New-York tribune., 1872-05-09
LITERARY.
A rryNIsu NOVELIST.

A eorrespondent sends us the following
,Nech OF Topeus the popular Finnish author OF wnoSo
novels translation has been commenced IN ts o'''
and is now passing through the press; ala
Topelius is a name yet new 20 our country pus Wv
with q fully -iuatured fame In his own name Wi.n
hear FOR the first time, and which falis as ~ t,h
sound but which to Northern ears ia fully freienV - ~
Iearninc poetic inspiration ana what perhaps may 10
hest called national genius-the power OF hteip."n
through lyric or prose writings the very sp s hid
country its external life with its varso mtsr Topelus
stands ss snch an exponent he essentially nave
of his and-Finand so inoueun n"inS that he breathes
its Language in ali that he writes through tne
wonderfully ansogpaSS & Sd I'VE Whole story Of human struggle
woe longing and rapture by means oi .e y ha MIDI
Of food and - Sse ARMAMENT the poetic soul catches
fbe mpor being truly child OF nature that seems
sm through the primitive life of the peasantry the
first offspring Of the SOIL In when may % % ayu nas @
sion ambition, which culmnate among the great ana
highborn through the evoutions OF dyhasues, onS
giitterng changes Of court life the worldrenownec
deeds OF usriOus personaSes, the pageaDttS ttda ~
herois and stupendOus effects when turn 'ne .o d ~
nations and which are all summed up Ill that one Woiu
Topeiius as much at home in the peasant hut as 10
the palace. IN the wilderness in the throng; IN tno
weird my stosm which clings TO the North ana lenus
magic significance 10 the most trnhg neluen,, a ~
agency All is truthful. vivid. actual to those SENSE senses
which perceive through the vbcS S GIVES the value
10 T,neus's historic rOmances Integrity OF mlnu ac-
curHoy of perception. and Imagination whlch is never
led raw make pOrtrayals real ana, Delng re IN
estimable 1t these qualities which render MIN an eX
onite poet responsive TO every pulsa0n OF nature an
,nimita6e writer for children, for he seems 10 dVne
ius, how the child thinks and talks and acts ana never
puts his grown-up ways upon the ttle ones anu AZ AZ
liable historian who never peryerts facts 10 reaen ue
s ed aim who finds embodied IN the actual wants
aud characters Of which he treats the apest M
for interest, plot, romance and strange VI
destiny. All these things, which are supposeu 70 nd oc
vented by fiction, inherent in life ITSELF ana peGo
SO eyentfu so Important that comprised IN the ouI
geons Stories" needs fertile Imagination " ehnnoc
Its interest. r,,o ars,
This series is called TOpeluss greatest WORK Inc nrst
begins with he hero king, Gustave Adoi, anu we
close of his reign the next Is IN the tlme of MS uas
ter Queen Christina and, finally we come 10 tne pI
liant reign OF Gustave ILL., under whlcn neTatuie anu
The fine ants prOspered never before In sweden:
Topelins is snguarly cool and Impartial In ludgrnent
calm and even in style, never sraiing ater eject
but allowing IL follow natural result OF exciting
causes He does goad acerate his readers, DuI
the emotions awakened perfectly spontaneous ahu
Inevitable under the circumstances. -
As an author, Topeltus's rank abroad entities MN 10
recognition here his works valuable to us as de-
scribing historical events of which know but tte
and a people of whom VIC have scarcely heard more
than the name. Through these shall learn that I'm
hand culture, genius, and literature whlch
place her in the foremost rank among civilized nations
albeit almost hidden in her northern nook
overshadowed the colossal power that holds her
subject.