New-York tribune., 1875-01-25
EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY
THOMAS CARLYLE'S NEW HISTORICAL
WORK.

Y.h. January number of Frascrs Magazine Mr.
yhomas CARLYLE begins History OF the Early Kings
of Norway which promises to rank among the most
vivid and picturesque of his historical works Ap-
handed arc extracts from the First and Seventh
Chapters which are devoted to Harald Haarfagr and
Olaf TryggVeson.
HARND HAABFAGR.
Till about the Year of Grace $50 there kings IN
Norway nothing out numerous jarls-essen'any KING
Lts-eacb presiding over kind OF republican OF p"
hamentary little territory generally NrlVine " rS
be on some terms OF human neighhorhood wiz u,1
about him. but. in spite OF EyLke Ihing' FoA -,
little parish paTlameots-and sinHl ,. o,.on no |
,heso xvh,oh had gradually formed themselves o'on
duced N the unhappy state OF qu"iIN w" ,n,.
Barald uaarfagr the hrst 10 pu. al CIV o.n,o "
,,.,e Of things and become memorable ana p'oh'oo
:, IT. o,r,rv by uniting 1t under one head ana making
..Insdom of il which It has continued 10 DO ever
49,, us ,sther Haifdan the Black, had already begun
this rough sautary process-nsplred oy tae cupu
ties and instincts by the faculties and opportunities
which the good genius Of this world, beneacent oten
noush under savage FORMS and dhgent at all times 10
diminish anarchy the worlds worst savagery, ususiy
.npouts in such cases. conquest hard fghtng followed
nv wise guidance OF the conquered but 1t was Harau
the Fairhaired his son, who conspicuonsy eaFeu on
ard comp leted it. Harad's brthyear, deathyesr anu
chronology in general known only by inference ana
computation; but, by the latest reckoning DC oeo
about the year 933 OF our era, a man OF SS'
The business conquest lasted Harad aoont II yer
"a d. sOs72 D. in which subdued also the vikings OF
tie oatsands Orkueys shctlands, HeDrdes, anu h1an
Sixty more years given him TO cohsohuaVe H"u %
regulate wha: he had conquered, which he uiu WIN
great iud gment, industry, aud success his resu 0
gether is counted to have been OF over 10 years.
TIC begnuug OF his great adventure was OF roman
t,c eharacter-vouthfu love for The beautiful ESoa
then glorious and famous young lady OF those IeSou
whom the young Harald aspred 10 marry 1sus
answered his embassy and prayer in distant loi'y
,,1d of haaaQ m to
noo creature Of tnat kind let him do as CORN OF Dem
mark Eric OF Swe1en, Egbert OF England ana others
had done-subdue into and regulation the con
fused contentious bits OF aTi round HIM. ana oeeome
KING; then, perhaps she might think OF MS proposal
tn then not" Harsld was struck with TINS proed
answer which rendered Gyda tepiod more desirable TO
him lie vowed TO let his lar grow, never 10 cut OF
even to tall this feat were doue and the peerless
GyoA his own He proceeded accordingly 10 conqrer III
heree battle Jar every aud, at the end OF
IA years had his unkempt land almost unimaGinabiel
heao OF hair cpt ofTJarl R6snwald e0iaaD of More
the most valued and valuable OF all his subject1ars
being promoted to this sublime barber funeuon-aIter
which KING Harsld, with head Thoroughly cleaneo' ana
hair grown or growing again TO the IuXurant beauty
that had no equal his day. brought home his Gyda
and made her the brightest queen IN all the NORTH he
had after her, in succession, perhaps even stimuli
taneOusy IN cases, at least Elk othor wives ana
by Gyda herself one daughter and four sons.
