C.S. Adama van Scheltema was the most well-known spokesman for the generation of writers following the so called Eighties Movement. In his Grondslagen eener nieuwe poëzie (1907), Van Scheltema turned against naturalism and against individualism, ideas that had been carried too far in his opinion, and he argued the necessity of changing to a more socially orientated literature. His playful poetry was quite popular with a wide audience and many of his collections of poems were reprinted time and again.

The Scheltema collection of the Literary Museum covers the period 1883-1974. Its basis is formed by the documents left by Scheltema and gathered by his widow immediately after his death. She also requested his correspondents to return letters they had received from him and added them to the legacy. Also included in the collection is the correspondence she conducted with publishers after her husband’s death, as well as printer’s proofs from that time. In the course of time, the collection has been supplemented with documents from other legacies and archives. It contains letters to and from Scheltema, handwritten documents, typescripts, printer’s proofs, official and personal papers and books from his personal reference library with adjustments, variations and annotations for possible future reprints.

The collection of poems Eenzame liedjes (published in 1906) has been selected for this site (click 'inhoudsopgave' to browse through the document).

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