she lives. And Tegnér, who surely was no realist after the fashion of
Strindberg, chooses to picture woman as she appears in her loveliest
forms.

The brooding and melancholy spirit that Tegnér had infused into the soul
of Fritiof had in a large measure come from his own life. The depression
of mind that had cast its shadows over him in the years that saw the
creation of Fritiofs Saga grew steadily worse. The period that followed
immediately upon the completion of this work was filled with doubt and
despair. The explanation for this must be found partly in the insidious
progress of a physical disease, partly to a change of place and
environment. Certain hereditary tendencies, which caused him to fear that
the light of reason would desert him, also played a part in this.

In 1824 he gave up the Greek professorship at Lund to become bishop of
the diocese of Växiö in the province of Småland, but the duties of the
new position were not congenial to him. The spiritual and intellectual
life of the diocese was on a low plane and Tegnér threw himself with
tremendous earnestness into the work of reform, but the prejudice and
inertia of clergy and people stood constantly in the way. In his efforts
to purge the church of some unworthy ecclesiastics he encountered bitter
opposition and suffered some humiliations. He took a special interest in
the schools of his diocese and his many pedagogical addresses are models
in point of clearness and practical good sense.

The many and varied duties imposed on him by the episcopal office,
particularly official inspection trips, attendance upon the sessions of
the Riksdag, and serving on numerous important committees made it
impossible for Tegnér to continue his literary activities in the manner
of his university days, but occasionally he would give to his countrymen