726 I C E. 
to Denmark. For a long time the care of the ifland was 
committed to a governor, who commonly went there once 
a-year; though, according to his inftru&ions, he ought 
to have refided in Iceland. As the country fuffered in¬ 
credibly through the abfence of its governors, it was re- 
folved a few years ago that they (hould refide there, and 
have their feat at Beffefftedr, one "of the old royal do¬ 
mains. He has under him a bailiff, two laymen, a fheriff, 
and twenty-one fyjfelmen, or magiltrates who fuperintend 
imall diftrifts; and almoff every thing is decided accord¬ 
ing to the laws of Denmark. 
At the firft fettlement of the Norwegians in Iceland, 
they lived in the fame manner as they had done in their 
own country, namely, by war awe! piracy. Their fitua- 
tion with regard to the kings of Norway, however, foon 
obliged them to apply to other dates, in order to learn as 
much of the knowledge of government and politics as 
was neceffary to preferve their colony from fubjugation 
to a foreign yoke. For this purpofe they often (ailed to 
Norway, Denmark, Sweden, England, and Scotland. The 
travellers, at their return, were obliged to give an ac¬ 
count to their chiefs of the ftate of thofe kingdoms 
through which they paffed. For this reafon, hiftory, and 
what related to fcience, was held in high repute as long 
as the republican form of government lafted ; and the great 
number of hiftories to be met with in the country, (how 
at lead the defire of the Icelanders to be indructed- To 
fecure themfelves, therefore, againd their powerful neigh¬ 
bours, they were obliged to enlarge their hidorical know¬ 
ledge. They likewife took great pains in dudying per¬ 
fectly their own laws, for the maintenance and protection 
of their internal Security. Thus Iceland, at a time when 
ignorance and obfeurity overwhelmed the red of Europe, 
was enabled to produce a confiderable number of poets 
and hidorians. When the Chridian religion was intro-- 
duced about the end of the ioth century, more were 
found convertant in the law than could have been expedited, 
eonfidering the extent of the country, and the number of 
its inhabitants. Fifhing was followed among them; but 
they devoted their attention confiderably more to agricul¬ 
ture, which has fince entirely ceafed. 
Two things have principally contributed towards pro¬ 
ducing a great change both in their character and way of 
life, viz. the progrefs of the Chridian religion, and their 
fubjeCtion firft to Norway, and afterwards to Denmark. 
For, if religion, on one fide, commanded them to defill 
from their ravages and warlike expeditions, the fecular 
power, on the other, deprived them of the neceffary forces 
for the execution of them; and, fince this time, we find 
no farther traces of their heroic deeds, except thole which 
are preferved in their hidories. 
The modern Icelanders apply themfelves to fifhing and 
breeding of cattle. They are middle-fized and well made, 
though not very drong ; and the women are in general 
ill-featured. Vices are much lefs common among them, 
than in other parts where luxury and riches have cor¬ 
rupted the morals of the people. Though their poverty 
difables them from imitating the hofpitality of their an- 
ceftors in all refpeCts, yet they continue to (how their in¬ 
clination to it; they cheerfully give away the little they 
have to (pare, and exprefs the utmod joy and latisfadion 
if you are pleaded with their gift. They are uncommonly 
obliging and faithful, and extremely attached to the go¬ 
vernment. They are very zealous in their religion. An 
Icelander never pafles a river or any other dangerous 
place, without previoufly taking off his hat, and implor¬ 
ing the divine protection; and he is always thankful for 
the protection of the Deity when he has pafled the dan¬ 
ger in fafety. They have an inexpredible attachment to 
their native country,- and are no where fo happy. Art. 
Icelander therefore rarely fettles in Copenhagen, though 
ever fuch advantageous terms fhould be offered him. On 
the other hand, we cannot aferibe any great indudry or 
ingenuity to thefe people. They work on in the way to 
which they have all along been accultomed, without 
.AND. 
thinking of improvements They are not cheerful in 
converfation, but fimple and credulous; and have no aver- 
fion againlt a bottle, if they can find an opportunity. 
