panied by sir Joseph Banks, visited and described its philosophical curiosities; and Dr. Black, very lately, analysed the wa ters of its boiling spring, which was known to dissolve or suspend one of those earths on which, in our hands, water would scarcely act. If it be conceived that so minute, or, as it may be called, so statistic a view of this remote spot cannot be greatly interesting to mankind at large, however it may be to its sovereign, whose dominions, under an inclement sky, and on an unfertile soil, enjoy few of the blessings of nature; yet, in the eye of a philosopher, every thing interests that is not foreign to the human race. He delights in seeing nature struggling against the disadvantages of climate, in perceiving the corn sown and reaped in the course, comparatively, of a few weeks, in which the sun seems to make rapid efforts to compensate for his long absence, and his haste to retire. He observes, with pleasure, mankind contending with the elements, and assiduously improving the short season of action: he examines the care with which nature clothes those animals that are destined to endure the severest winters, and takes advantage of their plans to defend himself with their coverings, or to avail himself of their remedies.

Iceland is not, also, without attractions of a different kind. In the middle ages, when the south of Europe was desolated by wars, and involved in all the horrors of intestine or externat contention, this island was the repository of Scandinavian literature, and the wild poetry distinguished by the term Runic. The history, the divinity, and the antiquities of the north are contained in the books of the Icelandic sages; and the English antiquary would find, even here, the source of some of his customs, and the etymons of a part of his vocabulary-for the same. race gave birth to the Icelanders and the Normans: from the latter, various manners and terms still in existence are derived. These subjects, however, we cannot now enlarge on; for the volumes before us chiefly relate to the natural history of the island. Though, therefore, we cannot follow these extensive details minutely, we mean not to lessen the value of the work even to those not immediately connected with it. We have perused these volumes with some satisfaction; but we dare not say that they will be equally interesting to every reader. We shall introduce our account with the preface avis du li

braire.

His Danish majesty, equally interested and anxious to be acquainted with Iceland-one of the interesting parts of his possessions-charged his Academy of Sciences with an examination of this island, of which only vague and imperfect notions were entertained. MM. Olassen and Povelsen were fixed on for this attempt; the first claiming Iceland for his native

country, and the other having resided there as first physiciatt. To these philosophers we are indebted for this collection of observations of every kind respecting Iceland. They have spared neither trouble nor inquiries, to give a striking view of the civil and natural history of the island; and it is from their observations, as well as from the MSS. of other philosophers, whose only object was the study of man and of nature, that this work has been compiled, under the auspices of the king, and the direction of the Academy. It leaves nothing for the reader of any description to wish for-at least to the reader who knows, that, from the history of travels, true knowledge is acquired, especially if written with the veracity that distinguishes these, the travels of Pallas, and some others.

In the plan of the work, the division into fiordung (quarters), syssels (districts), and heredes (jurisdictions), is closely observed. The authors enter into the most circumstantial details of each portion of the country, and the divisions it contains. Of these last, they describe, first, their situation; their extent; their distribution; their present state, whether inhabited or not; the mountains; the valleys; the glaciers; volcanoes; rivers; lakes; springs; hot mineral waters; islands; the temperature of the climate; and the variety of the seasons. They, secondly, notice the nature of the soil; the different kinds of earths, stones, minerals, fossils, petrifactions, &c. 3dly, the fertility of the country; the meadows; herbage; plants, with their different properties: 4thly, the inhabitants; their genius; their forms; the diseases to which they are subject; their kind of life, industry, manners, sciences, and arts: 5thly, the animals of every kind, the insects, and conchyliology: 6thly, the ancient and new appearances of nature: 7thly, the establishments and improvements already made, and which remain to be effected: 8thly, the ports of the island, and its commerce. In short, nothing seems wanting; and the reader "copiá plusquam penuriá premitur.”

If the ancients had any fixed spot in their view, when they spoke of Thule, or only trusted the vague stories of Phoenician mariners, who distinguished by this name their most northern port, and transferred it, as their discoveries advanced, to Nova Zembla, or the Lord knows where,' Iceland must have been the place. It extends from about latitude 63° 15' to 67° 20′; and from 349° 10' east longitude from the Isle of Ferrol to the second degree of the same meridian. Its form may be compared to a crescent, of which the western horn is most projecting, and the convex part faces the south. As usual, the western coast is very deeply indented by the encroachments of the ocean; and the south-western point nearly resembles that of England. We see almost the counter part of the Bristol Chan

nel, and the embouchure of the Tamar and the Plym, on the south. The northern coast is also deeply intersected, seemingly from the ground being lower, or less capable of resistance; while the bold projecting points on the south form a powerful barrier to the encroaching ocean. The higher part of the island is in the centre; and, contrary to the observation of Van Troil, the rivers fall from the centre of the island in every direction. The high lands, however, approach nearer to the south than any other quarter of the island. The map is on a large scale, and apparently correct. It is, nevertheless, singular that Hecla does not occur in it. This celebrated mountain is on the southern coast, where, in its curvature, it verges to the northwest, at no great distance from the Isles of Wegtman. A view of it is indeed given, but so little characteristic, that it may well serve, with a change of title, for any other mountain. The plates are sixty in number; and in general represent, with sufficient fidelity, different objects of natural history, as well as the Icelanders in their different dresses. The views are very badly executed.

