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government （which means no government； or anarchy） by all； of
Dictatorship with many faults； and Universal Suffrage with little
possibility of any virtue。 For the contrast between Olaf Tryggveson； and a
Universal…Suffrage Parliament or an 〃Imperial〃 Copper Captain has； in
these nine centuries； grown to be very great。 And the eternal Providence
that guides all this； and produces alike these entities with their epochs； is
not its course still through the great deep？ Does not it still speak to us； if
we have ears？ Here； clothed in stormy enough passions and instincts；
unconscious of any aim but their own satisfaction； is the blessed beginning
of Human Order； Regulation； and real Government； there； clothed in a
highly different； but again suitable garniture of passions； instincts； and
equally unconscious as to real aim； is the accursed…looking ending
（temporary ending） of Order； Regulation； and Government；very dismal
to the sane onlooker for the time being； not dismal to him otherwise； his
hope； too； being steadfast！ But here； at any rate； in this poor Norse theatre；
one looks with interest on the first transformation； so mysterious and
abstruse； of human Chaos into something of articulate Cosmos； witnesses
the wild and strange birth…pangs of Human Society； and reflects that
without something similar （little as men expect such now）； no Cosmos of
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human society ever was got into existence； nor can ever again be。
The violences； fightings； crimesah yes； these seldom fail； and they
are very lamentable。 But always； too； among those old populations； there
was one saving element； the now want of which； especially the
unlamented want； transcends all lamentation。 Here is one of those strange；
piercing； winged…words of Ruskin； which has in it a terrible truth for us in
these epochs now come：
〃My friends； the follies of modern Liberalism； many and great though
they be； are practically summed in this denial or neglect of the quality and
intrinsic value of things。 Its rectangular beatitudes； and spherical
benevolences；theology of universal indulgence； and jurisprudence which
will hang no rogues； mean； one and all of them； in the root； incapacity of
discerning； or refusal to discern； worth and unworth in anything； and least
of all in man； whereas Nature and Heaven command you； at your peril； to
discern worth from unworth in everything； and most of all in man。 Your
main problem is that ancient and trite one； 'Who is best man？' and the
Fates forgive much；forgive the wildest； fiercest； cruelest experiments；if
fairly made for the determination of that。
Theft and blood…guiltiness are not pleasing in their sight； yet the
favoring powers of the spiritual and material world will confirm to you
your stolen goods； and their noblest voices applaud the lifting of Your
spear； and rehearse the sculpture of your shield； if only your robbing and
slaying have been in fair arbitrament of that question； 'Who is best man？'
But if you refuse such inquiry； and maintain every man for his neighbor's
match；if you give vote to the simple and liberty to the vile； the powers of
those spiritual and material worlds in due time present you inevitably with
the same problem； soluble now only wrong side upwards； and your
robbing and slaying must be done then to find out； 'Who is worst man？'
Which； in so wide an order of merit； is； indeed； not easy； but a complete
Tammany Ring； and lowest circle in the Inferno of Worst； you are sure to
find； and to be governed by。〃＇20＇
All readers will admit that there was something naturally royal in these
Haarfagr Kings。 A wildly great kind of kindred； counts in it two Heroes of
a high； or almost highest； type： the first two Olafs； Tryggveson and the
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Saint。 And the view of them； withal； as we chance to have it； I have often
thought； how essentially Homeric it was：indeed what is 〃Homer〃 himself
but the _Rhapsody_ of five centuries of Greek Skalds and wandering
Ballad…singers； done （i。e。 〃stitched together〃） by somebody more musical
than Snorro was？ Olaf Tryggveson and Olaf Saint please me quite as well
in their prosaic form； offering me the truth of them as if seen in their real
lineaments by some marvellous opening （through the art of Snorro） across
the black strata of the ages。 Two high； almost among the highest sons of
Nature； seen as they veritably were； fairly comparable or superior to god…
like Achilleus； goddess…wounding Diomedes； much more to the two
Atreidai； Regulators of the Peoples。
I have also thought often what a Book might be made of Snorro； did
there but arise a man furnished with due literary insight； and indefatigable
diligence； who； faithfully acquainting himself with the topography； the
monumental relies and illustrative actualities of Norway； carefully
scanning the best testimonies as to place and time which that country can
still give him； carefully the best collateral records and chronologies of
other countries； and who； himself possessing the highest faculty of a Poet；
could； abridging； arranging； elucidating； reduce Snorro to a polished
Cosmic state； unweariedly purging away his much chaotic matter！ A
modern 〃highest kind of Poet；〃 capable of unlimited slavish labor withal；
who； I fear； is not soon to be expected in this world； or likely to find his
task in the _Heimskringla_ if he did appear here。
Footnotes： _______________________________
＇1＇ J。 G。 Dahlmann； _Geschichte von Dannemark_； 3 vols。 8vo。
Hamburg； 1840…1843。
＇2＇ 〃Settlement；〃 dated 912； by Munch； Henault； &c。 The Saxon
Chronicle says （anno 876）： 〃In this year Rolf overran Normandy with his
army； and he reigned fifty winters。〃
＇3＇ Dahlmann； ii。 87。
＇4＇ Dahlmann； ii。 93。
＇5＇ _Laing's Snorro_； i。 344。
＇6＇ G。 Buchanani _Opera Omnia_； i。 103； 104 （Curante Ruddimano；
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
Edinburgi； 1715）。
＇7＇ His Long Serpent； judge