Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1941, Blaðsíða 167

ICELAND IN THE NORTH
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field of Northern research, from the great collector of Icelandic
medieval manuscripts Árni Magnússon in the beginning of the 18th
century down to the present times. The University of Copen-
hagen is by the way the only university where there is a fixed
chair of Icelandic language and literature.
The study of the old language and literature of Iceland has
of course attracted many Danish scholars. Among these one
name is specially prominent, that of the great Rasmus Rask (1787
—1832), one of the founders of modern comparative philology.
His memory is dear to Iceland. He recognized the great im-
portance of the Icelandic language and literature, and he was
the chief founder of the Icelandic Literary Society (1816), which
has rendered eminent services, both in scholarly research in the
history and literature of Iceland, in editing Icelandic classics and
in the publication of excellent periodicals and popular hand-
books. Another Dane, whose work has been of great value to
Iceland, was Carl Christian Rafn, the founder of the Royal
Society of Northern Antiquaries, a body that has rendered great
services to the study of the old Icelandic literature. Rafn also
was the real founder of the Icelandic National Library in
Reykjavík in 1818. I may here also mention the great series of
photolithographic reproductions of many of the principal medieval
Icelandic manuscripts published and edited by Dr. Einar Munks-
gaard, the Corpus Codicum Islandicorum Medii Ævi, with intro-
ductions by various scholars, an undertaking of immense value.
A work of the greatest practical and scientific value is the
great map of Iceland, undertaken and executed first by the Topo-
graphical Section of the Danish General Staff, and later by the
Danish Geodetic Institute. Iceland pays part of the costs, but
the leadership and the execution of this difficult work has been
entrusted to specially trained Danish officers, and the results
have been truly magnificent.
As sound specialists in the archæology and historical topo-
graphy of Iceland two Danish scholars, Kristian Kalund and
Daniel Bruun have rendered excellent services.
Danish research foundations, particularly the Carlsberg Foun-
dation, have also contributed largely to the scientific exploration
of Iceland both by subsidizing Danish and Icelandic scholars, and
by organising special expeditions, such as that of Prof. Niels Niel-
sen for the exploration of the volcanoes in the glacier fields of
Vatnajökull.