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went hand in hand with the study of the code of laws and the
sagas. In the year 1600, these efforts attained a synoptic
clearness in the energetic writings of the autodidactic clergyman, Peder
Claussøn Friis. About twenty years after his death, his minute
and entertaining «Norges beskrivelse» (Description of Norway)
and his translation of Snorre were printed (in Copenhagen; the
art of printing was not introduced into Norway until 1644). This
saga opened the eyes of the Norwegian people to what they had
once been, and, together with the continual, if not perhaps brilliant,
victories of the new national army in the skirmishes with Sweden,
the flourishing state of the timber-trade, and the increasing
prosperity, helped once more to awaken and strengthen the
Norwegians’ national feeling.
All through the 17th century, there was steady, although slow,
progress. The immigrated official and patrician families ceased to
feel themselves foreigners, and became assimilated, in spite of the
continual addition of new-comers, with the national elements of
the two classes. At the close of the century, the country produced
its first original poet, Petter Dass (died 1708). In complete
emancipation from the pseudo-classicism of the age, this genial
national poet wrote his «Nordlands trompet» in lively anapæsts
with tuneful rhyme, in glorification of the scenery and life in
his beloved native region. For the instruction of his
congregation, he turned the catechism and Bible history into verse adapted
to singing, in plain and simple language. Becoming widespread
by innumerable copies (after his death, numerous editions of them
were printed) this vocal store gained, by its genuine, popular
tone, an immense popularity all over the country, and long
retained it. This clergyman, whose personage lent itself so well
to the formation of legends, and his younger contemporary, the
gay and victorious admiral Tordenskjold, became the popular
heroes.
It may be said that with Petter Dass, the hitherto anonymous
popular poetry, though still long unnoticed by the educated,
suddenly appeared in the full light of day. Right on into the
century just ending, unwritten ballads have been preserved upon
the tongues of the peasants, their epic subject-matter being
sometimes traceable to the distant Edda period. The songs about the
holy king, St. Olav, are also quite mediæval, as well as a number
of magic and fairy songs. There are also from the same time a
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