Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/117

Rh ligious domain. A number of eminent churchmen are named as authors of learned theological works; poems were also written in honor of saints, legends were produced, etc., all of course in Latin, although there are traces to be found which seem to indicate that some of them at least were written in the national vernacular in order that they might find a larger circle of readers. Psalms, hymns, and other similar productions were of course mostly written in Latin, since the divine service was performed in that language exclusively.

The most considerable work produced by the scholastic learning of that period was 's poem, the "Hexaëmeron." This notable man, the successor of Absalon on the archiepiscopal seat of Lund (1201-22) stood at the head of the learning of his time, and during his prolonged stay in Paris, England and Italy, he acquired a very high reputation, which, as has already been mentioned, secured him the eminent position in the University of Paris. This reputation was further enhanced by his great poem which was universally extolled by all his contemporaries. The poem contains 8,093 hexameters, which, from a metrical point of view, are in nowise masterly, nor does the work as a whole betray any very great poetic talent. In the preface the author states that the poem is chiefly intended for the instruction of the youth in the Latin language without exposing the pupils to the corrupting influences that beset them when they peruse "those sirens," the heathen poets. Through the instrumentality of this poem they were rather to be beguiled into loving the Christian religion. As the title indicates, the work describes the creation of the world in six days; yet it does not confine itself to this, but also contains a number of allegories and of scholastic comments on various points of ecclesiastical doctrine. Moreover, it furnishes liberal abstracts from the author's theological system, and affords upon the whole substantial evidence of Suneson's great learning and dialectic acumen.