if to show the close union of all the members

it still lies amongst the coals with a hammer so a Wila, and after they have passed through as to make the sparks fly up, he exclaims, 'So twelve schools or orders of Wilas, they are many sparks, so many oxen, horses, goats, sheep, initiated into the Wrsino Kolo (magic circle), pigs, bee-hives, so much good luck and blessing!' The mistress of the house throws a veil over the after which they can at will command fair visitor, and the budniak is carried into the oror foul weather, &c. Of every twelve dischard. They do not go to church; but at din- ciples initiated into their mysteries the Wilas ner-time each stands with a lighted taper in his retain one amongst themselves. Any one hand. Holding these, they pray and kiss one surprising them when dancing or feasting another, with the words, The peace of God! would be severely handled. A beautiful Truly Christ is born; we adore him.' Then, as ballet, called "The Wilas," was lately reof the family, the father of the family collects presented in France, and may contribute to the tapers yet burning, and binding them toge- illustrate the legend. These symbolical fanther, sticks them into a bowl filled with ches-cies, the remains of ancient tradition, spread nitza and all kinds of grain which has been over all Europe and Asia, reflected on the brought in. and extinguishes them with the national restricted and simple life, form the grains. The chesnitza is an unleavened cake of groundwork of those remarkable productions, a peculiar shape; the individual to whose share the Servian songs. on breaking the cake the piece of gold baked therein falls, is considered as destined to be more These songs are a kind of common national fortunate during the year than all the rest. The property, no individual having ever claimed table is not cleared, nor the room swept; it re- to be their author. They were first collectmains for three days open to all comers. The ed in 1816 by Wuk Stefanowitch, who was salutation of Christ is born, and the re- secretary to Prince Milosch, and became sponse, Truly he is born,' remains in use until known in Europe through the exertions of New Year's Day."-pp. 31, 34. eminent German men of letters. Goethe Whilst the idea of the divine presence wrote a critique upon them; J. Grimm philothus unites families in the bonds of peace logically explained them, and Herr Gerhard and harmony, the next question is to what and Fräulein von Jakob each gave an excelpower the Servians ascribe the existence of lent translation of them. The English pubevil? They solve this difficulty in a twofold lic are indebted for their knowledge of them manner. In things of smaller import they to Dr. Bowring, who attempted a translation admit the agency of malignant spirits, im- of them, knowing as little (i. e. nothing) of puting the sudden death of children to witch- the Servian language as he did of Poland and es (iesztyca), and that of adults to the Russia, with the anthologies of which latter Vampyr, or Wukodlak; but more general he has also favoured us. As regards Engcalamities, such as the plague, they look land, therefore, these songs share the fate of upon as visitations from God for the sins of many other continental matters, supposed to They figure to themselves the plague, be well known in this country, that is, scarceunder a female form, pale and shrouded in a ly known at all beyond their name. As it veil on which she sails from place to place, and from house to house, and some of the plague-stricken are said to have seen and even spoken to this messenger of desolation. One of the most strange creations of the fancy of the Servians is the Wilas. Swift and beautiful, their hair floating in the wind, these phantoms dwell in the forest depths, or on the banks of rivers. It is uncertain whether they are immortal or not, but their The Gusl, a musical instrument much in power exceeds that of man, and they know favour with all Slavonian poets, is to be met the future. Some individuals can hold comwith in every house in Servia, and these songs munication with them, and by their means are always sung to its accompaniment. During know more than the rest of mankind. Such the winter evenings when the family are gathpersons have been marked at their birth by ered round the fire, and the women are occupied in spinning, he of the company who is A similar custom prevailed in the primitive best able begins his song. Aged men too, as times, when the Christians of all Churches saluted a recreation after labour, sing to their young each other on Easter morn with the words, "Christ sons, who receive thus their first instruction is risen" to which reply was made, "And hath in the ways of the world. Neither is it conappeared unto Simon." The usage is still retain-sidered dishonourable to the Igumen (the su ed by the Greek Church. See Dr. Smith's Account

was, however, through these songs that the Servian people again entered within the pale of European civilisation, we feel bound to say something concerning them. But our task is difficult, and Goethe himself failed, as we think, to do them justice, owing to his ignorance of the social habits of the people, the outline of which the foregoing extracts have furnished us.

of the Greek Church, p. 32; Wheatley on Common perior) of a monastery to sing to his gusl, Prayer, p. 229. though this species of singing is rather a reci

blessed union, and it tells how the mother now gives to her child the wreath which she formerly cast into the stream to expand there, and how the child throws it on a heap of dirt. Also how she quarrels so intolerably with her mother-in-law, that the swallow congratulates the cuckoo that she is not compelled to listen to their disputes. One characteristic feature is a comparison_drawn between certain of the affections. The lover gaining the preference over the brother, and the brother over the husband.

