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chaotic one。 An evil that much demands remedying； and especially wants
some first attempt at remedying； by inquirers into English History； the
whole period from Egbert； the first Saxon King of England； on to Edward
the Confessor； the last； being everywhere completely interwoven with that
of their mysterious； continually invasive 〃Danes；〃 as they call them； and
inextricably unintelligible till these also get to be a little understood； and
cease to be utterly dark； hideous； and mythical to us as they now are。
King Olaf Tryggveson is the first Norseman who is expressly
mentioned to have been in England by our English History books； new or
old； and of him it is merely said that he had an interview with King
Ethelred II。 at Andover； of a pacific and friendly nature；though it is
absurdly added that the noble Olaf was converted to Christianity by that
extremely stupid Royal Person。 Greater contrast in an interview than in
this at Andover； between heroic Olaf Tryggveson and Ethelred the forever
Unready； was not perhaps seen in the terrestrial Planet that day。 Olaf or
〃Olaus；〃 or 〃Anlaf；〃 as they name him； did 〃engage on oath to Ethelred
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
not to invade England any more；〃 and kept his promise； they farther say。
Essentially a truth； as we already know； though the circumstances were all
different； and the promise was to a devout High Priest； not to a crowned
Blockhead and cowardly Do…nothing。 One other 〃Olaus〃 I find mentioned
in our Books； two or three centuries before； at a time when there existed
no such individual； not to speak of several Anlafs； who sometimes seem to
mean Olaf and still oftener to mean nobody possible。 Which occasions not
a little obscurity in our early History； says the learned Selden。 A thing
remediable； too； in which； if any Englishman of due genius （or even
capacity for standing labor）； who understood the Icelandic and Anglo…
Saxon languages； would engage in it； he might do a great deal of good；
and bring the matter into a comparatively lucid state。 Vain aspirations；or
perhaps not altogether vain。
At the time of Olaf Tryggveson's death； and indeed long before； King
Svein Double…Beard had always for chief enterprise the Conquest of
England； and followed it by fits with extreme violence and impetus； often
advancing largely towards a successful conclusion； but never； for thirteen
years yet； getting it concluded。 He possessed long since all England north
of Watling Street。 That is to say； Northumberland； East Anglia （naturally
full of Danish settlers by this time）； were fixedly his； Mercia； his oftener
than not； Wessex itself； with all the coasts； he was free to visit； and to burn
and rob in at discretion。 There or elsewhere； Ethelred the Unready had no
battle in him whatever； and； for a forty years after the beginning of his
reign； England excelled in anarchic stupidity； murderous devastation； utter
misery； platitude； and sluggish contemptibility； all the countries one has
read of。 Apparently a very opulent country； too； a ready skill in such arts
and fine arts as there were； Svein's very ships； they say； had their gold
dragons； top…mast pennons； and other metallic splendors generally
wrought for them in England。 〃Unexampled prosperity〃 in the
manufacture way not unknown there； it would seem！ But co…existing with
such spiritual bankruptcy as was also unexampled； one would hope。 Read
Lupus （Wulfstan）； Archbishop of York's amazing _Sermon_ on the
subject；＇8＇ addressed to contemporary audiences； setting forth such a state
of things；sons selling their fathers； mothers； and sisters as Slaves to the
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EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY。
Danish robber； themselves living in debauchery； blusterous gluttony； and
depravity； the details of which are well…nigh incredible； though clearly
stated as things generally known；the humor of these poor wretches sunk
to a state of what we may call greasy desperation； 〃Let us eat and drink；
for to…morrow we die。〃 The manner in which they treated their own
English nuns； if young； good…looking； and captive to the Danes； buying
them on a kind of brutish or subter…brutish 〃Greatest Happiness Principle〃
（for the moment）； and by a Joint…Stock arrangement； far transcends all
human speech or imagination； and awakens in one the momentary red…hot
thought； The Danes have served you right； ye accursed！ The so…called
soldiers； one finds； made not the least fight anywhere； could make none；
led and guided as they were； and the 〃Generals〃 often enough traitors；
always ignorant； and blockheads； were in the habit； when expressly
commanded to fight； of taking physic； and declaring that nature was
incapable of castor…oil and battle both at once。 This ought to be explained
a little to the modern English and their War…Secretaries； who undertake the
conduct of armies。 The undeniable fact is； defeat on defeat was the
constant fate of the English； during these forty years not one battle in
which they were not beaten。 No gleam of victory or real resistance till the
noble Edmund Ironside （whom it is always strange to me how such an
Ethelred could produce for son） made his appearance and ran his brief
course； like a great and far…seen meteor； soon extinguished without result。
No remedy for England in that base time； but yearly asking the victorious；
plundering； burning and murdering Danes； 〃How much money will you
take to go away？〃 Thirty thousand pounds in silver； which the annual
_Danegelt_ soon rose to； continued to be about the average yearly sum；
though generally on the increasing hand； in the last year I think it had risen
to seventy…two thousand pounds in silver； raised yearly by a tax （Income…
tax of its kind； rudely levied）； the worst of all remedies； good for the day
only。 Nay； there was one remedy still worse； which the miserable Ethelred
once tried： that of massacring 〃all the Danes settled in England〃
（practically； of a few thousands or hundreds of them）； by treachery and a
kin