TOPELIUS, ZACHRIS (, near Uusikaupunki–, Sipoo), poet and author, opera librettist, patriot, many of whose works have been set to music.
Topelius is best known for three of his most popular works: Tales for Children; Maamme kirja (Book of Our Homeland), a reader for the primary schools and a basic in the library of every Finnish home; and Välskärin kertomukset (The Tales of an Army Surgeon). From 1854 to 1878 Topelius was a professor of the...