The Angel of Death | Page 2

was the "Grand Prize," and was awarded to a poem, called "The
Educator." Some of the lines give promise of the temple-orator that was
to be:
"Thou sentinel on high! Will night not vanish soon?
We doubt the
sheen of stars and quiet path of moon;
We placed our trust in Thee.
Enlight the races striving! Will night yet long endure? Is morning's
watch arriving."[B]
Other poems followed. By this time, Johan, who had, from an early
period, shown a liking for the clerical profession, had passed all his
preliminary examinations with honors, and been ordained to the
pastoral office. He commanded attention, at once, as a preacher. But he
clung to the muses, or the muses clung to him; and his lyre, having
been tuned in harmony with his sacred calling, he soon began to
distinguish himself as a writer of hymns. Some of the finest hymns of
which the Swedish language can boast, are from the pen of Johan Olof
Wallin. Nor were secular themes wholly neglected. On January 20,
1808, on the occasion of the unveiling of the statue of King Gustavus
Third, he produced the famous Dithyramb, a song which has taken a
permanent and honored place in Swedish literature. The same year he
presented a similar poem to the Swedish Academy, and was rewarded
with a prize of two hundred ducats, the highest prize ever given by the
Academy.
In all great questions of a national or international character, Wallin
took a deep and lively interest; and the powerful influence, which he
exerted with tongue and pen, was always wielded in favor of the right.
How well he knew how to seize upon and turn to account existing
circumstances and passing events, is strikingly illustrated by his poem
on George Washington; his Dithyramb celebrating the union of Sweden
and Norway, and his splendid ode on the victories of the allies at
Leipzig, Dennewitz and Grossbeeren. The last named composition had
an immense success; and it was circulated by thousands among the
soldiers of the Swedish army abroad.
Wallin was at home in the region of sublime and lofty thought; but his

muse was not one-sided, or in any sense monotonous. Poems of a calm,
reflective character flowed gracefully from his pen; and, when occasion
called for the one or the other, he revealed rich veins of satire and
humor. One great secret of his literary success, both as a poet and
preacher, lay in the simplicity of his style. With him there was never
any striving after effect. His thoughts, whether of a lofty or
commonplace character, whether hortatory or didactic, whether satirical
or humorous, always found natural and easy expression in language
which was as direct as it was graceful and easily understood.
At the comparatively early age of thirty years, Wallin had taken his
place in the front rank of the scholars and public men of his day; and
whatever honors were in the gift of his admiring countrymen, were
freely showered upon him. Of these honors we mention only a few.
In 1810, he was elected a member of the Swedish Academy; and on
several occasions he was raised by acclamation to the proud position of
chairman and orator of that learned body. In 1815, he was made Knight
of the Royal Order of the North Star; and in the same year he became
Dom-prost, an office next in order to the Bishop's, and was honored
with a seat in Parliament. In 1818, he was made Pastor Primarius, and
President of the Consistory of Stockholm; and about this time he
became an active and useful member of the Royal Musical Academy.
In 1824, he was raised to the dignity of Bishop of the Church, and
became commander of the Royal Order of the North Star and honorary
member of the Royal Academy of Literature, History and Antiquities.
Of this high body he was four times elected Chairman. In 1828, he was
elected member of the Royal Academy of Sciences; ten years later he
was made Praeses. In 1830, he was elected Court Preacher, and Praeses
or President of the Royal Consistory. In 1837, his honors culminated.
He was elected a member of the Upsala association for the promotion
of Science; also member of the Serafimer Order, a distinction rarely
conferred except on royal persons and princes of the blood, when he
adopted as his motto, "In Omnipotenti Vinces." In the same year, he
became archbishop of Sweden and pro-chancellor of the University of
Upsala.

The "ANGEL OF DEATH," singularly characteristic of the author,
immediately after its publication took its place in the front rank of the
poetic productions of the language. The poem has never ceased to be
popular. It is issued each successive year in thousands, and in all sorts
of editions,--some of the recent