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excelled all others in wisdom； or rather in Draoitheac； or magic；
for they were powerful sorcerers； they said； compared with whom the
fairy men of the present day knew nothing at all； at all； and；
amongst other wonderful things； they knew how to make strong beer
from the heather that grows upon the bogs。 Little wonder if the
interest； the mysterious interest； which I had early felt about the
Danes； was increased tenfold by my sojourn in Ireland。
And now I had in my possession a Danish book； which； from its
appearance； might be supposed to have belonged to the very old
Danes indeed； but how was I to turn it to any account？ I had the
book； it is true； but I did not understand the language； and how
was I to overcome that difficulty？ hardly by poring over the book；
yet I did pore over the book； daily and nightly； till my eyes were
dim； and it appeared to me that every now and then I encountered
words which I understood … English words； though strangely
disguised； and I said to myself； Courage！ English and Danish are
cognate dialects； a time will come when I shall understand this
Danish； and then I pored over the book again； but with all my
poring I could not understand it； and then I became angry； and I
bit my lips till the blood came； and I occasionally tore a handful
from my hair； and flung it upon the floor； but that did not mend
the matter； for still I did not understand the book； which；
however； I began to see was written in rhyme … a circumstance
rather difficult to discover at first； the arrangement of the lines
not differing from that which is employed in prose； and its being
written in rhyme made me only the more eager to understand it。
But I toiled in vain； for I had neither grammar nor dictionary of
the language； and when I sought for them could procure neither； and
I was much dispirited； till suddenly a bright thought came into my
head； and I said； although I cannot obtain a dictionary or grammar；
I can perhaps obtain a Bible in this language； and if I can procure
a Bible； I can learn the language； for the Bible in every tongue
contains the same thing； and I have only to compare the words of
the Danish Bible with those of the English； and； if I persevere； I
shall in time acquire the language of the Danes； and I was pleased
with the thought； which I considered to be a bright one； and I no
longer bit my lips； or tore my hair； but I took my hat； and； going
forth； I flung my hat into the air。
And when my hat came down； I put it on my head and commenced
running； directing my course to the house of the Antinomian
preacher； who sold books； and whom I knew to have Bibles in various
tongues amongst the number； and I arrived out of breath； and I
found the Antinomian in his little library； dusting his books； and
the Antinomian clergyman was a tall man of about seventy； who wore
a hat with a broad brim and a shallow crown； and whose manner of
speaking was exceedingly nasal； and when I saw him； I cried； out of
breath； 'Have you a Danish Bible？' and he replied； 'What do you
want it for； friend？' and I answered； 'To learn Danish by'； 'And
maybe to learn thy duty；' replied the Antinomian preacher。 'Truly；
I have it not； but； as you are a customer of mine； I will endeavour
to procure you one； and I will write to that laudable society which
men call the Bible Society； an unworthy member of which I am； and I
hope by next week to procure what you desire。'
And when I heard these words of the old man； I was very glad； and
my heart yearned towards him； and I would fain enter into
conversation with him； and I said； 'Why are you an Antinomian？ For
my part I would rather be a dog than belong to such a religion。'
'Nay； friend；' said the Antinomian； 'thou forejudgest us； know that
those who call us Antinomians call us so despitefully； we do not
acknowledge the designation。' 'Then you do not set all law at
nought？' said I。 'Far be it from us；' said the old man； 'we only
hope that； being sanctified by the Spirit from above； we have no
need of the law to keep us in order。 Did you ever hear tell of
Lodowick Muggleton？' 'Not I。' 'That is strange； know then that he
was the founder of our poor society； and after him we are
frequently； though opprobriously； termed Muggletonians； for we are
Christians。 Here is his book； which； perhaps； you can do no better
than purchase； you are fond of rare books； and this is both curious
and rare； I will sell it cheap。 Thank you； and now be gone； I will
do all I can to procure the Bible。'
And in this manner I procured the Danish Bible； and I commenced my
task； first of all； however； I locked up in a closet the volume
which had excited my curiosity； saying； 'Out of this closet thou
comest not till I deem myself competent to read thee；' and then I
sat down in right earnest； comparing every line in the one version
with the corresponding one in the other； and I passed entire nights
in this manner； till I was almost blind； and the task was tedious
enough at first； but I quailed not； and soon began to make
progress： and at first I had a misgiving that the old book might
not prove a Danish book； but was soon reassured by reading many
words in the Bible which I remembered to have seen in the book； and
then I went on right merrily； and I found that the language which I
was studying was by no means a difficult one； and in less than a
month I deemed myself able to read the book。
Anon； I took the book from the closet； and proceeded to make myself
master of its contents； I had some difficulty； for the language of
the book； though in the main the same as the language of the Bible；
differed from it in some points； being apparently a more ancient
dialect； by degrees； however； I overcame this difficulty； and I
understood the contents of the book； and well did they correspond
with all those ideas in which I had indulged connected with the
Danes。 For the book was a book of ballads； about the deeds of
knights and champions； and men of huge stature； ballads which from
time immemorial had been sung in the North； and which some two
centuries before the time of which I am speaking had been collected
by one Anders Vedel； who lived with a certain Tycho Brahe； and
assisted him in making observations upon the heavenly bodies； at a
place called Uranias Castle； on the little island of Hveen； in the
Cattegat。
CHAPTER XXIII
The two individuals … The long pipe … The Germans … Werther … The
female Quaker … Suicide … Gibbon … Jesus of Bethlehem … Fill your
glass … Shakespeare … English at Minden … Melancholy Swayne Vonved
… The fifth dinner … Strange doctrines … Are you happy？ … Improve
yourself in German。
IT might be some six months after the events last recorded； that
two individuals were seated together in a certain room； in a
certain street of the old town which I have so frequently had
occasion to mention in the preceding pages； one of them was an
elderly； and the other a very young man； and they sat on either
side of a fireplace； beside a table on which were fruit and wine；
the room was a small one； and in its furniture exhibited nothing
remarkable。 Over the mantelpiece； however； hung a small picture
with naked figures in the foreground； and with much foliage behind。
It might not have struck every beholder； for it looked old and
smoke…dried； but a connoisseur； on inspecting it closely； would
have pronounced it to be a judgment of Paris； and a masterpiece of
the Flemish school。
The forehead of the elder individual was high； and perhaps appeared
more so than it really was； from the hair being carefully brushed
back； as if for the purpose of displaying to the best advantage
that part of the cranium； his eyes were large and full； and of a
light brown； and might have been called heavy and dull； had they
not been occasionally lighted up by a sudden gleam … not so
brilliant however as that which at every inhalation shone from the
bowl of the long clay pipe which he was smoking； but which； from a
certain sucking sound which about this time began to be heard from
the bottom； appeared to be giving notice that it would soon require
replenishment from a certain canister； which； together with a
lighted taper； stood upon the table beside him。
'You do not smoke？' said he； at length； laying down his pipe； and
directing his glance to his companion。
Now there was at least one thing singular connected with this last；
namely； the colour of his hair； which； notwithstanding his extreme
youth； appeared to be rapidly becoming gray。 He had very long
limbs； and was apparently tall of stature； in which he differed
from his elderly companion； who must have been somewhat below the
usual height。
'No； I can't smoke；' said the youth； in reply to the observation of
the othe