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St。 Olaf； indeed； forced Christianity on the Norse at the sword's point；
often by horrid cruelties； and perished in the attempt。 But who forced it
on the Norsemen of Scotland； England； Ireland； Neustria； Russia； and all
the Eastern Baltic？ It was absorbed and in most cases； I believe；
gradually and willingly； as a gospel and good news to hearts worn out with
the storm of their own passions。 And whence came their Christianity？
Much of it； as in the case of the Danes； and still more of the French
Normans； came direct from Rome； the city which； let them defy its
influence as they would； was still the fount of all theology； as well as of all
civilisation。 But I must believe that much of it came from that
mysterious ancient Western Church； the Church of St。 Patric； St。 Bridget；
St。 Columba； which had covered with rude cells and chapels the rocky
islets of the North Atlantic； even to Iceland itself。 Even to Iceland； for
when that island was first discovered； about A。D。 840； the Norsemen
found in an isle； on the east and west and elsewhere； Irish books and bells
and wooden crosses； and named that island Papey； the isle of the popes
some little colony of monks； who lived by fishing； and who are said to
have left the land when the Norsemen settled in it。 Let us believe； for it
is consonant with reason and experience； that the sight of those poor
monks； plundered and massacred again and again by the 〃mailed swarms
of Lochlin；〃 yet never exterminated； but springing up again in the same
place； ready for fresh massacre； a sacred plant which God had planted； and
which no rage of man could trample outlet us believe； I say； that that
sight taught at last to the buccaneers of the old world that there was a
purer manliness； a loftier heroism； than the ferocious self…assertion of the
Berserker； even the heroism of humility； gentleness； self…restraint； self…
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sacrifice； that there was a strength which was made perfect in weakness； a
glory； not of the sword but of the cross。 We will believe that that was the
lesson which the Norsemen learnt； after many a wild and blood…stained
voyage； from the monks of Iona or of Derry； which caused the building of
such churches as that which Sightrys； king of Dublin； raised about the year
1030； not in the Norse but in the Irish quarter of Dublin： a sacred token
of amity between the new settlers and the natives on the ground of a
mon faith。 Let us believe； too； that the influence of woman was not
wanting in the good workthat the story of St。 Margaret and Malcolm
Canmore was repeated； though inversely； in the case of many a heathen
Scandinavian jarl； who； marrying the princely daughter of some Scottish
chieftain； found in her creed at last something more precious than herself；
while his brother or his cousin became； at Dublin or Wexford or Waterford；
the husband of some saffron…robed Irish princess； 〃fair as an elf；〃 as the
old saying was； some 〃maiden of the three transcendent hues；〃 of whom
the old book of Linane says：
Red as the blood which flowed from stricken deer； White as the snow
on which that blood ran down； Black as the raven who drank up that
blood；
… and possibly； as in the case of Brian Boru's mother； had given his
fair…haired sister in marriage to some Irish prince； and could not resist the
spell of their new creed； and the spell too； it may be； of some sister of
theirs who had long given up all thought of earthly marriage to tend the
undying fire of St。 Bridget among the consecrated virgins of Kildare。
I am not drawing from mere imagination。 That such things must
have happened； and happened again and again； is certain to anyone who
knows； even superficially； the documents of that time。 And I doubt not
that； in manners as well as in religion； the Norse were humanised and
civilised by their contact with the Celts； both in Scotland and in Ireland。
Both peoples had valour； intellect； imagination： but the Celt had that
which the burly angular Norse character； however deep and stately； and
however humorous； wanted； namely； music of nature； tenderness； grace；
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rapidity； playfulness； just the qualities； bining with the Scandinavian
（and in Scotland with the Angle） elements of character which have
produced； in Ireland and in Scotland； two schools of lyric poetry second to
none in the world。
And so they were converted to what was then a dark and awful creed；
a creed of ascetic self…torture and purgatorial fires for those who escape
the still more dreadful； because endless； doom of the rest of the human
race。 But； because it was a sad creed； it suited better； men who had；
when conscience re…awakened in them； but too good reason to be sad； and
the minsters and cloisters which sprang up over the whole of Northern
