65° - 01.07.1968, Blaðsíða 5

Dear Editor
Dear Sir,
I just returned from a two day trip to Keflavik
and Reykjavik in connection with the U.S. Air
Force. I was highly impressed with the people
of Iceland and the beautiful cities and country-
side of your wonderful land. It is now a further
desire of mine to return to your land and become
much better acquainted.
I bought the latest copy of your magazine at
the Hotel GarSur where I was staying and was
so rushed that I could only buy the winter issue
at the passenger terminal at Keflavik on my way
home. I must have the first copy of 65° (in the
white cover). Please send it to me as quickly as
possible. I hope to have a year’s subscription sent
to me at a later date. Thank you for your as-
sistance.
MAJ. CHARLES F. JONES, Omaha, Nebraska.
Kaeri Asgeir Tor Asgeirsson:
Beztu frakkir fyrir aS sen da mer svo fljott tvo
nyjustu heftin af timaritinu 65°, sem mer barust
i gser meS agastum skilum.
Tessi hefti eru froSleg og skemmtileg a8 inni-
haldi, og virSist mer J>i$ halda prySisvel i horfi
um efni ritsins og }raS na vel tilgangi sinum.
Me8 aluSarkveSju til ritstjorans og ykkar allra,
sem eigiS hlut aS litgafu ritsins.
RICHARD BECK, Victoria, B.C., Canada.
Speak your piece and the world will listen, I always say.
65 DEGREES
Dear Editor:
Congratulations to your fine quarterly, 65°.
I read the spring 1968 issue with great interest
on my visit to Reykjavik, and find it an excellent
publication. It fills a real need, as it acquaints
an English reading public with the unusually di-
verse and high cultural attainments of the Ice-
landic nation. I trust that you will find more sub-
scribers and real support from both Icelanders
and non-Icelanders. Your presentation is praise-
worthy. What I should like to see are reproduc-
tions of good line drawings by Icelandic painters
and sculptors.
With all good wishes,
A.L. COPLEY, New York.
Dear Editor,
After having read, at your request, the article
and translation of P. B. Taylor and W. H. Auden
in the spring issue of 65°, I do not consider my-
self able to write a short criticism on their trans-
lation of Havamal. Their translation is possibly
a work to be respected and shows enthusiasm,
but it does not succeed in capturing the character-
istics of the poem, either in style or verse, and
contains instances of inexactness and misunder-
standing. As I do not have sufficient time to write
a long criticism, as would be suitable, I would
tend to be harsh in my judgement about this
translation, but it would be unreasonable to judge
heavily after having seen only 28 of the verses
of the poem, as the rest might be much better.
I hope that you will understand this and respect
my attitude.
TRYGGVI GISLASON, cand mag.
and teacher at Reykjavik Gymnasium.
Hjonasvip, meaning the facial resemblance
between married couples, is a word often used in
Iceland. Although general opinion attributes this
often striking similarity to shared habits of living
and perhaps even the unconscious copying of
each other’s expressions and mannerisms, psycho-
logists have observed that people tend to seek a
marriage partner who resembles themselves and
therefore tends to make them feel most at ease,
and that this accounts for part of the attraction
people sometimes feel for apparent strangers.
For apt examples of hjonasvip, we refer you to
the pictures of President-elect Kristjan Eldjarn
and his wife and of Ambassador Gunnar Thor-
oddsen and his wife on page 20.
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