Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 094.djvu/469

Rh to his fame, were his "Peder Paars," a mock heroic poem, somewhat in the style of "Hudibras;" and "Niels Kliim’s Subterranean Journey," designated by a Danish writer as "a philosophical romance," a satirical work, which has been translated into most of the languages of Europe. To him could not be applied one of his own remarks in his "Moral Reflections," viz., "A portion of the lives of mankind is spent in doing evil—a still larger portion in doing nothing at all—and often a whole life in useless employments." The truth of another paragraph in his "Reflections," may excuse its being translated and quoted here. "One often finds," says the acute observer, "that those folks who make the greatest fuss about their occupations, do the least; just as those cocks crow most, who crow worst—those hens cackle most, who produce fewest eggs—and those cats mew the most, who are the laziest mousers." Assuredly cats, poultry, and human beings, are much the same now as they were in Holberg’s days.

A contemporary and fellow-collegian of Holberg, Hans Gram, distinguished himself much by his researches into the history of the North; a study for which he had good opportunities, being Royal Historiographer and Keeper of the Public Records. But his merits as an historian were surpassed by those of his successor in office, Jacob Langebek. Aalbo was his native place, and at thirteen years of age he went to reside with Gram, whose private secretary he became. Thus early trained to study, Langebek acquired vast stores of historical information, which were given to the Danish world in some Latin works, and also in The Danish Magazine, one of the earliest periodicals that appeared in Denmark. He was frequently employed in travelling to remote parts of the country, to examine the libraries, archives, and manuscripts, which had been collected in the old monasteries and other institutions. Langebek died in 1775. Another writer of that period, whose works are valued by his countrymen, was Erik Pontoppidan, Bishop of Bergen. His subjects were theological discussions, history, and natural history ; and he wrote in Latin, German, and Danish. He also published a Danish Atlas.

Andreas Höjer, a historian and writer on jurisprudence; Kofod Anker, the able reviser of the laws; Jens Kraft, one of the most learned men that Denmark ever produced, whose works were chiefly on mechanics, logic, and metaphysics; the elder Sneedorff; Guldberg; Adolph Carstens; Gerhard Schöning; and Peter Frederick Suhm, the latter of whom died in 1798, were all persons of literary fame in the north of Europe, and flourished about the middle of the eighteenth century. Langebek, Schöning, and Suhm—historians of note—were intimate friends and coadjutors. The "Orkneyinga Saga," "Landnama Saga," "Hervarar Saga," and many others, were printed at the expense of Chamberlain Suhm. This gentleman was possessed of a large fortune, which he principally applied to the promotion of literature, and the advancement of science. His library, which had cost about 20,000l., passed at his death to the royal library of Copenhagen.

In 1785, a monthly publication, entitled The Minerva, was started in Copenhagen by Professor Rahbek, who published, early in this present century, his "Useful Compendium of Danish Authors," in two volumes. He was assisted in establishing The Minerva by Mr. Pram, a poet and