The jealousy of the wife against her sister is carried even to murder. The sanctity of the already mentioned adoptive brotherhood is represented as so great, that two such brothers slay a Turkish maiden beloved by both, that she may not sever the tie between them. The events of life are all painted so truly and so vividly that we see them, as it were, lying beneath us as in a bird's eye view.

tation with the monotonous accompaniment of not conceal from view what lurks behind the the single-stringed instrument, the sound of which falls usually on the last syllable of a verse. The heroic song is sung principally at great meetings, and also at inns, where gambling being a thing unknown amongst them, it forms their sole amusement. On solemn occasions professional singers, generally blind men, take the lead, and often move their hearers to tears. Even those Servians who have embraced Islamism still acknowledge the power of their poetry, and Christian and Mohammedan parties have often one and the same song, with the sole difference that each confers victory upon his co-religionary hero. Some Mohammedan Servians once saved the life of a Christian singer, because of the pleasure they took in his songs. Thus poetry unites the whole Servian nation, though separated by religion. On the mountain where boys tend the flocks, in the valley where the reapers gather in the corn, in the depth of the forest, the traveller hears alike the echo of those songs, ever the solace of the men in all their various occupations. And what is the burden of those songs so closely interwoven with the existence of the people? They are nothing but a spiritual reproduction of the actual condition of the nation, and without the knowledge of this it is impossible to understand them. They are, too, a part of that universal poetry in the existence of which Goethe was a firm believer, and the tenour of universal poetry is nothing else than truth itself, only viewed through some special prism of the human mind. These songs may be divided into two kinds; the one embracing the lyrics, or songs proper, and the other historic songs, neither of which can be truly appreciated except when both are view. ed as constituting one single national poem. Of the first we may remark that they are not inferior to the best of the French songster Beranger, and have the further merit that they never offend the rules of decency. The song first carries us to a home scene, but it does not stay long with the cultivator "who has black hands but eats white bread." It dwells more willingly with the aged man whose white beard waves venerably; whose soul when he comes from church is in such pure tune that it resembles the breath of flowers ;-and it lingers about the affections by which families are reared and maintained. It delights in the joy of the maiden, who plays and dances, and is as a flower. It follows her rising affection from its first budding to the moment when she intrusts it to a wreath cast by her into a stream-to the moment of her union with the chosen one, which is portrayed with surpassing beauty. But the song does

The heroism celebrated by the Servian song is only that of robbers, for such only was known prior to the late revolution. Robbery is justified as being carried on against the Turks, the infidels, full of deceit and rich through evil practices. "Robbery,' says the song, "has amassed their treasure-let robbery take it back. The robber dwells on the confines of the land, and is like the eagle soaring in the air." The thousand perils encountered by the robber are strongly imaged. The rocks behind which he watches-the cave where he hides till he almost perishes by hunger, and whence he issues forth to victory-all is minutely described. It is usual to introduce him first in the act of seizing his gun, which holds here the same place as did the bow of antiquity, and taking unerring aim at his victim. Besides these horrors, the songs yet contain something better. The master cares for his captive, and leads him out of the dungeon that he may inhale fresh air, and warm himself in the sun, and then dismisses him to his home, with no other surety for his ransom than God, as the song tells us. The following is a beautiful trait: The young wife, led to her spouse's home, refuses to dismount until he delivers to her the keys of the prison, that she may set at liberty the captives. Sentiments in which extremes combine, such as of the old father, who, when the head of his son's murderer is brought to him, exclaims, "Blessed to me this day, and for ever!" and then dies in peace, are drawn in all their naked truth. Such is man generally in this stage of existence, and such the Servian also ;-such the hero-such the bard!

