308 CALLOGRAPHY. 



and manners ; and the Alcibiades, and Bianco, Capello, of Meissner, 

 are striking and elegant. Nicolai's Sebaldus Nothanker, and other 

 novels, are less esteemed. Jung's Theobald der Schwarmer, is 

 mystical and unnatural ; and Heinrich von Ofterdingen, by Novalis, 

 is a similar work, though in a lofty style. Miller's Sigwart, is a 

 sentimental novel ; but Pestalozzi's Lienhardt und Gertrude, de- 

 scribes humble life with truth and feeling. The Hesperus, Titan, 

 and other novels of Paul Richter are both moral and entertaining. 

 Goethe's Wilhelm Meister, and Sorrows of Werter, have been much 

 read ; and Kotzebue's lldegerte and Zaida, are worthy of mention, 

 though less admired. 



The earliest Danish poets, were the Scalds, or minstrels, who 

 sang, in blank verse, the exploits of their leaders, and the praises of 

 their nation. The oldest Danish poem extant, is the epic of the 

 Skyldingians ; which belongs to the age of chivalry. The modern 

 poetry of the Danes, may be said to have commenced with Arreboe, 

 in the beginning of the seventeenth century. Kingo celebrated the 

 exploits of the Danish Kings, in an heroic poem ; and Ingemann has 

 written an allegorical epic, entitled The Black Knights, resembling 

 Spencer's Fairy Queen. The epic poem by Herz, on the Deliver- 

 ance of Israel, obtained a prize from the society of the fine arts ; and 

 Ewald's Death of Balder, is also a work of genius. The lyric poems 

 of Ewald, Weyer, Brun, and Baggesen, are said to be superior ; as 

 also the comic and satiric poems of Holberg, Guldberg, and Wessel. 



The Danish tragedies of Rahbeck, and Weyer, are said to be 

 good, and the Itolfot Ewald, is a work of genius. The tragedies of 

 CEhlenschlager, including Hakon Jarl, Planatoke, and Axle and 

 Walburg; as also Ingemann's Massaniello, and his Blanca, are highly 

 celebrated. Of Danish comedies, those of Holberg, and Wessel, are 

 said to be the best. Holberg is regarded as the first of the modern 

 Danish literati. His Peder Paars, a comico-heroic poem, first es- 

 tablished his fame ; and his Nicholas Klimm's Subterraneous 

 Travels, a satirical and humorous romance, has been extremely 

 popular. 



Here perhaps should be mentioned the Edda, a mythological and 

 heroic poem, or rather collection of poems, said to have been com- 

 posed by the Norwegians in Iceland, as early as A.D. 1 100 ; and from 

 which an abridgment or digest, called the Younger Edda, was after- 

 wards made by Snorro Sturleson. Among those parts of it which 

 have been published, are the Voluspae, or prophecies, and Hava- 

 maal, or elevated conversation. 



Of the early Swedish poetry, chiefly songs of the Scalds, few spe- 

 cimens remain ; and the chief literature of this country is very recent. 

 The national taste has been improved by a society called the Friends 

 of Science, founded at Upsal, by Atterbom, in 1803. Dalin wrote 

 entertaining poems, in the French style ; and Madame Nordenflicht's 

 lyrics gained her the title of the Swedish Sappho. The poems of 

 Lidner, have much feeling and elevation ; and those of Thorild, are 

 of a noble character. The lyrics of Bellman, are said to be unsur- 

 passed, and his descriptions of Swedish life and manners very correct. 

 Atterbom opposed the French style, in some minor poems of merit. 



