letters from high latitudes-第7部分
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In order that you may understand why the forlorn barrack we had just left； and its solitary inmates； should have set me thinking of the men and women 〃of a thousand summers back；〃 it is necessary I should tell you a little about this same Snorro Sturleson； whose memory so haunted me。
Colonized as Iceland had been；not； as is generally the case； when a new land is brought into occupation； by the poverty…stricken dregs of a redundant population； nor by a gang of outcasts and ruffians； expelled from the bosom of a society which they contaminated；but by men who in their own land had been both rich and noble；with possessions to be taxed； and a spirit too haughty to endure taxation；already acquainted with whatever of refinement and learning the age they lived in was capable of supplying； it is not surprising that we should find its inhabitants； even from the first infancy of the republic； endowed with an amount of intellectual energy hardly to be expected in so secluded a community。
Perhaps it was this very seclusion which stimulated into almost miraculous exuberance the mental powers already innate in the people。 Undistracted during several successive centuries by the bloody wars； and still more bloody political convulsions； which for too long a period rendered the sword of the warrior so much more important to European society than the pen of the scholar； the Icelandic settlers； devoting the long leisure of their winter nights to intellectual occupations； became the first of any European nation to create for themselves a native literature。 Indeed； so much more accustomed did they get to use their heads than their hands； than if an Icelander were injured he often avenged himself； not by cutting the throat of his antagonist； but by ridiculing him in some pasquinade；sometimes； indeed； he did both； and when the King of Denmark maltreats the crew of an Icelandic vessel shipwrecked on his coast； their indignant countrymen send the barbarous monarch word； that by way of reprisal； they intend making as many lampoons on him as there are promontories in his dominions。 Almost all the ancient Scandinavian manuscripts are Icelandic； the negotiations between the Courts of the North were conducted by Icelandic diplomatists； the earliest topographical survey with which we are acquainted was Icelandic； the cosmogony of the Odin religion was formulated； and its doctrinal traditions and ritual reduced to a system； by Icelandic archaeologists； and the first historical composition ever written by any European in the vernacular； was the product of Icelandic genius。 The title of this important work is 〃The Heimskringla；〃 or world…circle； ＇Footnote： So called because Heimskringla （world…circle） is the first word in the opening sentence of the manuscript which catches the eye。＇ and its author wasSnorro Sturleson！ It consists of an account of the reigns of the Norwegian kings from mythic times down to about A。D。 1150； that is to say； a few years before the death of our own Henry II。； but detailed by the old Sagaman with so much art and cleverness as almost to combine the dramatic power of Macaulay with Clarendon's delicate delineation of character； and the charming loquacity of Mr。 Pepys。 His stirring sea…fights； his tender love…stories； and delightful bits of domestic gossip； are really inimitable；you actually live with the people he brings upon the stage； as intimately as you do with Falstaff； Percy； or Prince Hal； and there is something in the bearing of those old heroic figures who form his dramatis person； so grand and noble； that it is impossible to read the story of their earnest stirring lives without a feeling of almost passionate interestan effect which no tale frozen up in the monkish Latin of the Saxon annalists has ever produced upon me。
As for Snorro's own life； it was eventful and tragic enough。 Unscrupulous； turbulent； greedy of money； he married two heiressesthe one； however； becoming the COLLEAGUE； not the successor of the other。 This arrangement naturally led to embarrassment。 His wealth created envy； his excessive haughtiness disgusted his sturdy fellow…countrymen。 He was suspected of desiring to make the republic an appanage of the Norwegian crown； in the hope of himself becoming viceroy； and at last； on a dark September night； of the year 1241； he was murdered in his house at Reikholt by his three sons…in…law。
