Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/378

360 impressions which he thus received in his childhood were retained through his whole life and frequently asserted themselves in his poems, especially in the beginning and again toward the close of his poetical career. Already in his seventeenth year he published a translation of the "Evangelical thoughts on death" by Schweidnitz. In the following years he wrote several poems in Dalin's style, mostly religious ones, and also a satire, "Månen " (the moon) which appeared in 1760 and gained him the approval of his master. But suddenly his genius blossomed forth in its peculiar originality. He cast aside the æsthetical system which he had hitherto followed, and spread his wings for a lyric flight which up to that time no one had anticipated. During the years 1765-80 he wrote and composed the music for those songs which have made his name immortal, the most of "Fredmans Epistlar," "Fredmans Sångar" and "Bacchanaliska Ordens-Kapitlets Handlingar."

After studying at Upsala he entered the civil service, but neglected his official duties, for which he had no taste, and abandoned himself to a reckless existence which often brought him into the narrowest straits. When the attention of Gustav III was drawn to Bellman and his genial productions, his circumstances were somewhat mended. In spite of his partiality for French style, the king sympathized deeply with descriptions of popular life, and was strongly drawn toward the genial singer of the people, "The Anacreon of the North," as he used to call Bellman. He often caused him to be summoned to his presence, and helped him to tide over the economic difficulties which continually oppressed him. From 1775, Bellman held a well-paid office, but he drew himself only half of the salary, leaving the other half to an assistant, who performed the necessary duties of the office. He lived exclusively for his songs, and spent the most of his time in circles where suitable subjects for his songs could be found, that is to say, among the lower classes of Stockholm and its suburbs.