The Foreign Review and Continental Miscellany

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830. Excerpt: ... SHORT REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Deutsche Grammatik von Dr. J. Grimm. Gotting. 1822--26, 8vo. Der Danske Norske og Svenske Sprogs Hittorie of N. M. Peterson. Copenhagen, 1829, 8vo. The continental nations, especially the Germans and Danes, have been for a long time very industriously, and we think successfully, engaged in illustrating their ancient languages and remnants of literature. It is a curious observation, that so small a nation as the Danes should take the lead in researches of such interest to every people, aspiring to the honour of a continuity of literature and mental cultivation. This, however, seems in reality to have been the case in the north of Europe; for though we have no wish to depreciate the labours of Peringschold, Hadoroph, &c. in Sweden; of Palthen, Schiller, Scherz in Germany; nor of our own justly celebrated flicker, Wilkins, &c. &c. yet their labours were not only comparatively imperfect, but even discontinued, and in all probability, would never have been resumed with such ardour and success, but for the emulation excited by the learned men of Denmark. Even to the elder literary labourers above mentioned, the Danes may confidently compare their Resen and Vormius, Runolph Johnson-and Gudmund Andrese; but, omitting those celebrated authors, whose works, in spite of their renown, have been antiquated by time and the progress of science, we think we may with truth affirm that it was the great Danish historiographer Suhm, together with the royal Arna-magnean Institution for publishing the ancient Scandinavian or Icelandic manuscripts, who gave the first impulse to the labour, now carried on so eagerly both in the north and south of Gothic Europe. Mr. Suhm published several Icelandic Sagas, ' with Latin translations, at his own expense, and ...