In the present times, individuals are not wanting, who exhibit, though less successfully, all the zeal of their an cestors in the pursuit of learning. Their acquirements are such as would grace any society ; and when the re moteness of their-situation and the multitude of their pri vations are considered, the picture which Iceland presents at the commencement of the 19th century is truly worthy of admiration. The school is not now so flourishing as it used to be ; but education is systematically carried on amongst all ranks ; and the degree of information pos sessed by the lower orders is far from being inconsiderable.
Two schools were founded in the 16th century, one at Hoolum, in the northern quarter of the island, and the other at Skaiholt. These were united and transferred to Rel. kiavik, towards the end of last century ; and a few years ago, it was moved to Bessestadt, the former seat of the governors of Iceland. The arrangements for conduct ing this school have met with a severe inter ruption in the war between England and Denmark, and every thing has the appearance of disrepair and approaching ,ruin. The establishment consists of three masters and twenty-four scholars, the funds not admitting a greater number. The head master, who has the title of Lector T h co log i ce, has a salary of 600 rixdollars. He superintends all the concerns 1 of the school ; the study of theology being his particular department. One of the mast accomplished men in Ice land, Steingrim Jonson, was lately removed from this situa tion to one of the most valuable livings in the country, that of Oclde. This, it was understood, was preparatory to his becoming Bishop of Iceland, on the demise of the pre sent bishop. His successor in the school is of the same name, and is reputed a man or great learning and talent. The second master teaches Latin, history, geography, and arithmetic ; and the third, the Greek, Danish, and Ice landic languages. The bishop examines the scholars once a-year, according to a prescribed form of proceeding. After studying at this school, some of the young men go to finish their studies at Copenhagen ; but by far the great est number return to their homes, where, secluded from the society even of their own countrymen, and while the darkness of a long winter gives them leisure, they often pursue their studies, and acquire no inconsiderable extent of knowledge.
Poetry is still cultivated with surprising eagerness ; and the number of manuscripts of unpublished works is very great. History is not so much cultivated ;Sand science, strictly so called, scarcely at all. In the year 1779, a so ciety was instituted at Copenhagen for aiding the litera ture of Iceland, and bettering the condition of its inhabi tants. This society, which comprehended among its mem bers, not only eminent Icelanders and Danes, but many foreigners of note, published fourteen volumes of transac tions, containing essays on history, poetry, agriculture, the fisheries, and the natural history of Iceland. In 1790, a project was made for transferring the society to Iceland, which occasioned such dissensions as suspended all the proceedings, and the name only of the society now ex ists.
A second Icelandic society was established in the island in the year 1794, by the present chief justice Stephenson, whose exertions in behalf of the literature and general im provement of his country have been indefatigable. The number of members in this society was originally 1200, and each contributed a dollar annually. The printing es tablishments at Hoolum and Hrapsey having fallen into de cline were purchased by the new society, and an establish ment erected at Leira. From thence have issued a con siderable number of works printed for the use of the soci ety. Various occurrences, among which the war between Denmark and Great Britain had the chief influence, have occasioned the almost total extinction of this society. It is to be wished that, as war has ceased to disturb the na tions of Europe, the Icelanders will be enabled again to enjoy the only recreation which their situation admits ; and that their history, political and literary, of which we have given an outline, will not cease to be interesting. A new society was established in 1816, by the exertions of a very able young man, Mr Raske, under librarian in the royal library at Copenhagen; and there can be no doubt of Icelandic literature reviving under his care in disseminating, with the assistance of this Society, the means by which the Icelanders may overtake learning in the rapid progress she has made.