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ART. I. NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. BY HON. H. W. ELLSWORTH,
II. THE CONSUMPTIVE. BY MR. E. C. HINE,

III. CHURCH-YARD FLOWERS. By W. H. C. HOSMER, ESQ.,
IV. THE IDLEBERG PAPERS: OUR POETS,

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X. THE OREGON TRAIL: THE BUFFALO. BY F. PARKMAN, Esq.,
XI. SONNET TO AN ITALIAN STREET-SINGER,

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XII. STANZAS: THE SUNBEAM,'

XIIL THE OUTLAW OF THE SACRAMENTO,

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XIV. SONG OF THE UNKNOWN ONE, .

XV. FORGIVENESS: LINES ADDRESSED TO A FAIR FRIEND,
XVI. THE ENAMEL OF THE HEART,

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XVII. THE CUP THAT CHEERS, BUT NOT INEBRIATES,
XVIII MILTON'S SATAN AND BYRON'S LUCIFER COMPARED,
XIX. A PAIR OF SONNETS. BY T. W. PARSONS, ESQ.,
LITERARY NOTICES:

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1. THE WRITINGS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON,

2. PRESCOTT'S HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF PERU,

3. REMINISCENCES OF COLERIDGE AND SOUTHEY,

4. SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX,

EDITOR'S TABLE:

1. DEATH OF MR. O'CONNELL AT GENOA,

2. PUFFER HOPKINS MATHEWS AND INTERNATIONAL COPY-RIGHT, 3. GOSSIP WITH READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS,

1. SCENE AT THE BOMBARDMENT OF Vera Cruz. 2. RAIL-ROAD LIMNING: THE ONEIDAS. 3. A RAIL-ROAD LYRIC, BY J. G. SAXE, Esq. 4. THE TRAITOR ARNOLD IN ENGLAND. 5. AN INCIDENT OF TRAVEL.' 6. GOOD-BYE TO THE WORLD.' 7. EXPLOSION OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE' STEAMER. 8. SYRACUSE, AND ITS ENVIRONS. 9. AN AFFECTING SCED'NE.' 10. SKANEATELES. 11. CURTAILING THE DEVIL. 12. THE WESTERN PRESS. 13. THOUGHTS ON EGG-HATCHING. 14. SPELLING. 15. THE LOVER'S DREAM OF DELIGHT.' 16. AUBURN: STATE-COLLEGE: A SOLID PRESENT. 17. 'A CHAPTER ON DOGS.' 18. WOMANLY CHARITY. 19. CANANDAIGUA: COUNTRY CIRCUS, 20. SAXE'S 'NEW LAW-DICTIONARY.' 21. ROCHESTER : PARENTAL CRUELTY. 22. NEW BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE. 23. PRIDE OF BIRTII. 24. BATAVIA: SOMERVILLE FARM' PIC-NIC. 25. HARD HITS AT A HUMBUG. 26. A HORRID DEATH. 27. BUFFALO. 28. AN INEXORABLE FATHER. 29. RETIREMENT oF Jos. R. CHANDLER, ESQ. 30. POETICAL EPISTLE TO THE EDITOR. 31. CLEAVELAND, OHIO. 32. PATENT REVOLVING CHAIR. 33. A PICNIC AT THE TUXEDO LAKE. 34. BOOK TRADE-SALE. 35. OLD BEN.' 36. THE PARK-THEATRE. 37. DETROIT. 38. HURON! 39. A RETORT. 40. THE LATE Jos. C. NEALE. 41. MACKINAW. 42. A BULL. 43. THE OREGON' STEAMER: ANECDOTE OF HON. THOMAS CORWIN, 44.A DREAM OF YOUTH.' 45. SAULT STE. MARIE. 46. A DAINTY AsTRONOMER. 47. HORACE GREELEY AT large.' 48. THE GREAT LAKE-STEAMERS. 49. OLD ROSIN.' 50. NIAGARA. 51. PROF. LEWIS AND C. A. B.' 52. LAKE ROUTE TO MONTREAL. 53. PAPERS FROM SWEDEN. 54. THE ST. LAWRENCE. 55. To CORRESPONDENTS. 56. MONTREAL. 57. Lost 'COPY.' 58. CANADA. 59. 'S: 'AIR AND EXERCISE.' 60. MONTREAL CATHEDRAL. 61. THE INDIA-RUBBER MISSIONARY.' 62. LAKE CHAMPLAIN SCENERY. 63. LOVE OF COUNTRY. 64. A WORD TO R. J. T. 65. TO NORTHERN TRAVELLERS. 66. SALT WATER BATHING. 67. THE 'LETHEON.' 68. To 'S. P. D.' 69. THE HUDSON: THE 'ISAAC NEWTON' STEAMER. 70. THE AMERICAN LITERARY EMPORIUM. 71. NEW PUBLICATIONS.