Europe； and even beyond it； along the dreary western shores of Greenland
itself； are the symbols of a splendid repentance for their own sins and for
the sins of their forefathers。
Gudruna herself； of whom I spoke just now； one of those old Norse
heroines who helped to discover America； though a historic personage； is a
symbolic one likewise； and the pattern of a whole class。 She too； after
many journeys to Iceland； Greenland； and Winland； goes on a pilgrimage
to Rome； to get； I presume； absolution from the Pope himself for all the
sins of her strange； rich； stormy； wayward life。
Have you not readmany of you surely haveLa Motte Fouque's
romance of 〃Sintram？〃 It embodies all that I would say。 It is the
spiritual drama of that early Middle Age； very sad； morbid if you will； but
true to fact。 The Lady Verena ought not； perhaps； to desert her husband；
and shut herself up in a cloister。 But so she would have done in those old
days。 And who shall judge her harshly for so doing？ When the
brutality of the man seems past all cure； who shall blame the woman if she
glides away into some atmosphere of peace and purity； to pray for him
whom neither warnings nor caresses will amend？ It is a sad book；
〃Sintram。〃 And yet not too sad。 For they were a sad people； those old
Norse forefathers of ours。 Their Christianity was sad； their minsters sad；
there are few sadder； though few grander； buildings than a Norman church。
And yet； perhaps； their Christianity did not make them sad。 It was
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but the other and the healthier side of that sadness which they had as
heathens。 Read which you will of the old sagasheathen or half…
Christianthe Eyrbiggia； Viga Glum； Burnt Niall； Grettir the Strong； and；
above all； Snorri Sturluson's 〃Heimskringla〃 itself and you will see at
once how sad they are。 There is； in the old sagas； none of that enjoyment
of life which shines out everywhere in Greek poetry； even through its
deepest tragedies。 Not in placency with Nature's beauty； but in the
fierce struggle with her wrath； does the Norseman feel pleasure。 Nature
to him was not； as in Mr。 Longfellow's exquisite poem； ｛3｝ the kind old
nurse； to take him on her knee and whisper to him； ever anew； the story
without an end。 She was a weird witch…wife； mother of storm demons
and frost giants； who must be fought with steadily； warily； wearily； over
dreary heaths and snow…capped fells； and rugged nesses and tossing
sounds； and away into the boundless seaor who could live？… …till he got
hardened in the fight into ruthlessness of need and greed。 The poor strip
of flat strath； ploughed and re…ploughed again in the short summer days；
would yield no more； or wet harvests spoiled the crops； or heavy snows
starved the cattle。 And so the Norseman launched his ships when the
lands were sown in spring； and went forth to pillage or to trade； as luck
would have； to summerted； as he himself called it； and came back； if he
ever came； in autumn to the women to help at harvest…time； with blood
upon his hand。 But had he stayed at home； blood would have been there
still。 Three out of four of them had been mixed up in some man…slaying；
or had some blood…feud to avenge among their own kin。
The whole of Scandinavia； Denmark； Sweden； Norway； Orkney； and
the rest； remind me ever of that terrible picture of the great Norse painter；
Tiddeman； in which two splendid youths； lashed together； in true Norse
duel fashion by the waist； are hewing each other to death with the short
axe； about some hot words over their ale。 The loss of life； and that of the
most gallant of the young； in those days must have been enormous。 If the
vitality of the race had not been even more enormous； they must have
destroyed each other； as the Red Indians have done； off the face of the
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earth。 They lived these Norsemen； not to livethey lived to die。 For
what cared they？ Deathwhat was death to them？ what it was to the
Jomsburger Viking； who； when led out to execution； said to the headsman：
〃Die！ with all pleasure。 We used to question in Jomsburg whether a man
felt when his head was off？ Now I shall know； but if I do； take care； for I
shall smite thee with my knife。 And meanwhile； spoil not this long hair
of mine； it is so beautiful。〃
But； oh！ what waste！ What might not these men have done if they
had sought peace； not war； if they had learned a few centuries sooner to do
justly； and love mercy； and walk humbly with their God？
And yet one loves them； blood…stained as they are。 Your own poets；
men brought up under circumstances； under ideas the most opposite to
theirs； love them； and cannot help it。 And why？ It is not merely for
their bold daring； it is not merely for their stern endurance； nor again that
they had in them that shift and thrift； those steady and mon…sense
business habits； which made their noblest men