He looks abroad from the lofty deck

As the hills of his home appear,

"God grant me to rescue the land of my birth, "Or sink in the billows here!"

They reach the stream at the midnight hour,
Their anchors they all have cast,

And they talk with glee of the coming fight,—

To the shores they are hurrying fast.

"Now, speed thee, thou herald !" the young king shouts,

"To my foeman hasten away,

And tell him that Sverka returns to his home

And bears him in battle to day !"

Full swiftly he rides to Sir Maneskiold,
And readily thus speaks he,
"This day on Vestergotland's plains,
Hath Sverker array'd his men!"

"Thy chieftain's tongue, Sir knight, is bold,
"But the fate that awaits him is dire,-

"The weight of the weapon, the stripling shall know, "That drank of the blood of his sire.

The vulture shrieks on the mountain top,

The raven is croaking there,-
And many a virgin maid doth weep,
And rend her golden hair.

The wife ascend the turret's height,
And looks across the plain,-

All bloody and wild the steed comes home,
But no rider holds the rein.

There was wailing and wo, over Denmark's land,

And sorrowing deep and lore,

For the thousands who sped from their homes away,

To die on a distant shore.

But the themes which occupy the most of these works, and which present us with incidents of the most interesting stamp, are of a more familiar and domestic character. They abound in tales of wild adventure, chivalrous enterprise, and romantic love. The subject of the following has afforded the great poet of Denmark, Oehlenschlager, the material for one of his finest tragedies.

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HAFBUR AND SIGNA.

Of Hafbur and of Signa fair, a tale there is to tell.-
Between their royal fathers once a bloody feud there fell.
Young Hafbur was a warrior, with a generous heart and bold,—
He rous'd him with the morning light and thus his dream he told.
"Methought I was with Signa in the realms of yonder sky,
And down we sank together from our cloudy seat on high."
Full lightly did the listening maids of Hafbur's vision deem,
But there sat his aged mother, and she ponder'd well that dream.
My son speed hence and hide thee to the mountain cave at night,
There dwells the elfin dame and she shall read thy doom aright."
Young Hafour heard his mother, and her counsel pleas'd him well,
He rous'd him at the evening hour and sought the elfin cell.
And long and loudly then struck he upon the craggy wall,
And 'gan from out her dusky cave, the elfin dame to call.
"Here stand I elfin daughter, at the midnight's murky hour.
To learn the word of fate from thee, and prove thy wond'rous pow'r.
The dream that came across my mind is known full well to thee,-
Now tell me, elfin daughter, tell, what bodes that dream to me?"
"Thou wast aloft in yonder sky beside thy Signa fair,-
That bodes that thou shalt win her, so the willing fates declare,
But didst thou sink beside her from thy cloudy seat on high?
That bodes to thee, full darkly bodes, that thou for her shalt die."
-"God's ben'son, on thee, elfin daughter! well you read my
dream,
For to win that lovely maiden e'en my life as nought I deem."
Then to seek her guarded dwelling thus the deed he featly plann'd ;-
He dres'd him like a youthful maid and took his harp in hand.
Then onward to the palace of King Sivard bent his way,—

There sat the royal maidens and a goodly sight were they. "God shield ye well, fair sisters all, a message here I bring,

For the royal princess Signa the young daughter of your King."

Then spake the matchless Signa "Lo that princess here you see ;”—
I faiu would know your errand-say, what would'st thou here with me?"
“The young Prince Hafbur sent me, in my hand his harp I bear,
My fingers are unskilful-wilt thou teach a merry air ?"-

"The young Prince Hafbur sent thee? thou art welcome to the hall, I'll sing thee songs of other days, and thou shalt learn them all. " Apart they sat together in the lofty tower above.

Then spake he thus, "fair sister, is there ne'er a knight you love?
"A gallant knight and noble have I lov'd for many a day,
Such tale to no one but a maid may e'er maiden say.

My virgin heart, is Hafbur's own, but that availeth nought?
"Sworn foes our sires, their bosoms both with deadly hatred fraught."
"My Signa, idol of my love, my true heart's destin'd bride!

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It is thy Hafbur, blessed one, who kneeleth by thy side!" "Art thou my Hafbur "cried the maid, “why com'st thou secret here? "Why com'st thou not to woo me with thine armour, steed and spear?" -"With goodly steed and armour bright, I came to thee thismorn, Thy father met me at the gate and heard my words in scorn.” They sat apart together and they deem'd no one was nigh. But in before King Sivard's throne a messenger doth hie. "Arouse thee King! arouse thee King! within thy daughter's tow'r The youthful traitor Hafbur lurks and plots with her this hour." With wondering ear the monarch heard and wrathful wax'd he then, He starteth up and summons from their sleep his trusty men. "Arouse my warriors from the couch, King Sivard on ye calls! A traitor and an enemy hath stol'n within my walls."

