New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-30
SOME NOTED NORSEMEN.
3IORNSON, IBSEN AND NANSEN-THEIB
WAYS AND WORKS


WAYS AND WORKS.
lrRox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRBUyRl
Copenbaoen November TO-
Bornsterne Bornson is again on the warpath.
Perhaps it would be better to say on the peace
path. For this most combative Of men is now
preaching the gospel of peace on earth, literal
peace, universal disarming, and all that sort Of
thing. lie has been prompted to it, probably, BY
the active measures which the Norwegian and
Swedish Governments are taking for increasing
Notifications and adding in general TO the national
defence. Why they doing it, and why ma
tional defence societies springing mp in every
province and town, Is puzzle. Lord SALISBURY
saws that the peace of Europe is secure fora year
at any rate. And IL there should be a smash In
the Balkans or on the Rhine the Scandinavian
kingdom would not be concerned in 10. There 10
no reasonable possibility Of storm-sgnals on tho
Baltic; unless, indeed, Finland should execute her
long threatened revolt against Russian periidy and
Russian tyranny. But that is not likely ies
national defence is the fad Of the day all through
the dual kingdom, and against it and against all
wars Biorson takes up his prophecy. lie mas
very considerable party at his back, 700, VINO
would follow him with the same loyalty no matter
whittier Should he start to establish cheese
dairy in the moon, his faithful Norsemen would
anti-war and anti-national defence party at home.
no has now come hither to preach the same gospel
to the Danes, and is utilizing his odd moments ny
writing book on the same topic
While this great man carries the olive branch
in one hand and carries it sincerely, too he Is
striking. some most vigorous blows with the other.
The blows are directed at King Oscar, whom he
hates with perfect hatred. Not that he has any,
thing against that scholarly and amiabe monarch
az n man. nor vet as king. But if there is any,
thing this side of Tophet that he hates more bit
tery than all else put together 1t Is the union
with Sweden, which means Swedish domination
over Norway What has reused him to the present
onslaught upon the King is the suicide OF HE
old friend Richter who used TO be Consul-Gen'
eral in London. When that lamentable event oc-
Cured some people were foolish or malicious
enough to say that Bornsor was responsible for
it, He had, they said, treated his old friend very
meanly and dishonorably, thus breaking his heart
and unsettling his mind. For this terrible charge
there was no good ground. The two friends had
become somewhat estranged but there was Moth
ing base or treacherous on either side. And, in-
deed, as soon as the scandal was started, Rchters
sister promptly came To the fore with letter
branding it as baseless But Bornson was aroused,
and he rushed into print, not only with passo'i-
ate vndication of himself, but with still more
passionate attack upon the King. IT was the King.
he said in effect, who had killed poor Richter.
lie had promised to promote him to the AmoaS
sadorship at London whenever he cared to retire
from the Ministry of State, to which he had gone
from his Consulship. This promise had not been
kent, and so poor Richter killed himself. There
probably is little if any, more ground for this
story than for the other. But it gave Bornson
a chance to rail furi0us1y at the King; and that
was what he wanted.
Henrick Ibsen has written letter, which Is an
unusual thing for him to do. He scribbles I'M
wholesome books enough, but anything else nom
his pen is rarity. He rather affects an air or
seclusion and isolation; like some sort Of BROOD
ing Buddha, who must not be seen nor approached
by any mere human being. But for once he has
broken his rule and actually written letter from
Munich to an old friend in Christiania ms
friend is q piano-manufacturer and has Just nn'
ished his ten-thousandth Instrument ana tha'
fact INSPIRES the author of "A Dolls House tn
come down from Olympus and lay aside his clouds
and thunderbolts aad write letter, just like
mere man. 1T is" he writes to his old friend.
forty years since we made each others acquaint-
ance. Neither of us possessed then much in the
way of worldly goods-not l. at least. But in the
meantime think we have both done pretty well,
each in his calling You learned early to love
work The happiness of work did only later
dawn upon me- But then learned to thoroughly
treasure it. Now I am living down here, entirely
taken I'D with my new drama. have not had
an idle hour for several months, for l have an
overwhelmingly large correspondence, which must
also be attended to- So the worshippers OF N
sem and the commonalty of mankind also, may
look ont for new story on the Dolls House,
or some additional Pillars of Society, or something
or other from The Master. That is what they
call him in Boston and Squash Creek, is it not?
Another great Norwegian has just passed here
on his way to Germany, DR.. Frithiof Nansen, the
explorer of Greenland. He was accompanied by
his wife. who is much interested in his daring
exploits. but has no intention of going with him
on his forthcoming expedition to the North Pole,
as the papers said she to do. DIR. Nansen Is
in splendid health and spirits, and full OF enthu'
sasm and confidence over his Arctic project. tic
lectured here before the Royal Danish Geograph-
ical Society and received that societys gold medaL
Then he went on to Germany TO lecture az ber'
lin. Dresden, Lepsic and elsewhere. He does nos
set out for the North Pole for more than year
yet. His ship is not yet built, nor even begun
1t is to be a wooden ship and will be built IN
Norway.
Biornsterne Biornson also is accompanied by hn
wife and daughter He goes from here 10 Ger
many to preach peace at the very capital OF the
bumptious young soldier who wears the German
crown His wife and daughter go to Paris to re-
main for q year or two. while the latter com
pletes her musical education. Miss Bornson Is
particularly brilliant young lady. with positive
Genius for music. Some of Bornson's works IN
Guiding his Gods Ways are now being trans,
lated into French. and others are being Translated
into Russian. The latter are, of course, eIpur.
gated editions. 1t would give the Car ana ms
Ministers fits to have Biornsons bold, liberty,
loving works literally rendered into Russian ana
circulated among the Russian people.
To turn from Norway to Denmark, il is 70 pe
remarlsnl that Mr.. Estrup, the Danish PRIME
MinistH has just been celebrating the twenty.
fifth anniversary Of his first appointment 10
PORTFOLIO IL was on November 4. 1865, that no
Iai..I Gau,,4 Eriis Eriisonhnr,rs Cahincf as MN