ROSKILDE AND ODENSE; GOOD-BY TO SCANDINAVIA
ODENSE, DENMARK,
September 14, 191—
_My dear Cynthia_:
You perhaps remember that in my first letter to you after reaching
Copenhagen I mentioned Roskilde. I stopped there for a short time on my
way here on Monday. The place, though now only a small provincial town
of but nine thousand inhabitants, has had an eventful and interesting
past. In the tenth century Harold Bluetooth, son of Gorm the Old, and
grandfather of Canute the Great, who ruled England, made the place his
capital and built a cathedral there. And it remained the capital for
five hundred years—until it was supplanted by Copenhagen.
I stopped off at Roskilde primarily to see the cathedral, but I enjoyed
poking about the narrow, crooked streets between the low-built,
tile-roofed houses. As in practically every other European town, the
market-place of Roskilde is centrally situated. I passed it early in
the forenoon on my way from the station. A sale of livestock was in
progress. Horses were being trotted for the benefit of prospective
buyers, pigs were squealing, cattle were lowing; and men were sealing
bargains for the transfer of animals by the customary handshake.
The original Roskilde cathedral erected by Harold Bluetooth was
of wood, but in the eleventh century this was replaced by a larger
building of limestone; and about two centuries later the brick
building, some fragments of which are incorporated in the present
beautiful cathedral, was erected on the site of the limestone one. The
present building is the pride of Roskilde. It is a great red-brick
pile, quaintly beautiful, with copper roofs discolored a bluish
green, and with sharp, oddly-shaped twin towers. This cathedral is
the Westminster Abbey of Denmark; more than thirty Danish sovereigns,
including Harold Bluetooth, are buried within its walls.
When the ancient limestone building was pulled down, the bones of the
founders and benefactors of the cathedral during its early years were
removed and immured in the new structure; and two centuries later, in
1521, the bishop Lage Urne had their effigies, dressed in the style
of his period, placed on the pillars. There they are as the artist of
the time conceived them to have looked: Harold Bluetooth, who built
the wooden cathedral; Bishop William, who began the erection of the
limestone building; King Svend, who, in order to atone for having
killed some men in the cathedral, gave to the bishopric a large tract
of territory; and his mother, Estrid, or Margarethe, sister of Canute
the Great, who also gave rich gifts to the church.
The most famous tomb in the cathedral, however, is that of the great
Queen Margaret, whose remains rest in a black marble coffin behind
the high altar. On the lid of the coffin is an effigy of the queen in
alabaster—a purely imaginary likeness, made by a foreign artist who
had never seen the queen. The figure is a beautiful one, though, with
pure and determined features. The queen’s hair lies in a thick braid
around her forehead, and a veil and a crown are upon her head; around
the waist of her graceful robe is a girdle with pendulous bells. Behind
the head of the queen is a splendid canopy bearing the arms of the
Scandinavian Union, with a Latin inscription around its margin which,
being interpreted, reads: “A. D. 1412, on the day of the Apostles Simon
and Judas died the illustrious Princess, Lady Margaret, once Queen of
Denmark, Sweden and Norway, but in the following year on the 4th of
July, she was buried here. As posterity is not able to honor her thus
as she has deserved, this work has been constructed in memory of her at
the expense of Erik, our present King, 1423.” The Eric mentioned was
Margaret’s grand-nephew, Eric of Pomerania, who succeeded the great
queen.
The tombs of some of the Christians and Fredericks are also pretty
elaborate; and they furnish varied information about the reigns of
these rulers. Christian IV is buried in a chapel named for him,
decorated with frescoes of allegorical figures and historical scenes
illustrating the character and life of the king. The coffin itself is
of oak covered with black velvet decorated with silver plates. On the
lid lies the King’s sword and a crucifix. This was the King Christian
who “stood by the lofty mast, in mist and smoke,” you will remember.
One of the paintings on the chapel wall represents him in his brave
stand in the battle of the Baltic.
Frederick IV, who lived in a more ornate age, has a great marble
sarcophagus done in rich rococo style. On the lid is a figure of Fame
bearing a medallion with the king’s portrait, and publishing his name
by sound of trombone; at the head sits the figure of a woman, with a
burning heart, meant to represent the people’s love for their king;
at the foot is an old man, Father Time in new guise, with a tablet
on which is written: “King Frederick died 1730.” On the sides are
historical illustrations—victories of war on land and sea; the freeing
of the serfs; the establishment of the “land militia”; the founding of
the village schools.
