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Runic Inscription。 Few of their Temples were
cover'd； and the largest observ'd by Wormius （at
Kialernes in Island） was 120 foot in length； and 60
in breadth。
〃The next Monument of Age is their Edda
Islandorum； the meaning of which Appellation they
that publish the Book hardly pretend to understand。
As far as I can give the Reader any satisfaction；
he is to。 know that Island was first inhabited （in
the year 874） by a Colony of Norwegians； who
brought hither the Traditions of their Forefathers；
in certain metrical Composures； which （as is usual
with Men transplanted into a Foreign Land） were
here more zealously and carefully preserv'd and
kept in memory than by the Men of Norway themselves。
About 240 years after this （A。 D。 1114）
their History began to be written by one Saemund；
surnam'd Frode or the wise； who （in nine years'
travel through Italy； Germany and England） had
amass'd together a mighty Collection of Historical
Treatises。 With these he return'd full fraught into
Island； where he also drew up an account of
the affairs of his own Country。 Many of his
Works are now said to be lost： But there is still an
Edda； consisting of several Odes （whence I suspect
its Name is derived） written by many several hands；
and at different times； which bears his Name。
The Book is a Collection of Mythological Fables；
relating to the ancient State and Behaviour of the
Great Woden and his followers； in terms poetical
and adapted to the Service of those that were employ'd
in the composure of their old Rhymes and Sonnets。
〃There is likewise extant a couple of Norwegian
Histories of good Authentic Credit； which explains
a great many particulars relating to the Exploits of
the Danish Kings in Great Britain； which our own
Historians have either wholly omitted or very
darkly recorded。 The former of these was written
soon after the year 1130； by one Theodoric a Monk；
who acknowledges his whole Fabrick to be built
upon Tradition； and that the old Northern History
is no where now to be had save only ab Islendingorum
antiquis Carminibus。
〃 'Tis a very discouraging Censure which Sir
William Temple passes upon all the Accounts given
us of the Affairs of this Island； before the Romans
came and Invaded it。 The Tales （says he） we have
of what pass'd before Caesar's Time； of Brute and
his Trojans； of many Adventures and Successions；
are cover'd with the Rust of Time； or Involv'd in
the Vanity of Fables or pretended Traditions；
which seem to all Men obscure or uncertain； but to
be forged at pleasure by the Wit or Folly of their
first Authors； and not to be regarded。 And again；
I know few ancient Authors upon this Subject （of
the British History） worth the pains of perusal； and
of Dividing or Refining so little Gold out of so much
course Oar； or from so much Dross。 But some
other Inferiour People may think this worth their
pains； since all Men are not born to be Ambassadors：
And； accordingly； we are told of a very Eminent
Antiquary who has thought fit to give his
Labours in this kind the Title of Aurum； ex Stercore。
There's a deal of Servile Drudgery requir'd
to the Discovery of these riches； and such as every
Body will not stoop to： for few Statesmen and
Courtiers （as one is lately said to have observ'd in
his own Case） care for travelling in Ireland； or
Wales； purely to learn the Language。
〃A diligent Enquirer into our old British Antiquities
would rather observe （with Industrious Leland）
that the poor Britains； being harass'd by
those Roman Conquerours with continual Wars；
could neither have leisure nor thought for the
penning of a Regular History： and that afterwards
their Back…Friends； the Saxons； were （for a good
while） an Illiterate Generation； and minded nothing
but Killing and taking Possession。 So that
'tis a wonder that even so much remains of the
Story of those Times as the sorry Fragments of
Gildas； who appears to have written in such a
Consternation； that what he has left us looks more
like the Declamation of an Orator； hired to expose
the miserable Wretches； than any Historical Account
of their Sufferings。〃
Palgrave asserts that reading and writing were no
longer mysteries after the pagan age； but were still
acquirements almost wholly confined to the clergy。
The word 〃clericus〃 or 〃clerk；〃 became synonymous
with penman； the sense in which it is still most
