New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-22
DANISH CRITIC HERE.
LAUDS U. S. AUTHORS
DR.. Georg Brandes, Aged
70, Arrives on First
Visit to America.
LIKES JACK LONDON,
ALSO UPTON SINCLAIR
rs This All the Liberty You Have
Here?" Els Asks as He Sees
Statue in HarbOr.

Or. Georg Brandes, the Danish literary
critic. who Is now in his seyenty-third
year, arrived here yesterday from Ham,
burg by the neutrality-suspicious. Line
steamship Vaterland on his first visit to
tho United States.
He said he was delighted to come to
the country for which he had such high
regard and for whose authors he had
such a kindly feeling.
Poe he said. II am inclined 10 think
was the greatest American poet. Next to
him I'm my esteem is Thomas Paine. He
was a hereto and so am ]. or the con-
temporary writers of modern fiction I
think Jack London is the best Upton
Sinclair and the late Frank Norris both
distinctly American in spirit and ideas,
come next.
Emerson, OF course. was the greatest
American thinker. but the man who held
warm spot in the heart OF all Danes
was Longfellow. He understood us and
our language and literature better than
any other American. His translation OF
the Danish national hymn was wonder
full"
The distinguished critic called attention
to the Statue OF Liberty when the Water
land came abeam and asked: rs this all
the liberty you have here?"
Dr. Brandes, who will be here for three
weeks, will lecture at Yale University,
the University Of Minnesota and the
University of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Brandes. who Is one OF the fore
most literary critics OF his day. was born
at Copenhagen February 4, 1872 On leav-
ing the university he spent some time in
travel and study abroad and then began
writing serious philosophical and critical
works. He lived at intervals IN France.
Italy. Germany and Poland. spending
most OF his time out OF Denmark until
1883.
At that time large public subscription
was raised I'm that kingdom 10 induce him
to return and lecture in Copenhagen for
term OF ten years. an invitation which
he accepted
In his student days Brandes was
brought up on the philosophy of Hegel,
Spinoza and F'euerbach and was much
Influenced by the Danish PHILOSOPHER,
Soren kierkegaard. who has been regard
ed az the original Of Ibsen Brand.
But little later he took up the works of
John Stuart Mill. translated them, and
then went to Paris and made the per-
scnal acquaintance OF their author
In that way he came into contact with
English thought and with empirical
philosophy. This meant trouble for him
at home, bringing him into bad odor with
the then dominant Clerical party, by
which he was charged with all sorts OF
absurd extravagances He found himself
an Ishmaelite. Half dozen papers made
a speciality of attacking him, and not one
Of them would grant him the privilege of
reply unless he paid at their regular ad-
Yertisng rates. He shook the dust OF
Denmark from his feet and preferred to
live elsewhere.
He made the acquaintance of Henry
Ibsen in early life and enjoyed a warm
and helpful friendship with him. Indeed,
it was due TO Tbsens influence that
Brandes's publishers, the great house OF
Gylendal, did not Join in the Danish boy
getting of him. lie became a profound
student Of Shakespeare and wrote and
lecturod much on his works.
In his lecturing in Russia and Poland
he had many strange experiences with the
censors, who. however, he found to be so
rreternaturally stupid that 1t was often
possible TO evade them. Thus. in Poland:
Modern Polish literature is mass of
auti-Russian allegOries. In one of his
lectures he resorted to allegOrv, using the
parallel of Hamlet" the prince stand
ing for Poland and her literature anG
King Claudius representing Russia. To
all who knew their Shakespeare the point
was obvious: but the censors had never
heard OF Hamlet" and so saw nothing
i'm il.
Brandes some years ago became men,
Der of the American Academy OF Arts
and Sciences, Of this city, and of the
ROYAL Society Of Literature, the Ration
alst Press Association, the Nationalist
Peace Society and the Polyglot club, OF
London. Many Of his works have been
translated into English.
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