Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 095.djvu/163

156 to the altar by a tall, proud-looking young man who glanced coldly and darkly at the melancholy bride. When the marriage ceremony was over, the old priest was dismissed, having been first compelled to swear secrecy; he had not long left the church when he heard the report of a shot fired within it; and soon after he saw the men all issue from the sacred edifice, and hasten to embark on board their vessel, which immediately set sail. He then returned to the church, and on moving one or two of the flag-stones, which had evidently been recently disturbed, he perceived, to his horror, the corpse of the unfortunate young bride, who had been shot through the heart and buried there!

Jens Wilkin Hornemann wrote on natural history and botany; but the crowning name in science and, the higher departments of literature is that of Oersted. The brothers Oersted are both very remarkable men. Their father was an apothecary in a small town in the Danish island of Langeland. They were in a great measure self-taught, and while pursuing what education was within their reach, they had to assist their father; but Hans Christian turned this drudgery to good account, for it led him to the study of chemistry. The younger brother, Anders Sandöe Oersted, born in 1778, became very learned in the law; he is also celebrated as a mathematician and natural historian. He rose so high as to have been at one time a leading member of the Danish ministry. A. S. Oersted was married to the sister of the poet Oehlenschlæger. Hans Christian Oersted, late Professor of Natural Philosophy, and Secretary to the Royal Society of Copenhagen, was born in 1777. He was one of nature's favourites, not only possessing the highest order of intellect and talents, but being of a most amiable disposition, and of an exemplary private character. It is to the discoveries of Oersted that the world owes the establishment of the electric telegraph; for much of his time was devoted to the study of electro-magnetism. In 1850 he published a remarkable work, entitled, "Aanden i Naturen" ("The Spirit in Nature"), which he terms "a popular contribution towards elucidating the spiritual influences of nature.” The volume commences with a conversation entitled "Det Aandolige i det Legemlige" ("The Spiritual in the Material"), which is purported to be carried on between a lady and three gentlemen; the lady's share in it being, of course, to obtain information simplified to suit her capacity. This very superior work is no longer a sealed book to those who do not read Danish or German, for it has been lately translated into English by the Misses Horner, from a German edition. On comparing it with the original Danish, it seems an admirable translation, and could hardly have been better executed by Professor Oersted's highly-gifted countrywoman. Miss C. Otte, the able translator of Humboldt's "Cosmos," and other scientific works. Hans Christian Oersted travelled a great deal on the continent of Europe, and had visited England. He married in 1814, and was the father cf a large family. At the advanced age of seventy-four, he died in March, 1851. And with him we shall close this portion of our list of Danish authors.