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THE AMERICA N-S CAN DIN A VI AN REVIEW 
more addicted to spirits, married again in her fiftieth year another 
young shoemaker’s apprentice. 
Under these circumstances the boy, Hans Christian, grew up. 
A strange personality was his, even in childhood; in appearance 
overgrown, lanky, with huge hands and feet, irregular features, large 
nose, mouth both wide and sensitive with the lips always in motion, 
eyes pale and brimming over, while his long, untidy yellow hair hung 
down over his shoulders. In manner he was both bold and shy, full 
of fantastic dreams and at the same time unconscious^ calculating. 
His social ambitions became apparent very early in life, and to gain 
an end he would both ingratiate and use claws like a cat. Sometimes, 
too, he could suggest another animal—the limp, cold-blooded, 
clammy newt. This was the impression he made on narrow natures, 
but when he allowed his sweet temper to dominate he was irresistible. 
The upward path which Andersen climbed was long and exhaust- 
ing. His early awakened craving for art and poetry often found 
absurd and naive expression. He became the companion and friend 
of the bill-poster and lived in dreams and visions of the theatrical 
world. However, he attracted the attention of many influential citi¬ 
zens whose doors stood open to him. 
When fourteen years of age he decided to quit his native town 
and, like Johannes in The Travelling Companion , set out to seek his 
fortune. Copenhagen, the capital of the country, seemed to beckon 
him, and though possessing neither money nor valuable connections, 
knowing that to remain at home was to become a factory-hand or 
artisan and, moreover, believing firmly in a miracle which was to bring 
him success and happiness, he fared forth. He succeeded in getting 
accepted as understudy in the chorus of the Royal Theatre, and for 
the next three years lived in the most sordid section of the city, cling¬ 
ing to his belief in the miracle. 
At this point a powerful and friendly hand was stretched out. 
The young genius was taken under the protection of one of the lead¬ 
ing men of the country, Collin by name, and sent to a Latin school in 
a little country-town where amends were to be made for his colossal 
ignorance. Here he spent his days, a long, awkward youth among 
the small boys of the class, and his sensitive spirit suffered untold 
humiliation and mortification. Finally, however, his ^Student” ex¬ 
amination passed, he returned to Copenhagen and entered upon his 
caieei as a poet. The first steps were uncertain, many ways lay open. 
A humorous gift was most apparent in him. Amid tears and pain, 
irony had become a weapon, while extreme sensitiveness and suscep¬ 
tibility v ere likewise tools to his use. However, in all directions in¬ 
dependence was lacking; there was no individuality, only a very little 
promising tendency to imitate. Hoffmann, Heine, all the older 
romanticists claimed him. The foundation of his culture was as un- 
