Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Page 10

8
therefore, Þorláksson has faithfully applied himself to
his studies.
In the light of his educational background, Þorláksson’s
later literary labors become all the more impressive. Ap-
parently in his day at the Skálholt Cathedral School, no
attention was paid to foreign languages outside the classi-
cal and perhaps Danish, at least indirectly. Anyone wish-
ing to obtain knowledge of other languages had either to
study them by himself or with a private tutor. In the
case of Þorláksson most likely the former was true. At
any rate his translations are an eloquent testimony to his
mastery of Danish and German. According to his own
declaration he also acquired some slight knowledge of the
English language during his earlier years.1) He was un-
doubtedly, as might have been expected, a lover of books.
This we gather from a short poem addressed to the ano-
nymous donor of a book, beginning: “Best of gifts is
given.” (Ljóðabók, II, pp. 364-365). Unfortunately, we
know nothing definite about the poet’s early reading.
After graduation, Þorláksson was for several years ce-
cretary to Governor Magnús Gíslason, and upon the lat-
ter’s death to his successor Ólafur Stephensen. In 1768
our poet was ordained as minister and became assistant
to the Reverend Gísli Jónsson in Saurbæjarþing in Dala-
sýsla, a district in Western Iceland. When Gísli died,
shortly afterwards, Þorláksson succeeded him as clergy-
man. As the result of an unfortunate love affair, however,
he forfeited his clerical office for a number of years, but
was reinstated by a royal decree in 1786.
Upon the death, in the summer of 1788, of the clergy-
man at Bægisá in Eyjafjörður in Northern Iceland, Þor-
láksson was appointed to the parish, with which his name
has since been identified. Evidently anxious to settle
down and take up his clerical duties anew, he went at
1) Ljóöabók, II, p. XXXII.