The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

262 RUSSIA IN EUROPE.breathing a deep poetic spirit. At the time of the Reformation a small religiousliterature sprang up in Prussian Lithuania, which was afterwards increased bysome Lithuanian and Lettish works prepared by the Polish Jesuits.But there isno current literature beyond a few almanacs, and in Prussia a single newspaper,some religious and didactic works, grammars, dictionaries, and collections of songs.The very antiquity of this Aryan dialect, older than Greek, Latin, Celtic,German, or Slavonic, has suggested the idea that the Lithuanians reached Europebefore the other members of the Aryan family. It is easy to see that they mayhave preceded the Russians, since they occupy a region west of the Muscoviteplains. But how can they have been settled here before the Germans and Celts nowfound in Central and "West Europe ? The phenomenon may perhaps be explainedby supposing the Lithuanians to have been driven northwards, and away from thegreat highways of migration, while the various Aryan families were advancingwestwards along the plateau between the Dnieper and Xiemen basins. Protectedby extensive marshes and almost impenetrable forests, the Lithuanians may havethus remained unaffected by the other migrating tribes, and to this isolation may alsobe attributed the persistence oftheir primitive culture and religious organization.Still they had often to fight in defence of their secluded lands, which they didwith the frenzy characteristic of peace-loving races when disturbed in their repose.The Lithuanians are mostly tall and well made, though lacking the pliancyand natural grace of the Slavs. Amongst them more rarely than amongst theRussians are met those flat features imparting a certain Mongolian cast.The faceis oval, with long and thin nose, thin lips, blue eyes, white skin, and on the wholethey approach nearer to the German than to the Slav type. The women have afresh appearance, with soft eyes and touching expression, and handsome featuresare by no means rare. The peasantry show a striking contrast to the Poles inthe simplicity of their dress, avoiding gaudy colours, ribbons, &c. Michelet,comparing them with the Poles, calls the latter " children of the sun," the former" children of the shade." Their songs, or da'inos, show them as shrewd observers,at times mildly sarcastic, gentle, sad, full of feeling for nature. Notwithstandingmany stormy days and great natioual leaders, they have preserved the memory of nosingle hero ; they sing of no warlike deeds, and rather than boast of their triumphs,weep for those that fell on the battle-field. Their national songs are favourablydistinguished by a marked reserve and delicacy of sentiment. They have deepaffections, but never give public expression to them in unbecoming language.all European tongues, Lithuanian, while destitute of augmentatives, is richest in fondand endearing diminutives, which may be multiplied indefinitely by being appliedto verbs and adverbs as well as to nouns and adjectives. These diminutives ofendearment impart a peculiar tone to their songs, which, however, abound alsoin expressions of grief, sadness, at times even of despair. Much of the originalliterature consists of raudas—that is, songs of mourning or of farewell—and ofwailings for the dead analogous to the roccri of the Corsicans, but without thefierce strain of violence mingled with the grief of southern races. The poetryof the Lithuanians has the sadness, one might say, of a people that is dying out.Of