of Cæsar, were notorious for their versatile and mercurial disposition; and for this the modern French (chiefly Gauls) have always been famed. The grave and phlegmatic disposition assigned to the Germans by Tacitus, is as characteristic of their descendants, as the large limbs, the fair hair and complexion, and blue or hazel eyes, which he also assigned to them. The political institutions of all the Teutonic countries, even yet retain traces, more or less distinct, of the manners and habits so forcibly described by the Roman historian; and it was truly observed by Montesquieu, that the English constitution was formed in the woods of Germany.

The prevailing character of the Teutonic nations is obtuseness of the senses, or tardiness in receiving sensual impressions; sincerity and singleness of disposition; constancy and perseverance in pursuit.-Their appearance and movements are heavy, and ungraceful. But from their constancy in pursuit, and their power of dwelling long on one object, they have reached greater excellence in certain important branches of knowledge and acquirement, than people of a more quick and mercurial disposition.-Though their want of delicacy of tact may prevent them from ever becoming the greatest painters or statuaries, they have produced a Copernicus, a Kepler, a Tycho Brahe, a Newton, a Bacon, a Hobbes, and a Leibnitz.-They have planted themselves in the wildernesses of the new world; and, by patient labour, converted them into flourishing communities: while the French, Spaniards, and Portuguese, in similar situations, have yielded to external circumstances, and either trifled away their time on the spot where they first planted themselves,-or become savages with the natives. The colonists of the former in Russia and Poland, have displayed the same perseverance. From their sincerity of disposition, and their freedom from distrust and jealousy, they are peculiarly adapted for acting in union.

The intercourse between the sexes has always been of a more elevated character with them, than with any other race. Tacitus expressly states, that of all the barbarians known to the Romans, the Germans alone en

tertained a high regard for women; and this regard displayed itself, in the middle ages, in chivalry, an institution which flowed naturally out of their character-and the circumstances of the times.

In

To gaiety, in the genuine sense of the word, they are strangers. their mirth, as in every thing else, they are deficient in ease; their wit, which is often forcible, has seldom a spontaneous appearance, but usually that of effort. Even their language is stamped with the directness and sincerity which belongs to their character. It was justly observed, by Leibnitz, that a person writing or speaking in one of the Teutonic languages, with a view to conceal his meaning, will find it more difficult to succeed in his object than if he used any other tongue. It was a Frenchman who observed, that language was given to man to conceal his thoughts!

The points of difference between the Teutonic and the Celtic race are obvious to the most superficial observer. The Celt is of an ardent and impetuous temperament; rapid in all his movements; quick in his perceptions; he has a keen intuitive glance, and naturally expresses himself in bold and figurative language. He is, at the same time, much more fickle and inconstant, and much less cordial and sincere. If more sensible to kindness, he is also more prone to anger and revenge than his Saxon neighbour.

re

If there exists an intimate connection between the character of a people and their songs, we may expect that the songs of different nations belonging to the same common race, should bear a characteristic semblance, corresponding with the affinity of habit and disposition.— Accordingly, it happens, that the songs and ballads of the various people of the Teutonic stock, have all one common stamp impressed on them, and are even generally of the same mechanical structure. Difference of government, situation, occupation, has of course had its influence; but the type is everywhere perceptibly the same,—and in the dales of Norway and Switzerland, the recesses of the Black Forest, the marshes of the Elbe and Weser, the sands of Pomerania, to

The song and the music of the Teutonic race are of quite a different cast. To the music we shall afterwards allude more particularly; but, in passing, we must observe, that Mr. George Chalmers is quite mistaken when he supposes, on the authority of Hawkins, that the English have "no national music." They have a national music, which has a strong resemblance to that of the other Teutonic nations.-The Teutonic song bears the stamp of cordiality and artless sincerity. It has nothing of the easy dignity of the Spanish romances, two of which Percy has spoiled by an absurd attempt to give them an English cast; nor of the voluptuous luxuriance of the Venetian Barcarolles; nor of the pointed lightness, and airy gaiety of the French Vaudevilles; nor of the wit, and touching simplicity of the Lithuanian Dainos. But there is an earnestness, a frankness, a homely sincerity, and kind heartedness, about the Teutonic ballads and songs, which cause them, in the long run, perhaps, to take a stronger hold of the affections, and make a deeper impression on the heart, than those of any other people.