The travelers begin their description with the southern quarter, which is, in reality, the south-west. In England, what they style so would extend from the Isle of Portland to the mouth of the Parret. We need not again repeat the different heads. What relates to the natural history of the island is not very well executed. The zoological part is rather general than scientific, though the reader is referred to the System of Nature. In mineralogy, the old definitions of Cronstedt are generally quoted; and the latest author that we recollect in the margin, in that line, is Wallerius. We find nothing, in this part, peculiarly interesting. We were, however, attracted by a section entitled 'pyramids,' and shall select our authors' short description.

We observed here (at Geitland) two particulars sufficiently remarkable. The first is, that the sand is accumulated on the ice of the mountain in black round pyramids of the shape of sugar loaves. The figure is as regular as if formed by design. These conical heaps are from four to six feet in height, and are only a few paces distant from each other. In their original formation, there is a large cleft accompanied by others of a smaller size. In some places they are not so regular as in others principally where we began to ascend the glacier-because the sand is transported towards the ravines, and fewer pyramids are formed. We may well suppose that it is not possible for the sand to remain accumulated in this manner, or that these masses can preserve their form, without being softened by their own humidity. Having pushed our pikes, or sticks pointed with iron, into these pyramids, we perceived that their

nucleus was ice. In the first we met with, the mass which formed its basis had sunk, or rather it had been dissolved by the water which trickled from its summit, where we perceived the beginning of a furrow, which we noticed also in many others.'

Our travelers proceed to the western quarter, which is, in reality, the north-west; and indeed, from this part of their journey, the description just quoted was inadvertently taken. They here meet with the fossil wood called sturtar brandur. This properly belongs to the vegetable kingdom, though another kind, which we shall afterwards notice, seems to be of animal origin. It lies under the basis of the rocks, which have probably overwhelmed it. The stratum is two feet thick: but our travelers could not ascertain its extent. This substance, in its organisation, greatly resembles ebony, is heavier than oak, and yields easily to the tool. In water, or when exposed to moisture, it continues for a long time; but in dry air it soon splits into an infinite number of very fine filaments. It gives a strong heat, but requires some more inflammable substance to kindle it. The flame is small and clear, the smoke acid and disagreeable, but not unwholesome. When the inflammation is checked, it forms a hard, black, shining charcoal, which gives a powerful heat and a pure flame, without smoke. This coal, applied to the abdomen and sides, is said to relieve internal pains; and the Icelanders use it to free their clothes from vermin. The author resumes the subject in his second volume, in his examination of the same quarter, and adds to the proof of its being of ligneous origin: yet the successive depths at which it is found are an argument in the opposite scale; for the forest which furnished the lowest stratum must have been far below the level of the sea; and repeated earthquakes, or other convulsions, can alone explain these successive strata. When, however, we compare the evidence adduced in this volume with the observations and analysis of the anthracite by Fabroni, of the piligno of the Italians, the turfea lignea of the Germans, described by Razonmouski in the Journal de Physique, we cannot refuse our assent to its vegetable origin. In the Icelandic fossil, leaves are found in the intervening strata: the ardoise, which covers it, is little other than the vegetable mould hardened; and the vitriolic acid, which can give wood the black colour and the fossil appearance, is obvious to the smell when it is burnt. Iron also is a production plentifully scattered in this part of Iceland: nor are astringent vegetables wanting, to impart, by means of the iron, the peculiar colour of the surturbrand.

The Iceland lichen is another peculiarity of this island, though occasionally found in many parts of England. When

steeped in water, to take off its bitterness, the Icelander makes bread of it; and the authors suppose that it would supply the rein-deer with food, as well as its kindred species. The antiphthisical qualities are also mentioned with approbation-we fear, however, without a sufficient foundation. But this subject we must soon resume under another guide.

In this work we find the island and its inhabitants described more advantageously than in the volumes of our authors' prede cessors-we trust not with political views, to add to their monopolies and their imposts, for they are already burdened with both; and even their moss is subjected to a duty. The cause of the difference we shall explain in the author's words :-he is speaking of the western quarter.

Towards the south of the glacier, and in many places where there are fishing establishments, for want of turf they burn rushes, and the larger bones of fishes when dried. This has occasioned Anderson, Horrebow, and the author of the Danish Mercury, to say that the Icelanders burned nothing else; but we were convinced, from our own observation, that the bones were employed in a very few places only, and even then for want of other materials. The disadvantageous representations given of the Icelanders arise from foreign seamen, who visit only the coast and the fisheries, where they find much filth-a circumstance common in such places, and which is always inseparable from poverty. This dirtiness exists in the same degree in the fisheries of other nations. Visitors and writers should, therefore, have been more indulgent to our poor Icelanders, and not thrown the odium of filth on a whole nation, which they have not taken pains either to be acquainted with or to appreciate. Besides, what Mr. Anderson has said of the warmth which these fishermen procure by means of the bones of whales and other fishes, which they cover with their oil, is true only of those wretches who can obtain neither turf nor wood. Rushes alone would be a poor resource, from the difficulty of kindling them, and the crackling sparks they throw out in consequence of the saline particles they contain. The odour which they exhale is very disagreeable to those not used to it; but that of fish bones is still worse.'

In this western quarter is a cavern, which contains some inscriptions in an unknown language. The characters are not Runic, and they cannot have been intelligible to the members of the Danish Academy, under whose auspices these travels are published. The riches of this quarter are inconsiderable. The deficiency of coal renders the iron useless; and Iceland has little to bestow, except its moss, its eider-down, and its fishes. The whale-, the salmon-, and the herring- fisheries are valuable; but the inland prospect offers only an interchange of uncomfortablepess-abrupt and barren pics, freezing glaciers, valleys worn.