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NOTICE.

COUNTRY SUBSCRIBERS who are in arrears should recollect to make returns for what we send them. Remittances to be made

to

JOHN ALLEN,

139 Nassau-street, New-York.

MR. T. P. WILLIAMS is our General Agent to receive the names of Subscribers. Editors and others kindly interested in the circulation of this Magazine, will oblige us by facilitating his designs.

Entered, according to the act of Congress, in the year 1847,
BY JOHN ALLEN.

In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York.

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Ir is asserted by the ancient Sagas and historians that Odin, chief of the Asers, gained possession of the three kingdoms of Scandinavia. He came from the far East, bringing with him the language, customs and peculiar ceremonies of his native land. The Icelandic dialect, even at the present day, bears evident traces of an Eastern origin, while in the traditions of her Pagan times are found still more remarkable analogies. Still, one seeks in vain the full beauty and richness of the Eastern mysticism, the perfect symbols of Egyptian faith, and the charming Grecian fable. Oriental mythology can indeed be traced, but it will be found stripped of many a charm, in this change of its altars and high places. The rough, chilling winds of the North seem to have driven before them the myriads of nymphs, sylphs and winged angels which hover around the forests of Hymala and press the green vales of Cashmere. They may indeed have been attendant divinities, starting with the battalions of Odin, but few seem to have possessed the courage to sustain so long a migration, and have returned to their paradise of flowers. Others again have been robbed, along the route, of the richly-colored garments which once adorned them. Many an eastern goddess has lost in these wild wanderings her sparkling diadem of gold, and parted with her magic girdle.

The Heaven of the ancient Scandinavians was a poor one; its choicest food the flesh of the wild boar; its beverage beer and milk, and its inhabitants the most miserable divinities which can be imagined. They lived in continual struggles with the giants, in fear of great wolf Fenris, and to escape the perils which surrounded them, were obliged to call in the assistance of their most inveterate enemy, Loki. For the full attainment of poetic talent, Odin was compelled to take the form of a serpent; and to secure the wisdom

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demanded by his station, was forced to sacrifice an eye. Though the head of the gods, he was necessitated, on sudden exigencies, to descend from his throne and hasten to the fabled well of Mimer. All these gods too grew old and died, and needed a constant resort to the apples of Iduna to preserve their health and beauty. And after all, we are told a day will come when neither the apples of Iduna, nor other celestial appliances, can continue their existence. The world will disappear before them, and they will perish, togegether with Loki, the Principle of Evil.

The religion of the East was formed by a peculiar priesthood, and is filled with philosophic combinations and ingenious systems. That of the Scandinavians, on the contrary, was arranged for a nation of soldiers. It is austere, devoid of ornament, and energetic. Its dogmas resemble a martial code. Its hymns are war-cries, and its feast-days, battles. The blood of slaughtered victims continually stains its temples, and the future good aspired to by its heroes is the daily combat of Valhalla. The Eastern mysticisms, in their full developement, resemble wild flowers springing up from an exuberant soil, beneath a genial sky. Those of Scandinavia are gloomy as the storm-clouds of the Baltic, mournful as the howling winds of Norway, or desert Iceland. Still, amid this collection of old traditions may be often found many an ingenious speculation; and sufficient interest will be excited in examining the existing analogies between the religious doctrines of the North and those of the more favored regions whence they were derived.

