Studia Islandica - 01.06.1957, Síða 26

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He was not only a voluminous writer, but because he
was so largely of the people, his poetry had a strong popu-
lar appeal. It was therefore to be expected that he should
exert considerable influence, particularly through his ori-
ginal poems, which were memorized and copied, and in
the case of his epigrams, quoted extensively. His influence
is traceable both before and after his death. Three of
Iceland’s leading poets of the next generation — Hjálmar
Jónsson (Bólu-Hjálmar), Jónas Hallgrímsson, and Stein-
grímur Thorsteinsson — were, in some degree, influenced
by him.i) How many of the lesser poets of his day and
after owed something to him cannot be estimated.1 2) This
much is certain: He has made a deep impression upon
the literature of his country, and in particular with his
translations, which will be discussed separately in the
following chapters of this study.
On the other hand, it stands to reason that the difficult
task of rendering successfully into his native tongue
many literary masterpieces was for Þorláksson the best
possible schooling; such test must have developed his
poetical genius immeasurably.
Fortunately, we have on record what several of his
learned and most discriminating Icelandic contempora-
ries thought of his literary work. Governor Stefán Þór-
arinsson, one of the best educated and most prominent
men of the day, refers to him as “our Icelandic Milton
and Tullin.” 3) Bjarni Thorarensen, a younger contem-
porary, in some respects the greatest poet of the next
generation, hails him as “the great Icelandic Milton.“ 4)
Þorláksson’s death called forth a whole outburst of such
1) About them and other poets of the 19th century, see Richard
Beck, History of Icelandic Poets 1800-191^0 (Islandica XXXIV), 1950.
2) For more details, see Jón Þorláksson: Dánarminning, pp.
235-241.
3) In a letter to Bishop Hannes Finsson, Eimreiöin, XXVI, pp.
105-107.
4) “Til Jóns Þorlákssonar,” KvæÖi, 1847, p. 140, and later
editions.