When they meet together, their chief paftime confids in 
reading their hidory. The maderof th^ houfe makes the 
beginning, and the red continue in their turns when he 
is tired. Some of them know thefe dories by heart; others 
have them in print, and others in writing. Befides this, 
they are great players at chefs and cards, but only for 
their amufement,fince they never play for money; which, 
however,feems to have been formerly in ufeamong them; 
for, by one of their old laws, a fine is impofed upon thofe 
who play for money. 
The modern Icelanders have made very little alteration 
in their drefs from what was formerly in ufe. The men. 
all wear a linen (hirt next to the (kin, with a (liort jacket, 
an,d a pair of wide breeches over it. When they travel, 
another (hort coat is put over all. The whole is made of 
coarfe black cloth, called wadmal ; but fome wear clothes 
of a white colour. On their head they wear large three- 
cornered hats, and on their feet Iceland (hoes and worded 
dockings. Some of them indeed have (hoes from Copen¬ 
hagen ; but, as they are rather too dear for them, they 
generally make their own fhoes, fometimes of the hide of 
oxen, but more frequently of fheep’s leather. They make 
them by cutting a fquare piece of leather, rather wider 
than the length of the foot; this they few up at the toes 
and behind at the heel, and tie it on with leather thongs. 
Thefe fhoes are convenient enough where the counti'y is 
level ; but it would be very difficult for us who are not 
accudomed to walk with them among the rocks and (tones, 
though the Icelanders do it with great eafe. *» 
The women are likewife drelfed in black wadmal. They 
wear a bodice over their fhifts, which are fewed up at the- 
bolom ; and above this a jacket laced before, with long, 
narrow fleeves reaching down to the wrids. In the open¬ 
ing on the fide of the fleeve, they have buttons of chafed- 
filver, with a plate fixed to each button ; on- which the. 
lover, when he buys, them in order to prefent them to his. 
midrefs, takes care to have his harne engraved along with 
hers. At the top of the jacket a little black collar is fixed, 
of about three inches broad, of velvet or filk, and fre—» 
quently trimmed with gold cord. The petticoat is (ike- 
wife of wadmal, and reaches down to the ankles. Round 
the top of it is a gffdle of filver or lame other metal, to. 
which they fallen the apron, which is aifo of wadmal, and. 
ornamented at top with buttons of chafed filver. Qver 
all this they wear an upper-drefs nearly refembling that 
of the Swedifh peafants ; with this difference, that it is 
wider at bottom; it is clofe at the neck and wrids, and 
a hand’s-breadth (liorter than the petticoat. It is adorned 
with a facing down to the bottom, which looks like cut, 
velvet, and is generally woven by the Icelandic women. 
On their fingers ,they wear gold, filver, or brafs, rings. 
Their head-drefs confids of Jeveral cloths wrapped round 
the head, almott as high again as the face. It is tied faft 
with a handkerchief,and ferves more for warmth than or¬ 
nament. Girls , are not allowed to wear this head-drefs 
till they are marriageable. At their weddings they are 
adorned in a very particular manner: The bride wears, 
clofe to the face, round her head-drefs, a crown of filver 
gilt. She has two chains round her neck, one of which 
hangs down very low before, and the other reds on her 
(boulders. Befides thefe, (he wears a fmaller chain, from, 
whence generally hangs a little heart, which may be 
opened to put fome kind of perfume in it. This drefs is 
worn by all the Icelandic women without exception ; 
only with this difference, that the poorer fort have it of 
coarfe wadmal, with ornaments of brafs.; and thofe that 
are in eafier circumdances have it of broad cloth, with 
filver ornaments gilt. 
The houfes of the Icelanders are very indifferent, but 
the word are (aid to be on the louth fide or the ifland. In 
fome parts they are built .of drift-wood, in others of lava, 
almoft in the lame manner as the done-walls we make tor 
inclcfureta, 
