[Sidenote: Revolt of Calabria]

The long-smouldering discontent of the common people in Italy and Sicily,
fomented by the secret agitation of such men as Mazzini and Garibaldi,
found premature vent in a popular insurrection in Calabria. The revolt was
ruthlessly put down. The patriotic leaders, Attilio and Emilio Bandiero,
with eighteen others, were shot for their part in the affair.

[Sidenote: Death of Bernadotte]

On March 8, Bernadotte, latterly known as King Charles XIV. of Sweden, died
in his eighty-first year. During the last years of his reign he received
many signs of love and appreciation from his adopted people, notably on the
occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his coronation. Shortly before
his death this self-made king asserted with good reason: "No one living has
made a career like mine."

[Sidenote: Progress in Sweden]

[Sidenote: Geijer]

[Sidenote: Tegner's "Frithiof's Saga"]

The reign of Bernadotte produced a new line of eminent scientists and was
the golden age of Swedish literature. Berzelius remolded the science of
chemistry and founded theoretical chemistry. Elias Fries devised a new
system of botany. Sven Nilsson, a distinguished zoologist, also became the
founder of a new science, comparative archeology. Schlyter brought out a
complete collection of the old Scandinavian laws, a work of equal
importance to philology and jurisprudence. Ling invented the Swedish system
of gymnastics and founded the Institute of Gymnastics in Stockholm, where
his Swedish massage or movement cure was further developed. Geijer, as a
philosopher, was a follower of Hoeijer, while as a historian he attained
foremost rank in Sweden. As a poet and composer, Geijer also attained
noteworthy success. Professor of History at Upsala, he was accused of
atheism, but acquitted. His political career was equally remarkable. Geijer
was a firm supporter of the government until fifty-seven years of age, when
he joined the opposition. Swedish writers were divided in factions as
opposed to each other as political parties. The old Gustavian school, of
which Leopold remained the last representative, was attacked by the "New
School," which was inspired by German Romanticism. Of this so-called
"phosphoristic" school Atterbom was the leader. Stagnelius, the young poet,
who died early, belonged to the same group. The New School was in turn
opposed by the Gothic Society or Scandinavian School, among whom were Ling
and Geijer.