The former have a fine, pithy humor, the latter are full of deep feeling, and all are master-works as far as the form is concerned. When he abandons himself to his poetical inspiration his lyrics are the best to be found in Swedish literature. We would particularly mention "Nya Skapelsen" (the new creation), "Sigvart och Hilma," "Till Kristina," and the satirical poems, "Mina Löjen " (my sports), and "Ljusets fjender" (the enemies of light). He has also written a fine patriotic song, "Cantaten den 1 Jannar, 1789."[1]
Karl Gustav af Leopold (1756-1829) belonged to Kellgren's group, and after the death of the latter he became its leading spirit. He also became the soul of the academy, when, after having been closed by the regency, it was reopened in 1796. When in the beginning of the nineteenth century there appeared a new tendency in literature, Leopold as the most eminent veteran of the Gustavians, was made responsible for all the wrongs of which the old school was guilty in the eyes of the new, nor can it be denied that all the faults of the Gustavian party are to be found in Leopold's poems, while there is no deep feeling nor any brilliant talent to offset these blemishes. He gained his great reputation by his complete mastery of the form, by the ease and fluency of his verses and by the sparkling wit at his command, but not less by his great patriotism, his broad culture and vast knowledge. To this we must add a common sense method of reasoning, which well accorded with the taste of the age, though to modern readers it will seem dry and meaningless. His dramatic works are less attractive, but they were received with the greatest favor by his contemporaries. This particularly applies to his tragedies, written strictly in the traditional, pseudo classical style, "Virginia," and "Oden eller Asarnes invandring," for the latter of which he was rewarded by Gustav III with a laurel wreath from Virgil's
- ↑ Kellgrens samlade Skrifter, edited by G. Regnér and C. Lengblom I-III, Stockholm, 1796. Last edition, Örebro, 1860.
