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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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the first example , the intention of the new , as of the original translator , seems vague : — - A-re the consolations of God small with Are the consolations of God too little ¦ thee ? is there any secret thing with for thee ; tliee ? and the word that gently deals -with . thee ? In the next , there is a palpable discrepancy between the two versions . The leading idea , in fact , is changed : —• The wicked man travaileth with pain All the days of the wicked man , he is alibis days , and the number of years is in pain , hidden to the oppressor . and the numher of years that are laid up for the oppressor . For " He wandereth abroad for bread , saying -where is it ? " The new translator proposes " He wanders about for bread ; where is it ? " " Saying" is an obvious interpolation , the question being whether it-was omitted by mere ellipsis , or whether the altered sense suggested by the revised form is the right one . The following is one of a large class of corrections :- —• Let not him that is deceived trust in JLet him not trust in evil i he is devanity : for vanity shall he his recom- ceived , pease . for evil shall he his reward . * ' "Vanity " in the old version is evil" in the new . In the same manner * hell" and " the grave" are rendered indifferently " the under-world , " and for the hypocrites" we read " the impure" : —• For the congregation of hypocrites For the household « f the impure is deso-¦ ehalloe desolate . late . Some of the more remarkable revisions of the text may be quoted successively .: — ' ¦ \ - .. . " ¦ ' / .. ' . ; . . . ' ¦' Shall vain words have an end ? Is there any end to words of wind ?
They shall go down to the bars of the It will go down to the bars of the underpay when our rest together is in the world , dust . so soon as there is rest in the dust . His strength shaU be hunger-bitten . His strength becomes famished . " Hunger-bitten . " is infinitely preferable to " famished . " He shall neither have son nor nephew He has no offspring and xio progeny among his people . among his people . I have heard the check of iny reproach , My : shameful chastisement must I hear ; and the spirit of my understanding and the spirit , from my understanding , ¦ causeth me to answer . will answer for rne . ¦ His children shall seek to please the His sons the weak shall oppress , pooi : ¦'• ¦¦ ¦ ¦ - . ' ¦¦' .. ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ . ¦¦ - ¦ ¦ ¦ . . . ... " ,. - ¦ . ' ¦ ¦ ..: ¦ ¦/ ' ¦ ' ' . ¦ ' . ¦ ¦
He shall not see the rivers , the floods , He shall not look on the water-courses , the brooks of honey and butter . the flowing streams , of honey and milk . They spend their days in wealthy and In prosperity they spend their days , in a moment go down to the grave . and in a moment go down to the under- * ' - " .. . ' ' ¦ '¦¦ •• ¦ ¦ . ¦ ' ¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦¦¦ ¦ ¦• ¦ ¦ . ' . : ¦ ¦' . ' ¦ ¦' ¦ ' world . ' . ' - . . ' . . ., - . ' . ' ' : ' ¦ ' . One dieth in his full strength , being One dies in his full prosperity ; wholly at ease and quiet . he is wholly at case , and secure . His breasts are full of milk . His sides are full of fat . They are exalted for a little while , but They rise high ; a little while , and they are gone and brought low ; they are are gone ! taken out of the way as all -others , and they are brought low ; like all are they cut off as the tops of the ears of corn . gathered , and are cut off like the topmost ears of ¦ ¦¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ' com . ' ¦ ' ' . ¦ . ' ¦¦¦ ¦ ¦' ¦ How different " the topmost ears of corn" from " the tops of the ears of corn , " and how much more perfect the comparison .
Dead things are formed from under the The shades tremble , waters , and the inhabitants thereof . beneath the waters and their inhabitants ! He hath compassed the waters with A circling bound he drew on the face of bounds , until the day and night come to the waters , an end . . unto the limit of light with darkness . This is very noticeable . He divideth . the sea with his power . By his power ho quells the sea . The flood breaketh put from the inha- He drives a shaft away from man ' s l ) itants ; even the waters forgotten of the abode ; foot : they are dried up , they are gone forgotten of the foot , away from men . they swing suspended , far from men !
lie bindeth the floods from overflowing . He binds up streams , that they drip " not . 3 ? or " pearls" we read " crystal , " for " saints" " holy ones" " angels , " for * archers" " strong ones , "for " corrupt" " consumed , " and so forth-through a long succession ^ of passages . The three texts lire printed in parallel columns , with , a minute running cornnientaiy beneath them .
