J ! t i
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teillgible to us Swedes, than to the
Danes. We likewife found three or
four Runic infcriptions, but they were
all modern, and confeqiiently o f no
value. I have faid before that the Icelanders
took pleafure in llilening to
their old traditional fayings and itories;
and this is almoil the only thing that
remains among them of the fpirit of
their anceilors, for they have at prefent
but few poets ; and their clergy know
little befides fome Latin, which they
pick up in the fchools eilabliilied in the
epifcopal fees at Skallholt and Hoolum.
Some of them, however, have iludied
at the nniveriity o f Copenhagen ; and
I became acquainted with three men of
great learning among them, who were
particularly well verfed in the northern
antiquities. One of them is the biiliop
of Skallholt Finnur Jonfon, who is
compiling an eccleiiailical liiilory of
Iceland ; the two others are the pro-
voil Gunnar Paulfon, and Halfdan GL
narfon, reclor at Hoolum.
That there is a printing-office in
Iceland cannot be unknown, as we are
acquainted with the rare editions o f
Olof
Olof T ry g gwallons, Landnama, Greenland
and Chriflendoms Sagas or Traditions,
printed at Skallholt ; but I
did not expecl to find the art o f printing
fo antient here, as it was repre-
fented to be. A Swede, whofe name
was John Mathiefon, brought hither
the firil printing-prcfs, between the
years 1 520 and 1 530 ; and publiflied
in the year 1531 the Breviarium Ni-
daroflenfe. I have colleiled as many
Icelandic books as I was able to dift
cover ; among the rareil is the Icelandic
bible, printed in folio at Hoolum
in the year 1 584. I hope likewife,
that fifteen (till now unknown) traditional
hiilories or fagas, will be no
unwelcome acquifition.
You may judge. Sir, how agreeably
I fpent my time here in thefe occupations,
that I applied to with ib
much the more pleafure, as they all
related to obje(5ls entirely new : add
to which, the fociety with Mr. Banks
and Dr. Solander ; the latter o f whom
is a moil worthy difciple o f our Lirtnè,
and unites a lively temper to the moR
excellent heart ; and the former a
C young