第47部分(第2/7 页)

s　Desire；”　and　the　more　I　turn　the　more　I　dislike　the　idea　of　serial　publication。　It　is　emphatically　a　book　for　educated　people　only；　and　would　lower　your　vogue　with　newspaper　readers　if　it　were　syndicated；　to　an　extent　beyond　what　the　price　the　papers　pay　would　make　up　for。　I　am　about　as　sure　as　possible　of　this：　it　is　a　good　deal　my　confounded　style；　which　is　more　or　less　pretty；　but　infernally　slow　and　trailing。

Ultimately　“The　World’s　Desire”　was　published　serially　in　the　New　Review。　It　appeared　in　book　form　in　1890；　and　I　hope　to　speak　of　it　again　when　I　e　to　that　date。

Chapter　12　ICELAND

To　Iceland　on　the　Copeland　—　William　Morris　—　Njal　Saga　—　Golden　Falls　—　Bergthorsknoll　—　Salmon　and　trout　fishing　—　Copeland　again　—　Cargo　of　ponies　—　Gale　—　Off　Thurso　—　Fog　—　Wrecked　in　Pentland　Firth　—　Escaped　to　Stroma　Island　—　Subsequently　to　Wick。

On　June　14；　1888；　in　the　pany　of　a　friend；　Mr。　A。　G。　Ross；　I　sailed　from　Leith　on　my　long　contemplated　visit　to　Iceland。　The　steamer　was　called　the　Copeland；　a　trading　vessel　of　about　1000　tons。　What　she　carried　on　our　outward　voyages　I　do　not　know；　but　her　return　cargoes　consisted　alternately　of　emigrants　to　America；　of　whom；　if　I　remember　right；　four　or　five　hundred　were　packed　in　her　hold；　and　of　Iceland　ponies。　On　her　last　voyage　she　had　brought　emigrants；　so　this　time　it　was　to　be　the　turn　of　the　ponies。　Poor　Copeland！　As　I　shall　tell　in　due　course；　she　was　doomed　never　to　see　Leith　again。

Before　I　started　for　Iceland　I　called　upon　the　late　Mr。　William　Morris；　some　of　whose　poetry　I　admire　as　much　as　any　that　has　been　written　in　our　time。　Also　I　find　his　archaic　and　other…world　kind　of　romances　very　pleasant　and　restful　to　read。　It　was　the　only　time　that　I　ever　saw　Morris；　and　the　visit　made