Frederick VII is buried in an oak coffin ornamented with bronze. The
surface is covered with allegorical figures. One of these—that on
the right hand—represents the king’s motto: “The people’s love is my
strength,” and that on the left, Denmark mourning his death. Upon the
lid of the coffin I noticed two silver wreaths and a gold one—the last
presented by Danish women. And well might the people of Denmark cherish
this Frederick’s memory, for it was during his reign that the land was
given a constitutional government; and well might they mourn his death,
for his death without an heir led to bitter war and to the loss of the
duchies of Schleswig-Holstein to Germany.
In striking contrast to the elaborate tombs of their predecessors are
the plain oak coffins of the late Christian IX and his queen, Louisa.
Beside Christian’s coffin is a silver wreath sent by the Danes of
America. The king was their king during childhood and youth, until they
adopted a new land; so the Danes of America had a friendly place in
their hearts for him.
Most of the earlier Danish rulers—those of the twelfth, thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries—are buried in the old convent church of
Ringsted. And in the convent church of Sorö, which is near at hand,
sleeps the great warrior bishop Absalon, founder of Copenhagen.
My next destination after leaving Roskilde was Odense, which is a
corruption of Odins Ö, the Danish for Odin’s Island. In the heathen
days the place was a favorite with the Father God, it seems. But the
present-day Odense is a thriving town of about forty thousand, the
third town in size in Denmark. It is the metropolis of the large
island of Fyen, or Fünen, which is separated by the Little Belt from
the peninsula of Jutland on the west, and by the Great Belt, from the
island of Seeland on the east. Odense is a very lovable old place,
possessing the air of dignity and wisdom frequently associated with
ancient things; and this in spite of the fact that it contains many
up-to-date manufacturing establishments.
St. Knud’s, the most important church in the town, is a red brick
Gothic structure, with low, broad-spreading wings and a copper-roofed,
blunt-pointed single spire, which as regards shape reminds me somewhat
of Roskilde. Inside are the usual paintings, memorial tablets,
and tombs; and below in the shadowy crypt, which possesses arches
suggestive of those in the crypt beneath Lund Cathedral, are more
tombs. Some of these tombs date back to the sixteenth century, and
several have crude, interesting inscriptions. On the wall of the
vestibule, for instance, I noticed a tablet dated 1670, bearing some
verses beginning:
“Her under denne Steen
Sig hviler deris Been.”
which is, being translated,
“Here under these stones
There rest the bones,”
and then followed an account of the earthly tribulations of Rasmus
Andersen. Rasmus Andersen lived in dark, weary days when fratricidal
wars tore Denmark and Sweden.
In a quiet square, where the Odense children love to play, is a
bronze figure of Hans Christian Andersen. It is a good statue; the
limp, ungainly figure is faithfully reproduced. Upon the face is the
sweet expression peculiar to the child-hearted man who never became
sufficiently grown up to lose the children’s point of view.
Odense is, in fact, primarily important because of its being the
birthplace of Andersen; and that is why I made a pilgrimage to it.
The house in which he was born has been restored, in consequence of a
movement which started in 1905, during the celebration of the hundredth
anniversary of the poet’s birth. The building now belongs to the
city; its official title is “Hans Andersen’s House.” The whole house,
however, was not occupied by the little “ugly duckling” Hans and his
parents. The family was exceedingly poor, both parents appear to have
been shiftless, and the father, though talented, was erratic. Only one
room, the one containing the old-fashioned alcove in the wall for the
bed, constituted the home of the Andersens. But the fairy-tale writer
left enough mementoes of various kinds to fill the several rooms with
charming reminders of him, and to impress upon one how broadly he
ranged and how many great souls he met and knew.
The building is of the low-roofed, box-shaped type, such as my three
aunts live in in Svaneke, Bornholm; and it stands squarely against the
sidewalk where two streets cross. When I knocked at the door yesterday
afternoon, the museum was closed for the day, as the curator informed
me; but when I told her that I had stopped off at Odense especially
to see Hans Andersen’s House, and must leave on the morrow before the
opening hour, she remarked that in that case it would be a great pity
for me to be disappointed; and she proceeded to take down the shutters.
