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288 . A History of Sweden
Johan Henrik Kellgren. Among the poets of the peri-
od Kellgren left behind him the deepest impression.
He was, like Dalin, a standard-bearer of the period of
illumination. His weapon was his fun-provoking, ready
wit. He boldly attacked all errors and weaknesses, es-
pecially of the leaders in society. Tegner sings witlrad-
miration of the time "when Kellgren dealt the heavy
strokes, the flashing strokes, for truth, for justice, and
for sense."
Like Dalin, Kellgren labored as editor and poet. He
was, however, of a deeper, more serious nature, with
truly great poetic endowments. For Dalin, poetry was
rather a pastime. In Kellgren, Gustavus found what
he had long sought a poetic genius that could co-
operate with him in the service of the Swedish theater.
The king made sketches for Swedish operas, and Kell-
gren was then left to carry out his thoughts and put
them in verse. This he did so well that to this day he
is unsurpassed as a writer of Swedish opera texts.
When his pen fell forever from his hand, there was
universal sorrow in the land.
Karl Gustav Leopold. Leopold’s songs are closely re-
lated to Kellgren’s, by whose side he labored for en-
lightenment. In flashing wit, he fully equaled Kell-
gren, but lacked the latter’s enthusiasm and fervor.
He survived his fellow poet long enough to learn that
new tendencies came to prevail in the world of letters.
Karl Mikael Bellman. Bellman was and remained a
child, a child filled with the joy of life, and care-free,
he enjoyed its pleasures. An idler, a wag he was, in-
capable of work, but a rare poetic genius. In crowds
of happy friends, at the soft tones of the lute, were
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