Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Blaðsíða 19

17
translations, we do not know. However, in 1805, having
received a copy of Klopstock’s Messias, Þorláksson ceased
translating Hertz’s poem, possibly because Klopstock, be-
sides being a far greater poet, was much more Miltonic
and therefore probably more to our writer’s taste, as he
was fresh from the translation of Paradise Lost. There-
after he devoted most of his time and energy to the
Messias, completing it shortly before his death in 1819.
Like the translation of Paradise Lost, that of the Messias
waited a long time for publication; it was first published
in Copenhagen 1834—1838.
During this period at Bægisá, Þorláksson translated a
large number of shorter poems, including many hymns
from the Danish and German, and during the same years
he wrote the greater number of his original poems, in-
cluding nearly all the most important ones. His energy
and productivity were nothing short of astounding, and
his literary activity is still more remarkable in the light
of his adverse circumstances.
Almost a quarter of a century passed, however, before
a collected edition of Þorláksson’s poems appeared. It
was published in Copenhagen in two volumes in 1842—
1843 under the title of íslenzk Ijóðabók Jóns Þorláksson-
ar prests að Bcegisá. This edition by the famed patriot
and excellent scholar, Jón Sigurðsson, is admirable in
every respect; it includes a good biographical introduc-
tion and notes. In 1919, on the centenary of the poet’s
death, there appeared in Reykjavík a memorial edition,
containing selections from his original poems and pass-
ages from the major translations, with appropriate intro-
ductions. Entitled Jón Þorláksson: Dánarminning, this
volume was edited by Dr. Jón Þorkelsson, an eminent
specialist in Icelandic history and literature. He retains
Sigurðsson’s biographical sketch of the poet, adding valu-
able notes and other material on Þorláksson as a writer.
In 1919 Dr. Þorkelsson also edited Bímur af Hæmna-Þóri,
2