32 on literature in Deninark. May 9. 
who were sufficient to correct any flagrant abuses-of that 
important privilege *. : 
His royal highnefs is a warm patroniser of literature, 
and the court of Denmark has done more within a-few 
years past than any other perhaps in Europe, if the reve- 
nues of the crown be taken into the account. There is at 
Copenhagen a Royal Society, on the same plan with that 
of London, for promoting general literature ; but there are. 
two others there equally important, whose objects being 
more circumscribed, are perhaps productive of still greater 
benefits to the community ; oné of those is for illustrating 
the Scandinavian history, and the other for the promotion of 
Icelandic literature. 
It isa curious trait in the literary history of Europe, that 
for many, ages, while the more benign parts of Europe 
were involved in the darkest ignorance, polite literature 
was cultivated to an eminent degree in Iceland. This is 
not a conjectural afsertion, destitute of proof, like what has 
been often*repeated concerning the great learning of the 
ancient Irifh sennachies, and the civilized manners of the 
monks of Jona ; for there are still extant many sagas or his- 
tories, written in the Icelandic language, some of which, 
under the auspices of the prince of Denmark, have lately 
been publifhed in an elegant quarto form, by the care of 
M. de Schum, withthe Icelandic text on the one page, ' 
and a Latin translation of it on the other. Eight volumes 
of these histories have already reached this country, and 
the work goes forward till the whole fhall be publithed. 
What an example for the other potentates of Europe ! 
The prince of Denmark is a spirited young man, and 
therefore is not inattentive to the army, whose discipline 
* J learn, however, notwithstanding what my ingenious correspondent 
here insinuates, that some restraints have been of Jate laid upon the prefes 
which prevent the people from disculsing political questions withas much, 
f.eedom ac in Some other places. Edit, 
