grace to any brother, or to one even asking a question of him.” I heard in like manner one brother disparaged by some, because he was slow of speech; of whom it was said that he had paste or malt in his mouth when he was called upon to speak. And as for myself, being at that time a child, “I understood as a child, I spake as a child;" and I said I never could consent that any one should be made Abbot unless he knew somewhat of dialectics, and knew how to discern truth from falsehood. Again: a certain person, who in his own eyes seemed very wise, said, “May the almighty Lord bestow on us a foolish and simple shepherd, so that it should be the more needful for him to care for us!" I heard in like manner a certain studious and learned man, and honourable, by the nobility of his family, disparaged by some of our Priors merely for this reason,-because he was a Novice. The Novices, on the other hand, said of the Priors, that infirm old men were by no means fit to govern a Convent; and thus many persons spake many things, "and each was fully persuaded in his own mind."

I observed Sampson the Sub-sacrist, as he was sitting along with others,-(since at these private assemblies, at bloodletting season, the cloister Monks were wont alternately to reveal to each other the secrets of the heart, and to talk over matters with every one,)-I saw him, I say, sitting along with the others, quietly chuckling, and noting the words of each, and, after a lapse of twenty years, calling to mind some of the before-written opinions. In whose hearing I used to reply thus to those critics, saying, that if we were to stay in the choice of an Abbot until we were to find one who should be above disparagement or fault, we never should find such an one; for no one alive is without fault, and nihil omni parte beatum (nothing is altogether blessed). Upon one particular occasion I was unable to restrain myself, but must needs blurt out my own private opinion, thinking that I spoke to trusty ears; and I then said, that a certain person who formerly had a great regard for me, and had conferred many benefits upon me, was unworthy of the abbacy, and that I considered another was more worthy; and, in fact, I named one for whom I had less regard. I spoke according to mine own conscience, rather

considering the common weal of the Church than my own advancement; and true it was what I said, as the sequel proved. And behold, one of the sons of Belial disclosed my saying to my friend and benefactor; for which reason, even to this day, never could I since, nec prece nec pretio, (neither by prayer nor by price,) fully regain his good-will. "What I have said I have said."

Et semel emissum volat irrevocabile verbum.

(And the word once sent forth, flies beyond recall.)

One thing remains, that I take heed to my ways for the future; and if I should live so long as to see the abbey vacant, I shall look carefully as to what, to whom, and when, I shall offer my opinion on such a matter, so that I neither offend God by lying, or man by speaking amiss. I shall then advise (should I last so long) that we choose not too good a Monk, nor yet an overwise Clerk, neither one too simple or too weak; lest if he be overwise in his own conceit, he may be too confident in his own judgment, and contemn others; or, if he be too boorish, he may become a byword to others. I know that some one has said, Medio tutissimus ibis; (Thou wilt go safest in the middle;) as also that saying, Medium tenuere beati (It is the happiest for us to hold the middle). Or perhaps, after all, it may be the best course to hold my peace, that I may say in my heart, "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it,"

CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF NORWAY.

ODIN.

[IN the "first Saga," the chronicler gives an account of "Odin," so celebrated in the mythological history of the north. The reader will be pleased to see this account, as being a sort of original document on the subject. History and fable, he will find, are strangely mixed together. Heroworship seems one of the natural tendencies of man when he has cast away the knowledge of the true God. Till he is completely brutalized, (as the aborigines of New South Wales,) he must have some object of religious reverence; and nothing

suits him better than continuing to the dead the honour paid to them while living. It is a testimony to two great facts, that the nature of man was originally formed for religion; and that, before meu became scattered over the face of the earth, they believed in another world, a life after death. The whole system of hero-worship proclaims the doctrine of the immortality of the soul.]

