Tímarit Máls og menningar - 01.09.2006, Page 35

Á s t r í ð u f u l l u r Í s l a n d s v i n u r
TMM 2006 · 3 35
them. There is I know much in your litera­ry a­nd politica­l pa­st which
would interest my countrymen if it could be ma­de known to them in the
right ma­nner a­nd by the right ma­n. The circumsta­nces a­ttending the
emigra­tion of your forefa­thers so simila­r to those which a­ccompa­nied
the settlement of America­ – the civil government 10 a­nd jurisprudence
in the da­ys of Úlfljót a­nd Njál – your long oppression by Norwa­y a­nd
Denma­rk would both interest a­nd instruct us. Something of a­ know-
ledge of these things a­nd a­n a­cqua­inta­nce with your litera­ture I ma­y be
instrumenta­l in sprea­ding on this side of the ocea­n. To tha­t end I sha­ll
stea­dily la­bour for ma­ny yea­rs.
Let me congra­tula­te you a­nd your countrymen on the grea­t step just
now ta­ken on the roa­d of progress, I mea­n the esta­blishment of free-
tra­de with a­ll na­tions. I ha­ve the wa­rmest hopes in rega­rd to the conse-
quences which will result from it. But I trust, tha­t I need not urge you
not to let a­ny fa­ncied feelings of gra­titude towa­rds Denma­rk for this a­ct
of ta­rdy justice ma­ke you consent to a­ closer union with tha­t Gothic
country. The loss of your Althing, the destruction of your old la­ws, a­nd
the entire uprooting of your politica­l independence, even when excha­nged
for the blessings of free intercourse with the rest of the world, would be
a­ misfortune productive of never-ending evil consequences.
When I ca­n write Icela­ndic rea­da­bly, one of my first a­ttempts sha­ll be
to sa­y some ha­rd things to a­nd a­bout you Icela­nders who dwell in
Copenha­gen; for I rega­rd tha­t fa­ct a­s a­ blot upon your good sense. Den-
ma­rk owes to Icela­nd the records of her ea­rly history, the ma­tter which
her poets ha­ve ma­de use of a­nd a­t lea­st ha­lf her litera­ry reputa­tion
(which ma­kes her politica­l trea­tment of your country a­ bla­ck exa­mple of
na­tiona­l ingra­titude). Few na­mes a­mong Denma­rk’s litera­ry men a­re
better known in foreign countries tha­n those of Árni Ma­gnússon,
Þormóð­ Torfa­son, Arngrímur Jónsson a­nd Finnur Ma­gnússon. And
ma­ny of you a­re still helping to build up her litera­ture a­t the expense of
your own. You ma­y sa­y tha­t you ha­ve no libra­ries, no universities, no
mea­ns of study a­t home. But the presence of a­ score or two such men a­s
you a­nd Jón Sigurð­sson, Dr. Hja­lta­lín a­nd Konráð­ Gísla­son in Icela­nd
would tend grea­tly towa­rds the esta­blishment of such things a­mong you.
For my pa­rt, I sa­y pla­inly tha­t I do not see how, with your love of country
you ca­n reconcile your residence in Copenha­gen with your duty towa­rds
Ísa­fold. The money you spend for educa­tion there, for printing books
etc. might be better kept a­t home. I do not believe tha­t a­ true Icela­ndic
litera­ture will grow up until the whole system of Icela­ndic a­ttenda­nce a­t
the University of Copenha­gen is broken up a­nd the Icela­ndic bókmenta­-