In the historic songs, the history of the na

tion has been preserved with remarkable truth and vitality. Of the early times there are indeed no traces; but all that refers to the reign of Duszen, to his death, the minority of his successor, and the factions to which the country fell a prey, has been strictly recorded. Finally, there arises from the royal family the national hero, Marko Kralie witch, who fears nothing and none save the true God. He takes the supreme power from the uncles of the legitimate owner, and restores him to his rights; and certainly a hero cannot be more truly represented. For this act he receives blessings and curses, and both are fulfilled. This leads to a further development of the drama.

Marko was warned that his country should serve the Turks; and the second cycle of the songs, called Lasaritza, records the fall of Servia. The defeat of the Servians, revealed in a dream to Milosh, one of the most generous amongst the heroes of the house of Lasar, was announced by a heavenly messenger to the King, who, in consequence, with drew previous to the battle. The valour of the combatants and the death of the fallen are beautifully pictured.

The

his sword is still suspended, and his horse feeds on moss. When the sword shall fall, and the horse want moss, Marko will awake and return. Herein we have a fine figure of the condition and hope of the nation. It is evident from the foregoing imperfect sketch, that when, on the one hand, a nation is daily outraged in her most sacred sentiments by her conquerors, and on the other preserves a living recollection of the whole past, both parties must, sooner or later, come into violent collision, through not a blind, but a rational, necessity inherent in all human affairs. Such a state of things is like the smouldering spark, that may in a moment burst forth and envelop all around in a terrific blaze. Such a mo. ment, too, arrived sooner than was expected either by the Turks or the Servians.

One element of an insurrection on the part of the Servians was the heyducks, or robbers, whose heroism we have seen praised in the songs. Whosoever knew his life to be menaced by the Turks, fled to the mountains and became a robber, whose occupation was to intercept convoys of money on their way to Constantinople; yet as this stigma sullied their trade in the eyes of the people, they might only co-operate in, but could never originate, an insurrection. A more immediate element lay in the discord of the Turks. Many janissaries had possessions in Servia, and were no less dangerous to the Pasha of Belgrad, than their brethren to the sultan at Constantinople, since, not satisfied with oppressing the rajas, they endeavoured to overrule the spahi, and to possess themselves of all power. Fifteen distinguished spahi were murdered at once by them, under their chief, Deli Achmet, and their crimes were still on the increase when the war with Austria broke out in 1791.

Marko, to whom the third cycle of the songs refers, was not present in the battle, but the cause of his absence is not told. He is represented as a mysterious being, unlike ordinary men. He lives 160 years, as does also his horse, to which he gives wine instead of water out of the bowl from which he himself drinks; he rides on a dragon, and neither sword nor axe can harm him. Even a Wila, who had killed a companion of his, is vanquished by him, and can only induce him to set her free, by promising him her friendship, and her assistance in all times of need. strange part of the song is, that after having A remarkable feature of that war was, that endued him with such wonderful qualities, it numerous Servians joined a body of their next represents him as serving the Turks. We countrymen organized by Austria, and once cannot follow our hero through the prodigious more fought against the infidels, and learnt details of this his service; let it suffice to say, the use of arms. After the conclusion of that he alternately becomes the deliverer and peace, Ebu Bekir, the Pasha of Belgrad, the master of the sultan, whom, however, he combined both with the spahi and the Servi must ultimately serve. Goethe, puzzled ans against the janissaries, whom he contrived what to make of this extraordinary personage, to banish by a firman, after murdering their satisfied himself with likening him to the chief. The property of the victims was conGrecian Hercules, or the Persian Rustan; but fiscated; and they retired into the adjacent there seems little doubt that the Servian na- provinces to seek for assistance. They soon tion personified herself in this Marko, and found a protector in Passvan Oglu, of Widwith remarkable fidelity to historic truth. din, who being then in open revolt against One poem of admirable simplicity and irre- the sultan, and having collected a band of sistible pathos, tells how the invulnerable was 10,000 men, taken from the dregs of socieat last killed by God-" the Killer of Old." ty, readily consented to join the janissaries Others represent him as still alive; and re- against the Pasha of Belgrad; but the latter, late that when Marko perceived, for the first with the support of the spahi and the rajas, time in his life, the sure aim of a gun level- to whom he furnished arms, resisted successled at him, he retired into the forest, where fully his enemies. This success was unavail

ing; for the Porte, following the advice of tria. As entire secrecy was preserved as to the mufti, declared that it was contrary to who were destined to die, universal terror the law of the prophet to despoil the faithful spread over the land, and the poorest indiof their property in behalf of the rajas, made viduals also feared for their lives. The peace with Passvan Oglu, and ordered the young and the strong embraced the profes pasha to receive back the janissaries. The sion of Heyduks, and, except old men and latter, shortly after, revolted against the pa- children, none were left in the villages to sha, murdered him, and took possession of meet the Turks. Belgrad, at the same time requesting the sulfan to send them another pasha, as the late one was a bad Turk, who favoured the rajas, and had received his appointed reward.

