Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Page 16

14
miliating to the poet.” The rest of the letter dealing with
Rask’s interest in the publication of Þorlákson’s transla-
tions of Paradise Lost will be referred to in the later
chapter on the translation.1) Rask’s appreciation of the
aged poet is further clear from the fact that he began
immediately afterwards to collect his original poems, and
was, moreover, instrumental in securing for him an an-
nual award of money from the Danish govemment.2)
The visits of these two foreign scholars and their ge-
nuine appreciation of his work, were both gratifying and
encouraging to Þorláksson. Coming from strangers it
was a rare tribute. The more so as it is certain that only
few of the poet’s own countrymen possessed the know-
ledge and insight thoroughly to appreciate his most im-
portant literary contributions, namely his translations.
Tangible appreciation of his literary labors also came
from another source. Reference has already been made
to the sum of money (in the amount of 30 pounds sterling)
which he received from a certain society in England. In
the same year (1819) he received from the Danish King
an annual stipend of 40 rixdollars for life, the first Ice-
landic poet to receive such official recognition. He was
not, however, destined to enjoy these richly earned mone-
tary rewards but for the short period of a few months.
Having had the satisfaction of finishing his last great
undertaking in the realm of letters, the Icelandic transla-
tion of Klopstock’s Messias, Þorláksson died on October
21, 1819. On the other hand, he did not live to see in
print his great translations of Paradise Lost and Messias,
which had naturally been a cherished dream on his part.3)
1) I am indebted to my old teacher and friend, Professor Hall-
dór Hermannsson of Cornell University, for the knowledge of, as
well as a copy of, this letter, which is preserved in Grim Thorkelins
Private Arkiv, Rigsarkivet, Kobenhavn.
2) Cf. Þorláksson’s poem to Rask, Ljóðabók, II, p. 365.
3) Cf. his letter to Hið íslenzka Bókmenntafélag quoted in
Ljóðabók, II., p. XXXVII.