The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-22
SOME NEW MOONS.
The Remance OF .candiuavlan ni.,ery.

primitive beliefs, Ideas, feehugs, and character
tstic traits distinguishing that branch OF the
Aryan stock from which we are an onehoot.
Multiplied attempts have been made during the
last few years to make known to the modern
reader through paraphraee, synopsis, or literal
reproduction the moro striking monuments OF
The old German, Anglo Saxon, and Morse lltera-
lures Besides new German editions OF the
Eibelunren Lied and of the Eddas we have
had an English version OF the volsunRa
PaQa, together with pirts OF the poetic
Edda by william Morris, and elaborate
French monographs upon other lceiandic
eieas. 1t IL, however, some more recent pub
noations to which we would now direct stten-
sion, namely, The Tl,i,i0s NJ the B,Htc, by q. w.
DAsENT. and The Edfiv Kings of Norway, by
THOMAS CARLYLE. with the hell Of these works
and a translation by Dasent Of an authentic
Morse biography, the siea OF Mai, we may indi-
cate some salient features OF the Scandinavian
people. at a tune when their civilization, such
ss Il was. remained Indigenous and genuine
unmouldcd by the influences to which their
rinsmen who invaded the Roman empire had
bong before partially succumbed.
A. the epoch to which Dasents narrative
Transports us--the close OF the tenth century
the Mortimer were still pagan. but their ad-
venturous spirit had undergone considerable al
teration, tho result OF political and social
change. Tho old barhario feudality. weakened
rather by the modified Conditions OF the time
than by any decline Of the warlike qualities and
ferocious love Of freedom which bad hitherto
maintained IT, was everywhere yielding to the
monarehlcal element. Almost nj the same mo-
nneut Qirn IN Denmark, Eric In Sweden. and
Harald Haarfagr In Norway, laid tho founda-
tlons OF the three Sc indin avian klngd oms-mon-
arohies rude and anonymous enough at nrst, but
answering so well the exigencies Of Morse 80
ciety that In less tn century they acquired sol
idity aud civic form, and one OF them. Denmark,
raised ltselfto a point OF splendor unapproached
In lite later history. In these new circumstances
Scandinavian piracy eradu lily ceased to be
what It had once been, veritable social insu-
sutton. Yet II was not without extreme dim
Guilty that the budding royalties OF tue North
overcame a habit 90 profoundly rooted. The
greater mber OF the rulers had them selves been
vikings. and might be forced at any IN oment to
recur to that vocation, since during the tenth
aud much Of tho eleventh centuries piracy re
manned the normal refuge from a reverse OF
fortune. King sweyn, for instance, natural son
of Harold Blue-tooth, and on bad terms with his
father owlne 10 the Circumstances OF his birth.
was viking throughout his youth, and by this
means tined tue Dani-h throne. The first
King OF NorNay, HarAld II ,arfagr q we all his
Efforts to the restraint OF piracy, nevertheless
his sons. and especially the eldest, Eric were
vikings In the worst meaning OF the word. So,
too, more than century after ward the two
greatest monarchs OF his race. Olaf rrvggvt.'-
BON. and Saint Olaf, were vikings by profession.
All the direct measures Of repression which
the Morse kings could apply were reduced to
two. They stripped piracy Of lts legitim ate and
oficia character by abstaining from organizing
lions. They prohibited, moreover. the vikings
from assailng the lands and persons OF their
subjects. 1t was by the way, to an act OF intes-
tine piracy thus mado reasonable that the
ancient Neustria owed IT'S Transformation into
Normandy, the viking Rollo having been
Obliged TO ny before the wrath OF Harald II slr-
eagr after a cattle raid committed on his terri
tory The suppression Of sclndiniviin piracy,
however was most effectively assisted by the
very existence Of the new monlrchies which
cousoldated the popular ardor and ambition.
nationalized the passion for adventures, and
substituted public conquest for private enter
prise. Thsreupon occurred curious transfor-
nation. Piracy, finding itself o1icislly dis T.
nvowed, and deprived Of a legitimate social
function,> sought new principle Of vitality In
the force OF association. Societies were organ
lied and recruited not merely from Scand-
members being bound together by engagements
equivalent to the vows OF the later military
orders. or these companies the most consd-
cradle was that OF the vikings Of Jomsburg, a
fortress whose precise site Il now unknown,
but which lay probably on the shore of the
Baltic, not far from the mouth OF the Oder.
Under this, It's Anal incarnation, piracy was for
n time more formidable than ever, since from
Intermittent 1t became permanent, and mar
phallei forces with which few nations could
cope In that epo IN Of anarchy and disinteeraton.
The vikings Of Jomsourg formed . body Of
1000 men, professional soldiers and pirates ;,
reciprocally united by the most rigorous COM
pact, aud posssssors OF a fleet OF 100 ships COM
IN ,nded by the sons OF jars, who conferred on
the service Of the free company the social
power aud prestige attaching to their birth and
klnship
These pirates 81 Jomsburg were all picked
men. No recruit was accented before the age OF
sighteen or after thirty. Each man made oath
on his AdmissiOn TO ayenge every other member
OF the band rs his own brother. Any warrior
VINO gave way h an antagonist no better armet
than himself ony man wac spoke silghtlngly OF
the company, or who circulated news without
the capt ms permission, any soldier who re
tanned an undue share Of booty, or who Ia any
strait whatever allowed q word Of complaint ol
nurmur 10 escape MIN, US instantly expelled.
Finally, the obligation Of celibacy was inviolablo
NJ woman could penetrate within the for.ress,
aud no soldier unauth orizel by the chief could
absent himself three nj hts in succession. The
viEinss Of Jomsburg, IN short, constituted
vert bic order of piracy In the same sense IN 1t
tLe leuplnrs, he Hospitallars, or the leutoulC
knights formed an order OF chiv dry. Here
therefore, must DO sought the original soutc,
nd primitive type % these associations, whict
were not bonn. as IS commonly supposed, OF thl
cru ades but nre invariably encountered unde
one guise Or another wherever the German,
rae plants Itself.
sir. Disents account-ef the vikings abound
a. iripus detlil- respecting their mod, Of life
H. Introduces US to their hall OF fsasting, a vas
rerttngle pierced with .wo narrow doors AT tn
exfremities and lighted along the side b
b1yliehts cut In the wall at point too high tC
nllow Of passage through them. Along th
walls IAN Two rows OF benches interrupted bl
Nv seats higher than the rest, essryei for th'
captain aud his lieutenant. Before thes
bcuche- were placed tables, stretched on tres
III. which were removed after each rep 50
~ and down the middle Of the hall durin-
w.uIera number OF nres were kinlled, who's
smoke escaped through openings In the root