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320 TRAVELS
The laft fpecimen I fhall produce of Finnith poetry, of female.
compofition, is the following fragment of a fong of confiderable
length, which the Finnifh nurfes are accuftomed to fing to chil-
dren inthe cradle. It may be confidered valuable, inafmuch as
it marks the genius of the nation. The words were taken down
whilft a nurfe fung them and rocked her child to fleep. The
‘perfon who wrote down the words was well acquainted with the
Finnifh tongue ; but the woman knew no more than this part of
the fong, and no opportunity offered of obtaining the remainder.
It is hoped no reader will be difpleafed at finding here fuch a
fpecimen ef genuine tendernefs, fimplicity, and piety, though in
the form of a lullaby-fong.
«« Sleep on, fleep on, {weet bird of the meadow ; Take thy reft,
*« little redbreaft, take thy reft; God fhall awake thee in his own
‘* good time ; He has made thee a little bough to repofe thee on ;
«« A bough canopied with the leaves of the birch-tree; Sleep ftands
«« at the door, and fays ; The fon of fleep ftands at the door, and
«< fays ; Is there not a little child here; Lying afleep in the cradle ;
«¢ A little child wrapt up in fwaddling cloths; A child repofing
¢¢ under a coverlet of wool. ’—
The laft fpecies of poetry, of which-we fhall make mention, 1s
that which is common both to the Finns and Laplanders ; we
mean thofe runic verfes which are fuppofed to be endowed with
magical and extraordinary virtues. Thefe fongs, which owe their
rife
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