persuaded that my readers will be obliged
to me for here furnishing them with ijft>
Without further apology, therefore, or preface,
I proceed to say, that thé original of
the following Account o f the Volcanic Eruption
in Skaptefeld’s Syssel was published at
Copenhagen, in the Danish language, in the
year 1785, under the title of Kort Beskri-
velse over den nye Vulcans Ildsprudning i
Vester-Skaptefield’s Syssel paa Island i
aaret, 1783.* Its author, Mr. Magnus Ste-
phensen, the present Etatsroed of Iceland,
upon the intelligence of the eruption reachi ng
Denmark, where he then was, received instructions
from the king to proceed to Iceland,
in company with Mr. Hans Christopher
Diderich Victor de Levetzen, for the pur*
I have, in the first edition of my Tour (p. 408),
been led into an error in consequence of Mr. Pennant’s
stating, that his account of the eruption of Skaptefield’s
Syssel was translated from Mr. Stephensen’s pamphlet,
(See Introduction to Artie Zoology, p, cccxxi,), whereas
I hâve since been informed that the original was the
performance of S. M. Holme, upon the same subject.
The title of the book is, Om Jordbranden paa island i
aaret, 1783. It was published in Copenhagen, in 1 78 4 ,
and is noticed in a manner not very creditable in the
course of Mr. Stephensen’s account.
pose of seeing that such measures were put
into effect as were deemed most expedient
for the safety of the sufferers. Mr. Stephen-
sen was besides more particularly charged
with a commission to collect all possible
information respecting the eruption, the
phaenomena with which it was attended,
and its effects; to survey, himself, the various
currents of lava, and, if possible, the
source of the volcano, as well as to search
for any mineral substances which were likely
to be useful in the arts. Each of the gentlemen
above mentioned, on his return to
Copenhagen, delivered in an account of the
observations made during the journies, which
were submitted to his Danish Majesty, who
was pleased not only to pay the whole ex-
pences of their tour, and allow them a considerable
gratuityi but farther to grant to
Mr. Stephensen the copyright of his publication.
Such is the substance of the author’s
Address to the Reader, which forms a
sort of introduction to the work. The remaining
part of the publication I have had