Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/159

Rh cause of religion and of the people, Chr. Pedersen spent in Denmark whither he had returned in 1531. Notwithstanding his open adherence to the banished king he was permitted, in consideration of his services to literature and to the reformation, to reside in his native country and "to eke out his living, as best he could, with printing"—"nære og bjærge sig med Prenteri." During the Count's war he was secretary to Jörgen Kok, the brave burgomaster of Malmö. During the government of Christian III (1533-1559) he continued his literary activity, and the translation of the Bible, published in 1550, noted for its pure and terse language, and popularly known as Christian III's Bible, is in the main Pedersen's work. He died in 1554.

Christian Pedersen has been called the father of Danish literature, and he well deserves this name, for he was, in fact, the founder of Danish literature in the true sense of this word. He was not only the first who engaged extensively in literary pursuits, but he also, on account of the wide circulation and great popularity of his works, exerted in many ways a decided influence on the subsequent literature of Denmark. One of the chief problems to be solved was the creation of a Danish literary language, and the services he here rendered cannot be overestimated. He was himself perfectly conscious of this task and of its importance, and he succeeded in writing Danish with a purity that had not been known before his time. In this manner he paved the way for his successors, and it is not Pedersen's fault that he did not get a more numerous following than he did. Meanwhile a few did follow the example set by him, and the way he had pointed out was never utterly lost sight of by the later generations. In course of time the current of events found it again, and there was evolved a literary activity which has continued down to the present day. His language is always lucid and