Along the walls of the first room which I entered were several show
cases containing many souvenirs of Andersen’s life, each accompanied
by explanations in Danish, English, French, and German. Among the
reminders of his early years I noticed with interest his school
records, which showed him to have been a very ordinary student, for
“slet” (bad), and “maadelig” (mediocre) appeared frequently upon them.
In the early Odense days, Hans Christian was an “ugly duckling,”
indeed. Representative of the poet’s maturity was a little leather
bag found upon his breast after death. It contained a letter from his
sweetheart, Riborg Voigt, whose portrait I noticed upon the wall above
the case. Thus was published to the world the unconsummated romance
of the romancer. Andersen’s will, which spoke of his declining years,
reminded me that the well-plumed swan remembered to the last the days
when he was an “ugly duckling”; for in the first clause of the document
was a bequest of a legacy to the charity school of Odense, at which, as
a blundering, misunderstood small boy, he received his low grades.
Gifts from friends, high and low, were very much in evidence. A tiny
mirror framed in deer’s horn was sent to Andersen in a teasing mood
by the “Swedish nightingale,” Jenny Lind, in order that he might
see “how pretty he was.” One of Andersen’s many peculiarities was
his firm conviction, which he maintained in the face of his gawky
homeliness, that he was of distinguished appearance. Above a book-case
filled with many editions of his works, was a wreath of “everlasting”
flowers, made for him by the Countess Holstein-Holsteinberg. And
beside the funny old eighteenth-century stove was the gift of the
Countess Danneskjold-Samsoe, a fire screen decorated with a queer
conglomeration of pictures cut from illustrated papers, which appears
to have been the fashionable screen of the time, for Andersen himself
made one of the same style. On the sofa was another present from a
lady of high degree—a cushion embroidered with a large, handsome,
prosperous-appearing swan, evidently the swan which had evolved from
the “ugly duckling.” The traveling bag in one of the rooms is believed
to have been the one used by King Christian IX during a journey in
southern Europe, and afterwards given to the poet. But the most
pleasing token of all was offered by little American school children.
Laboring under the impression that the writer of their beloved fairy
tales was living in poverty, they started a collection with the
intention of sending him money; but when they learned that prosperity
had come with fame, they sent him instead two large volumes entitled
“Picturesque America.”
[Illustration: Roskilde Cathedral]
[Illustration: Hans Andersen’s House]
In the last room which I explored was the furniture which Andersen had
used in his rooms in Copenhagen. The rocker was later used by Alexander
Kielland, the Norwegian who has written such charming short stories;
and the penholder lying upon the poet’s old desk was for a time the
property of Edward Grieg, the Norwegian composer. Near the table were
Andersen’s trunk and hat case, and upon it were his tall silk hat and
his fat, clumsy umbrella, as if he had just returned from a jaunt
about Europe. It seemed as if the quaint old man himself must appear,
equipped with a new wonder story all ready for the telling.
The great number and variety of photographs of himself in evidence
about the rooms were, in themselves, ample proof that the dear old
chap was exceedingly vain. He had a childlike fondness for dress
and decoration, and also for being photographed. Under one of the
photographs he had written in Danish some words which must be
translated, “Life itself is the best wonder story”; but the Danish for
wonder story is “aventyr,” which comes from the same root as our work
“adventure,” and consequently means much more of interest than the
translation would lead one to suppose. And I heartily agree with the
verdict; I would not miss being alive for anything!
Perhaps the most valuable treasure in the museum is the collection
of the original lead-pencil drawings made by the Danish illustrator,
Wilhelm Petersen, for Andersen’s fairy tales. Many of these pictures
were old friends of mine, friends which I had not seen for many long
years—soft, delicate drawings of round-faced children in quaint dress;
tall, graceful lovers and their ladies; and old people with strong and
gentle faces. It was a rare pleasure to renew their acquaintance in
such an intimate way. And, for old times’ sake, before leaving Odense I
bought a volume of Andersen’s wonder stories, illustrated by Petersen,
taking care that “The Ugly Duckling” was included in the collection.
