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

1870


23 April

Meets Wilhelm Dinesen, the father of Karen Blixen (nom de plume; Isaac Dinesen) at a dinner party.

2 May

Sees the first two acts of Lohengrin by Wagner, and is more enthusiastic about the opera than he had been while travelling. Hears the opera again on several occasions in the following period. Mrs Heiberg, Carl Brosbøll (Carl Etlar) and the actor Ludvig Phister are not in favour of Wagner's music, while Edvard and Jette Collin are interested (HCA gives Edvard and Jette tickets to Lohengrin a couple of days later).

10 May 1870

Meets Grieg and his young wife at a dinner at the Henriques'. She sings Grieg/HCA; "Hjertets Melodier" (Songs of the Heart), "Vandring i Skoven" (A Forest Walk) and "Det var som friske Fugletoner" (Like Cheerful Bird Song) (the diary, same day).

21st May - 26th June

At Basnæs Estate. From here, an outing to Borreby. Reads on 11th June that Charles Dickens died on 9th; "so we'll never meet again on earth, never speak together, he'll never explain to me why he did not answer my most recent letters" (the diary, same day).

28 May

Ludvig Holstein-Holsteinborg becomes prime minister (1870-74).

14 June

At Basnæs Estate, HCA and the ladies dispute about Christ and Christianity;

"...said that the Gospel was from God and was a blessing, but that matters of birth and family were indeed of great interest, but for me unnecessary". In answer to the objection that HCA can not be a Christian if he does not believe in both the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, he replies that he believes in them "as concepts, not persons or bodily figures"
(the diary, same day).

During this period of time, HCA finds Mrs Scavenius irritatingly stubborn in relation to all sorts of minor issues. They argue daily, but he remains on good terms with her, as she has a "warm heart" (the diary, 20th).

26th June - 3rd July

At Holsteinborg Estate, where he is met with hoisted flags on arrival. Starts work on Lykke Peer (Lucky Peter) whilst here. At departure, on the way to Sorø, the horse-carriage transporting HCA falls into the roadside ditch. He emerges unharmed from the accident, which is reported in the newspaper Dagens Nyheder already on the next day.

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