, 1875-05-01
The LAWS"
IBSEN'S JUBILEE.
rs PUBLISHED
BvERY WEDNESDAY ANT SATURDAY.
(From the spectator.l

sure OF introducing, through these columns,
for the first time in England, the greatest
modern scandinavian poet, Since then
his name, at least, has become familiar to
the British public his greatest works
have been reviewed in various English
journals, and the particulars Of his life
dweIt upon with more or less f~ulIuess.
Last Saturday, was his forty-seventh birth
day, and what is more important, the
twenty-htth anniversary of Tie opening of
his literary career. In consequence of this
fact, a Jubilee was held in each Of the
scandinavian capitals, and since the poet
lives in Saxony, out Of reach of the plau-
dts and the garlands, a different drama of
his was last Saturday performed at each
of the national theatres. We have thought
this a not inopportuue occasion for review
ing in brief his character and development,
and in doing this we are simulated by a
preface which he has prefXrd to a new
eduica, 2f his ftst book, "CatiIina." and
which contains . great deal OF interesting
biographical information.
Henrik Ibsen Was born on the Goth Of
March, 1928, at Shien, Q little m=rket-t2wn
in the south Of Norway A. q boy Of SIX
teen he went over TO another little town,
Grinlstad, to be apprenticed to an apothe-
cary there, in The hope Ut "vcutuallY being
able to study medicine. The local scan
daIs, little excitements, aud pdny chroni-
cles of the place were, Of course, at once
the delight and tha diSdain of the inteIli-
gent and ambitious boy, whose earl est
verses were %satires against the various res
pectable inhabitants Of Grimstad WHO had
managed to incur his dlspleasure. For
these too scathing IampoonS he got more
than once into disgrace, but his Serious
poems even now formed around him a select
circle of believing admirers. 1t was here
ut Grimstud, in the winter Of lS48-IS49,
that is to say, in his twenty-Grst year,
that Ibsen wrote his first published work,
q drama 10 three acts, called "CatiIIna."
He says in this new preface =
''Tbe time was one OF great agitation. TIE
February revo u'ion, the revolts in Hungary
and elsewhere, the Slesvig.H 0lstein w,r,-htl
Ahesc had powerful and maturing influence
over my development, however imperfect this
eoptioued TO DO until long after. l wrote sono-
rous poems OF sympathy TO the Maeyars, pray
ing them, il piefy 10 freedom and manhood, to
p6T6eFSEt III tuttl l'SibOuH WA against No
tyrsnts;'I wrote a ,org series Of soonetS to
King Oscar, chiefly, as far rs | remember, con-
tanning an exhort,'ion to him TO Set all meauer
aims aside, aud without delay, at the head of
bis army, to fly to Ike hep OF our Daui,h broth
rem on The extreme borders OF SIesyig."
1t is doubtful whether eli her the cause
of the Magyars or that of the Pan-Sc0hdi'
n8vians would have gained much practical
help from the young enthusiasts winged
or still unfledged words, but at all events,
they never saw the light. Public opinion
10 Grimstad ran high against them; the
poems to the Magyars were voted ridlcu-
lous, and the sonnets to King Oscar imper-
tinent. Meanwhile the poet found him
self in a curiousIy similar position to his
revolted friends the Magyars, for as they
were in war against all the conservative
interests Of Europe, so Ibsen found himself
40 Tshmael in. the little, s~ensiti.e commu-
nifty at Grimstad, where his verse was
against every man and every mans prose
against him. Undrrthese disadvantages, he
read Sallust's s.Cati me-" and the speeches
Of Cicero against Catiline. In bis revo-
dictionary condition of feeling, the charac-
Ger OF this extraordinary mar presented to
hinf fascinating sides quite unthought OF
AEFF If a ~ EAH