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Eddas. The first and most ancient was compiled by Soemund Sigfusson, sirnamed the Learned, born in Iceland about the year 1057. This Author had studied in Germany, and chiefly at Cologne, along with his countryman Are, sirnamed also Frode, or the Learned; and who likewise distinguished himself by his love for the Belle-Lettres[1]. Sæmund was one of the first who ventured to commit to writing the ancient religious Poetry, which many people still retained by heart. He seems to have confined himself to the meer selecting into one body such of the ancient Poems as appeared most proper to furnish a sufficient number of poetical figures and phrases. It is not determined whether this collection (which, it should seem, was very considerable) is at present extant, or not: But without engaging in this dispute, it suffices to say, that Three of the Pieces of which it was composed, and perhaps those three of the most important, have come down to us. We shall give a more particular account of these in the body of this work.
- ↑ V. Arii Frode schedæ, seu libellus de Islandiâ, editæ ab And. Bussæo. Havn. 1733. in Præfat. This Are Frode is the oldest of all the northern historians whose works have come down to us. He wrote many Histories which are lost; that which remains is on the establishment of the Norwegians in Iceland.
