrated that beautiful bay of tie New
England shore, which still bears the name
with which they baptized it, the "Vinc
yard" of Rhode Island. Their sails slronc
triumphantly in the ports of every civilized
country Of Western Europe. They anchor
cd in London; demanded tribute at the
very gates of Paris !; mcnaccd Spain; pass
ing the pillars of Hercules, they conquered
the Sciies; and, finally. in their sword:won
kingdom OF brittany, established reign
of the trucst chivalry ages before the Cru
sadcs were dreamed of or undertakcn.-
They ravaged Scotland, and under IIcngist
and liorsa conquered England. They made
incursions upon the continent, and penctra-
ted great distances among the less cultiva-
ted and courageous but nevertheless enter
prising and warllke tribes of Germany. In
whichever way they journcyct, the went as
lords and masters and wherever they
abode, they abode as rulers.
Traces Of this oldcn heroism arc still per-
ceptble among the nations that hare fol-
lowed them. The warlike energy displayed
by the Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus,
in the Thirty Years War, was sparkle of
the old fire. The martial spirit that burned
so brightly under Charles MI. was scin-
tillation of the old lustrc The battle of
Copenhagen exhibited the existence of that
ardor and intrepdity which were ut their
heigth n thousand years before. The
Breton character in France, and the Anglo
Saxon in England and this country owed
nearly all Of their hardillood and courage
to this source. The graccs were won from
the sunny shores of the Mediterranean
Manliness and daring came from the frozen
regions of the Baltic and North Seas.
How strikingly does orr ignorance of
this Scandinavia, to which we arc so largely
indebted, contrast with our knowledge Of
French and Spanish, but especially Of Ro-
man and Grecian history. Of the former,
we cannot read the inscriptions and do not
know the monuments. Of the latter, we
arc acquitted with every minute particular.
1b urqema condita, from the childhood of
Romulus to the popeship of Pio Mono,
there are few events we do not know, few
statues we cannot describe, few authors we
have not read. .. Our children can correct,
the diplomacy Of Pericles, the philosophy of
Anaxagoras, orttiie history OF Herodatus.
We know how the ancients of Latium and
Hcllass lived, and for what they lived. We
can describe their domestic lifesin q more
minute and critical manner than they ever
did themselves. But'Ye have only some
fragrncntary knowledge of the. Northland
Its warlike men and blue-eycd daugh-