e of the long-buried generations of our own Fathers, calling out
of the depths of ages to us, in whose veins their blood still runs:
"This then, this is what _we_ made of the world: this is all the image
and notion we could form to ourselves of this great mystery of a Life
and Universe. Despise it not. You are raised high above it, to large
free scope of vision; but you too are not yet at the top. No, your
notion too, so much enlarged, is but a partial, imperfect one: that
matter is a thing no man will ever, in time or out of time,
comprehend; after thousands of years of ever-new expansion, man will
find himself but struggling to comprehend again a part of it: the
thing is larger than man, not to be comprehended by him; an Infinite
thing!"

* * * * *

The essence of the Scandinavian, as indeed of all Pagan Mythologies,
we found to be recognition of the divineness of Nature; sincere
communion of man with the mysterious invisible Powers visibly seen at
work in the world round him. This, I should say, is more sincerely
done in the Scandinavian than in any Mythology I know. Sincerity is
the great characteristic of it. Superior sincerity (far superior)
consoles us for the total want of old Grecian grace. Sincerity, I
think, is better than grace. I feel that these old Northmen were
looking into Nature with open eye and soul: most earnest, honest;
childlike, and yet manlike; with a great-hearted simplicity and depth
and freshness, in a true, loving, admiring, unfearing way. A right
valiant, true old race of men. Such recognition of Nature one finds to
be the chief element of Paganism: recognition of Man, and his Moral
Duty, though this too is not wanting, comes to be the chief element
only in purer forms of religion. Here, indeed, is a great distinction
and epoch in Human Beliefs; a great landmark in the religious
development of Mankind. Man first puts himself in relation with Nature
and her Powers, wonders and worships over those; not till a later
epoch does he discern that all Power is Moral, that the grand point is
the distinction for him of Good and Evil, of _Thou shalt_ and _Thou
shalt not_.

With regard to all these fabulous delineations in the _Edda_, I will
remark, moreover, as indeed was already hinted, that most probably
they must have been of much newer date; most probably, even from the
first, were comparatively idle for the old Norsemen, and as it were a
kind of Poetic sport. All