* * * * *
It is again morning. Since five o’clock when I left Odense, I have
journeyed westward over Fünen, have been ferried across the Little Belt
which separates Fünen from the peninsula of Jutland, and have started
upon my southward way toward Antwerp and home. Now we are about to
cross the southern boundary of Denmark and to enter the lost province
of Schleswig. Therefore, it must be good-by to Denmark and to the whole
pleasant Scandinavian land. It is a fond good-by, and were not love
for my own dear Western country hurrying me on, it would be a most
regretful one. No kind friends stand at the border to wave farewell,
with “Hils hjemme” and “Komme igen”; but the Jutish landscape which
smiles upon my right hand and my left does that. And I shall not forget
the invitation and shall remember to deliver the greeting.
INDEX
Aal, 189-190.
Aalesund, 182.
Abel, Niels Henrik, 191.
Absalon, _Archbishop_, 19-20, 231.
Akershuus fortress, 201.
Albert, _King_, 108.
Alexandra, _Queen_, of England, 35.
Allinge, 66.
Amalienborgtorv, 45-46.
Andersen, Hans Christian, his story of the “Princess and the
Pea,” 16-17;
quoted, 157-158, 219, 220-221;
his House, 232-236.
Animals, Society of Swedish Women for the Protection of, 138.
Anker, Paul, 57.
Art, Scandinavian, 38-41, 43-44, 59-60, 116-117, 194.
Axel, _Archbishop_. _See_ Absalon _Archbishop_.
Bayeux Tapestry, copy of, 214.
Beds, Danish, 16, 63-64.
Bergen, 183-188.
Bernadotte, _Marshal_. _See_ Carl XIV, Johan.
Birger Jarl, 104, 107, 109, 114.
Birgitta, _Saint_, 121-122.
Bissen, Herman, 40.
Björnson, Björnstjerne, 162, 171, 200.
Bornholmers, characteristics of, 78-80.
Bornholm’s Museum, 58-60.
Brahe, Tycho, 29-30.
“Bredablik,” 112.
Bredgade, 43-44.
Bremer, Fredrika, 101, 127.
Bronze Age in Denmark, 25-27.
Bull, Ole, 187-188.
Calmar, Union of, 36, 108, 109.
Canute, _King_, 214.
Carl Johans Gade, 190-192, 193.
“Carolina Rediviva,” 125.
Caroline Mathilde, 222-223.
Carstensen, George, 211.
Cattegat, 202.
Cederström, Gustav, 108, 116-117.
Charles X, 116;
invades Denmark over the Great Belt, 13, 110;
besieges Copenhagen, 13-14.
Charles XII, 89, 110.
Charles XIII, 89.
Charles XIV, John, 110, 189.
Christian I, 32.
Christian II, Swedish revolt against, 36;
massacre of Swedes by, 109;
dominion over Sweden, 141.
Christian IV, 29;
builds Rosenborg Castle, 31;
and Thirty Years’ War, 33, 213, 229.
Christian VII, 223.
Christian IX, 32, 215-216, 230.
Christiania, 190-202.
Christiania, University of, 192.
Christiansö, 67.
Christina, _Queen_, of Sweden, 116, 125.
Christopher III, 145.
Copenhagen, 13-14, 16-54, 203-212.
Copenhagen, University of, 204-205.
Dalgas, Enrico, 216.
“Danish Kings’ Chronological Collection.” _See_ Rosenborg Castle.
Dutch, aid given to Denmark by, 14;
settlement of Gothenborg by, 92.
Education, Scandinavian:
Danish school-buildings, 48-49;
Danish educational system, 205-211;
public and private schools in Sweden, 151-152;
the work-cottages of Norrbotten, 135-136;
education of the Lapps, 136.
_See_ also Universities.
Eleonore Christine, 67-68.
Elsinore. _See_ Helsingör.
Ender, Axel, 168, 170.
Engelbrektsson, Engelbrekt, 145.
English language, Scandinavian knowledge of, 18-19, 61-62,
206, 207-209.
Eric XIII, 108, 109, 145, 229.
Eric, _Saint_, 120-121.
Evald, Johannes, 34.
Falun, 147-150.
Famine, in Sweden, 135, 145-146.
