As an example may be mentioned the long Karlamagnus Saga, a free prose translation of i the French 'Chanson de geste.' Foreign n fluence is also seen in the legendary sagas. A few of these are of Norwegian origin, but most of them are translations. Best known is the saga of Barlaam and Joasaphat, translated by Hakon Sverreson, king of Norway. Also to be mentioned are Mariw saga, 'Postola sogur, Helgra manna sogur.) (Stjorn) (produced in Norway) retells in a free manner the historical books of the Old Testament and has some ad ditions from Josephus and other sources.
is the name of the code of laws for the Icelandic republic. It is based on the laws brought from Norway by Ulfljot and adopted by the first Althing in 928. The manuscripts are from the 13th century. After the union with Norway a new law was adopted, called
after King Hakon or
Modern Period.— Printing was introduced in 1530 by the last Catholic bishop, Jon Arason. He was a lyric poet of note. The first, not very good, translation of the New Testament was made by Oddur Gottskalksson, printed in Denmark in 1540. Bishop Gudbrandur Thor laksson completed in 1584 his fine translation of Luther's German version of the whole Bible. On this translation as on a foundation was created the modern Icelandic literature. From his printing establishment at Holar no less than 85 works were issued between 1574 and 1624. The new literary interest created by the Reformation had an almost exclusively re ligious character down to 1720. Jon Thorkels son Vidalin (1666-1720) ranks with the very best preachers of the Scandinavian countries, and his family book of sermons was found in almost every home. In this period Iceland had a large number of writers of hymns. Religious poetry reached its highest in the popular pro ductions of Hallgrimur Petursson (1614-1674). In the Age of Learning, Arngritnur Jonsson Vidalin and Brynjolfur Sveinsson, who dis covered the manuscript of the Elder Edda, were excellent Latin scholars and published works m Latin. Vidalin published the first comprehensive description of Iceland's nature, people, language and history. Through his correspondence with the Danish scholar Oluf Worm and others a beginning was made in the modern scientific study of Scandinavian antiquities and languages. Even among the Icelandic peasants (Bjorn Jonsson, Jon Gissursson) is found this awakened inter est. Some begin to write aannals,° others re vive the old custom of copying. The first Ice landic dictionary was written by Magnus Olaf sson and published by Worm (1650). The Magnamum'). In Latin wrote Finnur Jonsson Pall Jonsson Vidalin published a learned work on the laws. Of the greatest importance are the works of the historian Torfmus (1636-1719) and the famous Arm Magnusson (1663-1730) who brought his great collection of manuscripti to Copenhagen. A large number of poets pro duced thousands of rimur or epic poems. Gudmundur Bergthorsson (1655-1705) pro duced 252 rimur and enjoyed a great reputation. Also a large number of lyric poems were pro duced. In the beginning of the 18th century Iceland suffered greatly under various mis fortunes, especially smallpox, which reduced the population to 32,000.
The language at this time shows Danish in fluence, especially in business and law. Eggert
Olaf sson who writes on economic and other subjects, is the first to again revive the na tional spirit. He was also a poet. Economic works are published in this Age of Enlighten ment. The first periodical makes its appear ance in Danish. The study of history and lit erature was revived. Many works were pub lished, often in Danish and printed in Den mark; Icelandic scholars were important con tributors as Jon• Olaf sson, Jon Ertchsson, Gn mur Jonsson Thorkelin ( (Diplomatarium Arna In Latin wrote Finnur Jonsson the ecclesiastical history of Iceland, Halfdan Einarsson his literary history. The first valu able dictionary was by Bjorn Halldorsson. It was published by Rasmus Rask in 1814. The first Icelandic periodical was started in 1796. The 19th century is in Iceland as in other coun tries characterized by a strong, conscious na tional awakening. It had in its beginning a literary, later also a political, character, which is leading to new political relations with Den mark, if not to complete separation and the es tablishment of the Icelandic nation. In 1816 the great Danish scholar Rask established with his friends, the Icelandic scholars Sveinbjorn Egilsson, Anti Helgason, Bjami Thorsteinsson, Finnur Magnusson °Hid islenzka Bolcmenta felag.° The aim of this literary society was to work for the purification of the language and the education of the people. Under very able leaders, especially Jon Sigurdsson (1851-79), the great leader of modern Iceland, this society which is still flourishing has done great services for the development of Iceland in almost all fields, through the publication of old Icelandic works, studies in language and literature, the two periodicals Timarit and Skirnir. But most of the scholarly contributions to old Ice landic history, literature and ,philology have been made by these and other great Icelandic scholars independently. Here we have such prominent names as Finnur Magnusson, Svein Worn Egilsson, Jon Sigurdsson, Gudbrandur Vigfusson, Eirikr Jonsson, Jon Thorkelsson, Benedikt Grondal, Gisli Brynjulfsson, and in most recent time Finnur Jonsson, professor in Copenhagen, Bjorn M. Olsen, president of Ice land's University at Reykjavik (1911), Valtyr Gudmundsson. The special history of Iceland has been treated in a number of books. The periodical literature has played an important part. Eimreidin is at present the best known periodical. Modern Iceland has produced a number of lyric poets. Some of these have also excelled in other fields. Jon Thorkels son's novels 'Piltur og stulka) and og have been translated into English. There are many good translations from the lit erature of the Scandinavian and other countries. In most recent time the drama has an excellent representative in Johann Sigurjonsson, also known to English readers.
Jonsson, Finnur, 'Den old norske og oldislandske Literaturs Historie' (Copenhagen 1894-1902) ; id.. 'Den islandske Literaturs Historie tilligemed den oldnorske' (ib. 1907) ; Prolegomena to Vigfusson's 'Stur lunga Saga) (Oxford 1878); Vigfusson's 'Cor pus Poeticum Boreale' (Oxford 1883) ; Vigfus son-Powell 'Origines I slandica (Oxford 1905) ; Morris and Magnusson, 'Saga Library' (6 vols., London 1891-1905); Mogk, 'Geschichte der norwegisch-islandischen Literatur' (Strass burg 1904) ; Poestion, J. C., 'Islandische Dich ter der Gudmundsson, V., 'Islands Kultur ved 1900); Craigie, 'The Icelandic Sagas' (New York 1913); Horn, Winkel, 'Literature of the Scandinavian North,' trans lated by It B. Anderson (Chicago 1884), with a bibliography. There are a number of Eng lish translations of Icelandic sagas; these include the translated by Ellwood (London 1898) ; the 'Heimskringla,' trans lated by David Laing (London 1844; 1889) and by Morris and Magnusson (London 1895) ; the translated by F. York Powell, (1896) ; parts of the relating to America, edited by A. M. Reeves in 'The Find ing of Wineland the Good) (London 1890) ; the 'Viisunga Saga,' translated by W. Morris and E. Magnusson (London 1:::) ; the ills Saga,' translated by G. Webbe Dasent (New York 1912) ; the (Eyrbyggja,' translated by Sir Walter Scott; Thoroddsen's 'Piltur ok StUlku) (translated by Reeves, 'Lad and Lass,' London 1890). Jon Stefansson's and Swe den' (1917) contains a very brief history of Ice land; 'Islandica' (Cornell University).