I-)!
signed a receipt for the money as he writes therein,
“ signed with my own hand,” being then, as may
he inferred from his own account to Mr. Hender-
, son, in the seventy-third year of his age. The contribution
was 30/., equal to five years’ income of
his miserable pittance; but he did not long survive
this act of benevolence, as it is stated, in a short
view “ Of the Origin, Progress, and Operations of
the Society,” dated 3rd March, 182], that “ the
poet of Iceland is now in his grave ; but it is satisfactory
to know that the attention, in this instance,
of a foreign and remote society to his genius and
his forinnes, was highly gratifying to his feelings,
and contributed not immaterially to the comfort of
his concluding days.” He wrote a letter in very
elegant Latin, expressing his heartfelt gratitude
for the kindness and generosity of the Society, so
accordant with the character of the British nation,
and accompanied it with a MS. copy of his translation
of Milton’s Paradise Lost into the Icelandic
language; but the letter is not now to be found,
being taken away probably by one of the members
who particularly interested himself in the case,
and who is since dead*.
* Professor Rafn of Copenhagen, about four or five years
ago, applied to Mr. Carlisle (Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries)
to assist in a subscription which was going forward in
Denmark for the formation of Libraries in the Feroe Islands, in
Iceland, and in Greenland. By his exertions about 170/. were
contributed, and books to the value of about 70/. This donation,
and the attention that was paid to the venerable Thorlakson, have
The library of Bessestad corresponded tvith the
filthy state of the sleeping-room. It had not
changed its character since the visit of Mr. Hooker,
who describes it as “ a small and dirty room, in
which a number of books, principally Latin and
Grecdv, many of them on theological subjects, were
lying in great confusion.”
Close to tiie school stands the church, a stone
building, Avith a large Avooden roof.
T/'ie Church and CoUegiate School o f Bessestad.
It is the largest church, 1 believe, in Iceland,
equal at least to that of Reikiavik. There is nothing
within its walls to attract ])articular attention, save
perhaps a curious old tombstone of one of the
ancient governors of Iceland, Avhich formerly stood
created a kind feeling on the part of the Icelanders towards England,
which is not the less desirable on account of the dangers of
the coast, and the numerous shipwrecks that but too frequently
occur.
M 3