They light the torch and search the tower with keen-edg'd sword and

spear,

"Ha! traitor have we found thee! say, what doth Prince Hafbur here ?"
Pale was the cheek, and sick the heart of that confiding maid,
"God shield thee now my love! for thou art sure betray'd."
They fiercely sprang upon him and in ranks they hedg'd him round,
But manfully he met them and a heavy strife they found.
They bound their fetters on his feet, their chains upon his hands,
But he strain'd his sinewy arm with might, and burst the iron bands
An envious dame look'd on and spake, "though steel he rends away,
One lock from yonder maiden's brow shall bind him fast for aye."
They sever'd then the ringlet that across her forehead hung,-
Unharm'd around his ample wrist, the glossy tresses clung.
They cast him in the dungeon's depth beneath the rocky tow'r,
But Signa seeks his prison-house at midnight's lonely hour.
"A cruel death awaits thee, love, at early morning light,
But with thy fleeting breath my soul shall wing away her flight."
The eastern sky was blushing as she came into the hall,
"Who goes to death with me," she cries, "upon the outer wall ?"
Her maidens leave the couch of sleep-they are a goodly train-
And haste with Signa to the tower that overlooks the plain,
"To death they lead my Hafbur and they gladden at the sight,
But deep shall be their mourning when they seek their dames at night."
To death they lead thee noble youth-the king and knights stand by-
But what red flame is that which bursts and throws its glare on high!

King Sivard turn'd his flashing eye, and to the castle gaz'd-
Lo! Signa and her fair-hair'd maids!-while high the turret blaz'd!
O, sorely did that monarch weep and mourn his heavy doom:-
The maiden and her lover sleep together in one tomb.

It would exceed the limits of this article to offer a specimen of every different kind of poem in this collection. The Kiempeviser present us with images of true northern grandeur and wildness, but we must content ourselves with a single additional translation, relating to those superstitions which are not yet rooted out from the belief of the common people.

ELVEHOI.

On Elvehoi's bank in the distan twood,

The shadows of evening came o'er me,-
Sleep sank on my eyelids and sudden there stood
Two bright ones in beauty before me.

One smote on my cheek with her lily-white hand,
And the other, in music enchanting,

Whisper'd "Waken! and join with our revelling band
That in troops the green forests are haunting.

"Awaken and mingle thy steps in the ring,

With the elves of the moonlight, and featly
Their mystical round they shall dance and shall sing
To thee strains thrilling clearly and sweetly."

Then a troop of those sprites gaily murmur'd an air,
And the night winds were hush'd to their slumbers;
The dark torrent, foaming impetuous there,
Stood still at the delicate numbers.

The nymphs of the streamlet, far deep in the wave,
From their pearl-studded couches ascended,-
And the young groves their chorus of harmony gave,
And their notes with the melody blended.

"Mortal youth! mortal youth! from thy slumbers arise!
To our glittering circle O turn thee,

The wonders of earth will we ope to thine eyes,
And the mystical Runes will we learn thee.

"And thou, by their magic instructed, shalt hold,
The wild bear enchain'd at thy pleasure;

The dragon terrific that broods over gold,
To thee shall abandon his treasure.'

Then danc'd they a measure-that light-footed band,
In the star spangled valley before me.

My weapon was grasp'd in my powerless hand,
For the spell of the spirits came o'er me.

"Arouse from thy sleep! but because sullen wight,
To our words thou refusest to harken!"

Then dread thou this dagger all sharpen'd and bright,
Which the blood of thy bosom shall darken!”

How I tremble with fear as before them I lay!
But the cock scream'd aloud his shrill warning;
And the spirits upon Elvehoi started away,
And fled in the mist of the morning.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LYCEUM.

Having noticed an article in your publication containing strictures on the North American Review, I beg leave through the same channel to correct some of the errors into which your correspondent has fallen, and to offer some remarks in proof of the correctness of the opinion expressed in the notice of Dr Comstock's mineralogy contained in the 55th No. of that Review. It is said by your correspondent that "the critic was apparently swayed by a spirit of hostility which led him into error and misrepresentation." As to the charge of hostility, it is altogether unfounded. Had Dr Comstock's book been moderately free from errors it would have been heartily welcomed.

It was due to the mineralogists of our country that, should a copy of the book find its way across the Atlantic, it should not be adduced as an evidence of the state of the science here, that a work like this had appeared and had been received as faultless.

It is said by the writer in the Lyceum that the "literary notices in the North American Review are so marked with caprice and partiality as to affect the confidence to be reposed in them." There is, it must be confessed, some truth in this remark, as far as Comstock's mineralogy is concerned. A formal review of the book instead of a short notice was really more than it merited. It would have savoured less of "partiality,' and a desire to pass over "mistakes and blunders" it is true, had the notice contained numerous quotations. But then there would have been the necessity of referring to pages which could VOL. II.-No. 3.

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