It is, however, high time to enter on that particular consideration of

the songs of the people of the Teutonic race, which we proposed to ourselves as the main object of this article.

Without losing ourselves in the periods which precede record, or attempting to define the occupations of the Scalds, or the difference between them and the Druids, we shall go no farther back than the earliest of the genuine monuments of the songs of our forefathers. From that period, the resemblance in tone and character to those of the present day is to be continuedly and clearly traced,

The oldest Teutonic song yet discovered, is the song of Hildebrand and Hadubrand, published at Cassel, in 1812, from a manuscript of the latter end of the eighth century.— It is in alliteration; relates to a tradition of the old Pagan times; and is supposed to have been composed centuries before the date of the manuscript. We may also here mention that, in the poetical version of the Gospels, in Allemannish rhyme, by Otfried, a native of Swabia, a monk of Weissenburg, in Alsace, (composed between 863 and 872,) there are occasionally passages of a lyrical character; and more particularly one which has reference to the poet's own longing for his native home.

Before the discovery of the song of Hildebrand and Hadubrand, that on the victory of King Lewis over the North men (dated 881,) was geneThis rally accounted the oldest. song is in rhyme. The following is its commencement, which we give as literally as possible, without endeavouring to retain the rhyme. A king I do know,

Lord Lewis is his name;
He delights to serve God

Because God rewards him.
A fatherless child was he;

Much had he cause to grieve,
But God he did choose him

And rear'd him himself:
He gave him many brave

And noble men to serve him;
A throne here in Franken:-
Long may he fill it!

Towards the conclusion of this song, there are some spirited and highly characteristic lines:—

Long it was not

Ere the Northmen he found, "God be praised!" he exclaimedHis wish was fulfilled.

Boldly rides the king;

The battle song he sung,
And together they all sung,
Kyrieleison!

The song it was sung,

The fight was begun,
The blood rose in the cheeks
Of the exulting Franks!

In England, we have a curious fragment of a piece composed by Canute the Great.-As he was navigating by the Abbey in the Isle of Ely, he heard the monks chanting their psalms and anthems, and was so struck with the melody, that he composed a ballad on the occasion, which began thus:

Merie sungen the muneches binnen Ely
Tha Cnut Ching reuther by ;
Roweth, Cnites, noer the land

And here we thes muneches sang!" This composition of the eleventh century possesses all the characteristics of the ballad of later ages.

The Niebelungen Lied, which has lately engaged so much of the attention of the learned in Germany, is a series of rhapsodies or songs, the subjects of which are partly historical, partly fictitious, and belong to an early period of the history of the Germanic nations. The rhapsodies, in the form in which they now appear, are of the thirteenth century; but they are universally allowed to have been originally composed long before that time. They are quite the ballad in style and structure, as the follow ing specimen from the commencement of the work will show :

To us in antient stories
Many wonders are told,
Of praise-worthy heroes
Of valour most bold;
Of mirth and bridal feasts
Of weeping and dismay,

Of battles of stout warriors,

Great wonders hear you may

!

There was brought up in Burgundy A noble maiden;

In all the lands around

A fairer was not seen;
Her name was Chriemhilt
She fair was to behold,
And for her sake did lose his life
Full many a warrior bold.

The first Scot's song is to be found: in the Chronicle of Wyntown, which was completed between 1420 and 1424.-The song itself is, however, of a much more antient date, and must have been composed shortly af◄ ter the death of King Alexander, in 1285.-After dwelling on the wise regulations of this monarch, and the plenty which prevailed in his reign, Wyntown thus introduces the song: This Salyhyd fra he deyd suddanly: This sang wes made of hym for-thi. Quhen Alysandyr oure kyng wes dede That Scotland led in Luve and Le, Away wes sons of Ale and Brede, Of Wyne and Wax, of Gamyn and Gle: Oure Gold wes changyd into Lede: Cryst, borne in-to Virgynytè, Succour Scotland and remede That stad is in perplexyté!

