Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-10
ICELAND'S GREAT FESTIVAL.

The festival which the people of isolated
and barren Iceland were to celebrate, Satur-
day, is an event worthy Of attention from the
more busy and social nations of the earth.
1t is their millenary Of existence; for in 81 4
A. d. Ingoli sailed thither, with other pagan
chiefs OF Norway, to escape the restraints of
the centralized sovereignty built up by Iar.
old the Fairhaired, and the mightier intIuen-
ces OF Christianity encouraged by St Olaf,
his successor. These Morse vikings were
thus, however differentin nature and tenden-
cy, the prototypes of the Plymouth pilgrims,
in that they sought in exile civil and religious
freedom, denied them at home. There, out
of the beaten track of the world, they made
republic; their Althing embodied popular
government, and their laws first instituted
trial by jury. For four centuries this lasted
an age during which great literature was
made, distinguished by epic poets, phioso-
pliers and historians; in which commerce and
exploration gave the nation fame. Then at
last the religion that 1ngolf and his fellows
fled from sought and conquered their posteri-
ty; envies and jealousies rent the fabric of
liberty, and the government the fathers re-
belled against stretched its power over the
unresisting children. Their literature died.
and their once cherished rights vanished one
by one. And so since the dark ages of
Europe, which were their light ages.
Iceland has been but tradition of history
and poetry.
| Now dawns new day; or rather now A
slow dawn bursts into full light. Thirty wears
ago the spirit of the Icelandic people was so
we'll revived that once again thev got their
Althing; In ten years more they gained free
trade, and one by one, as they went, the priv
lleges OF freedom return. Their festival
thus celebrates also renewed, as well as
Commentaries historic, national life, and
hlng Christian OF Denmark, the first OF their
sovereigns to visit them, comes with free
constitution in his hand for largesse to his
distant subjects. He finds a revived nation
in every point; their culture betokened BY
newspapers and Libraries, and rising men in
many walks, from poetry and criticism TO sci
ence ard politics; finds too, a sence of entity
SO strong that even the shadow of depentle nee
gals, aud the popular ambition reaches be.
yond the concessions of the king to an abso-
lutte cutting loose from his dominion.
To us this millennial festival bears a double
interest; republican sympathy and an in
tellectual gratitude. Iceland is a land of
marvels, an abode Of the poetic meaning that
inheres in the tremendous throes of nature.
and is Interpreted in the wild and stern i'm
aginations OF northern mythology. From the
crowding volcanoes, the devastating lava. the
treeless and desert surface, with scarce patch
es of soil and scanty heritage for tlocks and
herds, the great rivers, the broad fjords, from
the whole weird scenery of land that fire
and frost continually quarrel over,-there has
come an influence that nearly all modern lit
eratures have felt; that nodded all Scandina-
Wan life, inspired the German thought, and
has its share in English letters, to this day.
Wesewe the lcelanders a hearty fellowship
for these things, and, besides, there is that
casual tie of Left Ercson's early visit to cur
shores. 1t is well that we were represented
at Reykyavik on this rare festal anniversary.
1t is courtesy that Iceland will perhaps re-
pay to our now young republic, nine hundred
years hence; we trust, at all events, that Ba-
yard Taylor, Mr.. Halstead and Mr.. Field
will not fail to invite delegation of her Jour
nalists and notables to our nearing centennial
-Sprta9Geld Republican.