men of the kingdom, and history, especially that of Denmark, called forth no inconsiderable talent. Arild Hvitfelt, Niels Krag, Olaus Wormius and Stephanus Stephanius distinguished themselves in this branch of writing.

But Christian IV. did not content himself with exciting and fostering native talent. He invited Meursius and Pontanus from Holland, and enlisted them also in the work of writing the History of Denmark. He endeavored even to induce Grotius to come and live in his kingdom; and for that purpose he went to meet him at Glückstadt, during the sojourn of that great man at Hamburg. He also encouraged the literature of Norway, a part of the kingdom which he visited more than fifty times, and in whose prosperity he took a deep interest. During his reign, works on the Geography and Statistics of Denmark were written by Stephanius, Wormius, Lyschander, and Arngrim Johnson of Iceland. Caspar Bartolin and Olaus Wormius wrote on medicine; Christian Longomontanus, the friend and pupil of Tycho Brahé, on mathematics and astronomy. Anders Arreboe, the father of Danish poetry, lived during this period, and enjoyed to an eminent degree the patronage of the king. The drama may be said to have commenced in Denmark during his reign.

The son and successor of Christian IV. was Frederick III. He encouraged literature, and was himself a literary man. He attended the lectures of learned professors, even after he had ascended the throne. He encouraged the Icelandic literature, and was the patron and intimate friend of the famous Torfaeus of that island. It is to this monarch that both the Royal Museum and the Royal Library of Copenhagen owe their origin. On the contrary, his son and successor, Christian V., cared nothing for literature and science. Hunting and war were his favorite pursuits. The change in the government-from that of a limited monarchy to that of an unlimited onee-which occurred in

1660, was very unfavorable to the literature of the country. Everything of this sort languished. Men did not dare to oppose the government. Ole Rosenkrants in

curred a fine of 20,000 rix dollars for publishing his

Apology for the Danish Nobility," and advocating the doctrine of election, in opposition to absolute monarchy. Professor Nold was turned out of his Chair of Divinity for ten years, for maintaining that elected rulers are better than hereditary ones, (eligi quàm nasci meliores principes.)

During the period from 1648 till 1700, few distinguished literary men flourished in Denmark. Peder Resen was professor of law in the University of Copenhagen from 1662 till 1688. He wrote several codes of Danish, Norwegian, and Jutlandish Laws, and left in manuscript his Atlas Danicus. Count Griffenfeld, who was Chancellor of the University of Copenhagen during three years, did much for his country, having drawn up a code of laws, of great excellence, for the kingdom. But he was succeeded. by ignorant ministers, under whose sway discussion on the subjects of law, divinity, and politics, was considered treason. But the physical sciences received much attention from Olaus Borch, the Bartolins, and Olaus Roemer. During this reign a Danish Grammar was prepared by the Rev. Peter Syv, and a Dictionary was commenced by Counsellor Moth, or under his auspices rather, which has never been published. These efforts led to the improvement of the Danish language.*

* In speaking of the period to which there is reference in the text -that of 1648 until 1700-Lord Molesworth, in his work on Denmark, uses the following language: "Denmark has formerly pro duced very learned men, such as the famous mathematician Tycho Brahé, the Bartolins for physic and anatomy, Borrichius, who died lately, and bequeathed a considerable legacy to the University of Copenhagen. But at present learning is there at a very low ebb; yet Latin is more commonly spoken by the clergy than with us.

During the reign of Frederick IV., from 1700 to 1730, little progress was made in the study of divinity, law, and philosophy. The physical sciences and medicine greatly declined. Holberg was the only writer on law of this reign. His work on the Law of Nature and Nations was long and highly approved. He wrote still better on History. Arnas Magnaeus, Professor of Danish Antiquities, flourished at this period. He was from Iceland. Albert Thura wrote on the History of Danish Literature during this period. Holberg was the most distinguished poet of that day.

In the reign of Christian Vl., who was no great encourager of letters, lived Langebek, Pontoppidan, and Gram, all men of merit, who chiefly wrote on History. Andrew Höjer was a distinguished historian of this day. Tyge Hofman was a biographer. At this period, pulpit oratory greatly advanced. In this department Peter Hersleb, Bishop of Zealand, excelled all others.