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verted Indian even now clothes in mysterious garb the terrestrial phenomena he beholds but cannot understand . Birds and quadrupeds must be made to talk . Weeng is the spirit of somnolency in the lodge stories . He is provided with a class of little invisible emissaries , who ascend the forehead , armed with tiny war clubs , with which they strike the temples , producing sleep . Panguk is the personification of death . He is armed with a boir and arrows to execute his mortal functions . Hosts of a small fairy-like creation , called Ininees , little men , or Pukwudj Ininees , vanishing little men , inhalut cliffs and picturesque and romantic scenes . Another class of marine or water spirits , called , Nebunabaigs , occupy the rivers and lakes . There is an articulate voice in all the
varied sounds of the forest—the groaning of its branches and the whispering of its leaves . Local Manitos , or fetishes , inhabit every grove ; and hence he is never alone It may be said that all this evinces imagination ; it is , at least , a prurient one . And yet this imagination , such as it is , alone distinguishes savage tribes 'from the mere animal creation in the midst of which they exist . Ini « stirict might almost suffice to teach them to hunt and fish , and the kindling of fire was probably such an imitation of an accident as a monkey might be capable of . The reflection is little flattering to human reason . However , our present task is not to moralize , but to notice the salient points in Mr . Sehoolcraft ' s key to the Indian legends illustrated in Hiawatha .
In the first place , then , the Introduction is altogether too ambitious , too full of big-sounding words and phrases . The same blemish disfigures many of the simple tales , the principal charm of which might have laid in the arilessness of their delivery . Thus , we read that Hiawatha ' s grandmother was very careful in instructing her daughter from early infancy ltto beware of the west wind , and never , in stooping , to expose herself to its influence . In some unguarded moment this precaution was neglected . In . an instant , the gale accomplished Us Tarquinic purpose . " Nor is it pleasing to English , ears to be told that such an animal " - 'dove " under the -water , " or that " the flesh had bursted out under their finger nails , " or even that the word "luxuriant" should be used synonymously with " luxurious . " These , however , are minor defects , easily capable of removal should a second edition ever "be
called for : our chief surprise is excited by the fact thafc a first edition should ever have been deemed necessary . Mr . Schoolcraft liiihself acknowledges that no publisher could be induced to attempt the adventure until after the appearance of Mr . Longfellow ' s poem . We do not wonder at it . The stories are too childish to interest grown persons , and too insipid and monotonous to amuse children . Hiawatha , too , is cruelly treated . In the legend more especially assigned to him , he is described as a cheat , a liar , a braggart , and a bully . And the charming little episodes interwoven with the poem appear to have no reference to him whatsoever . For this enlightenment , we tender no thanks . / We cared not to know that our idol was made of day . Should we ever fall in love , we trust Mr . Schoolcraffc may not be nigh , — he would certainly expose ; our false teeth , and pull our wig awry . ¦
. -. " The cheap defence of nations" appears to be duly appreciated by the Indians . Medals , and such like decorations , are frequently mentioned . Hiawatha , or Manabozho , having obtained some Valuable information from the Kingfisher , desires the bird to approach that he may put a medal round its neck , as a reward for the information it had given . - The bird unsuspectingly came near , and received a white medal , which can be seen to this day . While bestowing the medal , he attempted slily to wring the bird ' s head off , but it escaped him with oaly a disturbance of tbe crown feathers of its head , which are rumpled backward . He had found out all he wanted to know , and then desired to conceal the knowledge of his purposes by killing his informant . Clearly , Manabozho ought to have been an emperoi . He was more loyal
in recompensing the woodpecker -for a similar service- He took the blood of his conquered foe " and rubbed it on the woodpecker ' s head , the feathers of which arc rod to this day . " The belief in a deluge prevails among-these primitive tribes , and is associated with a victory over the Prince of Serpents . The attendant snakes gave chase to avenge their prince . Manabozlib fled "with incredible speed over hill and valley , covering a mile at every . str'ida . JSTevertheless , Ms pursuers gained ground upon him , for they too were spirits . He ascended a very lofty mountain , and climbed to the top of the highest tree , when , looking down , he saw the whole country submei-ged , and the waters still rapidly rising . .
