Árbók Landsbókasafns Íslands - Nýr flokkur - 01.01.1983, Page 62

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BRÉF WILLARDS FISKES
pay a much longer visit to the island, and give the world an account
in more detail of the interesting spot.
I sincerely hope that you and your family, as well as all those for
whom you minister, are having an endurable winter, and that the
books sent you have aíforded you all some diversion in the midst of
the sufferings entailed by your severe climate. I am anxious to learn
how you have fared during the cold months, and hope to learn that
you have all passed through them in good health.
On account of my frequent attacks of gout, which have confined
me very much to the house, I have not been able to forward you,
during the past months, many additional books for the Island
Library. I hope to send you some more as soon as the warm season
comes, for even we in Italy suffer in January and February from the
cold temperature, though of course we know nothing of the great
severity which you experience.
I have with me just now, but only until the middle of next month,
Halldór Hermannsson, of whom you know. He is at work on the
Catalogue of my Icelandic Library, which is a great piece of work,
and which therefore, progresses very slowly. I am anxious to get it
ready for publication before I die, since it will contain, in a single
alphabetical arrangement, nearly every work, both of the old and
new literature, as well as almost everything concerning the runes,
mythology, antiquities of the ancient North. It comprises all the
books relating to the Natural History of Iceland, and all the works of
travel concerning the Island. The collection numbers between 8000
and 9000 volumes.
I suppose you have heard nothing of the American books sent you
by Mesrs G.P. Putnam’s Sons of New York. They unfortunately
forwarded them by the wrong route, and I have feared that they
would never reach their destination. Should they however do so I
hope you will let me know giving me the number of volumes and a
very short title of each one. They were despatched from New York by
means of one of the so-called “Express Companies”, quite contrary to
my orders, which were to forward them by post. If that were not
possible the books were to be retained at New York.
The journal “I Uppnámi“, as you will have perhaps already
learned, ceases at the end of the second volume. The intention, from
the beginning, was simply to give to your countrymen a little
collection of games and problems, together with some knowledge of