J. F. Campbell Collection > Our Scandinavian forefathers

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name from the river on which it stands — Thoe's aa, or the river of
Thor; of whom more immediately. And finally, let me point you
to HoLBGEN, or HoLLiBiORX; that is Holla's hairn, or the child of
Holla, the infernal goddess of northern mythology ; a name which one
who is familiar with the awful glories of that most majestic head-
land, will not wonder that these men of old should have given to
the rocks where, in the darkness and the storm, many a home-
bound ship that had sailed, unharmed, from Africa to Iceland, went
down, with all on board, to an instant and a nameless doom.
So much, then, for our connection with these ancient sea-kings.
Not, indeed, that Caithness-men generally are descended from them
alone. There is undoubtedly in most a large admixture of Gaelic,
or Celtic blood. Yet even the Celts, who were allowed to remain
of old, were under Norwegian laws and lords ; they were forced to
conform to Norwegian customs ; and derived what civilization they
~ ^~mi
, • , had whollyftx)m a Norwegian source. Thus qui, character is stL^
U*l£Ui^ more^andinaviah than even our descent. Those of you who are
Gaelic scholars must know how largely the dialect of that language
spoken here, is mixed with English, as is commonly supposed, but
in reality, with ancient Norse — one of the chief fountain heads of
the English tongue : a fact which confirms, what is well known
from independent sources, that the most purely Celtic of the popu-
lation were under Scandinavian influence.
Let us turn now to the character and exploits of those with
, whom we are so intimately connected. In this lecture let me tell
you something of the influences by which their character was formed,
and chiefly of their ci^'il and religious institutions. Then in to-mor-
row's lecture, I shall try to set clearly before you what that
character was, and what Scandinavian influence on the world at large
has been; and shall, to some small extent, let these our ancestors
speak to you for themselves, through the medium of the literature
they have left us. To-night, then, let us think of the influences by
which the character of the Scandmavians was formed — that character
which, to so large an extent, has determined yours and mine.
Amongst these influences, a foremost place must be assigned to
the nature of the country in which they had dwelt for centuries, be-
fore they emerged into the light of history. Now it ivould require
a lecture for itself even to open up this wide and interesting question
of the influence of scenery upon character. The philosophy of it
cannot be touched upon at all. Suflice it to say, that no country
can well be imagined better suited than Scandinavia to mould a
hardy, bold, and energetic race. The mountains among which they
had to hunt the animals used for food, necessitated constant and
great exertion ; exertion in^^gorating for the body, and tending in
virtue of the strange connection subsisting between the body and the
mind, to give a determination and energy and strength to the whole
personal character. The Norseman could scarcely move a step on level
ground — he had difficulties continually to encounter and overcome ;