Farms, Danish, 62-63, 72-73;
Swedish, 91-92, 97;
Norwegian, 174-176.
Faroes, 80-81, 106, 193.
Finland, Christianization of, 121;
Swedish loss of to Russia, 147.
Finn, legend concerning the giant 87-89.
Finse, 189.
Finsen, Niels, 193, 216.
Folkungar Kings, 107.
Food, Scandinavian, 48, 65-66, 89-90, 93-95, 153-154, 167.
Fredensborg Castle, 218-219.
Frederick II, 29, 213, 219.
Frederick III, 13.
Frederick IV, 229-230.
Frederick VII, 230.
Frederick VIII, 33.
Frederika Bremer Association, 101.
Frederiksborg Castle, 213-218.
Frue Kirke, vor, 41-42.
Fünen, 12, 236.
“Gaard.” _See_ Farms.
Gamla Uppsala, 128-132.
Gardens outside of Copenhagen, 49-53.
Gefle, 132-134.
Geijer, Eric Gustav, 124.
Gokstad ship, 194-196.
Gorm, _King_, 214.
Göta Lejon Fort, 92.
Göteborg. _See_ Gothenburg.
Gotha Canal, 93, 98.
Gothenburg, 91-96.
Great Belt, 12-13.
Greenland, 106.
Grieg, Edvard, 212, 235.
“Grufvan,” 149-150.
Grundtvig, _Bishop_, 210.
Gudsaaen, 162.
Gustav III, 105.
Gustav V, 100.
Gustav Adolf, 92, 110, 116, 118-119.
Gustav Vasa, 36, 109, 119, 124, 146, 156.
Haakon IV, Haakonson, 184, 186.
Haakon VII, 37, 164, 216.
Haakon’s Hall, 184-186.
_Hamlet_, 91.
Hammershuus Castle, and the Swedes, 59;
description of ruins, 66-68.
“Hans Andersen’s House”, 232-236.
Harold Bluetooth, 227-228.
Hasle, 57.
Helligdommen Klippen, 68-69.
Helsingborg, 89-91, 224.
Helsingör, 91, 219, 224.
Hilleröd, 213.
Holger Danske, 219-220, 221, 225.
Ibsen, Henrik, statue of, 191;
tomb of, 200.
Iceland, 106, 130.
Jacobsen, Carl, 39, 213-214, 216.
Jerichau, Jens Adolf, 40-41.
Jerichau-Baumann, Elizabeth, 40.
“Kakkelovn.” _See_ Stoves, Danish.
Kärnan, 89-91, 224.
Katherine, _Saint_, 122.
Key, Ellen, 101-103, 117, 160.
Kielland, Alexander, 235.
Kilafors, 136-139.
Kitchen middens, Danish, 22-24.
Kofoed, Jens Pedersen, 57, 74.
Kongens Nytorv, 43.
Korsör, 11, 14.
Krogh, Christian, 194.
Kronan, 92.
Kronborg Castle, 91, 219-224.
Laaland, 12.
Lagerlöf, Selma, 101, 117, 127-128, 148-149, 159.
Lamb, Charles, 72, 181.
Langeland, 11.
Langelinie, 46.
Lapps, 135-136.
Larsson, Carl, 116, 148.
Lawrence, _Saint_, and Lund Cathedral, 88-89.
“Liberty Stones” of Bornholm, 57.
Liljefors, Bruno, 116.
Lind, Jenny, 212, 234.
Linné, Carl, 123.
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, translation of, 34;
influence of Tegnér upon, 83-84.
Lund, 83-89.
Lund Cathedral, 86-89.
Lund, University of, 85-86.
Malmö, 82-83.
Man, Isle of, 130.
Manners, Scandinavian, 179-182.
Manual arts of Scandinavian peasants,
efforts made to preserve, 118, 163, 193.
Marble Church, 44-45.
Marienlyst, 224-225.
Margaret, _Queen_, 36, 107-108, 228-229.
Mas-Olle, Helmer, 125.
Maud, _Queen_, 164.
Meraker Dal, 162.
Molde, 167-171.
Molde Fiord, 167-168.
Munch, Edvard, 194.
Museum of the North, Stockholm, 110, 118.
