Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 095.djvu/49

42 army, and therefore took the liberty of deserting to that of the Austrians, in which he became first a drummer, and afterwards a non-commissioned officer.

In 1760, his discharge was purchased by his family, and on his return to Copenhagen and the university, he studied so hard, that when only nineteen years of age, he became a candidate for theological honours, and had passed a first-rate examination. His afiection for the damsel of his almost childish admiration remained unchanged; but she chose to marry another, and this disappointment preyed deeply upon his mind. The rest of his life was little else than a series of chagrins, faults, and sufferings, soothed only by the kindness of a few friends, and the occasional flashes of a genius which no adverse fate could utterly extinguish. He died in great poverty, in the year 1781. Ewald was a good lyric poet, and also the author of some dramatic works, both tragic and comic. Of the latter may be mentioned his "Harlequin Patriot," which, as the name implies, was of a satirical character. It was Ewald who wrote the words of the Danish "God save the king"—"Kong Christian," a magnificent national air. The words celebrate the deeds of King Christian V., and the distinguished naval heroes Tordenskiold (Thundershield), originally lieutenant Peter Wessel, but who raised himself by his gallantry, and was created an admiral at the age of twenty-eight; and Niels Yule, another popular commander, of whom his countrymen are also proud. But these verses have been so often translated—though far from well translated—that it would be useless to repeat them here.

A contemporary of Ewald's was Johan Hermann Wessel, also a clergyman’s son, who was born one year before him, and died four years after him. He, too, was unfortunate in his life, and had to struggle against poverty, and the depression of mind consequent upon that dire evil. He earned a precarious pittance for a long time by teaching modern languages, but resigned that occupation when he was made stage-manager at the royal theatre of Copenhagen. The salary attached to this office, however, was so small, that poor Wessel found it scarcely possible to maintain himself and his family on it. Yet, in the midst of troubles and privations, he wrote his comedies; one of which, "Kierlighed uden Strömper"—Love without Stockings," takes a leading place in the Danish drama. He called this a tragedy, in five acts, but it was, in fact, a parody—a burlesque—written with a view of turning into ridicule the pompous translations from the French dramatic authors, which, with their formality and bombast, threatened to supersede the more natural representations of the Danish stage. The characters are—tailor’s apprentice, his betrothed, her unsuccessful lover, and a male and female confidant. The play opens with the fair betrothed Gretè being discovered asleep on a chair. She suddenly awakes from her nap, and exclaims,

Thou never shalt married be, if not upon this day!

Oh! all too hideous dream! Methought I heard one say,

In tones like thunder loud, these words of threatening dire;

He looked as black as if—he'd just come from a fire!

What! Shall I never see my dearest hope fulfilled?

That hope on which I had undoubted right to build,

Since yonder happy day, when on my tailor’s breast

I leaned, and caught the words his trembling lips confess'd—