as, with the mythical narratives of the Skalda, which is spoken of as
a valuable contribution to literature.

* * * * *

The _Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries_ held its annual session on
the 15th February at the palace of Christianbourg, the King of Denmark
presiding. Mr. RAFN read the report of the transactions of the Society
during the year, and laid before the meeting a new number of the Annals
of the archaeology and history of the North, and the completed volume of
the Archaeological Journal, published by the Society. He also announced
that the second volume of his own work on Russian Antiquities was in
preparation, and that about half of it was already printed. To give an
idea of this work, he read from it a biographical notice on Biorucon, of
Arngeirr, an Icelander by birth, distinguished alike as a warrior and a
poet, and by his exploits in Russia where he served Vladimir the Great.
After this, other members of the Society gave interesting accounts of
the results of their various labors during the year. The King presented
a paper on excavations made under his personal direction in the ruins of
the castles of Saborg and Adserbo, in the North of Seland. These castles
date from the middle ages; the memoir was accompanied by drawings.

* * * * *

The _Historisches Tashcenbuch_ (Historical Pocket-Book), edited by the
learned Prussian Raumer is a publication eminently worthy of notice. The
number for the year 1851 opens with biographical sketches of three
women, Ines de Castro and Maria and Lenora Telley, who played important
parts in Spanish and Portuguese history in the XIVth Century. They are
followed by a concise history of the German marine by Bartholdy, twelve
letters by John Voigt on the manners and social life of the princes at
the German Diets, a picture from the XVIth Century, the sequel of a
memoir by Guhrauer on Elizabeth, Abbess of Herford, a friend of William
Penn, and a correspondent of Malebranche, Leibnitz and Descartes, &c.,
&c. &c.

* * * * *

An interesting account of a most eventful period and country is the
_Bilder aus Oestreich_, just published at Leipzic, by a German
traveller. The traveller is understood to be one of the editors of the
_Grenzboten_, and the period he describes comprises the revolutionary
years 1848-9. His account of Vienna in the memorable October days of
1848, is graphic, an