Oxford: Oxford Clarendon Press, 1879. β 560 p.
The collection of Proverbs, the specimens of Manuscripts, the Runic inscriptions, and the Old Swedish texts have been put in for the help and amusement of more advanced students.
As to the arrangement of the book, the Grammar and Glossary come after the Notes, for the reasons we have given, and that repetitions might be avoided.
The Glossary is not meant to supersede the Dictionary, but to give a lift to the beginner. For the literary History of Iceland, the advanced student may supplement the Notes by reference to the Prolegomena to Sturlunga Saga, where also he will find information as to the best editions of the Sagas, etc.
Poetical specimens have been omitted for many reasons which unsuited them to the scope and design of this Reader ; and the Poetic ' Edda' can easily be bought in a cheap and handy form :
but no one should attempt its study, far less that of the later intricate Icelandic Verse, before the Saga has been thoroughly mastered.
To ' while away the time,' skemta, was the end of the old Sagas, an end which it is hoped this little book may fulfil for many English and American readers.