CURRENT LITERATURE.
STURLA THE HISTORIAN. which Professor Ker was called upon to give in the absence Of Lord Curzon. That absence, brought about as it was by so deplor- able a cause, every one must lament; but the, place was very worthily filled. The subject was well chosen ; it was unfaMilier, yet not remote ; and it was admirably treated; Professor Ker has a light touch and a playful humour not often to be fetuid in the expert. Sturla was one of the products of that, very strange growth, Icelandic culture. A more unlikely place for home
of the Muses than Iceland it would not be easy to imagine. out were its inhabitants such as would be likely to blossomout into tho flower of literature. Vacant, or nearly vacant, as far as we know, from the beginning of time, it was settled in the tenth century by some Norwegian gentry, wIM desired to be free from an intrusive Royal Government. The coloni enjoyed an ideal liberty for a time. But, as Professor Ker puts it, "perfect pure anarchy is too good for this world, and is soon corrupted." This corruption is tersely described by the phrase, "all law and no government." The law was all right, so to speak, but there was no power to enforce it. Late.. in the life of. this strange community came the literary development. In Snorri Sturlason it found its greatest expression, and Sturla was the son of Snorri's brother, Thord. Sturla, like Snorri, wrote of things quorum pars Inagua fuit. He wrote about raids and forays in which he had shared ; ho was a William of Deloraine who knew many things besides the "neck verse "..which that sturdy warrior found it so hard to acquire. Somewhat late in life Sturla had to leave his country, where the Republie had by this time given place to a Monarchy. He went to Norway, and not without difficulty won the favour of King Hacon, whom he repaid by writing his Life. Of these and other matters Professor Ker gives us glimpses which will certainly do what is the true object of a lecture,—make the hearer or .reader, study the subject for himself.
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