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the sagas themselves; that would be like recarving a perfect statuary
in order to produce something more than perfect.
The historical bent is also seen in our patriotic poetry, in which the
nineteenth century is particularly rich. Almost every poem on Iceland
teems with reflections on her history, sometimes expressing regret for
lost renown, sometimes predicting a bright future yet in store for the
nation. Even in poems picturing Icelandic scenery the historical element
 is present, and the reason is not far to seek: almost every local
 name has its history, every farm has been the scene of events
preserved in fradition and saga, so that the mind is unconsciously
 attracted to the past as much as to the present. But these are not
the only themes our poets work on; they produce humorous verses,
satires, elegies, philosophical poems, and stanzas on all the workings
of the human heart; they present us with pictures of every phase of
Icelandic life, of the farmer with his scythe, and the shepherd with
his flock; of the sailor in his boat, and of travels across hill and
dale; there are poems on the weather, on the seasons, on our flora
and fauna. In this connexion one kind of Icelandic poetry may be
mentioned which can scarcely be paralleled in other literatures, viz.
the Pony Verses. The pony is the most useful servant of the Icelander,
and without the services of this excellent animal the country would have
been uninhabitable. Many an Icelandic steed has therefore had a funeral
 poem which a prince might envy; and a selection of the best of
‘his poetry would fill a bulky volume. In a word, any and every incident
 may call forth a poem, for making ditties has always been a
popular sport among the Icelanders, and some of our best poets have
been men in humble life.
During this period many foreign metres have been adopted in addition
 to the court and rimur metres which are stil as much in vogue
as ever, But the foreign metres have been changed so as to bring
them into accordance with Icelandic metrical rules, retaining the alliteration,
 rime-syllables, etc.
I shall now proceed to mention the principal poets of this era.
The Rev. Jon Thorliksson (1743 —1819) partly belongs to the eighteenth
 century; but with his translations of foreign works, e. g. Milton’s
 Paradise Lost, Kiopstock’s Messias, Pope’s Essay on Man, a.s.o0.,
he has had great influence on the poets who came after him. He is
also the author of hymns, occasional poems and witty verses which
to this day live on the lips of the people.
Bjarni Thorarensen {1786—1845) governor {amtmadur) wrote mostly