The part of America first seen was probably some part of the coast of Labrador. Leif, the son of Eric, the dis coverer of Greenland, on hearing the report of this discove ry, set out to pursue it ; and passing by the coast first ob served by Biorn. he came to a straight separating a large island fiom the mainland, probably that of Newfoundland. Thorvald, brother to Lief, went over to this new country, which, from finding wild vines growing in it, was called Vinland ; after remaining two years, he was killed in a skirmish with the natives, who had not been seen till this time. A regular colony appears to have been afterwards established in Vinland. But after the early part of the 12th century, scarcely a vestige of this colony can be found, and the situation of Vinland is destined to perpetual ob scurity.
The moral character of the Icelanders, during this peri od of their history, seems to have kept pace with their in tellectual endowments, and to have stood high. Previous, however, to the introduction of the Christian religion, some unnatural customs and superstitious usages obtained. The exposure of children, though not prohibited, was soon re linquished, after the morality inculcated by the New Tes tament came to be fully understood ; and ceased more than a hundred years before the practice was abolished in Nor way. The most singular superstition was the Beserkine. From theliristni Saga, and the Ecclesiastical History of Iceland, we learn that the Beserkins were professed warri ors, who, by means of magic, had rendered their bodies in vulnerable. Rousing themselves by incantations into fren z), these men committed every kind of violence, and rush ed naked into battle. There is every probability that some of these were miserable and infatuated wretches, while others adopted the profession with the view of imposture.
The independent and happy state of Iceland was not de stined to be uninttrrupted. The love of power produced intestine evils, which the ambition of Norway carefully fo mented. The civil contests were not always trifling ; for instances are recorded, in which fleets of twenty sail, and bodies of 1200 men, fought on one side. The desire of peace, and the promises of the Norwegians, now become jealous of the prosperity of Iceland, at length produced a formal proposal in the national council, that the country should be governed by a single potentate ; and in the year 1261, the whole, except the eastern province, submitted to Haco, king of Norway. A few years afterwards, the sub mission of Iceland was completed, but under conditions which still maintained their rights and their commerce. In 1280, Magnus, the successor of Haco, gave to the island the code of laws well known by the title Jonsbok, which was no more than a revised copy of the ancient laws.
The last political change which occurs in the history of Iceland was, its transference with Norway to the crown of Denmark in the year 1380. A period of tranquillity, dur ing which rank and property became more equalized, and trade was almost wholly transferred to other nations, suc ceeded ; and a feeling of dependence checked enterprise, while vigour and activity were gradually lost. In the year 1482, a pestilence carried off nearly two-thirds of the popu lation ; and another broke out towards the close of the cen tury. In addition to these calamities, the Icelanders were at this period exposed to the incursions of pirates, who plundered their property, committing frequent murders, and carrying off the inhabitants. " These eveuts," says Dr Holland, " which concurred with the causes before described in depressing the spirit of the people, and de stroying the strength and prosperity of the country, are recorded in the annals of Iceland with an affecting and al most painful simplicity. No attempts are made to excite a sentiment of commiseration beyond what humanity would of itself yield to the recital of such complicated evils. We are told that whole families were extinguished, and districts depopulated, by the virulence of the disease ; that the learn ed, the pious, the wealthy, and the powerful, all dropt into a common grave ; that the labours of industry ceased ;. that genius and literature disappeared ; and that the wretched remnant of the Icelander s. scarcely themselves saved from destruction, sunk into a state of apathy, superstition, and ignorance. In pursuing his melancholy narrative, the his torian sometimes looks back to the former celebrity and splendour of his country ; but he goes no farther ; and all beyond is left to the feelings and imagination olthe reader." But the decline of literature, and of the national charac ter of the Icelanders, may be traced to more remote causes. Europe began to emerge from darkness and bar barity, and the continental nations gradually rose into equality in learning. The poets and historians of Ice land were therefore received with less distinction. The errors, superstitions, and tyranny of the church of Rome, broke in upon the pure and peaceful worship of Iceland about the end of the 12th century. The levying of Peter's pence, and raising money by indulgences, were not warded off by the poverty of the people, who vl ere oppressed even by the native bishops. From the 13th to the 16th century, the annals of Iceland present nothing of interest, being filled with records only of the depression of all mental exertion, and of physical calamities.