Meanwhile four janissaries usurped the supreme power under the name of Dahi, following perhaps the example of Dai of the Barbaresks, and left to the newly-appointed pasha, Assan Oglu, little more than the mere name of his dignity. They introduced an administration of their own into the towns and villages which they intrusted to men taken from the rabble. It was now the turn of the spahi to fly, and some idea of the general and extreme oppression exercised by the usurpers may be formed from the petition addressed to the sultan by the Servian knese.

*

"We are already plundered of everything by the dahi, so that we are obliged to make our very girdles of mere bast, still the oppressors are not satisfied, and will have our very souls, religion, and honour. No husband is secure of his wife, no father of his child, no brother of his sister. Convent and church, monk and priest, all have been outraged. If thou art still czar, come and deliver us from the evil doers; or if thou wilt not rescue us, at least tell us so, that we may determine either to fly to the mountains and woods, or end our lives in the rivers."-p

57.

As if the sultan had only threats for his subjects, he made no reply to the Servians, further than by intimating to the dahi, that should they persist in their conduct, he would send against them an army, though not of Turks, since it would grieve him to see the faithful in strife with the faithful; but composed of men differing in religion and race, and it should be done unto them as had never yet been done to any Turks. The dahi deliberated whether he meant Russians or Austrians, and finally came to the conclusion that no other than the Servians could be meant. They resolved in consequence to exterminate all such as possessed any kind of influence in the country, and in February of 1809, they carried into effect this barbarous design upon their unsuspecting victims, with the exception of those who escaped into Aus

• Bast. Unnoticed as a word by Johnson."Lime-tree bark made into ropes and mats." (Bailey.)

The germ of a deep-rooted hostility between both parties thus reached maturity, and both now stood arrayed in arms, the Turks as janissaries, and the Servians as heyduks. The latter lost no time in rousing the country. Descending towards the Danube and the Sava. Servia divides into three parts, of which the middle, called Shumadia, is the largest. The tract which is separated by the Morava on the right, and by the Kolubava on the left, constitutes the two other provinces. In each of these, the insurrection broke out under different chiefs; namely, in Schumadia, under Crni Georges, called by the Turks, Kara Georges, formerly a heyduk; and in the two others, under Jacob Nenadowitch, Milenko, and Peter Dobriniatz. The Servians soon became masters of the whole land, compelling the Turks to shut themselves up in strong places. The Servians then said amongst themselves, 'Every house has a chief; the nation also must know whom she is to follow ;' and in a general assembly, Kara Georges, who had lately so much distinguished himself, was proclaimed chief of the nation, though without sovereign power, several chiefs of equal authority being associated with him. At first he declined, giving as an excuse, the hesitation of his speech, owing to which he was unfitted to make long discourses, but must kili on the spot whomsoever should oppose him; but on being assured that such prompt severity was precisely what was needed, he accepted the charge. The character of this remarkable man-a strange mixture of the sublime and the ludicrous-deserves to be better known, were it only as being a mere psychological phenomenon. Herr Ranke thus speaks of him:

Georges Petrowitch Kara, or Crni, the black, was the son of a peasant called Petroni, and was born in the village of Wiszewzi, in the district of Kragujewatz, between the years 1760 and 1770. In his early youth be removed with his parents higher up the mountain to Topole. At

the very beginning of the commotions which arose in the country in 1787, on the expectation of an invasion of the Austrians, even before this occurred, he took a part which influenced his whole subsequent life. He saw himself constrained to fly, and, as he would not leave his father behind, he carried off with him all his

possessions and his cattle, and went towards the banks of the Sawa. The nearer they approached this river, the more sad did his father

become, and he often counselled his son to return. Once more, and in the most urgent manner when they beheld the Sawa before them, he said, We will humble ourselves and we shall obtain forgiveness. Go not into Germany, my son; so may my bread prosper to thee, go not. Georges remained inexorable; the father also at length became equally resolute, and said, 'Cross over, then, alone; I will remain in this land.'- How,' replied Kara Georges, should I survive after the Turks shall have slowly tortured thee to death? Better that I should kill thee on the spot. He seized his pistol, shot his father, and caused a servant to give the finishing stroke to the dying man. When he came to the next village, he said to the people, ‘Bury for me the old man who lies yonder, and drink a death-cup to his soul.'

