H.C. Andersen centret

Edward Charlton, of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, made a journey to Norway and Denmark in 1836 and wrote a journal about his travels. He had an introductory letter to a Professor Oersted in Copenhagen. [on September 7th] He was invited to dinner and among the guests was a 'Mr Andersen ...... quite a poetical looking genius, and extremely agreeable in his manners'. After dinner Andersen 'begged me to accept of one of his poems'. The following day [on 8th September] the poem was delivered to his hotel - 'Agnete og Havmanden', Agnes and the Merman, founded on the old Danish ballad of the same name. I have since read part of it and it is certainly in a very pleasing though rather extravagant style'. [Copy of typed manuscript, pp 14-15, 22-23, 27]. Newcastle upon Tyne, 1836

(Bibliografisk kilde: HCAH)