"What! from his country's councils drag
The statesman proud?—Away!"
"I call thee to a court more high,
Where angel-forms above the sky
Throng round God’s throne alway!"
"Against my ancient 'scutcheon—ha!
To raise thy scythe dar’st thou?"
"Adam, the noblest of thy race,
Was made to bow before my face:
Thy farce is ended now."
"Thy vengeance wreak not thou on me:
Behold—this brow a crown adorns!"
"Vain is thy claim—thy power is o’er—
Death on the cross Goa’s own son bore.
Think on his crown of thorns!"
"We are so little—us at least
From the dark grave oh spare!"
Does not your heavenly father love
Young children—ye shall sport above
With winged cherubs there."
"Call not the anxious mother hence
From those her cares employ!"
"Come—at heaven's window thou shalt stand,
And gaze on the beloved band
And thou shalt weep for joy!
"For though my form is frightful, I
Am less your foe than friend.
I bring ye all but transient woe.
Your souls my scythe may never mow,
These shall to God ascend!"
And yet these lines are from Oehlenschlæger’s "weakest work," as a countryman of his own pronounces it to be! His dramas,[1] especially his tragedies, are generally esteemed his best works; and of these the best again are "Palnatoke," "Axel og Valborg," "Correggio," and "Hakon Jarl." The subject of "Palnatoke" is derived from an episode in Danish history, partly real, partly legendary, relating to a little island which was named Jomsborg, and governed and inhabited by pirates, the chiefs of whom were men of rank. It was said to have been against the laws of the island to allow women to live or land there; no females, therefore, appear in Oehlenschlæger’s tragedy. "Axel and Valborg" is a great favourite in Denmark; and so it deserves to be, for it is a high-toned and beautiful tragedy. "Correggio" is full of feeling and is a bland and poetical drama; the versatility, or rather the universality, of Oehlenschlæger’s genius is evinced in his having been the
- ↑ Some of these dramas have been beautifully translated into English by Miss Chapman, and are at present in the course of preparation for the London stage. This lady lived for some time in Denmark, where a portion of her family have been long resident; and while there, she devoted herself to the study of the Danish language and literature, both ancient and modem, in which pursuit she enjoyed the advantage of perusing many rare books and scarce editions, only to be found in the Royal Library of Copenhagen. There can be no doubt, therefore, of the perfect accuracy of her translations. This talented lady has also translated some of Ingemann's historical novels, and Herz's popular drama, "King René's Daughter," with the concurrence and approbation of their respective authors.
