INTRODUCTION. 
xly 
as the most ancient and the most pure of the 
Gothic dialects, and as the parent of Swedish, 
Danish, and Norse, as well as in some measure 
of English also. Its having retained its original 
purity, which it has done to such a degree that 
an Icelander of the nineteenth century can read 
with ease the oldest manuscripts of his country, 
seems principally to be attributable to the little 
intercourse which this island has had with foreign 
nations, and to the small alteration that has taken 
place in the state of civilization of its inhabitants; 
few or no strangers having settled among them 
who might corrupt the language by a mixture 
of their own; and as few luxuries having been 
introduced, which might give rise to new wants, 
and consequently render necessary new terms to 
express them. 
How trifling is the change * that has taken 
place in the language between the years 1585 
and 1746, may be seen by a transcript of the 
Lord’s prayer, as it was written at each of those 
periods. 
ICELANDIC LORD’S PRAYER IN 1585. 
Fader vor thu sem ert a himnum. Helgist nafn thitt. 
Tilkome thitt riike. Verde thinn vilie so a jordu sem a 
himne. Gief oss i dag vort dagligt braud. Og fyrerlat osS 
* Von Troil. 
