New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-16

ioith ABROAD were less valued by him Tor their
own sake. as tribute to his positive achieve
ment, than as bludgeon with which to beat his
old enemes-the critics OF his native Denmark.
Writing from London in 1s47. ne exclaims: Here
l am regarded Danish Walter Scott, while in
Denmark am degraded into a sort of third-cass
author, far below Hertz the classical and Hell
berg. the infallible" His anger" continues Mr.
Balm. is especially hot against the Danish news
papers for taking not the slightest notice of the
honors paid him in England. Such contemplate
meanness. az he calls 1t. deeply wounded him.
II made him feel feveTishy III to be 'eternally
set at naught In his own country. His dark mo-
ments are all owing to the people at home-God
forgive them-it was they who always 'spat
upon the glowworm because II glowed.' oh" he
exclaims. 4 suffer to-day that 1 could weep
and now / must of with sick heart to take
part in joyful festivities where every one bows
down before me-" 1t is due TO Andersen, how
ever to note that while he nursed this Ugly
Duckling theory with the persstency Of a mania
he accepted praise with becoming modesty Ills
initial mistake in supposng that Danish lit
erature was incarnate in Hans Christian Ander-
sen. Dramatist and Novelist; and in not being
able TO see that the lion OF the London season
was not the inglorous author OF THE Moorish
Girl" and of the Martinique pageant, but the
artist OF the TOP and the Ball. and The Ugly
Duckling."
Andersen stood out heroicslly against the pop
ularity OF his Fairy Tales" and il not until
long after the public mad made veritable fad
OF them tina: he permitted himself to be con-
WINGED OF their merit When ne found Kings and
Princes and fine ladies "a class for which he al
ways had weakness) going into raptures over
these nursery yarns. he began - suspect that
there must be something IN them after all, and
he proceeded with characteristic vanity to live
up to this ready made reputation. Who originated
the idea Of putting the tales paper Is not clear
but certain it is the idea did not originate with
Andersen. although he had long been in the habit
Of entertaining his little friends with fairy tales
of his own invention. A man with more highly
developed sense Of fitness might have recognized
in this gift possible road 10 success, but in $780,
when the first volume Of Tales appeared. An
dersen aspiring. on the strength Of the vogue
Of his Italian novel The Inprovisa tore" TO win
laurels IS a novelist. He was in a delightfully."-
self-complacent mood and content. while
coniuring up the theme Of his next venture in
fiction 10 dash off little thing" to obhge
friend II was the pungent satire OF such tales as
THE Ugly Duckllng" and The EmperOr's New
Clothes that first attracted the attention Of the
public; the poetry. the grace, the beauty and
freshness Of the Imagination, the childish SIM
plicty Of these Incompatible little masterpieces
these were discoveries reserved for later date
Andersen's indomltable vanity which was his
own worst enemy was at the same time MS
greatest consolation. for if it kept him in tears
(there is .prodigaty of weeping in his letters
and autobiography over the malignity OF his
critics during the early stages Of his career, II
was an unfailing source OF comfort when finally
his reputation had been established. He re-
sponded eagerly and promptly 10 hattery as
cat will to caresses, and he was never happier or
more himself than at such moments. In fact
throughout his life he remained essentially
child both in feeling and IN imagination. The
statement is 70 be taken literally, for his spirit
was something more than 'hildsh; II was a
childs. His innocence" the late Professor
Boyesen who knew him well. says, was more
than virginia.: his unworldliness simply In
conceivable. He carried his heart on his sleeve
and invited you TO observe what soft. tender
and sensitive heart it was He had the harmless
vanity of a child who has a new frock on TINS
is the keynote TO his character II reconciies all
the apparent incongruities of his simple put per-
picking nature and lends some show OF dignity
to a life which. judged from the hard point OF
view OF maturity. is far from imposing 1t eX-
plains. moreover. why this "children's poet" was
but sorry lover Of children, and was In the
habit Of resenting the soubriquet with We
hemence only equalled by his denunciation OF his
critics If in his old age he delighted to corre-
spond with children, particularly with little girls
who were pretty and wore nice frocks, and II
through his life he took pleasure In telling MS
tales TO an admring circle Of little auditors II
was less from his love Of the children than from
the fattery their attention brought him, and the
sense Of satisfaction in the mastery OF rebeIuous
q
had a child's weakness for the society OF his
elders
Nv RAINS hook IA entertaining. but there IS too
rouob ~ Il II might have been as careful and as
accurate at half the length