The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Angel of Death, by Johan Olof Wallin

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Title: The Angel of Death

Author: Johan Olof Wallin

Release Date: December 20, 2006 [EBook #20135]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE ANGEL OF DEATH.

TRANSLATED FROM THE SWEDISH

BY

A. W. ALMQVIST.

SECOND EDITION.

BLOOMFIELD, N. J.

A. W. ALMQVIST, 165 FRANKLIN STREET.
1892.

COPYRIGHT 1884.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882,
By A. W. Almqvist, New York,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

[Illustration]

PREFACE.

The original, of which this is a translation, is universally considered
one of the very best among many beautiful poems written by the same
illustrious author. The sublime didactic thoughts therein expressed, in
language majestic and yet so simple, have won for it a constantly
increasing popularity; and, during half a century, in a language so rich
in literary beauties as the Swedish, have maintained it among the
foremost of poetical productions of its kind.

A correct English translation, therefore, is fraught with difficulties
which but few persons can appreciate. It has been my aim to reproduce
the poem in the original meter, with the rhymes in their proper places.
Of course, care has been taken to preserve the sense, and even the
_idioms_ of the original. How far I have been successful it is hardly
for me to say. As it is, I give it to the reading public.

The poem has undoubted merits in the original. If the merits are
concealed in the translation, the fault is mine.

A. W. ALMQVIST.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR.

Gathered from the files in the Royal Academy of Sciences, Stockholm,
Sweden.

Johan Olof Wallin, (pronounced Valleen), the author of the "ANGEL OF
DEATH," was a native of Sweden, and was born in the parish of Stora
Tuna, in the province of Dalarne (D