Christian VI. was succeeded by Frederick V. in 1746. During his reign literature made great progress. Oeder, Reverdil, Bishop Pontoppidan, Carsten Niebuhr, Rev. Hans Ström, the Lutkens, Jens Kraft, Bishop Gunnerus, Eilschov, Kofod Anker, Suhm, A. G. Carstens, L. Thörn,

The books that come out in print are very few, and those only some dull treatises of controversy against the Papists and Calvinists. The belles lettres, or genteel learning, are very much strangers here, and will hardly be introduced till a greater influence among the gentry makes way for them. It is said that necessity is the mother of invention; which may be true in some degree; but I am sure that too much necessity depresses the spirits.

"Every year, on the king's birthday, they have a kind of act in the University of Copenhagen. The king honors them with his presence, and the Rector Magnificus harangues him in a Latin speech, full of as fulsome flattery as if Louis le Grand were the monarch to be entertained, and a fawning Jesuit the orator. At certain periods, there are a few Danish verses sung by the ordinary singing boys, to very indifferent music; and so the farce ends."

Lüxdorph, Jens Höysgaard, Tyge Rothe, Jacob Baden, Sneedorff, Evald, Tullin, Stenertsen, added much to the growing literary stores of Denmark.

During the long reign of Christian VII., much was done by the ministers of the king to promote knowledge. It was then that Denmark began to adopt the noble plan of sending, at the public expense, men of talents abroad to other lands to cultivate their minds, and to bring back to the country whatever of science or art might be usefully transplanted to Denmark. The University of Copenhagen was still further improved. Schools for edu cating schoolmasters began to be established, and Latin schools, of a higher character than usual, were opened. Liberty of the press was granted, through the influence of the famous and unfortunate Struensee, in 1770, in the fullest sense,-even more fully than Sneedorff and the Lutkens had hoped for during the former reign. During this reign the vassalage of the Danish peasantry, and the Danish slave-trade, were abolished. The liberty of the press did not long continue in Denmark. After various vicissitudes, it was brought under such restraints that it may be said to have been annihilated in 1799.

Politics have never formed the subject of much writing in Denmark. In 1785, however, Professor Rahbek and Mr. Pram, commenced the publication of a monthly magazine, called the Minerva, which continued until 1809. A vast deal of talent was displayed in that periodical. Almost all the eminent literary men of that day wrote for it. Politics occupied a large space in it. Abrahamson, Tyge Rothe, Pram, Rev. Mr. Birckner, and M. de Hennings-a court chamberlain-furnished excellent treatises for the Minerva, in favor of the liberty of the press.* Mr.

* Mr. Birckner published a book on the Liberty of the Press and its Laws, in the year 1797. This book made a great sensation, and was read with vast interest-several editions were published the first year after it was issued.

Samoe, and the Rev. Mr. Birckner, attacked the order of the nobility;-so that not a little courage was shown in this work. But no work during that period produced such excitement as Count Schmettou's little volume on Standing Armies. That the fearless course of this band of advocates of reform had a good effect upon the government, is unquestionable. But no change of great moment has yet taken place on the points which they discussed.

Few Danish writers are better known in the literary world than Heiberg, the dramatic poet and general scholar, and Malte-Brun, the geographer. Both were banished from the country-the former in 1800, and the latter some time afterward-for political opinions, strongly expressed in some works which they had published. Both went to France, where their talents secured to them much distinction.

Professor Jens Möller, Professor P. E. Muller, Professor Heiberg and Mr. Seidelin, were popular prose writers in the early part of this century, and Thaarup and Baggesen are well-known poets of that period.

Niebuhr, the historian and traveler, wrote his valuable works in the latter part of the last century and the beginning of the present. The greatest poet which Denmark possesses at the present day is Ehlenschläger, who is reckoned among the first of living poets. He has written much. Among the most distinguished writers of this kingdom in our day, we must also reckon Finn Magnussen, who has written on Mythology; Œrsted, Schlegel, and Rosenvinge, who have written on Law; Grundtvig, a sweet religious poet, of a very original genius; Rask, who has written on Languages; Müller, who has written on the Scandinavian antiquities; and Werlauff, Engelstoft, and Ersted, who have written on various subjects; the Rev. Dr. Clausen, of the Theological Faculty in the University of Copenhagen, who has written on the spirit of