The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1926, Page 17

ever had of the life led by his Anglo-Saxon ances-
tors, and that he is really making the acquaint-
ance of a yeomanry as sturdy as
The World’s that of the early English ages. If
oldest the Althing be in session at Reykja-
Parliament. vik, and he enter the capitol to
listen to its debates, he finds him-
self in the presence of the oldest existing legisla-
tive assembly — dating back to the days when
the Witenagemot of his forfathers was still mak-
ing the laws of England.* From day to day, as he
* The Althing was established in the year 930, and the
thousandth anniversary of this event will be celebrated in
1930, just as the millennial anniversary of the first settle-
ment of Iceland was celebrated in 1874. A spirited account
of that festival by the American poet Bayard Taylor is to
he found in his Egypt and Iceland (1875). Bayard Taylor,
though sent by the New York Tribune, may be regarded
as the official representative of the United States, on this
occasion, and never was a great nation more appropriately
represented. He brought to Iceland the cordial greetings of
America in a noble and stirring poem beginning thus:—
We come, the children of thy Vinland,
The youngest of the world’s high peers,
0 land of steel, and song, and saga,
To greet thy glorious thousand years!
and concluding:—
Set far apart, neglected, exiled,
Thy children wrote their runes of pride,
With power that brings, in this thy triumph,
The conquering nations to thy side.
What though thy native harps be silent,
The chord they struck shall ours prolong-.
We claim thee kindred, call thee mother,
O land of saga, steel, and song!
It is already known with certainty that thousands of
people from all over the world contemplate attending the
millennial festivities in 1930.
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