HaraId Haarfagr had good many sons and daughters
Il
Who were loyal 70 him; with the sons as remarked
above, had great deal OF trouble They were emOi-
tous stirring fellows grudged at their finding so
little promotion from father 50 KIDD 10 Lis 1Ils sea
robbery adequate career Tor the sons OF
.geat king Two of them, Hafdan Haaeg Nongleg).
and GudrOd LiOme Gleam), jealous OF the favors won
by tho great J4rl R0gnwalj, surrounded him in his
house one night and burnt him sixty to death
there. That was the end OF R0gnwald the invaluable
iar, always true to Haarfagrj and distinguished IN
word history by producing Rolf the GanGer, author OF
the Norman conquest OF England, and Turf fEinar who
Invented peat IN the Orkneys Whether Rolf had left
Norway AT this time chronology 10 tell me-
AS TO Rolrs surname "Gluger there are VARIOUS ny
potheses; the hkelicst perhaps, that Rolf was so
veighty a man no horse tsman Norwegian horses, big
ponies ratneD could carry him, and that he usually
walked having mighty stIlde wItEal and great Veloc
tty on foot
Que OF these murders Of Jarl R6zBwald quietly set
himself R0gnwsd's place the other making for ORR
ney to serve Turf Einar in like fashion TnrfEnar,
taken by surprise fed the mainland; but returned
DAYS or perhaps weeks after, ready for battle fought
with Hafian put party fight, aud at next nom
ipg's light searched the island slew all the men he
found. Haitian LongleG himself, in fierce mem-
ory OF his own murdered father, TurfEinar "eut an
eagle on back" that TO hewed the ribs from
each side OF the spine and turned them out Ike the
wings OF a spreadeag.e mode OF Morse vengeance
fashionable al that time in extremely aggravated casesi
Harald Haarfagr, in the mean time had descended
upon ROgnwad not IN mild mood towards the
new jar there Indignantly dismissed sald Iarl and ap
pointed brother of R0gnwald tOrother, notes Dahl
uann) though R0gnwali had left other sons. Which
Aope Haarfagr sailed with all speed to the Orkneys,
there TO avenge that cutting Of eagle on the human
back Turf EnaTs part. Turf-Einar did not resist;
subnssiyely met the angry Haarfagr said he left 1t at
ALL what had been done, what provocation there had
been, TO Haarfagrs equity and greatness OF mind.
Naenauinous Haarfagr inflicted fine OF GO marks In
gold which WAS paiI in ready money Dy ruri-Einar
and so the matter ended
OLAF TRYGGVEsoN
Olaf TryGgveson, though his kingdom was the small
eel Of the Three, had risen to renown all
the Morse world which Deitber lie of Denmark he
Of Sweden could pretend 10 rival magnificent, far
shining man; expert in all "bodily EXERCISE"
the Morse called them. than man had ever been be-
fore him. or after was. Could keep five daggers In the
always catching the proper hfth by ITS handle and
sending II aloit again; could shoot supremely, throw
iaVen with either hand aud, in fact In battle usually
threw two together. These, with swimming. climbing,
eaping tie then admirable fine arts of The North
in all which Try appears TO have been the
Raphael and the Michael Angelo at Essentially
dehnable II we LOOK well into hin, as wild bit OF
real neroism, in such rude gulse and environment q
high, true and great human soul. jOval burst OF
uRhter in Inn, bright airy wise OF speech
dressed beaunully and With care a man admired and
soyed exCeedngy BY those he liked dreaded as death
by those he did not like. " Hardly any kiae," says
sDorrO was ever 30 wel OHeyed by one Class out OF
zeal aud love, by the rest out OF dread"
King Olaf having married Thyri, daughter of Harald
Gormson goes to against her brother svea the
Double Beard recover her dOwry.
King Olal TryggvesOn sailed away IN Summer with |
hs splendid 1eet went through Bolts with prosper
Gus winds bright Skies admiration OF both
shores Such feet with its SHINING serpenis long and
short and perfection OF equipment aud appearance. the
Baltic nevoT saw before Jarl sigwald Joined with
psny - and skllifuy IN raiiaea himself
v Nii.nfl 70 rrfyaA