A valuable anonymous gift was recently added to the Lionel de Jersey Memorial Collection of the Widener Library in the shape of the original manuscript of Jon Thorlaksson's leelandic translation of Milton's "Paradise Lost."
Thorlaksson was one of the most important leelandic poets of the late eighteenth century. The author of many poems, his most notable work was probably this translation, which was carried back to England by a member of a British religious organization. Mr. E. Henderson, whose name appears on the fly leaf of the second volume.
The manuscript consists of two volumes neatly written in ink, two columns to a page, and bound in old calf. The last part of the second volume contains the translation of certain poems of a Norwegian poet, Christian Tullein, and also of the German poet Gellert. Several of Thorlakason's own poems are included.
The Lionel de Jersey Collection consists almost exclusively of rave and important sixteenth and seventeenth century literature. Thorlakason's work has been added to the collection in its relation to Milton, though it has an equally strong connection with the leelandic group.
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