Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/158

140 and euphony. It at once won the favor of the public and retained it for a long time. The pithy words of the translation frequently of their own accord, as it were, fell in verses and rhymes, and the frequent recurrence of alliterations impart to it a peculiar poetic flavor.

In order to make additional contributions to the spreading and establishment of the new doctrine, Chr. Pedersen edited several minor works, of which there in 1531 appeared no less than seven, chiefly adaptations of Luther's works. There is no room for doubt that the vigorous, telling words that he addressed to the multitude made a deep impression. Precisely this kind of works were needed to break the ground, works that did not go into the discussion of subtle dogmatic problems, but which addressed themselves with warmth and strength to the heart, a gift which this author possessed in an eminent degree. The one of these works which is most interesting to us is a free and admirably localized adaptation of a book by Luther on how children should be kept in school. On account of its vivid description of the deplorable condition of the Danish schools at that time, Pedersen's work, is of more than ordinary value to the historian of civilization. Still, among all these minor works this book, which had one simple, practical object for its aim, and pointed out the need of reform, is probably the one which in reality attained least practical usefulness. It appeared in the midst of religious fermentation, when men's minds were at the highest pitch of excitement, and the regulations which after the reformation were issued for the improvement of the schools emanated directly from the government, so that it is safe to say that the excellent little book in question could not possibly have had much influence on the matter. Of his other works we shall only mention the translations made, during his sojourn in Paris, of two popular works, Charlemagne and Olger the Dane, both of which were in that age regarded as perfectly authentic historical documents.

The rest of his remarkably industrious life devoted to the