Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/364

346 decided progress, and is a transition to the golden age of Swedish poetry.

(1708-63) was the most prominent figure of this period, which was the "age of enlightenment" in Sweden. He began his comprehensive and influential activity with the publication of the periodical, "Den svenska Argus" (1733-34), which, like the English "Spectator," discussed the questions of the day. The bright and vivid style of the periodical and its marked moral tendency were received with so great public favor that the estates of the realm decreed a national reward to the author, who hitherto had appeared anonymously. After Dalin had made himself known, he was made court poet to the queen, a circumstance which by no means proved favorable to the further development of his talent, for he was henceforth limited to a definite direction, and was compelled more frequently than was desirable to fritter his powers away in the composition of incidental festive poems. Dalin's chief merit consists in skilful treatment of the form, combined with a delicate and striking wit; but his poems never make the impression of having sprung from high aspiration. It has justly been said of him that "his genius possessed more suppleness than strength, and that he was rather an elegant imitator than a creative poetical talent." His serious poems are very dry, and this is particularly true of his festive poems and of his allegorical epic poem, "Svenska Friheten," which was so highly appreciated by his contemporaries. The latter certainly contains a few beautiful passages, but it may, on the whole, be more aptly characterized as a poetical pamphlet in rhetorical verses. His tragedy, "Brynhilda," is of but little value as a drama, while the comedy, "Den Afundsjuke," an imitation of Holberg, is very enjoyable. He is at his best whenever he departs most widely from that very tendency to the absolute supremacy of which he contributed so much, and when he either gives loose reins to his native, sound and somewhat satirical wit, as in his humorous prose allegory, "Sagan om Hasten" (the story of the