waters. The wings of my soul drooped with exhaustion. My dramatic muse
awakened several times, but I could not receive her visits. At last,
in 1890, I began to write "Skipit sekkur" [The Ship is Sinking,--a
naturalistic drama], parts of which I rewrote seven times; so badly had
I treated my muse that she began to work so slowly....'

To this I shall only add that the poet has modestly omitted to state
that in his capacity of Chief of the Department of Statistics he is the
compiler of an excellent year-book on the trade relations and industries
of his native isle; that he is the author of several dramas not
mentioned by him; and that 'Sword and Crozier,' his latest drama (1899),
has already been translated into German and Danish.

I subjoin a synopsis of this play, in order to facilitate an
appreciation of it at the first reading.

Act I.--The chieftain of the North Quarter of Iceland, Kolbein the
Young, lies sick unto death from the after-effects of an old wound and
sends for his kinsmen and other nobles of the Quarter. While delivering
his message to them, Thorolf, his favorite (secretly the lover of the
chieftain's wife, Helga), and long a thorn in the flesh of these
proud men as an upstart, infuriates them anew by his insolent bearing.
Obedient to the call of their chief, they assemble about him to
determine on measures for the defence of the land, and to learn of the
disposition of his dominions. The weak Brand is given his lawful share,
which agrees well enough with Lady Helga's self-seeking plans of uniting
all the land under her and Thorolf's rule. The more forceful Broddi is
entitled to the other half; but when Kolbein, very conveniently for
her, becomes delirious she substitutes Thorolf's name instead, shrewdly
taking the precaution of compelling Brand by force of arms to swear him