Erring soul of man—if thou wast indeed forced to err, it shall surely be accounted to thee for good on that great day when the Mighty One shall descend in the clouds to judge the living dead and the dead who are yet alive!—— ——
THE END.
[11]. The original edition here reads “benådet,” and this reading is followed in the translation. In the collected edition of Ibsen’s works (Copenhagen 1899) the word becomes “beåndet,” which is probably a misprint, but may, on the other hand, be a correction. In that case, for “highly-favoured” we should have to read “specially inspired.” Ibsen uses the word “beåndet” several times in “Hedda Gabler.”
[12]. In the collected edition (1899) the word “sejre” (to conquer) of earlier editions is replaced by “rejse” (journey). This is almost certainly a misprint.
[13]. Here occurs the one clear case I have observed of a revision of the text. In earlier editions the phrase ran “da skal der tændes rögoffer,” meaning literally “then shall burnt-offerings (smoke-offerings) be lighted.” In the collected edition (1899) “sonoffer” (offerings of atonement) is substituted for “rögoffer.” This can scarcely be a printer’s error; and as one deliberate alteration has been made, it would seem that the alterations noted on pp. 382 and 417 (especially the former) may also be due, not to the printer, but to the poet.
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