Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 095.djvu/57

50, was still more admired. His works were numerous and among them may be mentioned, "A Philosophical Disquisition on the State of the Soul after Death," "Lessons of Wisdom and Happiness," "A Translation of the New Testament," "A History of the Jews," &c., &c. A very different spirit pervaded the works of two other contemporary writers—Malthe Möller and Otto Horrebow; they were both remarkable for their attacks on Christianity. Tyge Rothe, an author of the same period, was rather a philosophical than a theological writer; but a sincerely Christian spirit pervaded all his works, among which was "The Effect produced by Christianity on the Condition of the People of Europe," in two volumes; "The Hierarchy and Papal Power," two volumes; "The Political State of the North before and during the Feudal Times;" "A Survey of the French Monarchy," &c. Professor Gamborg published, about the same time, a work of great merit, entitled, "The Difference between Virtue and Good Actions."

Laurid Smith, an eloquent and popular preacher, contributed some philosophical and moral essays to tlie literature of his country. Malling and Wandall were also authors of some standing; and the historical works of the former were much used in academies, and other institutions for the education of youth. Niels Ditlev Riegels was a voluminous, though rather heavy and tedious writer; he produced "A Complete History of the Church," "A History of Christian V.," and many other works. Esaias Fleischer, who died in 1804, was also a very diligent writer. His career had been rather an uncommon one, for he commenced life as the usher of a Latin school, then became quartermaster of a regiment, inspector of forests, and, lastly, a provincial judge. He wrote on geology, astronomy, and many other subjects; but his principal work was an "Essay on Natural History"—an essay of gigantic dimensions, certainly, since it extended over ten volumes! Three learned Icelanders elucidated the history and antiquities of the north, towards the end of the last century. These were John Ericksen, Skule Thorlacius, and Grim Johnson Thorkelin, all of whom resided in Denmark, where the first and last named held official situations, and Thorlacius was head master of a public school in Copenhagen.

Among the principal writers of the last half of the eighteenth century on medical subjects, were Professors Matthias Saxtorph, Henrich Callisen, and Frederik Ludvig Bang; the last-named of whom died in 1820. On mineralogy, botany, zoology, &c., there were also several clever writers; namely, Bishop Gunnerus, H. Ström, a Norwegian clergyman; Brünnich, Rottböll, Holmskiold, O. F. Müller, Vahl, professor of botany; Fabricius, originally a missionary to Greenland, afterwards a bishop, and who was born in 1744, and died in 1822; Abilgaard, and the astronomer Bugge. Jacob Baden, who having been a rector at Elsinore, became afterwards "Professor Eloquentiæ" at the university of Copenhagen, published works both in prose and poetry; among the former was a translation of Xenophon’s "Cyropædia"—the history of the education, and achievements of the elder Cyrus. He was also the editor of a "Critical Journal." Lüxdorph, who was a privy-counsellor, was remarkable for his elegant Latin poems. He gained a prize, offered by Sweden, for the best poem on the expedition of Charles Gustavus across the Great Belt, when it was frozen.