The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-24
H.JORNSO\'S am.
Answer to Those VINO wanted Him tn
write POrtr, and Give Z ID Politics.

'
Ellen key. the Swedish " ritter. prophe-
sizes of BJorn-on that he will become. like
a hgur. IN mythology. a grand symbol OF
the faith that belonged to mank ind in the
past She was lifelong friend Of the
Norwegian writer having met him before
a single work 81 her own had been pub
lishsd Her estimate % Bjornson. pull
llshcd ia la RCru, of PARIS has TO do most
Nth the greatness II the man Inwriting
81 lbscn sh" had most to say 81 his works
But as TO Compa risons she herself quotes
from what BJornson had once said TO her.
\ cannot bear comparisons The re-
s''lt 81 them alNay- Is that one Of the per
sons comes ont great AZ the expense of
the other And in this way the values by
which ~" should live ara lcSsened
1t - right and wise TO measure each
according 10 his own power without cast
ing eyes ~ others Has a man reached
his fpll SIZE That - more important to
know than II h- has reached another per
sons siz. 81 how he has reached II
1t IL ihIs principle comments Ellen
Kev. which led Bjornson To overcome
the temptation Of turning into what he
%" day aid lbssn was nothing hut a
nature. s"duCcd by constant comparisons.
might ha y. succumh"d Bjornson always
remained faithful TO the goal that he re-
gaTdsd A. the Hottest What that goal
was h. stated very clearly once when he
gave vent to his grief and irritation:
The people who every day order me
10 write poetry and Civ" up politics EVIL
IDENTIFY know that have written verses.
dramas and novels And they do me th..
honor 60 suppose that I can supply them
with products ~ the same sort for their
pleasure
But what they do not know IL the
nature ~ = poet They do not feel that a
world of ideas. schemes and dreams
lives within him. that within him are
creatures crying to 10 brought 10 life.
that forms Ud>s which would he fnrmu-
Gtsd that songs murmuT which would
BE- sung And when a poet shuts his ears
to al these clsmorous suggestions when
he turns from the children - has spirit
when hs refuses 10 give them hls soul
and ms time those same men do not
OWN. that h" suffers from this that ne II
max ing an unneard ~ sacrifice. a sacrifice
hiS conscience imposes upon him he
cause at the tim" politics - the most
important thing Tor ht- people ur Tor
another nation
Thp-. IDIOTS fancy trouhl" myself
ahoIt the questions - tn. day for NV own
amusement | should more azsuredly
get amusement AZ my desk doing my own
work than m the thivk e struggles.
getting and giving blows When poet
that j. what they MAINTAIN ] am can
I,-soIv" 10 -"' poetry aside. p"ppi" should
realize that lac = dong - l,~Ctu-e for
him tu"r. - something Of greater sig
uihctuC' than pustlCll fame. poeticil
profits and the Joy ~ creating And
what has more value for me - truth and
Justice m humanity and international
relations d'-~lr" that IN my country
culture should dI-pel Cosr~.usr-. that
activity should conquer tprpur. and this
M the ranot"-t corner ~ NORWAY
| cannot tear To- hear the banalitv
repeated. that should write poetry and
give M pohtic- Nobody knows better
than what lu~e. what fail TO do what I
waste" economically and IN literature
Norodv suffers as ! do from the l0SS
| am thur subjected To But. To- write "
not the only wHv 10 make poem. The
poem ! wish to make 10 new and batter
NORWAY And when ! can add a -inEl.
strophr ~ that work everything else
"A ~ ppear-