The past has been very short-lived of late, says the Duc de Noailles: the world moves fast, and even

have felt the civilising influence of the nineteenth century. During the two short years which have followed my visit, Iceland, after a generation-long struggle for political liberty and self-government, has conquered, by inscribing her name on the European list of constitutional countries. The “Annus JubilÆus Millesimus” has been an “Annus Mirabilis:” the Present has met the Past: the “living antiquarian museum” has been honoured with a royal visit, which highly gratified the loyal, and which gave the disloyal an opportunity of declaring that “Iceland has laws.” The Millenary festival drew a host of tourists and “Own Correspondents,” even Hungary being represented, and a dozen octavos will presently be the result. The practical Americans brought with them a gift of some 2000 volumes which will, when room is found for housing them, change the face of the Reykjavik library. As regards physical matters, Iceland has witnessed a new eruption of the SkaptÁr; and, as the map shows, the north-eastern side of the island is at this moment (July 1875) in violent volcanic action. The KÖtlu-gjÁ, or Katla’s Rift of many terrors, has been visited and found to be another “humbug;” and, last but not least, the Vatna-, or more probably the Klofa-, jÖkull has been penetrated by the enterprising Mr Watts and his party, who are reported to have planted the Union Jack upon the highest peak. I may conclude with the lines of the Millennial Memorial: