Henrik Ibsen was born in Skien in 1828. He has written many beautiful poems; but his special field is the drama, where he is a master. His first works were nearly all historical romantic dramas. His first work, "Catilina," printed in 1850, was scarcely noticed until years afterward, when he had become famous. In 1856 appeared the romantic drama, "Gildet paa Solhaug" (The Feast at Solhaug), followed by "Fru Inger til Oestraat," 1857, and "Hærmændene paa Helgeland" (The Warriors on Helgeland), 1858. In 1863 he wrote the historical tragedy "Kongsemnerne" (The Pretenders), in which the author showed his great literary power. Before this play was published, he had been drawn into a new channel. In 1862 he began a series of satirical and philosophical dramas with "Kjærlighedens Komedie" (Love's Comedy), which was succeeded by two masterpieces of a similar kind, "Brand," in 1866, and "Peer Gynt," in 1867. These works were written in verse; but in "De Unges Forbund" (The Young Men's League), 1869, a political satire, he abandoned verse, and all his subsequent dramas have been written in prose. In 1873 came "Keiser og Galilæer" (Emperor and Galilean). Since then he has published a number of social dramas which have attracted world-wide attention. We mention: "Samfundets Stötter" (The Pillars of Society), "Et Dukkehjem" (A Doll's House), "Gengangere" (Ghosts), "En Folkefiende" (An Enemy of the People), "Rosmerholm," "Fruen fra Havet" (The Lady from the Sea), "Little Eyolf," "Bymester Solnes" (Masterbuilder Solnes), "John Gabriel Borkman." Björnstjerne Björnson (born in Österdalen in 1832) is the more popular of the two giants in the Norwegian literature of to-day. His works are more national in tone. It has been said that to mention his name is to raise the Norwegian flag. His first successes were made in the field of the novel, and the first two, "Synnöve Solbakken" (1857), and "Arne" (1858), made his name famous. These, and his other peasant stories, will always retain their popularity. He soon, however, entered the dramatic field, and has since published a great number of dramas and novels. "Halte Hulda," 1858; "Mellem Slagene," 1859; "Kong Sverre," 1861; "Sigurd Slembe," 1862; "Maria Stuart," 1863; "De Nygifte" (The Newly-married Couple), 1865; "Kongen," 1877; "Leonarda," 1879; "Det ny System," 1879; "Over Ærne," 1883; "En Fallit," "Det flager," etc., and many others. In the field of belles-lettres there is, at the present time, a number of other talented authors. Jonas Lie (born 1833) has produced a number of excellent novels. Then there are Alexander Kielland (born 1849), Magdalene Thoresen (born 1819), Arne Garborg, Gunnar Heiberg, and a number of young authors. In the field of science, also, modern Norway has a rich literature with many prominent names, such as the historians Peter Andreas Munch (1810-1863), Rudolph Keyser (1803-1864), Johan Ernst Sars (born 1835), and O. A. Överland. CHAPTER LIX _The Constitution of Norway_