CHAPTER XV. Stay at Hraungerthi-Rev. Mr. Thorarensen and Family--Christianity, Comfort, and Refinement-Church-yard and Homes of the Dead-Gardening and Farming in Iceland-Iceland Hospitality, 177-184 CHAPTER XVI. Leave Hraungerthi-A Pretty Girl, and a Man not so PrettyCrossing a Ferry-The Reykir Springs-Singular Group of Boiling Fountains and Geysers-Nero, CHAPTER XVII. 185-192 An Icelander in a Warm Bath-A Churl-Not born to be drowned —Vogsösar—Rev. Mr. Jonson-Hospitality again-Drift-wood -Plum-pudding Stone-Arrive at Krisuvik, CHAPTER XVIII. 193-199 Krisuvik-The Sulphur Mountains-Fire and Brimstone--Sulphur Mines-Jet of Steam from a Hole in a Rock--A Mud Geyser"Stones of Sulphur," CHAPTER XIX. 200-207 Leave the Sulphur Mountains-Fun with Mr. Philmore-Stealing another Man's Thunder--Up and down Hills—A Horrible Road-Arrive at Hafnarfiorth-Visit at Mr. Johnson's-House full of Pretty Girls-A Lady in a "fix"-A Bachelor in the same-Girls Riding Horseback-The Town and Harbor of Hafnarfiorth-Journey to Reykjavik, and Cordial Reception, 208-217 CHAPTER XX. Ornithology of Iceland - Eider-Ducks Half Domesticated, yet Wild-A Bird that won't be Caught-Cormorants-The Gannet, or Solan Goose, 218-225 CHAPTER XXI. Snow-Birds-Gulls-The Iceland Gull-Skua Gull-The Great White Owl-The Jer-Falcon, or Iceland Falcon-His Unequaled Velocity on the Wing-Falcon of Henry IV. carrying the Mail from Paris to Malta-Trained Falcons, 226-232 CHAPTER XXII. The Faroe Isles-Little known to Modern Travelers--Majestic Scenery-Thorshaven-The "Witch's Finger"--Men Climbing Crags-A Terrible Chasm; a Home for Sea-Fowl—Anecdote of Graba-Norwegian Collectors, and Faroese Maidens, 233-241 CHAPTER XXIII. Northern Mythology-The Chaotic World, and Scandinavian idea of Creation--Surtur and Surturbrand-Ymir-The Myth of the Ash-Mimir's Well-Odin, Thor, and Baldur-Forseti, the God of Justice-Bragi, the God of Poetry-Frey--Freyja, Heimdal and Hödur—The Goddesses, the Valkyrjor, and the Norns, 242-253 CHAPTER XXIV. Mythology of the Northmen, Concluded--Day and Night—The Earth, Sun, and Moon-Löki, the Wolf Fenrir, the Midgard Serpent, and Tyr-Hela, or Death--Valhalla-Death of Baldur -Adventures of Thor with the Giants of Jötunheim-Ragnarök, 254-267 CHAPTER XXV. Early Literature of the Icelanders-Eddas and Sagas--Manners and Customs of the Period-Extracts from the Poetic Edda, 268-280 CHAPTER XXVI. Modern Icelandic Literature--Icelandic Poetry-Jon Thorlakson's Translations of Milton and Pope-Burns' Bruce's Address-Icelandic Hymn-Franklin's Story of a Whistle-Quotations from an Iceland Newspaper, CHAPTER XXVII. 281-292 Matters Personal, Literary, and General-Manners and Customs of the People-Iceland Politics-Books and Newspapers-Congressional Reports-Sir Henry Holland-Danish Laws Prohibiting Trade with Iceland-Productions-Prospects of Trade being Opened to the World-Letter from President Johnson on the Subject--Trade Opened to the World, 293-302 CHAPTER XXVIII. Agricultural Resources of Iceland—Improvements needed--Diseases and Medical Practice--Public Worship in Reykjavik— Ancient Costume-Further Extracts from President Johnson's Letters-Social Evenings-Young Ladies of Iceland; their Education and Accomplishments-Mr. Brinjulfsson-Take Leave of Friends-Embarkation, 303-312 CHAPTER XXIX. Voyage to Copenhagen-Snæfell Jokull from the Sea-Basaltic PREFACE. A PREFACE to a book, is a sort of pedestal where the author gets up to make a speech; frequently an apologizing ground, where he "drops in hopes he don't intrude;" a little strip of green carpet near the foot-lights, where he bows to the audience, and with a trembling voice asks them to look with lenient eyes on his darling bantling that is just coming before the world. Very likely he tells of the numerous difficulties and disadvantages under which he has labored; perhaps apologizes for his style, under the plea of writing against time, and that he has been greatly hurried. Readers and critics are usually indulgent towards the minor faults of an author, provided he entertains or instructs them; but they pay little attention to special pleadings. The writer who deliberately perpetrates a stupid or silly book, deserves the fate of dunces-obloquy and contempt. If he adds to this the double crime of setting up a justification, and askst hat his work be not subject to the usual canons of criticism, then the reviewers should level their heaviest guns, pepper him pungently, and prove him but a buzzard, while he claimed the honors of a game-cock. We however, have a right to expect and demand more from a veteran author, than from a young and inexperienced one. |