Naes, 171, 172.
National Museum, Danish, 20-29;
Swedish, 115.
Nexö, 69-70.
Nilsson, Christine, 212.
Nobel, Alfred, 128.
Nobel Prize Fund. _See_ Nobel, Alfred.
Norrbotten, Work-cottages of, 135-136.
Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, 39-41.
Nyerup, Rasmus, 20-21.
Odense, 231-236.
Oehlenschläger, Adam, 216-217.
Olaf V, 107.
Oldenburg House, 32.
Oscar II, 117.
Oseberg ship, 197-200.
Österlars Church, 75.
Östermarie Church, 74.
Peace movement in Scandinavia, 100.
Peter the Great, 30, 34.
Petersen, Christian, 83.
Petersen, Wilhelm, 235-236.
Petri, Olavus, 114.
Porcelain, Royal Copenhagen, 44, 58.
Printenskjold, Johan, 57.
“Prinzens Palais.” _See_ National Museum, Danish.
Railroads, Scandinavian, 14-15, 69-70, 160, 225-226.
Rättvik, 151-158.
Riddarholms Church, 109-110.
Romsdal Fiord, 171-172.
Romsdal Horn, 171.
Rönne, 55-60.
Rosenborg Castle, 31-37.
Roskilde, 15, 227-231.
Roskilde Cathedral, 15, 227-231.
Roskilde treaty, terms of, 13, 57, 83;
Bornholm’s revolt against, 57.
Round Tower, the. _See_ “Runde Taarn.”
“Runde Taarn,” 29-31.
San Francisco Bay, kitchen midden on shores of, 23.
Saxo Grammaticus, 216.
Scandinavian Alps, 161.
Seeland, 11, 15.
Shakespeare, 12, 91, 221.
Siegfried legend, runestone illustrating, 115-116.
Siljan, Lake, 151, 153.
“Silver Bible,” 126-127.
Sinding, Stephen, 163, 191, 194.
“Skansen,” 110-113.
“Skyds,” journey by, 172-176.
Slottskogen, 93.
Snorre Sturlason, 216.
Söderhamn, 140-141.
Söholt, 176-177.
Stavanger, 189.
Stigsdotter, Barbro, 156-157.
Stockholm, 103-120.
Stockholm “blood bath”, 109.
Stone Age, New, in Scandinavia, 21-22, 115.
Stone Age, Old, in Scandinavia, 22-24.
Stor Fiord, 177.
Stork Fountain, 204.
Storkyrkan, 114-115.
Storlien, 160-161.
Stoves, Danish, 17.
Strindberg, August, 159-160.
Svaneke, 70-71.
Svend, _King_, 228.
Swedenborg, Emanuel, 122-123.
Tegnér, Ezias, 83-85, 217.
Tegnér, Rudolf, 41.
Temperance movement in Scandinavia, 104-106.
Thirty Years’ War, Christian IV and, 33;
Gustav Adolf and, 110, 119.
Thomsen, Christian Jürgensen, 21.
Thor, 27.
Thorwaldsen, Bertel, 38-39.
Thorwaldsen’s Museum, 38-39.
Thrones, ancient Danish, 36.
Thyra, _Queen_, 214.
Tivoli, 211-212.
Tobacco, use of in Scandinavia, 106-107.
Tobiasen, Lars Hansen, 59-60.
Trondhjem, 162-165.
Trondhjem Cathedral, 162-163.
Trondhjem Fiord, 162, 166.
Tuberculosis, exhibit of Scandinavian Society for Fighting, 192-193.
Ulfeldt, Corfitz, 67-68.
Ulfilas’ Bible. _See_ “Silver Bible.”
Universities, 85-86, 124-127, 192, 204-205.
Uppsala, 120-128.
Uppsala Cathedral, 120-124.
Uppsala, University of, 124-127.
Vesternaes, 172.
_Viking_, 196-197.
Vikings, 27.
Waldemar I (the Great), 19.
Waldemar IV, 107.
Wends, struggle of Archbishop Absalon with, 19.
Wieselgren, Peter, 105.
Woman suffrage in Scandinavia, 100-101, 142-143, 178.
Worsaae, Jens Jacob Asmussen, 21, 23.
Zorn, Anders, 116.