Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/401

Rh was appointed a docent in history at Upsala. from that time his mind became more composed and clear. The war between the Phosphorists and the old school had broken out. Geijer was unable to side with the former, though he admired Atterbom, and encouraged him to work for a literary reform. But he was too little of a dreamer and too deeply sensible how important it was that the national element should be recognized in art, to be able to join Atterbom's school. Geijer therefore took his own course, and with a few congenial spirits he founded the "Gothic Union" (Göthiska förbundet). By this name they wished to revive the memory of the consanguinity of the ancient inhabitants of Sweden with the Goths "Göther," and in "Iduna" (1811-24), the organ of this society, Geijer published his poems on Old Norse themes, "Manhem," "Vikingen," etc. They are not numerous, but they are master-pieces as regards strength and simplicity. The northern spirit is reproduced in a manner that has not hitherto been surpassed. While several of his cotemporaries tried to reach this end by a servile imitation of the external form of the old poems, and thus touched only the surface, Geijer on the contrary, by the most simple means reproduced the very marrow and essence. He wrote no long poems, but for a number of his short ones he has himself arranged the music in such a manner that words and melody are united in the most perfect harmony. These songs are still very popular everywhere in Sweden, and have become genuine folk-songs.

From 1815 Geijer delivered historical lectures and this practically closed his poetical career, though there ever afterward flowed an occasional poem from his pen. In his collected works we find essays on various subjects—on philosophy, on the history of culture, on politics, and on pædagogies, and in all we find his clear, manly spirit. But his best works are unquestionably the two on history, "Svea