I soggetti trattati in questi manoscritti riflettono gli innumerevoli interessi di Rask che vanno dalla letteratura alle opere non di finzione e in particolare, alla linguistica, alla storia, alla legislazione o ancora alla liturgia. Sembra che la vasta rete di amicizie e di conoscenze di Rask fu di grande aiuto nel processo di acquisizione dei manoscritti.
A smaller, yet no less important, part of the collection comprises the Old Norse-Icelandic 1 manuscript library of the famous Danish linguist Rasmus Christian Rask He is today renowned for his linguistic works and knowledge of a multitude of languages: it is claimed that he studied 55 different languages 2 , and is known as one of the founders of Iranian philology 3 , Nordic philology and historical linguistics 4. First, the life and work of Rask will be introduced through a short biography, his journey to Iceland in and his Icelandic network.
Second, a general overview of his manuscript collection will be given, followed by three exemplary manuscripts discussed in greater detail to highlight specific interests of Rask. Third, his Old Norse-Icelandic collection will be briefly compared with his Oriental collection in order to show similarities and differences in his modes of manuscript acquisition.
His father, a tailor and cottager, was a very well-read and knowledgeable man with particular interests in medicine and history and the owner of a surprisingly large library well stocked with historical works. There, he borrowed books on Old Norse-Icelandic language and literature from his teachers.
On the basis of these books and later also the edition of Heimskringla , a history of the kings of Norway 6 , which he won in as an award for his studiousness, he taught himself Old Norse-Icelandic and compiled a first draft of a grammar and dictionary of this language.
