A single-volume 2nd edition of Henderson's Iceland, first published in two volumes the previous year. Book is xv + foldout map + 576 pp. with 16 b/w illus.

As before, the extracts from Beowulf are meant to illustrate "the early use of poetry among the Danes" (517), being taken by Henderson as a record of historical Scandinavian practice.

Henderson gives the Old English and Modern English translation in parallel columns. The Old English is from from the edition of "my learned friend Etatsraad Thorkelin" (517), with Henderson's own translations accompanying.

The three short extracts and their translations are as follows:

Thær was hearpan
Sweg swutol sang
Scopes sægde
Se the cuthe
Frum sceaft fira
Feorran reccan
Cwæth thæt se Almightiga
Eorthan worh, &c.

"There they played on the harp, and sang delightful songs; and the poets repeated what they knew of the origin of the human race, derived from afar—the creation of the earth by the Almighty," &c. (517; italics as in original)

Scop hwilum sang

"Meanwhile the poet sang." (517; italics as in original)

Hwilum cynninges thegn
Guma gilp hlæden
Gidda gemyndig
Se the eal fela
Eald gesegena
Worn gemunde.
Word other fand
So the gebunden
Secg eft ongan
Sith Beowulfes
Snyttrum styrian
And on sped wrecan
Spel gerade
Wordum wrixlan
Wel hwelc gecwæth
Thæt he framsige
Munde secgan
Hyrde ellen dæthum
Uncuthes fela
Wæl singes gewin
Wide sithas
Thara the gumena bearn
Gearwe ne wiston.

"In the mean time the royal servant (the poet) commemorated in songs the virtues of such as had fallen in battle—he who retains in his memory all the traditions of past ages. One word produced another, and, when joined together, they formed a history of the voyage of Beowulf. It was sagely composed, and easy of interpretation, because the events followed each other in historical order. What he thus masterly composed, he repeated to such as were present. I heard noble deeds set forth in elegant poems; things which had never before been known to the children of men." (517; italics as in original)

An abridged version of this 2nd edition, published in 1831, omits the appendix that had contained the Beowulf extracts.

BAM.