The Influence of Old Norse Literature on English Literature | Page 5

of Gray's knowledge of Old Norse,[3] we might be pardoned for still believing with Gosse[4] that the poet learned Icelandic in his later life. Even after reading Professor Kittredge's essay, we cannot understand how Gray could catch the metrical lilt of the Old Norse with only a Latin version to transliterate the parallel Icelandic. We suspect that Gray's knowledge was fuller than Professor Kittredge will allow, although we must admit that superficial knowledge may coexist with a fine interpretative spirit. Matthew Arnold's knowledge of Celtic literature was meagre, yet he wrote memorably and beautifully on that subject, as Celts themselves will acknowledge.[5]
THE SOURCES OF GRAY'S KNOWLEDGE.
It has already been said that only antiquarians had knowledge of things Icelandic in Gray's time. Most of this knowledge was in Latin, of course, in ponderous tomes with wonderful, long titles; and the list of them is awe-inspiring. In all likelihood Gray did not use them all, but he met references to them in the books he did consult. Professor Kittredge mentions them in the paper already quoted, but they are here arranged in the order of publication, and the list is lengthened to include some books that were inspired by the interest in Gray's experiments.
=1636= and =1651=. Wormius. _Seu Danica literatura antiquissima, vulgo Gothica dicta, luci reddita opera Olai Wormii. Cui accessit de prisca Danorum Poesi Dissertatio._ Hafni?. 1636. Edit. II. 1651.
The essay on poetry contains interlinear Latin translations of the Epicedium of Ragnar Loebr��k, and of the _Dr��pa_ of Egill Skallagr��msson. Bound with the second edition of 1651, and bearing the date 1650, is: _Specimen Lexici runici, obscuriorum quarundam vocum, qu? in priscis occurrunt historiis et poetis Danicis enodationem exhibens. Collectum a Magno Olavio pastore Laufasiensi, ... nunc in ordinem redactum, auctum et locupletatum ab Olao Wormio_. Hafni?.
This glossary adduces illustrations from the great poems of Icelandic literature. Thus early the names and forms of the ancient literature were known.
=1665.= Resenius. _Edda Islandorum an. Chr. MCCXV islandice conscripta per Snorronem Sturl? Islandi?. Nomophylacem nunc primum islandice, danice et latine ... Petri Johannis Resenii_ ... Havni?. 1665.
A second part contains a disquisition on the philosophy of the _V?lusp��_ and the _H��vam��l_.
=1670.= Sheringham. _De Anglorum Gentis Origine Disceptatio. Qua eorum migrationes, vari? sedes, et ex parte res gest?, a confusione Linguarum, et dispersione Gentium, usque ad adventum eorum in Britanniam investigantur; qu?dam de veterum Anglorum religione, Deorum cultu, eorumque opinionibus de statu anim? post hanc vitam, explicantur._ Authore Roberto Sheringhamo. Cantabrigi?. 1670.

Chapter XII
contains an account of Odin extracted from the _Edda_, Snorri Sturluson and others.
=1679-92.= Temple. Two essays: "Of Heroic Virtue," "Of Poetry," contained in The Works of Sir William Temple. London. 1757. Vol. 3, pp. 304-429.
=1689.= Bartholinus. _Thom? Bartholini Antiquitatum Danicarum de causis contempt? a Danis adhuc gentilibus mortis libri III ex vetustis codicibus et monumentis hactenus ineditis congest?._ Hafni?. 1689.
The pages of this book are filled, with extracts from Old Norse sagas and poetry which are translated into Latin. No student of the book could fail to get a considerable knowledge of the spirit and the form of the ancient literature.
=1691.= Verelius. _Index lingu? veteris Scytho-Scandic? sive Gothic? ex vetusti ?vi monumentis ... ed Rudbeck._ Upsal?. 1691.
=1697=. Torf?us. _Orcades, seu rerum Orcadensium histori?_. Havni?. 1697.
=1697=. Perinskj?ld. _Heimskringla, eller Snorre Sturlusons Nordl?ndske Konunga Sagor_. Stockholmi?. 1697.
Contains Latin and Swedish translation.
=1705=. Hickes. _Linguarum Vett. Septentrionalium thesaurus grammatico criticus et arch?ologicus_. Oxoni?. 1703-5.
This work is discussed later.
=1716=. Dryden. _Miscellany Poems. Containing Variety of New Translations of the Ancient Poets_.... Published by Mr. Dryden. London. 1716.
=1720=. Keysler. _Antiquitates select? septentrionales et Celtic? quibus plurima loca conciliorum et capitularium explanantur, dogmata theologi? ethnic? Celtarum gentiumque septentrionalium cum moribus et institutis maiorum nostrorum circa idola, aras, oracula, templa, lucos, sacerdotes, regum electiones, comitia et monumenta sepulchralia una cum reliquiis gentilismi in coetibus christianorum ex monumentis potissimum hactenus ineditis fuse perquiruntur._ Autore Joh. Georgio Keysler. Hannover?. 1720.
=1755=. Mallet. _Introduction �� l'Histoire de Dannemarc o�� l'on traite de la R��ligion, des Lois, des Moeurs, et des Usages des Anciens Danois. Par_ M. Mallet. Copenhague. 1755.
Discussed later.
=1756=. Mallet. _Monumens de la Mythologie et la Po?sie des Celtes et particuli��rement des anciens Scandinaves ... Par_ M. Mallet. Copenhague. 1756.
=1763=. Percy. Five Pieces of Runic Poetry translated from the Islandic Language. London. 1763.
This book is described on a later page.
=1763=. Blair. _A Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian, the Son of Fingal_. [By Hugh Blair.] London. 1763.
=1770=. Percy. _Northern Antiquities: or a description of the Manners, Customs, Religion and Laws of the ancient_ _Danes, and other Northern Nations; including these of our own Saxon Ancestors. With a translation of the Edda or System of Runic Mythology, and other Pieces from the Ancient Icelandic Tongue. Translated from M. Mallet's Introduction �� l'Histoire de Dannemarc_. London. 1770.
=1774=. Warton. The History of English Poetry. By Thomas Warton. London. 1774-81.
In this book the prefatory essay entitled