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have been held in high efteem among
ib warlike a nation, though I queftioa
very much whether any peribn would
now fubmit to the manner o f curing
an external hurt, fuch as was prac-
tifed among the antients. Their invention
exhibits itfelf in riddles, hiftory,
and poetry ; and how highly thefe
were valued among them, may be
proved by many examples, o f which
I iliall only mention Egil’s poem, in
praife o f Erick Blodoxe, king o f Norway,
by which he faved his life ; and
Hiarne’s epitaph on king Frode, on account
of which he is faid to have been
made king of Denmark.
Though it cannot be entirely afcer-
tained, that Odin brought the Runic
eharadters to the north ; yet it is
proved almoft beyond a doubt, that
they were known among us in the fifth
and fixtli centuries. The art o f writing
was alfo known here, i f not certain,
at leaft, as early as among the
Franks and Germans; the former had
no letters before they began to make
ufe of the Latin ones in the iixth century,
and the latter were likewife un-
I acquainted
[ ' 1 5 5 1
acquainted with them before the time
o f Cliarles le Gros.
Their tafte for riddles, ftories, and
poetry, the Icelanders alfo brought
along with them from their native
country, to the iiland where they are
now fettled ; and whilft thefe traces of
fcience diminiflied ui Norway, on account
o f the troubles which iliook the
whole north during feveral centuries,
they not only preferved themfelves in
Iceland, which was not expofed to fo
many difturbances, but the cafe o f
their fafety likewife excited the inhabitants
to apply themfelves to the ftudy
of hiftory, chat they might by it be informed
o f the deiigns of their powerful
neighbours, and take the beft and
moft neceftary meafures to oppofe thofe
who only wiftied for an opportunity o f
fubjedling them to their yoke.
It is true they had no fchools or public
feminaries for the inftrucfion oi youth
in the fciences before the introduhfion
of the Chriftian religion ; but it was,
however, not altogether neglehted, ior
they took great pains, befides inuring
the bodies o f tbeir young men to
feats
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