So long as the people of this country are animated by that deep-rooted
love of true liberty and national independence, which have proved at so
many momentous periods of our history to be at once their ruling
principle and the country's safeguard, so long will the memory of
Gustavus Vasa, the patriotic king of Sweden, be to all Englishmen an
object of the deepest interest. The publication therefore of a _History
of Gustavus Vasa, with Extracts from his Correspondence_,--which,
although based upon the narrative of his startling adventures, his
gallant exploits, and the picture of his manly sincere character, and
his quaint but telling eloquence, given by Geijer in his _History of
Sweden_, has been carefully elaborated by references to original
authorities, and rendered more picturesque by the introduction of
copious extracts from his correspondence,--is good service rendered to
the cause of historic truth. The writer is obviously an earnest, able,
and painstaking man; and we think that his work will be received (as it
deserves) with such favour as to induce him to furnish us with other
illustrations of the history of the North.
If ever mortal man was a hero to his valet de chambre, such was the
"Great Cardinal" to his gentleman usher Master George Cavendish; and to
this fact and the reverent spirit which pervades his narration, may the
great popularity of _Cavendish's Life of Wolsey_ be in a great measure
ascribed. Few biographies have been perused with greater interest; few
have exercised the editorial skill of better scholars. Dr. Wordsworth,
Mr. Singer, and Mr. Hunter, have all displayed their learning and
ingenuity in its illustration; and we have been led into these remarks
by the receipt of a new and very handsomely printed edition, which has
just been published by Messrs. Rivington, and which has been edited by
Mr. Holmes of the British Museum. Mr. Holmes' name is a sufficient
guarantee for the manner in which that duty has been executed.
We learn from _The Athenæum_ of Saturday last that the Royal Society of
Antiquaries of Copenhagen, whose works illustrative of the early history
both of Greenland and America are known to many of our readers, are
about to publish a new edition of the _Orkneyinga Saga_, and sundry old
Northern fragments relative to Great Britain and Ireland; and in the
prosecution of this important and useful object they are desirous of
having the assistance and co-operation of the scholars and antiquaries
of this country. Antiquaries find favour in the North, for _The Times_
reports that the general yearly meeting of this Society was held on the
25th of February at the Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, his Majesty
the King of Denmark in the chair. The secretary, Professor C. Rafn, read
the report of transactions for the last year, and gave a _précis_ of the
articles in the forthcoming archæological works of the Society. The
printing and engravings of the second volume of the great work,
_Antiquités Russes et Orientales_, are now nearly completed. The learned
professor exhibited four Icelandic planispheres and maps of the world,
from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and made some observations on
the geographical and astronomical knowledge of the ancient
Scandinavians. The second volume of the Arna-Magnean Committee's edition
of _Snorro Sturleson's, or the Younger Edda_, was also nearly finished,
and preparations were being made for the publication of an _Icelandic
Diplomaticum_. His Majesty the King exhibited a remarkable collection of
antiquities of the bronze period discovered at Smorumorre, evidently
belonging to a workshop for the fabrication of such implements, and
clearly proving that bronze weapons, &c. had been made in Denmark. On
the characteristics of this collection His Majesty was graciously
pleased to deliver some very interesting observations. Professor
Wegener, Vice-President, read an able memoir on the history of the old
castles of Soborg and Adserbo, in the north of Iceland. The
Archæological Committee exhibited a collection of articles discovered at
Anhalt (in the Cattegat) which belonged to a workshop for the
manufacture of stone implements, on which Mr. Thomsen made some useful
remarks. The museum was in a flourishing state. There had been 148
donations received and 761 presentations of antiquities. The proceedings
were closed by the election of Victor Emanuel, King of Sardinia, and his
Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha, as fellows of the
Society.
BOOKS RECEIVED.--_The French in England, or Both Sides of the Question
on Both Sides of the Channel, being the Story of the Emperor Napoleon's
projected Invasion._ A brilliant, we might say eloquent, description of
the feeling which ran through the whole length and breadth of the land
when Napoleon's threats of invasion drew from the united nation, as with
the voice of one man, the declaration that "England never did, and never
shall lie at the proud foot of a conqueror!" In this picture of the past
we have a prophecy of the future, if the peace of Europe should be again
disturbed, and any attempt be made to renew the project of 1803. We do
not think this likely; but to secure Peace we must be prepared for War:
and he who, in the present aspect of affairs, would bid us disarm, must
be or fool, or traitor, or both.--_Memoirs of the late Thomas Holcroft,
written by himself, and continued to the time of his Death, from his
Diary, Notes, and Correspondence_, forms the new parts of _The
Traveller's Library_, and gives an interesting variety to this valuable
series.