The same century which produced the Herodotean work of Sturleson also gave birth to a whole body of miscellaneous Icelandic literature；though in Britain and elsewhere bookmaking was entirely confined to the monks； and merely consisted in the compilation of a series of bald annals locked up in bad Latin。 It is true； Thomas of Ercildoune was a contemporary of Snorro's； but he is known to us more as a magician than as a man of letters； whereas histories； memoirs； romances； biographies； poetry； statistics； novels； calendars； specimens of almost every kind of composition； are to be found even among the meagre relics which have survived the literary decadence that supervened on the extinction of the republic。
It is to these same spirited chroniclers that we are indebted for the preservation of two of the most remarkable facts in the history of the world： the colonization of Greenland by Europeans in the 10th century； and the discovery of America by the Icelanders at the commencement of the 11th。
The story is rather curious。
Shortly after the arrival of the first settlers in Iceland； a mariner of the name of Eric the Red discovers a country away to the west； which； in consequence of its fruitful appearance； he calls Greenland。 In the course of a few years the new land has become so thickly inhabited that it is necessary to erect the district into an episcopal see； and at last； in 1448； we have a brief of Pope Nicolas 〃granting to his beloved children of Greenland； in consideration of their having erected many sacred buildings and a splendid cathedral；〃a new bishop and a fresh supply of priests。 At the commencement； however； of the next century； this colony of Greenland； with its bishops； priests and people； its one hundred and ninety townships； its cathedral； its churches； its monasteries； suddenly fades into oblivion； like the fabric of a dream。 The memory of its existence perishes； and the allusions made to it in the old Scandinavian Sagas gradually come to be considered poetical inventions or pious frauds。 At last； after a lapse of four hundred years； some Danish missionaries set out to convert the Esquimaux； and there； far within Davis' Straits； are discovered vestiges of the ancient settlement；remains of houses； paths； walls； churches； tombstones； and inscriptions。 ＇Footnote： On one tombstone there was written in Runic； 〃Vigdis M。 D。 Hvilir Her； Glwde Gude Sal Hennar。〃 〃Vigdessa rests here； God gladden her soul。〃 But the most interesting of these inscriptions is one discovered； in 1824； in an island in Baffin's Bay； in latitude 72 degrees 55'； as it shows how boldly these Northmen must have penetrated into regions supposed to have been unvisited by man before the voyages of our modern navigators：〃Erling Sighvatson and Biomo Thordarson； and Eindrid Oddson； on Saturday before Ascension…week； raised these marks and cleared ground； 1135：〃 This date of Ascension…week implies that these three men wintered here； which must lead us to imagine that at that time； seven hundred years ago； the climate was less inclement than it is now。＇
What could have been the calamity which suddenly annihilated this Christian people； it is impossible to say； whether they were massacred by some warlike tribe of natives； or swept off to the last man by the terrible pestilence of 1349； called 〃The Black Death；〃 or；most horrible conjecture of all；beleaguered by vast masses of ice setting down from the Polar Sea along the eastern coast of Greenland； and thus miserably frozen； we are never likely to knowso utterly did they perish； so mysterious has been their doom。
On the other hand； certain traditions； with regard to the discovery of a vast continent by their forefathers away in the south…west； seems never entirely to have died out of the memory of the Icelanders； and in the month of February； 1477； there arrives at Reykjavik； in a barque belonging to the port of Bristol； a certain long…visaged； grey…eyed Genoese mariner； who was observed to take an amazing interest in hunting up whatever was known on the subject。 Whether Columbusfor it was no less a personage than hereally learned anything to confirm him in his noble resolutions； is uncertain； but we have still extant an historical manuscript； written at all events before the year 1395； that is to say； one hundred years prior to Columbus' voyage； which contains a minute account of how a certain person named Lief； while sailing over to Greenland； was driven out of his course by contrary winds； until he found himself off an extensive and unknown coast； which increased in beauty and fertility as he descended south； and how； in consequence of the representation Lief made on his return； successive expeditions were undertaken in the same direction。 On two occasions their wives seem to have accompanied the adventurers； of one ship's company the skipper was a lady： while two parties even wintered i
