is likewife known on account o f many
diifertations on antiquities, and is a
ufeful member o f the Collegii Mag-
nseani. Arnas Magnaus, Torfeus, and
feveral other Icelanders, have alfo particularly
diftinguiihed themielves for
literature in this and the former century.
I iliall give a fuller account of
them in another letter, wherein I pro-
pofe to treat o f the Icelandic antiquities
in particular, where I fliall alfo
mention thofe who have peculiarly dif
tinguiflied themfelves in that branch of
literature.
The language in Iceland is the fame
as that formerly fpoke in Sweden,
Denmark, and Norway, and has preferved
itfelf fo pure, that any Icelander
underflands the moft antient traditional
hiftory, as eafily as we do letters
w ritten in the time of Charles IX.
The general change that took place
ill the northern language during and
after the time o f Erick o f Pomerania,
did not extend to Iceland, tho’ fome
trifling alterations were afterwards
made in it in the fifteenth century, by
the introduction of religion and their
trade
trade with the Danes, Engliih, and
Germans. Near the coafts fome Da-
niili is uriderftood, and fome even
fpeak i t ; nor is it uncommon for a
peafant to fay, Salve doinine, bonus
dieSy bonus veJpeVy gratiaSy projiciaty
dominus tecuniy vale. Notwithftand-
ing, I cannot agree with Sperling in
confidering the language as being
more Danifli than Icelandic, fince not
a fingle word o f Danifli is underftood
in the interior parts o f the country.
The great pleafure they find in reading
their traditional hiftories, has contributed
riot a little to preferve* the language
in its purity.
You have yourfelf treated o f its
origin in the preface to your Swedlfli-
Gothic DiCIionary ; and one may form
the beft judgment o f the language from
Olof Tryggwaftbn’s and fome other
hiftoricai traditions (fagas), that were
written in the eleventh, twelfth, and
thirteenth centuries, when it was in
its greateft purity. But as thefe works
are not in every perfon’s hands, I
will here infert a copy o f the Lord’s
Prayer as a fample, both as it was exprefled
'I:,'-.
i '"/I