Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/287

Rh works are not equal in depth and solidity to his other productions, still they are very attractive on account of their refined and pregnant diction, and on account of the sublime lyric vein pervading them.

We also have a number of poems and poetical tales from the pen of Paludan-Müller ("Zuleimas Flugt," "Slaven," "Vestalinden," etc.), the latter of which are distinguished more by the purity and elegance of their form, than by anything very striking in their contents. They remind one of similar compositions by Byron, with whom Paludan-Müller had much in common.

All the above mentioned works by Paludan-Müller are written in verse. He had a rare facility of versification and well understood how to adapt the poetical form in a most pleasing manner to the various requirements of the contents. He left behind him only two prose works and these date from his riper years. The one is an allegorical fairy tale "Ungdomskilden," (the well of youth), and the other a very discursive social novel, "Ivar Lykkes Historie," which forms a contrast to Adam Homo, inasmuch as in Ivar Lykke he represents the better aspect of his age, while in Adam Homo we have only the ugly features.

The most important female writer of this period is (1773-1856). When still very young she was married to Peder Andreas Heiberg, and Johan Ludvig was their son. When her husband was banished, she contracted a new marriage with the Swedish Baron Gyllembourg-Ehrensvärd, who, as a participator in the conspiracy against Gustaf III, had been exiled from Sweden, and resided in Denmark. In daily intercourse with the most intellectual men of the time, she acquired much culture and an unusually refined æsthetic taste, and being in possession of a remarkable poetical talent, a fact abundantly shown by her writings, it is rather strange that she did not