Transcriber's note
Obvious punctuation errors have been repaired silently, no other errorshave been corrected. In particular the consistent wrong use in theTranslators' Preface of "Christiana" for "Christiania" has been left as is.
ARNE
A Sketch of Norwegian Country Life
BY
BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON
TRANSLATED FROM THE NORWEGIAN BY
AUGUSTA PLESNER AND S. RUGELEY-POWERS
SEVER, FRANCIS, & CO
Boston and Cambridge
1869
CAMBRIDGE:
PRESS OF JOHN WILSON AND SON.
TRANSLATORS' PREFACE.
The story which is here first presented in anEnglish form, is one of Herr Björnson's bestworks. In the original, it has already attained avery wide circulation throughout Northern Europe,and is there generally recognized as one of thetruest and most beautiful representations of Norwegianlife. At the present time, when there is amongus a constantly increasing interest in all things pertainingto the Scandinavian nations, this work possessesgreat claims to attention, not only through itsintrinsic merits, but also from the fact that it is oneof the very few works which can, in the fullestsense, be termed Norwegian. During the longpolitical union of Norway with Denmark, Norwegianliterature was so deeply imbued by Danishthought and feeling, that it could not be considerednational. After those political changes in 1814,which placed Norway among the free nations, shestrove to take an independent position; and she producedseveral gifted writers who endeavored to createa national literature; but she had for many yearsno great works unimpressed with the old Danishstamp. Not till 1857, when a young and comparativelyunknown writer published a book called"Synnove Solbakken," can the distinct literarylife of Norway be considered to have commenced.That young writer was Björnstjerne Björnson. Sincethe appearance of "Synnove Solbakken," he has producedthe present story, a few other short sketches,and several dramatic works. All these productionsare, both in subject and style, thoroughly representativeof the grand old nation whence they sprang;and they are, moreover, so full of original poeticbeauty and descriptive power, that they havestamped their author as one of the greatest writersin Northern Europe.
While presenting this work from one who so welldeserves to be known and honored by all, we verymuch wish we could also present a sketch of hishistory. But, so far as we have been able to ascertain,there is very little material; for, happily, HerrBjörnson is yet young, and in the midst of his literarycareer; and therefore only a small part of hislife-story can yet be told. We have, however, obtaineda few interesting details, principally from alittle sketch in the Danish of Herr Clemens Petersen.
Herr Björnson is the son of a clergyman; andwas born in 1832, at Kvikne, a lonely parish on theDovre Fjeld. In his earliest years, he was so farfrom being marked by any unusual degree of mentaldevelopment, that he was even regarded as"stupid:" he seems to have been at that time merelya stro