From 1773 to 1775 he had a rather happy convalescence at Rungstedlund (later the home of Karen Blixen). Ewald wrote some of his best verses during this time, but a conflict with his family led to his removal to the small North Zealand town of Humlebæk (1775–77), which depressed him and worsened his alcoholism. Finally, friends brought him to Søbækshus, near Helsingør, and where he lived for some years under growing public interest and literary fame. Johannes Ewald led a short and troubled life, marked by alcoholism and financial problems. His life darkened by illness, distress and misfortune, Ewald died at age 37 and was buried in the cemetery of Trinitatis Church in Copenhagen. However, the cemetery largely disappeared in the aftermath of the Copenhagen Fire of 1795 ("Københavns brandes 1795") .