Praise the day at even-tide; a woman at her burying; a sword when
    it has been tried; a maid when she is married; ice when
    you have crossed over it; ale when it is drunk.

If there is anything noteworthy in English character to-day it is the exemplification of this very kind of teaching.  This is essentially Northern.  The last people from whom praise can be expected, even for what is worthy of all praise, are the English.  A new friendship, a new ideal, a reform, a noble action, a wonderful poet, an exquisite painting—­any of these things will be admired and praised by every other people in Europe long before you can get Englishmen to praise.  The Englishman all this time is studying, considering, trying to find fault.  Why should he try to find fault?  So that he will not make any mistakes at a later day.  He has inherited the terrible caution of his ancestors in regard to mistakes.  It must be granted that his caution has saved him from a number of very serious mistakes that other nations have made.  It must also be acknowledged that he exercises a fair amount of moderation in the opposite direction—­this modern Englishman; he has learned caution of another kind, which his ancestors taught him.  “Power,” says the “Havamal,” “should be used with moderation; for whoever finds himself among valiant men will discover that no man is peerless.”  And this is a very important thing for the strong man to know—­that however strong, he can not be the strongest; his match will be found when occasion demands it.  Not only Scandinavian but English rulers have often discovered this fact to their cost.  Another matter to be very anxious about is public opinion.

    Chattels die; kinsmen pass away; one dies oneself; but I know
    something that never dies—­the name of the man, for good or bad.

Do not think that this means anything religious.  It means only that the reputation of a man goes to influence the good or ill fortune of his descendants.  It is something to be proud of, to be the son of a good man; it helps to success in life.  On the other hand, to have had a father of ill reputation is a very serious obstacle to success of any kind in countries where the influence of heredity is strongly recognized.

I have nearly exhausted the examples of this Northern wisdom which I selected for you; but there are two subjects which remain to be considered.  One is the law of conduct in regard to misfortune; and the other is the rule of conduct in regard to women.  A man was expected to keep up a brave heart under any circumstances.  These old Northmen seldom committed suicide; and I must tell you that all the talk about Christianity having checked the practice of suicide to some extent, can not be fairly accepted as truth.  In modern England to-day the suicides average nearly three thousand a year; but making allowance for extraordinary circumstances, it is certainly true that the Northern races consider suicide in an entirely