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INTRODUCTION xix
and the drama Ha/te Hulda, with strains of love, of reli-
gious faith, of dread of nature, and of joy in it, of youth-
ful longing; then after two patriotic choral songs and
a second group of similar personal poems from 4 Happy
Boy follow one on a patriotic subject with historical allu-
sions, a memorial poem on J. L. Heiberg, and one descrip-
tive, indeed, of the ocean, but filled with the human feel-
ings and longings it arouses; then come a lyric personal
to Bjornson, and one that is not. As we progress, we pass
through a similar succession of descriptive, personal, or
memorial poems, some of religious faith, historical bal-
lads, lyrical romances, patriotic and festival choral songs,
poems in celebration of individual men and women, living
or dead, and towards the end poems, like the Psalms, of
deep philosophic thought suffused with emotion.
Now these subjects may be gathered into a small num-
ber of groups: love, religious faith and thought, moods per-
sonal to the poet, patriotism,—love of country, striving
for its welfare, pride in Norway’s history, and joy in the
beauty and grandeur of its scenery. The occasional songs
and poems in celebration of great personalities, — whether
they were of high station and renown, or lowly and un-
famed,—or for festivals, earnest or jovial, are nearly all
conceived in the spirit of patriotism,—love of Norway,
its historic past, its present, its future. They may be social
songs, memorial or political poems, ballads or lyrical ro-
mances,—all are inspired by and inspire love of country.
Not very many of Bjornson’s lyrics have love as their
subject. From his tales, novels, and dramas we know that
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