WELHAVEN, JOHANN SEBASTIAN CAMMER MEYER (1807-1873), Norwegian poet and critic, was born at Bergen. He first studied theology, but from 1828 onwards de voted himself to literature. In 1840 he became reader and sub sequently professor of philosophy at Christiania, and delivered a series of impressive lectures on literary subjects. In 1836 he visited France and Germany; and in 1858 he went to Italy to study archaeology. Welhaven made his name as the repre sentative of conservatism in Norwegian literature. He repre sented clearness and moderation against the extravagances of Wergeland. He gave an admirable practical exposition of his
aesthetic creed in the sonnet cycle Norges Daemring (1834). He published a volume of Digte in 1839; and in 1845 Nyere Digte. His descriptive poetry is admirable, but his best work was inspired by his poems on old Norse subjects, in which he gives himself unreservedly to patriotic enthusiasm.
His critical work includes Ewald og de norske Digtere (1863), On Ludwig Holberg (1854). Welhaven's Samlede Skrifter were published in 8 vols. at Copenhagen (1867-69).