ns in the Antiquarian Museum
at Copenhagen, the handles indicate a size of hand very much smaller than
the hands of modern people of any class or rank. No modern dandy, with
the most delicate hands, would find room for his hand to grasp or wield
with ease some of the swords of these Northmen."

This peculiarity is by some scholars adduced, not without reason, as an
argument for the Eastern origin of the Scandinavian. Nor was it uncommon
for the Asiatic Scythians, and indeed many of the early warlike tribes
fluctuating between the east and west of Europe, to be distinguished by
the blue eyes and yellow hair of the north. The physical attributes of a
deity, or a hero, are usually to be regarded as those of the race to
which he belongs. The golden locks of Apollo and Achilles are the sign
of a similar characteristic in the nations of which they are the types;
and the blue eye of Minerva belies the absurd doctrine that would
identify her with the Egyptian Naith.

The Norman retained perhaps longer than the Scandinavian, from whom he
sprang, the somewhat effeminate peculiarity of small hands and feet; and
hence, as throughout all the nobility of Europe the Norman was the model
for imitation, and the ruling families in many lands sought to trace from
him their descents, so that characteristic is, even to our day,
ridiculously regarded as a sign of noble race. The Norman probably
retained that peculiarity longer than the Dane, because his habits, as a
conqueror, made him disdain all manual labour; and it was below his
knightly dignity to walk, as long as a horse could be found for him to
ride. But the Anglo-Norman (the noblest specimen of the great conquering
family) became so blent with the Saxon, both in blood and in habits, that
such physical distinctions vanished with the age of chivalry. The Saxon
blood in our highest aristocracy now predominates greatly over the
Norman; and it would be as vain a task to identify the sons of Hastings
and Rollo by the foot and hand of the old Asiatic Scythian, as by the
reddish auburn hair and the high features which were no less ordinarily
their type. Here and there such peculiarities may all be seen amongst
plain country gentlemen, settled from time immemorial in the counties
peopled by the Anglo-Danes, and inter-marrying generally in their own
provinces; but amongst the far more mixed breed of the larger landed
proprietors comprehended in the Peerage, the Saxon attributes of rac