The Scandinavian cosmogony opens in the same manner as that of all the ancient nations. At the commencement we hear of nothing but night and chaos. The Supreme Intelligence, the ALLFADER, alone exists. By his power he produces the region of Ginougap, covered with ice, and also the burning clime of Mouspelheim, guarded by Surtur, who will finally conquer the gods and destroy their creations. The heat of Muspelheim softens the icy soil of Ginougap, and from this humidity or principle of life (recognized also in India and Egypt,) is produced the giant Ymer. The further operation of the same principle creates the cow Audumbla, from whose side flow four torrents of milk, the nourishment of Ymer. Next there springs, in one night, a man and woman from the left arm of Ymer, and from his feet a son. These are the pro

genitors of the race of giants. Here may be traced a striking analogy to the creations of the Eastern Brahma, who produced from his mouth the Brahmins, from his arms the race of warriors, from his helmet, laborers, and from his feet, the accursed.

Meanwhile, the wonderful cow Audumbla is sustained by licking the hoar-frost from Ginougap. The movement of her tongue during the first day causes hair to appear, during the second a human head, and on the third a full-grown man. This is Bor, who marries the daughter of the giant, and becomes the father of three sons, Odin, Vile and Ve, who, uniting for the purpose, kill Ymer, the Scandinavian Titan. His blood, which flowed in torrents, drowns the other giants, with the exception of one, who, escaping with his

wife, goes elsewhere to propagate his species. From the flesh of Ymer the sons of Bor frame the earth, and from his blood the lakes and seas; his bones are changed to mountains, and his teeth to stones; his skull, upheld by four dwarfs, forms the vault of Heaven, and his brains the clouds. From his eyebrows are woven palisades to protect the gods against the giants, and the fiery sparks which fall from Muspelheim are turned to stars.

There is also in the country of the giants a man named Nor, whose daughter, Night, has given birth to Day. Night overruns the earth on a fiery courser, who at each step shakes his foaming rein, and thus produces dew. Day too is borne by a still more rapid courser, whose sparkling mane illuminates the earth. The sun and moon are two beautiful children, stolen by Odin from their parents. They are followed by two wolves, which threaten continually to devour them; thus producing such rapidity of flight. A similar belief is found in the mythology of other nations. A Mongol tradition, for example, asserts that the gods wished to punish Aracho for some crime committed, who, in order to avoid their vengeance, betook himself to flight. They pursued, but were unable to effect their object. They demanded from the sun the place of his concealment, but received only evasive answers. They next addressed themselves to the moon, who discovered his retreat. From that period Aracho has pursued the sun and moon without cessation. On the occurrence of an eclipse, the inhabitants of Mongol believe that this enemy of the gods has suddenly attacked some star, which he is determined to devour; and assembling in great haste, utter loud cries to distract him from his purpose.

But to return to the Scandinavian world, which is now created. Odin has peopled the sky with gods, while the giants inhabit some far-off region, the precise locality of which Icelandic theogony disdains to mention. The earth however still remains a desert, until the gods, wandering one day along the borders of the sea, discover the branches of two trees floating in the water. Drawing these to land, they form from them a man and woman, calling the former Ask and the latter Ambla. The first of the gods presents them with a soul and life; the second with the power of movement; the third with speech, sight and hearing. This new act of creation bears testimony to the superstitious reverence with which many of the Eastern nations regarded certain kinds of trees. The Greeks, for instance, placed the abode of nymphs in the beech trees, and demanded oracular responses from the oaks of Dodona. The Druids collected the mistletoe with golden hooks, and the ancient Germans delighted much in consecrated forests, where they worshipped idols,

It is in one of these sacred retreats that they have represented CHRIST as walking, surrounded by the rays of his celestial presence, while all the trees are bowed in humble adoration. The poplar alone remains erect, and receives the following sentence: Since you have refused to bend before me, you shall hereafter bow low before the wind of the morning, and be ruffled by the breeze of eve

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