With the exception of one or two stanzas, preserved in English chronicles, all the old Scots songs have perished. The lyrical pieces of that nation, which exist in an entire shape, though many of them, no doubt, revivals of other productions, belong to a comparatively recent pe

riod.

mortal works; and the second act of the old comedy of Gammer Gurton's Needle, opens with that convivial song, which is yet, perhaps, unequalled in our language, and which still retains its popularity, beginning,

Back and side go bare, go bare,

Both foot and hand go cold: But belly, God send thee good ale ynough, Whether it be new or old !

A number of carols for particular periods of the year, the composition of a very remote age, are still tenaciously retained by the common people of England. Some of the Christmas carols, for instance, as well as the tunes to which they are sung, are very antient.-The colloquies between Joseph and Mary, bespeak an age of great simplicity; when the idea of religion being endangered by homely allusions to, and even an approximation to jokes on some of its most sacred mysteries, never once entered the head, either of those who made, or those who heard them. -For instance, in one of the carols, still usually sung in the metropolis, the following passage occurs:

As Joseph and Mary walk'd through the

garden so gay,

Where the cherries they grew upon every

tree,

Then bespoke Mary, with words both meek and mild,

Gather me some cherries, Joseph, they run so in my mind;

Gather me some cherries, for 1 am with child.

Then bespake Joseph, with words most unkind, Let them gather thee cherries that got thee

with child!

Now, such a composition as this could only have originated in a simple age, when men no more thought the truths of religion could even be questioned, than they thought it possible to question the succession of night to day, and day to night.

The Germans have fewer of what may properly be called genuine old ballads than the English or Danes. Yet among the peasantry of the different provinces of that extensive country, a number of characteristic ballads and songs are current, many of them handed down from the remotest ages. The attention of the learned public was first called to this subject, in latter times, by Herder, a

His

man of wonderful power of imagination, who published, in 1778 and 79, a collection of popular songs, in two volumes; containing specimens from almost every language of Europe, translated with a truth and fidelity of which in England we have not the slightest conception. Waly Waly, Baloo my Babe, Sir Patrick Spence, are as completely Scotch as his Passeavase El Rey Moro, is Spanish. In Herder's collection, the number of German songs bear no great proportion to the whole. Since his time, however, the collectors have laid many of the popular lyrical productions of Germany and Switzerland before the public; sometimes accompanied with their proper airs. Of these collectors, Elwert, Bothe, von Seckendorf, Nikolai, Gräter, Arnim and Brentano, Büsching and von der Hagen, Goerres, and Meinert, are among the most distinguished.

The publication of Arnim and Brentano, called Des Knaben Wunderhorn, consisting of three well filled 8vo. volumes, contains a great number of genuine popular songs, some of them from old Chronicles, and MSS; and many collected with great labour from the peasantry of the different provinces.-It also contains a curious collection of the rhymes and songs of the children in various parts, or what we call Nursery Rhymes. The following extract from a ballad of the Black Forest, taken down from the recitation of a female peasant, seventy-six years old, translated almost literally, reminds us strongly of the ditties of our own peasantry. The ballad is called Earl Frederick; the subject of it is the murder of a young woman by Earl Frederick; because his mother would not consent to his marrying her. He goes, notwithstanding, to bring her home, and in conducting her

He draws from the sheath his gleaming sword,

And stabb'd his maiden most piteously;

"Now know I that she's sure to die: "

Then he drew out his shirt so white,
The shirt was coloured red all o'er,
And in the wound he dipped it strait,
As if it had been washed in gore:
Into the court he then did ride,
Bearing with him his wounded bride ;
To meet him out his mother run,
"You're welcome home again my son,