Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/281

Rh Denmark, both in purely philosophical essays and in connection with his æsthetic criticisms, which, though scattered in a multitude of articles and short papers, still, taken as a whole, constitute a scientific system. His polemical writings against Oehlenschlæger, Grundtvig, Hauch and others are no less thorough and instructive than they are elegant and witty, particularly those which grew out of his dispute with Oehlenschlæger in regard to the latter's tragedy "Væringerne i Miklegaard" (The Varagians in Constantinople). On account of this thorough investigation of important æsthetical questions, they have a value extending far beyond the limits of their own time.

Toward the close of his life, Heiberg devoted himself assiduously to the study of natural sciences, particularly of astronomy, for which he had always had great fondness, and the fruit of this study was a series of interesting essays. In his various relations to the theatre as dramatist, as manager (1849-1856), and as censor, Heiberg exercised an important influence on its development, but the dogmatic obstinacy with which he adhered to his in many respects one-sided æsthetic theories prevented this influence from being altogether a favorable one, notwithstanding his taste and long experience with the stage. In the numerous conflicts in which he was entangled, right was by no means always on his side.

While the poets who were mentioned before Heiberg—excepting Grundtvig, who stands alone in Danish literature—by their very nature belong to the Oehlenschläger school, though each one of them with great originality developed his peculiar shade of the common fundamental color, the following are to be grouped around Heiberg. This spiritual kinship was the closest between the latter and (1798-1870), the founder of the new comedy in Denmark. The first greater work from his pen was "Amors Genistreger" (1830), a beautiful, charming comedy in verse. The versifi-