It is with no disrespect to the unrivalled powers of Scott that I enter my protest here against the false _costume_ of Ivanhoe; a far more serious objection no doubt is the way in which his brilliant contrast, necessary to the success of a romance, has misled the historian. Had Ivanhoe not appeared, we should not have had the many errors which disfigure Thierry’s Conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands. But when Scott makes Ulrica (Ulrica a Saxon female name!) calling upon Zernebock, as a god of her forefathers, he makes her talk absolute nonsense. Some Mecklenburg or Pomeranian Saxons, in the immediate neighbourhood of Slavonic populations, or mingled with them, may possibly have heard of _their_ god Czerny Bog, (_the black god_) contrasted with Bjala Bog, (_the white god_), but assuredly no Anglosaxon ever heard the name of any such deity; nor does the chaunt of the vindictive lady bear one single trace of Saxon character. In every matter of detail, the romance is only calculated to mislead; and this is to be regretted, inasmuch as the beauty of the whole work renders it a certain vehicle of error;—has rendered it already a snare to one estimable author. M. Thierry has related the effect produced upon his mind by Ivanhoe. See his Dix Ans d'Études Historiques: Preface. Footnote 700: Deut. Myth. p. 227. Footnote 701: See Salomon and Saturn, p. 129. ----- From the Gods we pass to the Goddesses: of these we have indeed but scanty record in England. Of the great and venerable goddess Fricge, Wóden’s wife, we are only told that she gave her name to the sixth day of the week; and we must admit that this is all we know of her, unless she be implied under some other name, which is possible. Beda in acquainting us with the ancient names of the Anglosaxon months tells us of four which were called from their especial reference to the gods: these are Solmónað or February; Hréðmónað, March; Eóstermónað, April; and Blótmónað, November. Solmónað he says received its name from the cakes which were offered to the gods at that time[702]; Blótmónað from the victims (cattle) that were vowed for sacrifice; of the others he says[703], “Hréðmónað is called from a goddess of theirs,—Rheda, to whom they sacrificed in that month. Eóstermónað, which is now interpreted by the ‘Paschal month,’ had its name of old from a goddess of theirs named Eostre, to whom in this month they offered celebrations.” ----- Footnote 702: Can this word _sol_ (perhaps _sól_) be a contracted form of _sufl_? If not, I cannot offer an explanation of it. Footnote 703: De Natura Rerum, cap. xv. -----