Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/11

 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY.

The Icelanders, in their long winter, had a great habit of writing; and were, and still are, excellent in penmanship, says Dahlmann. It is to this fact that any little history there is of the Norse Kings and their old tragedies, crimes, and heroisms, is almost all due. The Icelanders, it seems, not only made beautiful letters on their paper or parchment, but were laudably observant and desirous of accuracy; and have left us such a collection of narratives (Sagas, literally 'Says') as, for quantity and quality, is unexampled among rude nations. Snorro Sturleson's History of the Norse Kings is built out of these old Sagas, and has in it a great deal of poetic fire, not a little faithful sagacity applied in sifting and adjusting these old Sagas, and, in a word, deserves, were it once well edited, furnished with accurate maps,