Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Finland - Chapter XXIII
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
302 TRAVELS
‘* In a fummer feafon when fet was the fun, —
“| fchope me to fhrubs, as I a fheep were, y
%
“In an habit as an hermit unholy of works, ~~
<¢ Went wide in this world wonders to hear, &c.
Thus in the following poem in the Finnith tongue:
Nuco nuco pico linto
Wefli wefli wefter eki.
In the Englith lines the allitteration of the two firft are of the
letter S, of the third H, of the fourth W; and in the Finnith the
letter N in the firft, and W in the fecond. Verfes compofed in
rhyme were of later introduction; and when they fall in naturally
with the runic, are not rejected ; but full they are not effential to
the latter, and are therefore not fought after. The repetition of
the initial letters is very pleafant to ears which are accuftomed to
it, and it is moreover perfectly agreeable to the genius of the Fin-
nifh language, and of great affittance to the memory.
Runic poetry has been from the moft ancient times cultivated
by the peafants of Finland, particularly by thofe. who inhabit
Oftro- Bothnia, and the territory of Cajanaborg. On the fea-coatts
in the neighbourhood of Sweden, there are few Finlanders who
underftand or recite them, and fewer who compofe them. The
peafants acquainted with this poetry prefer the oldeft {pecimens ;
and many of this clafs, unaffifted by letters, through the fimple
efforts of genius alone, aided by practice, are able to compofe
. TUNIC
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
