Page:Foreign Tales and Traditions (Volume 1).djvu/10

 With respect to the Legends and Traditions contained in the present volumes, some of them may be thought so wild and extravagant as to render some apology for their insertion necessary. That apology will be found in the light which they are calculated to reflect upon what may be termed the natural history of Imagination—a subject for the illustration of which, more than for the intrinsic merit of the legends themselves, the traditionary literature of all nations is to be accounted valuable. Regarded in this point of view, the pieces to which we refer will be found to place in a strong light the peculiarities both of early imagination in general, and of Teutonic imagination in particular. The most striking circumstance of the former description—which is proved by the character of all traditionary lore whatever, and not least by that of the Northern nations—is the power which the marvellous, simply as such, possesses over the inexperienced mind. To such a mind, whether in a nation or the individual, the interest which wonder inspires is found to be the most powerful of all spells for arresting the attention and exciting the feelings. The philosophy of this circumstance, and of the change which the progress of time and the accumulation of experience produce on national taste, is a subject worthy of attentive investigation; but what we have now to remark is, the striking illustration which the traditions of the North, and of Germany especially, supply of the