accounts of his prowess in war, and wisdom as a ruler, are indeed marvellous :- he is reputed to have possessed every power of witchcraft, prophecy, and transformation; and in the shape of a Lion, or other beast of prey, to have destroyed whole legions. Hence he was invoked by the Northern nations, as the god of battles and of victory; and a festival to his honour was held in the spring of each year, to obtain through him a prosperous issue to their martial enterprises.

Dr. HENRY, speaking of this Pagan deity, says, "Odin is believed to have been the name of the one true god among the first colonies who came from the East, and peopled Germany and Scandinavia, and among their posterity for several ages. But at length a mighty conqueror, the leader of a new army of adventurers from the East, over-ran the North of Europe, erected a great empire, assumed the name of Odin, and claimed the honours which had been formerly paid to that deity. From thenceforward that deified mortal, under the name of Odin or Woden, became the chief object of the idolatrous worship of the Saxons and Danes in this island, as well as of many other nations. Having been a mighty and successful warrior, he was believed to be the god of war, who gave victory, and revived courage in the conflict. Having civilized, in some measure, the countries which he conquered, and introduced arts formerly unknown, he was also worshipped as the god of arts and artists. In a

word, to this Odin his deluded worshippers impiously ascribed all the attributes which belong only to the true God; to him they built magnificent temples,, offered many sacrifices, and consecrated the fourth day of the week, which is still called by his name in England, and in all the other countries where he was formerly worshipped. Notwithstanding this, the founders of the whole of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy pretended to be descended from Woden, and some of them at the distance only of a few generations."

Odin was considered the father of all the other Pagan gods of the Northern nations; and it was the boast of the powerful rulers of the North that they were also descended from him. Hengist and Horsa, in particular, [See Gibson's Chronicles, &c.] were extremely vain of such reputed ancestry, as were most of the antient British princes: or rather from Odin, a considerable warrior, distinct from the idol, but who, as well as a third great leader, was distinguished by that high-prized name. When it is considered, that Odin adopted as his children all those who were slain with swords in their hands, the claims of the Northern and British chiefs to the honour of such parentage, may be much more easily accounted for, than at first appears. Bravery was a quality not only held in the highest esteem, but was absolutely necessary to sustain them in their precarious power; hence they seldom failed

to point out to their followers the most brilliant examples of hardihood and courage, and thereby naturally roused the energies of their subjeets, who gloried in warfare, and even rejoiced at the chance of receiving a violent death, which was to render them the eternal companions of their venerated Odin.

The Romans dedicated WEDNESDAY to Mercury, from which cause it was called Dies Mercurii, feria quarta: Thence the Roman Mercury, and the Saxon Odin, in despite of the Roman idol not having been a warrior, were usually regarded as the same deity; perhaps from their respective attributes bearing in many instances a close resemblance, and from both having been the reputed patrons of arts, inventions, &c.

Thursday,

the fifth day of the week, was dedicated by the whole of the antient Northern nations to the adoration of Thor, "the bravest of the sons of Odin," or Woden, -who was worshipped on Wednesday,—and of Fria or Friga, to perform homage to whom, Friday was peculiarly set apart.

Authors are generally agreed as to the etymology of this word. THUNRESDÆG, THURSDÆG, THORSDAG, Saxon, DONNERSTAG, old Teutonie.

DANDERSDAGA, Dutch. The "THUNDERER'S DAY," or that on which the Deity was worshipped as the God of Vengeance, or of Terror.

The idol Thor, who was not only served and sacrificed unto of the antient Pagan Sarons, but of all the Teutonick people of the Septentrionall regions, pea, even of the people that dwelt beyond Thule or Island; for in Greeneland was he knowne, and adored; in memory whereof a promontory, or high popnt of land lying

aut into the sea at the said promontory, doth pet bear his name; and the manner how he was made, his picture both declare. This great reputed God, being of more estimation than many of the rest of the like sort, though of as little worth as any of the meanest of that rabble, was majestically placed in a very large and spacious hall, and there set as if he had reposed himselfe upon a covered bed. On his head he wore a crown of gold, and round in a compass above, and about the same, were set or fired twelve bright burnished golden starres. And in his right hand he held a kingly sceptre. He was of the ses duced pagans believed to be of most marvelous power and might; pea, and that there were no people throughout the whole world, that were not subjected unto him, and did not owe him divine honour and service. That there was no puissance comparable to his. His dominion of all others most farthest extending itselfe, both in heaven and earth. That in the aire he governed the winds, and the cloudes; and being displeased, did cause lightning, thunder, and tempest, with excessive raine, haile, and all ill weather: But being well-pleased, by the adoration, sacrifice, and service of his suppliants, he then bestowed upon them most faire and seasonable weather; and caused corne abundantly to growe; as all sorts of fruits, Ec. and kept away the plague, and all other evill and infectious diseases.—Of the weekly day which was dedicated unto his peculiar service, we pet retaine the name of Thursday, the which the Danes and Swedians doe yet call Thors-day. In the Netherlands it is called Dan ders-dagh, which being written according to our Engs lish orthography, is Thunders-day, whereby it may