LITERATURE. The first Danish book is a treat ise on medicine by Henrik Harpestreng. who died in 1244. The first Danish law dates from 1386. but the first distinctively literary writings in the language are the chivalric ballads, Kjaempe riser, which must have been composed from 1300 to 1500, though they survive only in six teenth-century form, best edited by Gruntvig (6 vols., unfinished) and by Abrahamson. Nyerup, and Rabbet: (5 vols., 1812-14). Of these there are some 500, partly historical, partly mythical, but wholly popular in origin. The first Danish book was printed in 1495, and sequential liter ary history begins with Christian Pedersen, who translated the Bible (1550) and gave to his peo ple the legends of Charlemagne and Ogier in their final formic. Vedel (1542-1616) stimulated national literature by publishing 100 of the K jacin periser ( 1591) and translating Saxo Grammati•us (1575). liegnard the for had been translated into Danish in 1555. Hvitfehl gave Denmark its first history (15951 and Rauch its first drama (about 1600). Clausen's translation of the Ieelandie Heintskrigla ap peared in 1633. and ..-krrebo's (1587-1637) Mr ameron, the first Danish epic, in 1641. Hymn writing was soon after inaugurated by King() (1634-1703) and Bronson (1694-1764). But these beginnings were all overshadowed by the genius of Holherg (q.v.). the first Dane whose work is still an actuality in Danish culture. All branches of learning and art felt his stimulating influence, the university was reopened (1742), the Society of Sciences founded, and the Society for the Improvement of the Danish Language. )hen lilopstoek, who had settled at Copenhagen, though his direct influence was bad, fostered the founding of the Society of the Fine Arts, and Frederick V. patronized all.
Under these influences, or the spirit that pre pared for them, many poets were born (1742-49) --Johannes Evald, \\ essel, Brun, Frimann, Fasting, Pram, Storm—who brought about a lyric and dramatic revival in the last quarter of the century. The first, Evald (1.v.), aided the
revival of interest in Scandinavian mythology; \Vessel helped to emancipate the Danish stage from French bondage; the others, Norwegians by birth. gave the language a richer imagery. The only prose writer of importance till near the close of the eighteenth century was the philoso pher Tres•how (1751-1 833) ; and poetry, after the passing of the group just named, sank into a mechanical insignificance, from which Bagge sen (q.v.) and romanticism revived it.
The literary births from 1758 to 1777 are mainly of prose writers—llahbek (1760-18301. a good novelist, eatholie-spirited critic. and editor of older poets; Heiberg the elder (1758-1841), a political and :esthetic critic.; Nalte-Brun ( 1775 1826 ) and Glufsen (1764-1S27 ) , geographers ; Nyerup (1759-1829), a diligent literary com piler; Engelstoft (1774-1850). an historian; Alynster (1775-1854), a theologian; and the great and genial scientist Oersted (1777-1851), are the most prominent names for two decades, where the only poet of distinction is Baggesen (1764-1826), an erratic exception to prove the rule that an 'age of enlightenment is not an age of song.' The romantic movement in Denmark centres around Oehlensehlfiger (q.v.), and dates from 1802. His more important assistants in foster ing national individualism in literature were _Midler (q.v.), novelist and poet ; I;rundvig, scholar. antiqua rian. poet, politician: Ingemann (q.v.). the historic-al novelist ; Handl (q.v.). a dramatist and novelist Countess Gyllembourg Ehrensvard (q.v.), the greatest woman writer of Denmark, and mother of J. L. Heiberg, (q.v.), critic, poet, dramatist, on the whole. the most important figure of the generation. These writers were born between 1779 and 1791. To the second generation of the romanticists, horn be tween 1798 and 1809, belong Hertz (q.v.). the poet : Andersen. of the world-famed Fairy Tales; Bagger (1807-461, who (lied like Keats. with unmatched promise unfulfilled, and Paludan :Minter (1809-76). a dramatie and epic philo sophic poet of much power.