with the history of the creation of the world and of man kind, as taught in the Odinic faith, the reader is referred to Mythology, in which the subject is treated more at length. The historical explanation of Asgard, as given by the early northern authorities, is that, in the country called Asaheim to the east of Tanagvise (the Tanais or Don) in Asia, there was a city, Asgard, in which ruled a great chief, known as Odin or Woden, who presided over the religious sacrifices which were held there. At that time the Roman generals were marching over the world, and reducing nations to subjection, and Odin, fore knowing that he and his posterity would occupy the northern lands, and unwilling to encounter the Romans, left Asaheim with a vast multitude of followers, and wan dered first westward to Garclerike (Russiu/, and afterwards to Saxland (North and East Germany). After some time he proceeded northward, till at length he came to the Malar Lake in Sweden, where he settled at a place known as Sigtuna, the present Upsala. His twelve diar, or chief priests, in the course of time founded states for themselves, and everywhere set up the laws and usages which they had followed in Asaheim. Here we have an historical link with the mythic story of Odin s halls in Asgard, and his twelve attendant ^sir ; but we have no means of fixing the date of the events referred to. It has been conjectured that Odin may have lived at the time when Mithridates Eupator was defying the armies of Rome, 120-80 B.C. ; and that, to avoid subjection to either power, he and other Sarmatian or Caucasian chiefs left their settlements on the Black Sea, and wandered forth in search of new and independent homes, to the north and west of the primary Asiatic scat of their tribes. It is not im probable that traditionary records of such earlier migra tions had lingered among the people dwelling on the shores of the Euxine, for it is certain that, whatever may be the age of Odin s appearance in Scandinavia, previous waves of population had passed from the Black Sea to the Baltic, and cleared the way for the reception of that highest phase of Aryan civilisation brought to Northern Europe
by Odin and his followers.ASGILL, John, an eccentric writer Avho flourished during part of the 17th and 18th centuries. The exact date of his birth is uncertain. He was bred to the law, and gained considerable reputation, not only by his skill in his profession, but from his first published writings. These consisted of two pamphlets the first advocating the establishment of some currency other than the usual gold and silver, the second on the registry for titles of lands. His affairs, however, became embarrassed; and in 1099, when a commission was appointed to settle disputed claims in Ireland, he set out for that country, attracted by the hopes of practice. Before leaving London he put in the hands of the printer a tract, entitled An Argument proving that, according to the Covenant of Eternal Life revealed in the Scripture, Man may be translated from hence into that Eternal Life without passing through Death. The fame of this extraordinary pamphlet, in which Asgill spoke of dying as an unnecessary and foolish custom, preceded the author, and was of material service in securing his pro fessional success. He amassed money, and purchased an estate, which unfortunately involved him in a lengthy liti gation. In 1703 he took his seat in the Irish Parliament, but was dismissed after four days on account of his so- called blasphemous pamphlet. In 1705 he sat in the English Parliament for Bramber ; but in 1707 he was ex pelled, nominally on account of his unlucky pamphlet, but really, perhaps, because of his debts. The remainder of his life he spent in the Fleet and King s Bench prisons, in one of which he died in 1738. He wrote a number of pam phlets on the Pretender and on the Hanoverian succession. Several of his tracts were collected, and published in London, 1715.
ASH (French, Frcne, German, Esche) is the name given to several kinds of trees. The taller or common ash (Fraximts excelsior) belongs to the Natural Order Oleaccce, the olive family. It is distinguished by its fruit, which is dry and winged. Normally the fruit should be two-celled and two-seeded ; but generally, by abortion, there is only one cavity and one seed. The Hebrew word Oren, translated ash in Isaiah xliv. 14, cannot refer to an ash tree, as that is not a native of Palestine, but probably to the Syrian pine (Pinus halepensis). The ash is indigenous in Europe, and also extends to Asia. The tree is distin guished for its height and contour, as well as for its grace ful foliage. It is one of the most useful of British trees as regards both timber and rapidity of growth. The tree attains a height of from 50 to 80 feet, and flowers in March and April, before the leaves are developed. It thrives best in a dry loamy soil, and, as it exhausts the soil in which it grows, it injures plants growing near it. The flowers grow in clusters, but are not showy. The leaves are compound, and unequally pinnate. A variety of ash, called Fraxinus hclcrophylla, diverse-leaved, has simple leaves. Another variety of ash is met with in which the branches are pendulous and weeping. Sometimes this variety is grafted on the tall stem of the common ash, so as to produce a pleasing effect. It is said that the weeping variety was first observed at Gamlingay, in Cam bridgeshire. A variety also occurs with curled leaves, and another with warty stems and branches, called Fraxinus vcrrucosa. In Europe there is also a small-leaved ash, called Fraxinus parvifolia. In America there are several additional species such as Fraxinus americana, the white American ash ; F. 2>ubescens, the black ash ; and F. sam- bucifolia, the winter ash. Another plant which bears the name of ash is Fraxinus Ornus, or, more properly, Ormis europa>a, the flowering or manna ash. Another species is Ornus rotiindifoha, the round-leaved manna ash. The manna ash is a small tree found in Italy, and extending to Switzerland, South Tyrol, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, and Asia Minor. It also grows in the islands of Sicily, Cor sica, and Sardinia. It blossoms early in summer, produc ing numerous clusters of whitish flowers. The word manna was first applied to the food supplied miraculously to the Israelites in the desert, but what it was cannot be deter mined. The name is now given to various saccharine exudations. The manna of commerce is collected almost entirely in Sicily from the manna ash. In order to get it, transverse cuts are made deep into the bark, so as to allow the manna to exude. The best kind is called "flake" manna. It consists of manna sugar, or mannite. The mountain ash belongs to a totally different family from the common ash. It is called Pyrus aucuparia, and belongs to the Natural Order Rosacece, and the tribe Pomecc, which includes also apples, pears, &c. Its common name in Scot land is the rowan tree, and it is well known by its succu lent scarlet fruit. Pear trees are sometimes grafted on the mountain ash. The name of poison ash is given to Ji/nis venenata, belonging to the Anacardiacece (Cashew family). The bitter ash of the West Indies is Simaruba excelsa, which belongs to the Natural Family Simarubacew. The Cape ash is Ekebergia capensis, belonging to the Natural Order Meliacece. The prickly ash, Xanthoxylon fraxineum, belongs to the Natural Order Xanthoxylacece.
ASH-WEDNESDAY, the first day of Lent, is supposed to have received this name from a custom in the church of sprinkling ashes on the heads of penitents then admitted to penance. The early church did not commence Lent until the following Sunday; the additional days were pro bably included by Gregory the Great.
