poets of his nation. In 1769, Ewald was severely attacked by gout which caused him to be confined to bed. From 1773 to 1775 he had a rather happy convalescence at Rungstedlund (later the home of Karen Blixen). Ewald wrote some of his best verses during this time, but a conflict with his family led to his removal to the small North Zealand town of Humlebæk (1775–77), which depressed him and worsened his alcoholism. Finally, friends brought him to Søbækshus, near Helsingør, and where he lived for some years under growing public interest and literary fame. Johannes Ewald led a short and troubled life, marked by alcoholism and financial problems. His life darkened by illness, distress and misfortune, Ewald died at age 37 and was buried in the cemetery of Trinitatis Church in Copenhagen. However, the cemetery largely disappeared in the aftermath of the Copenhagen Fire of 1795 (Københavns brandes 1795) . Works Poetry As an author Ewald is a prominent representative of Danish sentimentalism but at the same time a forerunner of romanticism. His main inspiration was German poetry (Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock), but other writers including Edward Young and Laurence Sterne, as well as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, are obvious inspirations as well. Violent expressions of feeling (happiness, sorrow and love) are typical in his writing; these elements are apparently spontaneous but, at the same time, deliberately and artificially drawn up. Behind this a clear pietist tune is felt. Several Ewald poems are Danish classics. He had his break-through with a melodious and expressive commemorative poem at the death of King Frederick V (1766). The famous Rungsteds Lyksaligheder (1773"The Happiness of Rungsted") is an ode to the Creator. Ode til Sjælen ("For the Soul") is a worthy hailing of Man's uniqueness. Til min M*** ("For my M(oltke)) is a grateful praise for a noble benefactor, during the unhappy Humlebæk period. The hymn Udrust Dig, helt fra Golgatha ("Arm Yourself, Hero of Golgatha", 1781), practically written on his death-bed, must be mentioned. Drama Just as important are Ewald's dramas. Ewald was the first to rely heavily on Norse mythology, a trend which begins to point towards romanticism. He wrote the plays Rolf Krage in 1770, Balders Død (Eng. transl. "The Death of Balder", 1889) in 1773, and Fiskerne (The Fishermen) in 1779. From the latter play one song is still remembered by most Danes: King Christian stood by the lofty mast that