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LETTERS. 243
thinker of our day, Hegel, has proved in his work, “ Die
Philosophie der Religion,” how all the powerful thoughts,
which now are uttered, claiming as a right national liberty,
equity, justice to all, have their foundation and definition
only in God, as manifestedin Christ. But from this follows
also, that every development of liberty, which is not con-
scious of this its foundation, or which is reactionary against
the same, must miss the aim which it strives for, or bring
forth weeds amongst the wheat to such an extent as easily
to destroy it all.
Tonce heard you express the fear, that Sweden was des-
tined, as a nation, to sink under, or merge into, the larger
continental powers. I believe that this might come to
pass, if it were possible to extinguish in the breasts of the
people that belief in God, in His eternal laws, in the per-
sonal responsibility of the individual — in a word, that be-
lief in a heaven, which is earth’s greatest strength, and
which hitherto has made the little, the poor Sweden’s
greatness and power. If it holds fast to this root of its
life and its will, it must continue to exist, although it may
stand behind in much of the industrial development which
constitutes the wealth of other countries. But I do not
think that this belief in God can be eradicated in Sweden.
But it can be weakened or strengthened, and it may de-
pend upon this, whether the social development, towards
which we are now progressing, will be egotistical and san-
guinary, or will be founded upon love’s free and liberty
giving life.
TO BARON VON BRINCKMAN.
I thank you very much, my dear Baron, for having af-
forded me an opportunity of trying to explain my views on
the Fine Arts as a part of life. You have yourself made the
remark, that it is the “ writing laziness,” which is the cause
why we so often rest contented with our half-thoughts with-
out knowing their incompleteness. This incompleteness is
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