The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Bremer, Fredrika

BREMER, Fredrika, a Swedish novelist, born near Abo, in Finland, Aug. 17, 1801, died at Arsta, near Stockholm, Dec. 31, 1865. Her father was a wealthy merchant, and on the annexation of Finland to Russia in 1809 removed with his family to Sweden. Fredrika was carefully educated, resided for some time in Norway with the countess Sonnerhjelm, and to complete her education was sent for a year to Paris. On her return she became a teacher in a female academy at Stockholm. She began at the age of eight years to write verses, and in 1824 published at Stockholm her first novel, “The Neighbors,” which was soon translated into German, French, Dutch, and Russian, and in 1842 into English by Mary Howitt, who also translated her subsequent works. Previous to 1849 she had published “The Home,” “The Diary,” “The H—— Family,” “The President's Daughter,” “Nina,” “Brothers and Sisters,” “Life in Dalecarlia,” and “The Midnight Sun.” In 1849 she visited the United States, where she was cordially received. She spent two years in travelling through the country, and made a short visit to Cuba. Her observations were recorded in a work entitled “The Homes of the New World,” which was published simultaneously in Sweden, England, and the United States in 1853, and was exceedingly complimentary to this country and to her American friends. On her return to Europe she spent some time in England, and published at Altona in 1852 an account of her visit under the title of “England in 1851.” From England she returned to Sweden, where she wrote two more novels of home life, “Hertha” (1856) and “Father and Daughter” (1858). In 1857 she went to the south of Europe, and the result of her travels was published in 1860 under the title of “Two Years in Switzerland and Italy.” From Italy she went to Palestine, Greece, and Turkey, and in 1863 published her observations on those countries. A German edition of her works in 30 volumes was completed in 1864.