Icelandic Journals

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William Morris's routes through south-west Iceland can still be followed, possibly, though not necessarily as for Morris's party, on horseback. Morris was plump, unfit and relatively untravelled, but his enthusiasm, grit and phenomenal eye for detail sustained him for six weeks in 1871 and a further two in 1873 through 'the most romantic of all deserts'. Morris kept very few diaries and the Icelandic Journals are the most complete. Written daily, in pencil, in small black-covered notebooks, they are unguarded, spontaneous and by turn discouraged and excited. He records wild flowers and wilder landscapes, spectacular sunsets, vast expanses of lava, magnificent waterfalls, dangerous tracks and more dangerous rivers to be forded on or beside his practised and indomitable ponies. Morris grew to love his ponies, bringing one back to England for his daughters. He loved too the Icelanders: priests, farmers, scholars and children. He observes their crops, including the constant presence of angelica in their gardens, though he never finds what it is for. Their kindness, generosity and hospitality despite common poverty moved him greatly; the Icelandic experience had a profound influence on his political thinking: 'the most grinding poverty is a trifling evil compared to the inequality of classes'. Morris had translated several Sagas by 1871 and was teaching himself Icelandic. His journey, with his co-translator, Eirikr Magnusson, was routed around many of the main Saga sites - a journey that is still taken by lovers of Iceland and William Morris.


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William Morris's routes through southwest Iceland can still be followed, possibly, though not necessarily as for Morris's party, on horseback. Morris was plump, unfit and relatively untravelled, but his enthusiasm, grit and phenomenal eye for detail sustained him for six weeks in 1871 and a further two in 1873 through 'the most romantic of all deserts.' Morris kept few diaries and the "Icelandic Journals" are the most complete. Written daily, in pencil, in small black-covered notebooks, they are unguarded, spontaneous and by turn discouraged and excited. He records wild flowers and wilder landscapes, spectacular sunsets, vast expanses of lava, magnificent waterfalls, dangerous tracks and more dangerous rivers to be forded on or beside his practised and indomitable ponies. Morris grew to love his ponies, bringing one back to England for his daughters. He loved too the Icelanders: priests, farmers, scholars and children. He observes their crops, including the constant presence of angelica in their gardens, though he never finds what it is for. Their kindness, generosity and hospitality despite common poverty moved him greatly; the Icelandic experience had a profound influence on his political thinking: 'the most grinding poverty is a trifling evil compared to the inequality of classes.' Morris had translated several Sagas by 1871 and was teaching himself Icelandic. His journey, with his co-translator, Eirikr Magnusson, was routed around many of the main Saga sites—a journey that is still taken by lovers of Iceland and William Morris.


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