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SWEDEN, NORWAY, AND DENMARK.
" With grand Sea-Songs upon the soul Roll'd melody on melody."
THOSE who have not carefully studied the complex character of our English nationality are perhaps not aware how much we are indebted to the Scandinavian people; it is well known the Celts were the earliest ascertained people on the land, but I do not think that many have duly considered that the various manly qualities which we pride ourselves upon, have been inherited from that race which is known to us as the "hardy Norsemen." Mr.Chorley, in his " National Music," gives his impressions of that of the North in such wonderfully beautiful language, that I think I cannot do better than quote him as an introduction ; he says: " In lands of mists and mountains, of long winters and short precious summers, the influences of scenery are more clearly to be discerned than in regions where Nature is uniformly favourable. Gay or grave, the music of the North is fresh ; the sad is seldom blended with languor ; the sweet has ever something in it to brace, even in minor keys, which predominate."
The Northern sea-songs are grand and stirring melodies, rarely if ever tinged with sadness ; the spirit that animated the sea-kings of old seems to have been handed down to their marine descendants of to-day. Some of the superstition that was ever characteristic of Northern seafaring |
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