a Bookseller's compilation, with some curious
Excerpts):--under which lie modern Sagittarius, ancient Adam of Bremen,
_Ditmarus Merseburgensis, Witichindus Corbeiensis, Arnoldus Lubecensis,_
&c. &c. to all lengths and breadths.] Which threw King Mistevoi into a
paroxysm, and raised the Wends. Their butchery of the German population
in poor Brandenburg, especially of the Priests; their burning of the
Cathedral, and of Church and State generally, may be conceived. The
HARLUNGSBERG,--in our time MARIENBERG, pleasant Hill near Brandenburg,
with its gardens, vines, and whitened cottages:--on the top of this
Harlungsherg the Wends "set up their god Triglaph;" a three-headed
Monster of which I have seen prints, beyond measure ugly. Something like
three whale's-cubs combined by boiling, or a triple porpoise dead-drunk
(for the dull eyes are inexpressible, as well as the amorphous shape):
ugliest and stupidest of all false gods. This these victorious Wends
set up on the Harlungsberg, Year 1023; and worshipped after their sort,
benighted mortals,--with joy, for a time. The Cathedral was in ashes,
Priests all slain or fled, shadowy Markgraves the like; Church and State
lay in ashes; and Triglaph, like a Triple Porpoise under the influence
of laudanum, stood (I know not whether on his head or on his tail)
aloft on the Harlungsberg, as the Supreme of this Universe, for the time
being.

SECOND SHADOWY LINE.

Whereupon the DITMARSCH-STADE Markgrafs (as some designate them) had to
interfere, these shadowy Deputies of the Witekind breed having vanished
in that manner. The Ditmarschers recovered the place; and with some
fighting, did in the main at least keep Triglaph and the Wends out of
it in time coming. The Wends were fiercely troublesome, and fought much;
but I think they never actually got hold of Brandenburg again. They were
beginning to get notions of conversion: well preached to and well beaten
upon, you cannot hold out forever. Even Mistevoi at one time professed
tendencies to Christianity; perhaps partly for his Bride's sake,--the
dog, we may call him, in a milder sense! But he relapsed dreadfully,
after that insult; and his son worse. On the other hand, Mistevoi's
grandson was so zealous he went about with the Missionary Preachers,
and interpreted their German into Wendish: "Oh, my poor Wends, will
you hear, then, will you understand? This solid Earth is but a shadow:
Heaven forever or else Hell forever, that is the re