that were made upon Ibsen in consequence of
the publication of Ghosts, Bjornson came into the field of controversy
with a vigorous and generous championing of his rival.

Bjornson's dramatic energies, as was the case with Ibsen in his early
days, first took the form of a series of historical dramas--Sigurd
Slembe, Konge Sverre, and others; and he was intimately connected with
the theatre by being for two periods theatrical director, from 1857 to
1859 at Bergen and from 1865 to 1867 at Christiania. Previous to the
latter engagement a stipend granted to him by the Norwegian government
enabled him to travel for two or three years in Europe; and during those
years his pen was never idle--poems, prose sketches, and tales flowing
from it in abundance. De Nygifte (The Newly-Married Couple), the
first of the three plays in the present volume, was produced at the
Christiania theatre in the first year of his directorship there.

The two volumes, Digte og Sange (Poems and Songs) and Arnljot Gelline,
which comprise the greater proportion of Bjornson's poetry, both
appeared in 1870. Digte og Sange was republished, in an enlarged
edition, ten years later. It contains the poem "Ja, vi elsker dette
Landet" ("Yes, we love this land of ours"), which, set to inspiring
music by Nordraak, became Norway's most favourite national song, as
well as another of the same nature--"Fremad! Fremad!" ("Forward!
Forward!")--which, sung to music of Grieg's, ran it hard in popularity.
Of "Ja, vi elsker dette Landet," Bjornson used to say that the greatest
tribute he had ever had to its hold upon his fellow-countrymen's hearts
was when, on one occasion during the poet's years of vigorous political
activity, a crowd of fervid opponents came and broke his windows with
stones; after which, turning to march away triumphantly, they felt the
need (ever present to the Scandinavian in moments of stress) of singing,
and burst out with one accord into the "Ja, vi elsker dette Landet" of
their hated political adversary. "They couldn't help it; they had to
sing it!" the poet used to relate delightedly.

Of the birth of "Fremad! Fremad!" Grieg has left an account which
gives an amusing picture of the infectious enthusiasm that was one
of Bjornson's strongest characteristics. Grieg had given him, as a
Christmas present, the first series of his "Lyrical Pieces" for the
pianoforte, and had afterwards played some of them to the poet, who
was especially struck with one m