Letters on Iceland: containing observations on the natural history of the country, antiquities, manners and customs of the inhabitants, &c. &c. Made, during a voyage undertaken in the year 1772, by Sir Joseph Banks, P.R.S. assisted by Dr. Solander, F.R.S. Dr. J. Lind, F.R.S. and several other literary and ingenious gentlemen / written by Uno von Troil ; with notes and additions by the translator. The whole revised and corrected by E. Mendes da Costa.

  • Uno von Troil
Date:
1783
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters on Iceland: containing observations on the natural history of the country, antiquities, manners and customs of the inhabitants, &c. &c. Made, during a voyage undertaken in the year 1772, by Sir Joseph Banks, P.R.S. assisted by Dr. Solander, F.R.S. Dr. J. Lind, F.R.S. and several other literary and ingenious gentlemen / written by Uno von Troil ; with notes and additions by the translator. The whole revised and corrected by E. Mendes da Costa. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ ] ciiftoms, laws, and manners, which would remain inexplicable ; but the Icelanders being originally defcended 'from the fame Normans, and living on an ifland that has very little in- tercourfe with the refl of the world, have preferved their language, man- ners, and laws in their primitive fim- plicity ; nay, all the hifcorical ac- counts of the North are contained in the hiflorical fayings (f^g^s) of the Icelanders, which are very numerous, and would be of very important fer- vice in the inveftigation of the origin of the language, manners, and laws of England. Nor can it be advanced that this kind of fludy could not be purfued amongft us for want of thefe hiftorical monuments of the Icelanders; flnce by the known indefatigable zeal for the promotion of all branches of literature, and the • moll difinterelled generofity of Jofeph B nks, Efq. P. R. S. one hundred' and fix y-two Icelandic manufcripts have been pre- fented to, and 'are depofited i i the Britilh Mufeum. b The