THERE goes a great mountain barrier from north-east to south-west, which divides the Greater Sweden from other kingdoms. South of this mountain-ridge it is not far to Turkland, where Odin had great possessions. But Odin, having foreknowledge and magic-sight, knew that his posterity would come to settle and dwell in the northern half of the world. In those times the Roman Chiefs went wide around in the world, subduing to themselves all people; and on this account many Chiefs fled from their domains. Odin set his brothers Ve and Vitir over Asgaard; and he himself, with all the gods and a great many other people, wandered out, first westward to Gardarige (Russia), and then south to Saxland (Germany). He had many sons; and after having subdued an extensive kingdom in Saxland, he set his sons to defend the country,

When Odin of Asaland came to the north, and the gods with him, he began to exercise and teach others the arts which the people long afterwards have practised. Odin was the cleverest of all, and from him all the others learned their magic arts; and he knew them first, and knew many more than other people. But now, to tell why he is held in such high respect, we must mention various causes that contributed to it. When sitting among his friends his countenance was so beautiful and friendly, that the spirits of all were exhilarated by it; but when he was in war he appeared fierce and dreadful. This arose from his being able to change his colour and form in any way he liked. Another cause was, that he conversed so cleverly and smoothly, that all who heard were persuaded. He spoke everything in rhyme, such as now composed, and which we call scald-craft. He and his temple-gods were called song-smiths; for from them came that

art of song into the northern countries. Odin could make his enemies in battle blind, or deaf, or terror-struck, and their weapons so blunt that they could no more cut than a willowtwig; on the other hand, his men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild bulls, and killed people at a blow, and neither fire nor iron told upon them. These were called Bersærkers.*

Odin could transform his shape: his body would lie as if dead, or asleep; but then he would be in shape of a fish, or worm, or bird, or beast, and be off in a twinkling to distant lands upon his own or other people's business. With words alone he could quench fire, still the ocean in tempest, and turn the wind to any quarter he pleased. Odin had a ship which was called Skidbladnir, in which he sailed over wide seas, and which he could roll up like a cloth. Sometimes even he called the dead out of the earth, or set himself beside the burial-mounds; whence he was called the ghost-sovereign and lord of the mounds. He had two ravens, to whom he had taught the speech of man; and they flew far and wide through the land, and brought him the news. In all such things he was pre-eminently wise. He taught all these arts in rupes, and songs which are called incantations, and therefore the Asaland people are called incantation-smiths. Odin understood also in which the greatest power is lodged, and which he himself practised; namely, what is called magic. From these arts he became very celebrated. His enemies dreaded him; his friends put their trust in him, and relied on his power and on himself. He taught the most of his arts to his Priests of the sacrifices, and they came nearest to himself in all wisdom and witch-knowledge. Many others, however, occupied themselves much with it; and from that time witchcraft spread far and wide, and continued long, People

Bersærker, so called from ber, bare; and serkr, shirt: that is, bare of any shirt of mail, as they fought without armour. The Bersærkers appear to have gone into battle intoxicated with opium, or some exciting drug; as the reaction after their bersærker gang was over, and their lassitude and exhaustion, prove the use of some stimulant previously to a great excess.

sacrificed to Odin and the twelve Chiefs from Asaland, called them their gods, and believed in them long after.

Odin established the same law in his land that had been in force in Asaland. Thus he established by law that all dead men should be burned, and their property laid with them upon the pile, and the ashes be cast into the sea or buried in the earth. " Thus," said he, "every one will come to Valhalla with the riches he had with him upon the pile; and he would also enjoy whatever he himself had buried in the earth." For men of consequence, a mound should be raised to their memory; and for all other warriors who had been distinguished for manhood, a standing stone; which custom remained long after Odin's time. Towards winter there should be bloodsacrifice for a good year; and in the middle of winter, for a good crop; and the third sacrifice should be in summer, for victory in battle. Over all Sweden the people paid Odin a scatt or tax, so much on each head; but he had to defend the country from enemy or disturbance, and pay the expense of the sacrifice-feasts towards winter for a good year.

Odin died in his bed in Sweden: and when he was near his death he made himself be marked with the point of a spear, and said he was going to Godheim, and would give a welcome there to all his friends, and all brave warriors should be dedicated to him; and the Swedes believed that he was gone to the ancient Asgaard, and would live there eternally. Then began the belief in Odin, and the calling upon him. The Swedes believed that he often showed himself to them before any great battle. To some he gave victory; others he invited to himself; and they reckoned both of these to be well off in their fate. Odin was burnt, and at his pile there was great splendour. It was their faith, that the higher the smoke arose in the air, the higher he would be raised whose pile it was; and the richer he would be, the more property that was consumed with him.

ATMOSPHERIC RAIL-ROAD.

"GERVASIUS" writes so kindly in putting his question, that we are sorry we cannot answer it better. We can describe