satirical farces under the signature _Siful Sifadda_. In 1830 appeared
his lyric, dramatic poem, _Skabelsen, Mennesket og Messias_, (The
Creation, Man and Messiah), a voluminous piece 'of work, in which
he attempted to explain the historical life of the human race. As
a political writer he was editorial assistant on the _Folkebladet_
(1831-1833), and edited the opposition paper _Statsborgeren_
(1835-1837). He worked with great zeal for the education of the
laboring class, and from 1839 until his death edited a paper in the
interest of the laborer. The prominent features of his earliest
efforts in literature are an unbounded enthusiasm and a complete
disregard of the laws of poetry. At an early age he had become a power
in literature, and a political power as well. From 1831 to 1835 he
was subjected to severe satirical attacks by the author Welhaven and
others, and later his style became improved in every respect. His
popularity, however, decreased as his poetry improved, and in 1840
he had become a great poet but had no political influence. Among his
works may be named _Hasselnödder, Jöden_, "The Jew," _Jodinden_,
"The Jewess," _Jan van Huysum's Blomsterstykke_, "Jan van Huysum's
Flowerpiece," _Den Engleske Lods_, "The English Pilot," and a great
number of lyric poems. The poems of his last five years are as popular
to-day as ever. Wergeland died in 1845.

The enthusiastic nationalism of Henrik Wergeland and his young
following brought conflict with the conservative element, which
was not ready to accept everything as good simply because it was
Norwegian. This conservative element maintained that art and culture
must be developed on the basis of the old association with Denmark,
which had connected Norway with the great movement of civilization
throughout Europe. As the political leader of this "Intelligence"
party, as it was called, appeared J.S. Welhaven.