usually employed。 If a man could write； or even
read； his knowledge was considered as proof presumptive
that he was in holy orders。 If kings and great
men had occasion to authenticate any document； they
subscribed the 〃sign〃 of the cross opposite to the place
where the 〃clerk〃 had written their name。 Hence
we say； to sign a deed or a letter。
Books （MSS。） were extremely rare amongst the
Scandinavian and northern nations。 Before their
communication with the Latin missionaries； wood appears
to have been the material upon which their
runes were chiefly written： and the verb 〃write；〃
which is derived from a Teutonic root； signifying to
scratch or tear； is one of the testimonies of the usage。
Their poems were graven upon small staves or rods；
one line upon each face of the rod； and the Old English
word 〃stave；〃 as applied to a stanza； is probably
a relic of the practice； which； in the early ages； prevailed
in the West。 Vellum or parchment afterwards
supplied the place of these materials。 Real paper；
manufactured from the pellicle of the Egyptian reed
or papyras； was still used occasionally in Italy； but
it was seldom exported to the countries beyond the
Alps； and the elaborate preparation of the vellum；
upon which much greater care was bestowed than in
the modern manufacture； rendered it a costly article；
so much so； that a painstaking clerk could find it
worth his while to erase the writing of an old book；
in order to use the blank pages for another manuscript。
The books thus rewritten were called 〃codices rescripti；〃
or 〃palimpsests。〃 The evanescent traces of
the first layer of characters may occasionally be
discerned beneath the more recent text which has been
imposed upon them。
In Ireland； first known as the Isle of Saints； was
founded in the seventh century a great school of
learning which included writing and illuminating；
which passed to the English by way of the monasteries
created by Irish monks in Scotland。 Their earliest
existing MSS。 are said to belong to that period。 In
the Irish scriptoriums （rooms or cells for writing） of
the Benedictine monasteries where they were prepared；
so particular were the monks that the scribes were
forbidden to use artificial light for fear of injuring the
manuscripts。
Most interesting and entertaining are the observations
of Falconer Madan； a modern scholar of some
repute。 Of the history of writing in ink during the
〃Dark Ages〃 he says：
〃In the seventh and eighth centuries we find the
first tendency to form national hands； resulting in
the Merovingian or Frankish hand； the Lombardic
of Italy； and the Visigothic of Spain。 These are
the first difficult bands which we encounter； and
when we remember that the object of writing is to
be clear and distinct； and that the test of a good
style is that it seizes on the essential points in
which letters differ； and puts aside the flourishes
and ornaments which disguise the simple form； we
shall see how much a strong influence was needed
to prevent writing from becoming obscure and degraded。
That influence was found in Charles the Great。
〃In the field of writing it has been granted to no
person but Charles the Great to influence profoundly
the history of the alphabet。 With rare
insight and rarer taste he discountenanced the prevalent
Merovingian hand； and substituted in eclectic
hand； known as the Carolingian Minuscule； which
way still be regarded as a model of clearness and
elegance。 The chief instrument in this reform was
Alcuin of York； whom Charles placed； partly for
this purpose； at the head of the School of Tours in
A。 D。 796。 The selection of an Englishman for
the post naturally leads us to inquire what hands
were then used in England； and what amount of
English influence the Carolingian Minuscule； the
foundation of our modern styles； exhibits。
〃If we gaze in wonder on the personal influence
of Charles the Great in reforming handwriting； we
shall be still more struck by the spectacle presented
to us by Ireland in the sixth； seventh and eighth
centuries。 It is the great marvel in the history of
writing。 Modern historians have at last appreciated
the blaze of life； religions； literary； and artistic；
which was kindled in the 'Isle of Saints' within
a century after St。 Patrick's coming （about A。 D。
450）； how the enthusiasm kindled by Christianity
in the Celtic nature so far transcended the limits of
the island； and indeed of Great Britain； that Irish
mi