Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/297

An author of great merit is Meyer Aaron Goldschmidt (a Jew by birth, born 1819). Already in his early youth he became conspicuous and feared as the editor of the satirical weekly paper, "Corsaren" (1840-46), by his witty and incisive articles which, as the champion of liberal ideas, he directed against the waning absolutism of the time, and whereby he frequently came into collision with the authorities. In the periodicals which he afterward edited, "Nord og Syd" and "Ude og Hjemme," he was less polemical, but in his articles, all written with sparkling humor and refined elegance, he remained faithful to the cause of freedom and nationality. In so doing he occupied an entirely individual standpoint, which often involved him in violent conflicts with the leaders of the national liberal party. As the author of novels and tales, Goldschmidt has achieved even more than by his great journalistic activity. He has no superior in his command of language, and his style is pure and elegant in an unusual degree. At the same time the author's deep psychological insight and his gift of seizing the most interesting details and of rendering them in a striking, graceful manner lends to his work a rare charm. His great talent is shown to best advantage when he treats of Jewish affairs. In this line he has created real masterpieces, such as "En Jöde," "Ravnen," "Maser," and others. In his descriptions of nature and popular life, found as episodes in his larger works, for instance in his novel, "Hjemlös" (Homeless), or in independent tales, he has the art of charming by means of his keen observation and poetical interpretation of the facts. On the other hand he lacks genuine dramatic talent, though his works in this field are not wholly without interest, for his deep psychological insight is seen in the characters he sketches. In 1877 he published an autobiography, entitled "Livserindringer og Resultater." These results give his views of life and existence, gained by his philosophical and mythological studies carried on for a long series