ic languages Scott had slight knowledge, though he
was always interested in the northern literatures. In a review of the
_Poems of William Herbert_, of which the part most interesting to the
reviewer consisted of translations from the Icelandic, Scott says: "We
do not pretend any great knowledge of Norse; but we have so far traced
the 'Runic rhyme' as to be sensible how much more easy it is to give a
just translation of that poetry into English than into Latin." In the
same review we find him saying, after a slight discussion of the style
of Scaldic poetry, "The other translations are generally less
interesting than those from the Icelandic. There is, however, one poem
from the Danish, which I transcribe as an instance how very clearly the
ancient popular ballad of that country corresponds with our own." So we
see him drawing from all sources fuel for his favorite fire--the study
of ballads. Very characteristically also Scott suggests that the author
should extend his researches to the popular poetry of Scandinavia,
"which we cannot help thinking is the real source of many of the tales
of our minstrels."[95] It seems probable that Scott's acquaintance with
northern literatures came partly through his ill-fated amanuensis, Henry
Weber.[96] His acknowledgement in the introduction to _Sir Tristrem_
would indicate this, taken together with other references by Scott to
Weber's attainments.

Scott could hardly be called a student of Anglo-Saxon, though he was
perhaps able to read the language. His remarks on the subject may,
however, mean simply that he was familiar with early Middle English.[97]
In his essay on Romance he referred to Sharon Turner's account of the
story of Beowulf, but called the poem Caedmon, and made no correction
when he added the later footnote in regard to Conybeare's fuller and
more interesting analysis published in 1826.[98] The researches of these
men indicate the state of Anglo-Saxon scholarship in England. Sharon
Turner's very inaccurate description of _Beowulf_ was published in 1805.
Danish scholars made the first translations of the poem, but no one
could give a really scholarly text or translation until the year after
Scott died, when the first edition by J.M. Kemble appeared. There were
students of the language, however, who were doing good work in feeling
their way toward a comprehension of its special qualities. One of these
was George Ellis. In his _Specimens_ he published examples of
Anglo-