The natural history of Iceland: containing a particular and accurate account of the different soils, burning mountains, minerals, vegetables, metals, stones, beasts, birds, and fishes; together with the disposition, customs, and manner of living of the inhabitants / Interspersed with an account of the island, by Mr. Anderson. To which is added, a meteorological table. Translated from the Danish original of Mr. N. Horrebow.

Niels Horrebow

Date:: 1758

Credit: The natural history of Iceland: containing a particular and accurate account of the different soils, burning mountains, minerals, vegetables, metals, stones, beasts, birds, and fishes; together with the disposition, customs, and manner of living of the inhabitants / Interspersed with an account of the island, by Mr. Anderson. To which is added, a meteorological table. Translated from the Danish original of Mr. N. Horrebow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$determined fo well by external fcnfation, as by thermomical ob- fervations, the only proper ted. in this refped. Thefe reafons may evince the extent of their experience, or rather how very flight it was, which, no doubt, they difplay- ed in glaring colours, when they had tne honour to be in\ ited and received fo politely by the firft burgo-mafter ol the gieat city of Hamburg. They thought it incumbent on them at lead, to inform this learned gentleman, or ah that he fecmed defirous to know, and they would not appear fo fimpie or de¬ void of curioftty, as not to give fome account of e\ eiy parti¬ cular in the ifland, which perhaps they made feveral voyages to, and confequently full of their own knowledge and experi¬ ence, could not help telling fome things they knew, and others they knew nothing of. In this manner the late burgo- mafter Anderfon s credulity has been impofed upon, not doubting, but all thefe accounts were authentic and inconteftable, as being received fiom pei- fons who viftted the ifland every year, and had collected all their intelligence at firft hand, and from their own knowledge and experience. As he alfo knew, that the public had little or no knowledge of this remote country, he was willing to oblige them in fome meafure, by giving his manufeript to be perufed by every one that deftred it, and his upright and laudable in¬ tentions were at laft fully completed by his heirs printing and publifhing the fame. This work, afterwards tranflated from the High-Dutch into the Danifh language, was well received and read in both, with a threat deal of pleafure, and beftdes, was believed to be a per¬ fect illuftration or genuine account of that country. Though it muft be allowed, that it abounds with many pretty and inge¬ nious notes and remarks, anfwerable to the chara&er of fo learn¬ ed and admirable an author, yet it is certain, that the fads on which it is grounded, are for the greater part falfe, and expofe the ignorance, the miftaken ideas, and withal the bad difpoft- tions of the hearts of thofe againft the Icelanders, who foifted fuch fpurious accounts upon the late Mr. Anderfon s credu¬ lity. To$

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