The historical writings of 'this age do more honour, per haps, to Iceland, than the cultivation of poetry. Of these, the Sagas, which are of a mixed character, blending, to a certain extent, fiction with authentic narrative, are ex ceedingly valuable. They possess great variety, some detailing particular events relating to politics or religion, some the history of a particular family, and others the bi ography of eminent individuals. As might be expected, many of these narratives' are tedious ; but in many are to be found examples of simplicity, which carry the reader back to the times in which the actors lived, and insensibly lead him to consider himself not an indifferent spectator.
The Sagas have elucidated the history and antiquities of the north in an eminent degree ; but the regular historical writings which have come to us from the. Icelanders are yet more valuable. The Annales Oddenses of Scemund Frode ; the Landnama Bok ; the Chronicle of the Kings of • Norway, by Snorro Sturleson ; and numerous other works, testify the abilities and correctness of the writers. Besides poetry and history, mathematics and mechanics were cul tivated ; and jurisprudence formed an important study. Travellers penetrated into Asia and Africa ; and the mari time adventures of the Icelanders prove that attention was paid to astronomy and geography. Philology was not neg lected, and the most celebrated Roman authors were fa miliar to all the learned men. The Greek language was not much cultivated.
Before the establishment of Christianity, which took place in the year 1000, the Runic was the only character in use ; but more seems to have been trusted to memory than to writing. With Christianity, the Roman characters were introduced, and a new incitement was thus given to educa tion, and every literary pm suit. The first school was es tablished by Islief the first bishop of Skalholt, about the middle of the Ilth century ; and soon after three others were formed in different parts of the island. In these the youth were taught to read, write, and compose in their own language, and initiated in the classics and in theology, to which last particular attention was given.
The establishment of Christianity was not the least re markable event in the early history of Iceland, since it was effected in a manner which displayed, in a striking manner, the genius and government of the people. Frederic, a bish
op from Saxony, began to preach the Christian doctrines in the year 981 ; and the number of converts gradually in creased. The propagation of the new faith met with every species of opposition ; but at length the contests became so frequent, while those who adopted Christianity greatly increased in number, that the national assembly, which met in the year 1000, took the matter into consideration. While the question for the establishment of the new reli gion was debated, a messenger hurried into the assembly, and announced that fire had burst from the earth in the southern part of the country, and was carrying destruc tion before it. The heathen party instantly exclaimed, that this was the vengeance of the gods against their presump tion. But Snorro, who was a zealous advocate for the Christian cause, called out to them, " For what reason did your gods display their wrath, when the rock on which we stand was burning ?." The place of assembly is in the midst of frightful proofs of the power of volcanic fire ; and this exclamation of Snorro turned the scale in favour of the Christian faith. The decision of the assembly was solemnly pronounced by Thorgeir, the Laugman ; and all religious disputes were immediately suspended. A church establishment was soon afterwards arranged, and the first bishop of Skalholt, Islief, was ordained in the year 1057. From this period, during nearly two centuries, a pure re ligion was exercised by the Icelanders, undisturbed by the errors and superstitions of the Romish church.
The discovery of Greenland, about the year 972, is ano ther feature of this early age ; and one still more re markable was the discovery of the north-east coast of America, in the year 1001 by Biorn Heriolfson, who was driven to the south while on a voyage to Greenland. A colony was established in Greenland, which subsisted till the beginning of the 15th century, when all traces of it were lost. About the same time, a material change for the worse appears to have occurred in the climate of Iceland, where, it is said, corn formerly grew. The loss of Green land was occasioned by an unusual accumulation of ice, which has bound up the coasts ever since, and frustrated every attempt to reach the place where the once flourish •ing colony existed.