Snoilsky  entered  on  his  second  poetic  period.  His
wife  and  he  went  over  to  Africa,  and  spent  many
months  in  a  slow  pilgrimage  through  Algeria  and
Tunis,  returning  to  Italy  and  ultimately  settling  in
Florence.  In  i88ihis"New  Poems  "  revealed  to
Swedish  readers  what  may  almost  be  called  a  new
poet,  no  longer  a  fiery,  spontaneous,  and  dionysiac
improvisatore,  perhaps,  but  a  bard  completely  master
of  a  grave,  sonorous  instrument.  Snoilsky  wrote  in
a  private  letter  at  this  time  :  "  The  art  of  poetry
has  hitherto  been  a  game  to  me.  Now  I  am
more  and  more  penetrated  by  a  sense  of  its  deep
seriousness  and  significance,  and  by  a  conviction
that  it  is  the  real  business  of  my  life."

Engaged    in    literary    work,    Snoilsky   remained
abroad,  chiefly  in  Dresden,  until  1885,  when,  after


Carl  Snoilsky  237


a  visit  to  Finland,  he  was  persuaded  to  return  for  a
few  weeks'  visit  to  Stockholm.  The  warmth  of  the
reception  which  he  received  startled  and  touched
him.  The  students  arranged  a  festival  in  his
honour;  the  King — Oscar  II.,  himself  a  poet  of
renown — was  graciousness  incarnate.  But  Snoilsky
could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  stay  ;  Dresden,  he
declared,  had  become  his  home.  However,  the
fascination  of  the  Fatherland  became  more  and
more  overpowering,  and  few  years  now  passed  in
the  course  of  which  the  Snoilskys  did  not  visit
Sweden.  In  the  autumn  of  1890  his  Byronic  exile
of  nearly  iwelve  years  came  formally  to  an  end,
when  the  poet  accepted  the  post  of  Chief  Librarian
in  the  Royal  Library  of  Stockholm.  He  wrote  but
little,  and  but  little  of  that  in  verse,  after  his  return
to  settle  in  his  native  land.  The  remainder  of  his
life,  spent  in  the  serene  and  regular  performance
of  his  duties,  and  surrounded  by  the  affection  of  his
friends,  was  uneventful.  His  health  gave  way,  and
he  was  removed  to  a  nursing  home,  where  he  died
on  May  19,  1903.
