From the Hans Christian Andersen biography "The Life of Hans Christian Andersen. Day By Day", written by DPhil Johan de Mylius:

1830

Riborg Voigt

31 May

Departure aboard the steamship Dania to Århus. The purpose of the trip is to collect material for the historical novel Christian den Andens Dværg (The Dwarf of Christian II) (commenced during school, never completed. The historian Vedel Simonsen at Elvedgård Estate had even sent HCA material to use for the novel). It was the popularity at the time of Walter Scott and Ingemann's success with historical novels which sparked HCA's interest for this genre.
Travels with the painter Martinus Rørbye. Is received as a young literary hero in Århus. Meets, amongst others, A.F. Elmqvist, the editor of Læsefrugter (The Fruit of Reading, a periodical published by St.St. Blicher).

4 June 1830

The newspaper Aarhuus Stiftstidende writes regarding HCA's stay in the city:

"The poetic genius, Mr Andersen, has been a guest amongst us for a day or two, whilst travelling through Jutland, and has everywhere been met with precisely the esteem and kindness his exquisite works entitle him to".

Elmquist lends his wagon to HCA and Rørbye, so they can drive to Randers. From here they continue to the manor house Tjele, where Rørbye stays, while HCA continues to Viborg in order to see the moors of Jutland. I Viborg, HCA is welcomed and high esteemed:

"The lord lieutenant and the principle drove me around, every day"
(letter dated 22nd June to Ludvig Læssøe).

Sees gypsies on the moors - he has after all read about them in the works of Blicher - and arrives at Asmildkloster (nunnery) and the ruins of Hald, but does not continue to the coast of the North Sea.
Regarding the many new acquaintances HCA makes in Jutland, he writes in a letter dated 15th June to Edvard Collin:

"Det var mig paafaldne hvor bekjendt mine smaae Sager, især Fodreisen og det døende Barn, vare Jyderne; Romanen [den, han har planer om at skrive, og som han samler stof til på rejsen, hvor han opsøger Walter Scottske landskaber] vil de næsten alle subskribere paa, og selv Byens Øvrighed i Lemvig, har lovet at tage en Subskriptions Plan".

(Edvard Collin did however inform HCA that people felt pressured by him, enough to express an interest in subscribing, and that this interest would evaporate as soon as HCA had left again...).
In many ways, HCA is very cocky about the attention he receives, not least from young ladies. In the same letter he writes that

"a lady who, of her own accord, expresses her love for me would, in my view, certainly be less worthy. Neither do I care much for the illustrious ladies, however much they might be smitten with me".

Approx. 12th June

Travels by mail coach via Århus to Skanderborg ("whereto I had letters of recommendation from Viborg; for throughout my entire journey, dignitaries in every town have recommended me to the next") (letter dated 22nd June to Ludvig Læssøe), then via Horsens, Greisdalen/Vejle to Kolding, where he is given a tour of the church and castle ruins.
Partakes in an outing from Vejle to the manor house Tirsbæk.
Promises Estrup, the chief of police in Kolding, that

"on my arrival in Copenhagen, I shall approach Thomsen [the archaeologist C.J. Thomsen, later founder of The National Museum; at this time Thomsen is director of the collection of relics at the university library, which is housed in the attic above Trinitatis Church at Rundetaarn (Round Tower)] and debate, to the best of my abilities, whether he might be able to save the castle from complete deterioration, which would be a shame and a mockery, but which is widely feared all the same"
(above-mentioned letter to Ludvig Læssøe).

1830: Riborg Voigt


Approx. 20th June

Continues via Middelfart to Odense. Stays for a while with Madame Iversen at Tolderlund, where he enjoys the company of school master Hanck's daughters and their girlfriends. From here, an outing and a couple of days stay with the botanist Niels Hofman-Bang at the manor-house Hofmansgave ("here there are antiquities [i.e. relics], a book collection, specimens of animals, flowers etc. and everything one could want").
Sees, on this occasion, a drop of water and a drop of his own blood under a microscope for the first time - cf. the story "Vanddraaben"(The Drop of Water) from 1847, where the motif is used - and is amazed by the world of little creatures to be found therein:

"I saw infusion animals in my own blood, which was crawling with eels and trout, and all of it unendingly"
(letter to Ludvig Læssøe dated 13th July)

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