The Sun was not in the mythology of the north a god, but a goddess. She was married to the Moon, and from this union sprung the Stars, — the daughters of the Sun. They married the sons of Deevas, and each received at her wedding but a small marriage-portion of Light, while the children and grandchildren of these marriages, the smaller and smallest stars, were still more scantily provided. The Lettes could not have imagined the Sun and Moon very powerful deities, as they were often overpowered for a time by witches, demons, &c., which occasioned eclipses of the sun and moon, during whose duration the Lettes were always very much troubled and dismayed. Sometimes, It was said, the moon had much to suffer from his jealous partner, on account of the flirtations which he caiTied on every night with the pretty young stars. The sun, to punish these infidelities, would occasionally chop her husband all to pieces, till he promised better behaviour ; and in this way it was that the Lettes accounted for the mutilated shape in which the moon sometimes appeared in the heavens.
If Christianity has not eradicated this old heathen mythology, still less has it done away with the belief in multitudes of goblins, household spirits, fairies, witches, and other supernatural beings. Prehkina Is a little old fairy who presides over rats, mice, toads, house-snakes, and other domestic reptiles ; Dehhla is a benevolent little spirit, and w-atches over sleeping infants ; Uftjlnsh (yellow breeches), is supposed to exercise particidar authority over the bees ; and Mahyas Kiings and Mehslu Bahha, arc household deities, who bring good and evil into every house ; on the latter in particular the blame Is laid when the house is more than usual untidy. The Lettes have days on which they sacrifice to these spirits, by setting out food for them in their gardens or houses, or under old oak-trees.
There are few nations in Europe whose history is so entirely without brilliant periods and striking characters, and so entirely stationary and monotonous as that of the Lettes. Although the love of freedom ;uid independence must certalnjy exist to a certain degree in their chai'acter, because it is a natural and inxtingubhablc principle in Immoii nature,
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yet tliey appear totally wanting in the energy, resolution, and courage, npcessary to attain and preserve so inestimable a treasure. The social principle, the tendency to associate, and cling together, is remarkably weak in them. They have never even formed a villag-e, much less a city or a state. In some nations all forces seem to have been so divided, arranged, and united, as was best calculated to forward the great work of society. The Lettes seem to have acted on the opposite principle, of splitting and dividing every force, to the total prevention of social greatness.
Since the earliest period of which we have any record, every Lette has always brewed his own beer, and built his own house, and every family has always made its own clothes ; there was therefore no occasion and no opportunity for tailors, masons, brewers, and other tradesmen to spring up. Every liousehold has always kept a great deal to itself, without associating much with others ; and this has prevented the rise of great and powerful families. Society remained anarchical because every man desired to remain independent and isolated on his own bit of land. It is probably on account of this repelling and unsocial spirit, that a race, gifted with so many talents and so much natural intelligence, should have remained for hundreds of years so thoroughly insignificant and useless. Scarcely a nation can be named who would not appear bold, spirited, and energetic, compared to the Lettes. They are soft-hearted, timid, and fearful, childlike and childish, quiet and resigned to good and evil fortune, and all these good and bad qualities unfit them for any thing but servitude and dependance. The spirit of trade and speculation is as deficient in the Lette as it is conspicuous in the Russian. They never wander from place to place, but cling like plants to the little spot of land to which they belong, bitter as is often their lot in the land of their fathers. The poetical and dreamy tendency of their minds tends to unfit them for active independent life. Lost in the fictitious joy or sorrow of their poetry, they as easily forget their duties and wants, as they do their hardships and misfortunes.
Truly it is with a heavy heart and vnth most fervent and grieving pity, that the humane observer must contemplate these poor dumb tribes of the