6

"He was a very singular man. He would often sit whole days without speaking, biting his nails. Sometimes, when he was spoken to, he shook his head and made no answer.

"When he drank wine he was talkative. When once cheerful, he would lead a dance. He heeded not pomp and magnificence; in the time of his greatest prosperity, he was always seen in his old blue trowsers, in a much worn short pelisse and in his well-known black cap. Even his daughter, during the time that her father exercised princely authority, might be seen carrying her vessel of water like the other maidens of the village; and yet, strange to say, he was not insensible to the charm of gold. He used to follow the plough, and cultivate the ground; he had spoilt his Russian orders whilst fastening on the hoop of a cask.

"It was only in battle that he showed his warlike disposition. When the Servians saw him coming-he was easy to be recognised, being a man of high stature, broad shouldered, and his countenance rendered striking by a large nose-they ever took courage. He used to leap from his horse, for he preferred fighting on foot." -pp. 115-117.

the pasha told them to return to their homes and ploughs, as all was at an end. But it was not yet even le commencement de la fin.

It was hard that the Servians who had not taken arms from any love of innovation, but merely to put down an usurped power dangerous to the Porte, should return to their former condition without any guarantee for their future security. Abandoned by the sultan to the fury of his Turks, now in possession of Belgrad, which commands the whole country, they, in 1804, besought Russia to interfere in their behalf, and in April, 1805, were told that they should make their complaints at Constantinople, where attention would be paid to them. The result was, that the Porte despatched some delegates to Servia to make peace; but as these had no power to grant the request of the Servians that they should be permitted to retain their arms, and to garrison fortresses, an order was issued to Asis, Pasha of Nish, to disarm and chastise the rebellious rajahs.

The Servians, on their part, were well prepared to receive the pasha, whom they defeated in several battles, and compelled to fly back to his pashalik. This, however, was comparatively an easy beginning; for in the commencement of the year 1806, the sultan sent against them the Pasha of Bosnia, Bekir, and Ibrahim of Scutari, each with 30,000 men. The country was placed in extreme jeopardy, from which it was rescued solely by Kara Georges, who, on that occasion, showed himself truly great. When the other chiefs desponded, he, with an inconsiderable force, took his station at Miszar, near Szabatz, where for two days he made a most heroic resistance against the Turks. The latter were astonished, but did not lose their hope of victory. They caused the Servians to be told, 'You have held out well for two days. We try once more, and then it shall be seen who is to possess this land.' They were so confident of success, that they allowed the people of the neighbourhood to look on the battle from the trees, that they might see how the heyduks would be punished. But The dahi having made several unsuccess- the third day rose only to witness the comful attacks on the Servians, the latter next plete overthrow of the Turks, and the flower proceeded to assault the fortresses, took them of their army was cut off, not excepting the one after another, and finally laid siege to Seraskier himself. The Servians managed Belgrad. The attention of the grand vizier their fire so well, that, as they said, every being at length drawn to this war, carried on, bullet went right into the flesh. No less as he was told, by the Servians for the sultan, glorious was the stand made by Peter Dohe despatched Bekir, Pasha of Bosnia, with briniatz at Deligrad against Ibrahim, who 3000 troops to put an end to it in conjunc. vainly attacked him with his whole army tion with them. When Bekir appeared be- during six days. The Turks sued for peace, fore Belgrad, the dahi fled, but the Servians and the country was saved for the moment. would not be satisfied without their heads We witness once more the triumph of an should be delivered to them. Thereupon | European over an Asiatic race in this strug

He was so illiterate that he could not even write. He was just, impartial, but severe even to barbarity; when he condemned his only brother to death, whom he loved much, he forbade his mother to weep. At times he was generous and mild to excess.