646 



ICELAND. 



Iceland, and the degree of information possessed by the lower 

 V T"" Y """"' orders is far from being inconsiderable. 

 HUtcuy. -p wo Sc i 100 ] s were founded in the Ifith century, one 



Schools. ^ Hoolum, in the northern quarter of the island, and 

 the other at Skalholt. These were united and trans- 

 ferred to Reikiavik, towards the end of last century ; 

 arid a few years ago, it was moved to Bessestadt, the 

 former seat of the governors of Iceland. The arrange- 

 ments for conducting this school have met with a severe 

 interruption in the war between England and Den- 

 mark, and every thing has the appearance of disrepair 

 and approaching ruin. The establishment consists of 

 three masters and twenty-four scholars ; the funds not 

 admitting a greater number. The head master, who 

 has the title of Lector Theologies, has a salary of 600 

 rixdollars. He superintends all the concerns of the 

 school ; the study of theology being his particular de- 

 partment. One of the most accomplished men in Ice- 

 land, Steingrim Jonson, was lately removed from this 

 situation to one of the most valuable livings in the 

 country, that of Odde. This, it was understood, was 

 preparatory to his becoming Bishop of Iceland, on the 

 demise of the present bishop. His successor in the 

 school is of the same name, and is reputed a man of 

 great learning and talent. The second master teaches 

 Latin, history, geography, and arithmetic; and the 

 third, the Greek, Danish, and Icelandic languages. The 

 bishop examines the scholars once a-year, according to 

 a prescribed form of proceeding. After studying at 

 this school, some of the young men go to finish their 

 studies at Copenhagen ; but by far the greatest num- 

 ber return to their homes, where, secluded from the 

 society even of their own countrymen, and while the 

 darkness of a long winter gives them leisure, they of- 

 ten pursue their studies, and acquire no inconsiderable 

 extent of knowledge. 



Poetry. Poetry is still cultivated with surprising eagerness ; 



and the number of manuscripts of unpublished works 

 is very great. History is not so much cultivated ; and 

 science, strictly so called, scarcely at all. In the year 

 1779, a society was instituted at Copenhagen for aiding 

 the literature of Iceland, and bettering the condition of 

 Societies. ** s inhabitants. This society, which comprehended 

 among its members, not only eminent Icelanders and 

 Danes, but many foreigners of note, published fourteen 

 volumes of transactions, containing essays on history, 

 poetry, agriculture, the fisheries, and the natural histo- 

 ry of Iceland. In 1790, a project was made for trans- 

 ferring the society to Iceland, which occasioned such 

 dissensions as suspended all the proceedings, and the 

 name only of the society now exists. 



A second Icelandic society was established in the 

 island in the year 179* by the present chief justice 

 Stephenson, whose exertions in behalf of the literature 

 and general improvement of his country have been in- 

 defatigable. The number of members in this society 

 was originally 1200, and each contributed a dollar an- 

 nually. The printing establishments at Hoolum and 

 Hrapsey haying fallen into decline, were purchased by 

 the new society, and an establishment erected at Lei- 

 ra. From thence have issued a considerable number 

 of works printed for the use of the society. Various 

 occurrences, among which the war between Denmark 

 and Great Britain had the chief influence, have occa- 

 sioned the almost total extinction of this society. It is 

 to be wished that, as war has ceased to disturb the na- 

 tions of Europe, the Icelanders will be enabled again 

 to enjoy the only recreation which their situation ad- 

 mits ; and that their history, political and literary, of 

 which we have given an outline, will not cease to be 



interesting. A new society was established in 1&16", Iceland, 

 by the exertions of a very able young man, Mr Raske, ^7"" '"' 

 under librarian in the royal library at Copenhagen; and HistoI 7- 

 there can be no doubt of Icelandic literature reviving 

 under his care in disseminating, with the assistance of 

 this Society, the means by which the Icelanders may 

 overtake learning in the rapid progress she has made. 



The circumstances of Iceland have required little or Govern- 

 no alteration either in the laws, or in the form of go- lrl 

 vernment which was established 600 years ago. The cstabfch. 

 supreme authority is entrusted to an officer, with the ments. 

 title of Stiftamtmand, who has a general superintend- 

 ence of every department. Under the Stiftamtmand, 

 each of the four provinces into which the island is di- 

 vided, is governed by an Amtmand, or Bailiff, whose 

 duties are the same as those of their superior within 

 their respective jurisdictions. Each province is divided 

 into syssels or shires, over which the sysselmen preside. 

 These officers collect the taxes, and are paid by a rate 

 out of the amount collected. They hold courts of law ; 

 and on the whole their duty is in almost every respect 

 the same as that of sheriffs in Scotland. 



In each parish there is an officer called Hreppstiore, 

 whose chief business is to attend to the concerns of the 

 poor, and to assist the sysselman in the preservation of 

 the public peace. For the decision of petty disputes 

 among the people, there are a certain number of per- 

 sons in each parish, denominated Forlikunannen, who 

 may be called official arbiters. 



All cases, whether civil or criminal, are first brought 

 before the sysselman, who holds a court once a-year, or 

 oftener if necessary. In criminal cases, and in public 

 suits, the amptmand orders the trial, after previous ex- 

 aminations, on behalf of the crown. From the infe. 

 rior court there is an appeal to the high court of jus- 

 tice, which sits six times in the year at Reikiavik. This 

 court was established in the year 1800, at which time 

 the assemblies at Thiugvalla were abolished. The 

 Stiftamtmand presides, but has no voice in the proceed- 

 ings. There are three judges, the first is called Justi- 

 tiarius, and the other two Assessors. Evidence and 

 pleadings being heard, the causes are determined by a 

 majority of the three judges. From this court there is 

 an appeal to the superior courts at Copenhagen. 



The punishment of petty offences is fine and whip- 

 ping. Sheep- stealing, which is the most common of- ments. 

 fence, is punished by imprisonment and labour, for a 

 term of three or five years, according to circumstances. 

 A repetition of crimes brings on the offender trans- 

 portation to Denmark, where he is confined at hard la- 

 bour in the work-house, for the remainder of his life. 

 The infliction of such severe punishment is, however, 

 very seldom required. Murder is exceedingly rare; 

 and except in cases which subject the criminal to capi- 

 tal punishment, he is not confined before the time of 

 trial. 



With regard to property, no entail of land is allowed. Property. 

 When a proprietor dies, his lands are valued and divid- 

 ed into shares, of which the eldest son has the choice. 

 The daughters receive an equivalent to half the portion 

 of a son. A wife surviving her husband, possesses 

 half of his estate. The rights of tenants are such as 

 would essentially contribute to the improvement of the 

 soil, were sufficient inducements held out to encourage 

 it. A tenant cannot be removed, unless the proprie- 

 tor can bring proof that the farm has been neglected, or 

 that the farmer has not behaved well. Leases are not 

 common ; but letting land from year to year is a fre- 

 quent practice, six months notice to quit being neces- 

 sary. Although a tenant cannot be removed while hs 



