ANDERSEN, Hans Christian, a Danish novelist, poet and writer of fairy tales: b. in Odense, 2 April 1805; d. Copen hagen, 4 Aug. 1875. He learned to read and write in a charity school, whence he was taken when only nine years old, and was put to work in a manufactory in order that his earnings might assist his widowed mother. In his leisure time he eagerly read national ballads, poetry and plays, and wrote several tragedies which he failed to get accepted. His abilities at last brought him under the notice of Councilor Collin, a man of considerable influence, who procured for him free entrance into a govern ment school at Slagelse. From this school he was transferred to the university and soon be came favorably known by his poems. His first considerable work, 'A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Anger,' was published in 1828, the year of his admission to the university. Through the influence of Oehlenschlager and others he received a royal grant to enable him to travel, and in 1833 he visited Italy, his impressions of which he pub lished in 'The Improvisatoren' (1835), a work which rendered his fame European. The scene
of his following novel, 'O. T.,' was laid in Denmark, and in 'Only a Fiddler' he described his own early struggles. In 1853 appeared the first volume of his 'Fairy Tales,' of which successive volumes continued to be published year by year at Christmas, and which have bet the most popular and widespread of his bot Among his other works are without Pictures,' 'A Poet's Bazaar,' number of dramas. In 1845 he received annuity from the government. He rig= England in 1848 and acquired such a concr.,..-: of the language that his next work, 'The Ti Baronesses,' was written in English. In I.- he published an autobiography under the 'My Life's Romance,' an English transiaL of which, published in 1871, contained ad.: tional chapters by the author, bringing the =. rative to 1867. Among his later works are Sweden' (1849) ; 'To Be or Not to Be' (1k. 'Tales from Jutland> (1859) ; 'The of Jutland' (1860) ; 'The Ice Maidens' (181: 'In Spain' (1863).