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THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

him, Arni Gislason, wrote beautiful poetry, and was the most beautiful writer and engraver on metal—a real artist in that line—also self-taught. We have no work- houses or poorhouses in Iceland. When aged people, orphans or others, unable to earn their living, fall on the parish, or have to be provided for by parish aid they are put out as boarders to any family willing to receive them into the household; so they really never loose the feeling of a “ home.”

I should like to say a few words about women’s education in Iceland, or rather, the want of it. The question of providing education for girls has of late years engrossed much attention; but slight progress has as yet, been achieved, mostly owing to the poverty of the people, and the miserable means of communication in the country. A few private attempts have been made to establish schools for girls over fourteen years of age, but these schools are small in scope, and otherwise fall short of what is needed nowadays. Hitherto, it may be said, that the mother has been the universal schoolmistress, as far as girls are concerned anyhow. Instruction in read­ing and religion is compulsory, and this, as a rule, has fallen to the mother’s lot.

In the autumn or fall the clergyman visits every house in his parish, for the pur­pose of examining the children in reading and the catechism, and if he is satisfied with their progress, he invites the parents or guardians to send children of twelve or fourteen years of age, during Lent, to him for further instruction, that is, preparing for confirmation. Confirmation is compulsory at the age of fourteen to sixteen, and by law the priest is forbidden to confirm a child until it has made such progress in the art of reading as to be able to perform, with decency, the family service, and knows the catechism by heart from beginning to end, as well as the “ Lärdomskver,” —a small book containing the essence of the Bible. Now here ends, as a rule, a girl’s education in the country; in some cases a little writing is added to the list.

For men a very different provision has been made. A splendid Latin-school or college is provided for them, at Reykjavik, where they have six to seven years’ good training by eminent masters, many of whom have even made their fame in Europe for their great scholarship. Then there is a medical and theological college for men, for the continuation of their studies when leaving the Latin-college. Those who are better off, and wish to take a higher degree in theology or medicine, as well as students of philology, law, etc., go to the University of Copenhagen on leaving the Latin-college. All these institutions in Reykjavik for men are endowed, so that most of the scolars receive a stipend; anyway, all who are in need of help, and who show themselves worthy of assistance, and often even those who are in no need, and there­fore ought not to have it. The Icelandic students who goto the University of Copen­hagen also receive a stipend for three years, an old provision made for them in olden times.

Now, what about the women? I have frequently been told since I came abroad, both in England and Scandinavia, even here in this country, that women in Iceland were so well educated that they could speak Latin; that they were, indeed, favored with a “ vote ”—suffrage—and they were blessed with liberty even beyond their sis­ters in Denmark; that they were at liberty to study at the university with the men, and so forth. Let me begin by explaining the first statement, namely, their Latin knowledge. There is not a woman in Iceland who can speak Latin, or who knows it. This is really built on Lord Dufferin’s “ Letters from High Latitudes,” one of the most interesting books of travels ever written. Iceland is justly proud of that book, and the honor of a visit from so great and distinguished a man. I had the great priv­ilege tö meet Lord Dufferin two years ago in Cambridge (England), at the time of his receiving an “ Honorary Degree ” conferred by the university. Speaking about his travels in Iceland, I told him how everybody would stand up and tell me that all the women in Iceland spoke Latin, etc., just when I was deploring their want of edu­cation, and they all said Lord Dufferin w^as their authority. “Well,” he said, with his usual well-known great humor, “I did not understand what they said, so I supposed it was Latin.” Women have not suffrage in Iceland, but municipal vote. This, how-