Ho saw it reach the foot of the mountain , and at length it came up to the foot of the tree , but there was no abatement . The flood rose steadily and perceptibly . . Ho ' soon felt the lower part of his body to be immersed in it . He addressed the tree ! " Grandfather , stretch yourself . " Thu tree did so . But the waters still rose . Ho repeated his request , and ' . again obeyed . He asked a third time , and was again , obeyed ; but the tree replied , " It is the last time ; I cannot get any higher . " The waters continued to rise till they reached up to his chin , at which point they stood , and soon began to abate . Hope revived in his heart . lie then cast his eyes around the illimitable expanse , and spied a loon . " Dive down my brother , " lie said to him , " and fetch up some earth , so that I can mnkc a new earth . " The bird obeyed , but rose tip to the surface a lifeless form . He then saw a musk-rat , " Dive ! " said he , " and if you succeed , you may hereafter live either on land or water , as you please ; or 1 will give you a chain of beautiful little lakes , surrounded with rushes , to inhabit . " He dove down , but he iloated tip senseless . Ho took the body and breathed in hla nostrils , which restored him to life . " Try again , " said he . The musk-rat did so . He came up scnselesa the second time , but clutched a little earth in ono of his paws , from Yvhich , together with tlie carcase of tho dead loon , ho created a neir earth as largo as the former had been , with all living animals , fowls , and plants .
THE MYTH OF HIAWATHA . The Myth of JTiawatlia , < j-c , < Jc . By Henry E . Schoolcraft , UL . D . Trilbner and Co . Nations in . their infancy differ but little from individual children . They can form no idea of abstract notions . Effects must always be produced by visible and tangible causes . In all ages and in all parts of the earth primitive ' tribes agree in personifying the spiritual agencies . It is dangerous to allude to Hebrew lore , but the legends of Greece and Home may be safely quoted to corroborate this trite remark -. — Tho lively Grecian , in a land of hills , Rivors , and fertile plains , anil sounding shores , Under a cope of variegated slry , Could find commodious placo for every god .
Full of the same humiliating weakness is the mythology of the East , and now we learn that the Western World is not exempt from this universal imbecility of reason . But how came it that the Eastern nations -were able to cast aside their suporutition ? Is it really to Palestine that we must look for this clearing « , way of the dense vapours that obscured their mentiil vision ? Is it to tho ancestors of the despised dealer in " old clo ' s" that tho world is indebted for freedom from childish fables ? For long centuries , despite of philosophy , despite of exact science , despite of a noble literature , puerile and ignoble fancies formed the religion of refined and civilized peoples . In like manner , in the then unknown regions of the far West , the
uucoix-Thc metamorphosis of a boy into a wolf establishes an nflinity of thought between the North American Indians , the natives of 'Southern Africa , and the old fabulists of Europe . In tho legend concerning the origin of Indian corn thero is a curious point of resemblance to the story of Jacob wrestling with tbe angel . Ono having the semblance of a young man gaily apparelled descends from heaven , tind ' wrcstles till tho sun goes down with the future benefactor of tlie Inriiuu race . Armorial bearings ware so far known that most families adopted a particular bird , bcust , or lish as their " totem , " or ancestral mark . And hence , no doubt , arose many of the fables respecting the achievements of tho War Eagle , or the wonderful doings of the Beaver , &c . &c . As n general rule it may bo understood tha"t to bear the name of any particular ' animal is equivalent to possessing its disposition , habits , or attributes . But was it worth while to load our shelves with another book on this subject ?
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September 27 , 1856 ] THE ; IEAPEK . . 931
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 27, 1856, page 931, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2160/page/19/
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