letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第13部分

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ge　progeny。

I　took　some　pains　to　learn　what　books　were　written　originally　in　their　language；　but　for　any　certain　information　respecting　the　state　of　Danish　literature　I　must　wait　till　I　arrive　at　Copenhagen。

The　sound　of　the　language　is　soft；　a　great　proportion　of　the　words　ending　in　vowels；　and　there　is　a　simplicity　in　the　turn　of　some　of　the　phrases　which　have　been　translated　to　me　that　pleased　and　interested　me。　　In　the　country　the　farmers　use　the　THOU　and　THEE；　and　they　do　not　acquire　the　polite　plurals　of　the　towns　by　meeting　at　market。　　The　not　having　markets　established　in　the　large　towns　appears　to　me　a　great　inconvenience。　　When　the　farmers　have　anything　to　sell　they　bring　it　to　the　neighbouring　town　and　take　it　from　house　to　house。　　I　am　surprised　that　the　inhabitants　do　not　feel　how　very　incommodious　this　usage　is　to　both　parties；　and　redress　it；　they；　indeed；　perceive　it；　for　when　I　have　introduced　the　subject　they　acknowledged　that　they　were　often　in　want　of　necessaries；　there　being　no　butchers；　and　they　were　often　obliged　to　buy　what　they　did　not　want；　yet　it　was　the　custom；　and　the　changing　of　customs　of　a　long　standing　requires　more　energy　than　they　yet　possess。　　I　received　a　similar　reply　when　I　attempted　to　persuade　the　women　that　they　injured　their　children　by　keeping　them　too　warm。　　The　only　way　of　parrying　off　my　reasoning　was　that　they　must　do　as　other　people　did；　in　short；　reason　on　any　subject　of　change；　and　they　stop　you　by　saying　that　〃the　town　would　talk。〃　　A　person　of　sense；　with　a　large　fortune　to　ensure　respect；　might　be　very　useful　here；　by　inducing　them　to　treat　their　children　and　manage　their　sick　properly；　and　eat　food　dressed　in　a　simpler　mannerthe　example；　for　instance；　of　a　count's　lady。

Reflecting　on　these　prejudices　made　me　revert　to　the　wisdom　of　those　legislators　who　established　institutions　for　the　good　of　the　body　under　the　pretext　of　serving　heaven　for　the　salvation　of　the　soul。　These　might　with　strict　propriety　be　termed　pious　frauds；　and　I　admire　the　Peruvian　pair　for　asserting　that　they　came　from　the　sun；　when　their　conduct　proved　that　they　meant　to　enlighten　a　benighted　country；　whose　obedience；　or　even　attention；　could　only　be　secured　by　awe。　　Thus　much　for　conquering　the　INERTIA　of　reason；　but；　when　it　is　once　in　motion；　fables　once　held　sacred　may　be　ridiculed；　and　sacred　they　were　when　useful　to　mankind。　　Prometheus　alone　stole　fire　to　animate　the　first　man；　his　posterity　needs　not　supernatural　aid　to　preserve　the　species；　though　love　is　generally　termed　a　flame；　and　it　may　not　be　necessary　much　longer　to　suppose　men　inspired　by　heaven　to　inculcate　the　duties　which　demand　special　grace　when　reason　convinces　them　that　they　are　the　happiest　who　are　the　most　nobly　employed。

In　a　few　days　I　am　to　set　out　for　the　western　part　of　Norway；　and　then　shall　return　by　land　to　Gothenburg。　　I　cannot　think　of　leaving　this　place　without　regret。　　I　speak　of　the　place　before　the　inhabitants；　though　there　is　a　tenderness　in　their　artless　kindness　which　attaches　me　to　them；　but　it　is　an　attachment　that　inspires　a　regret　very　different　from　that　I　felt　at　leaving　Hull　in　my　way　to　Sweden。　　The　domestic　happiness　and　good…humoured　gaiety　of　the　amiable　family　where　I　and　my　Frances　were　so　hospitably　received　would　have　been　sufficient　to　ensure　the　tenderest　remembrance；　without　the　recollection　of　the　social　evening　to　stimulate　it；　when　good　breeding　gave　dignity　to　sympathy　and　wit　zest　to　reason。

Adieu！I　am　just　informed　that　my　horse　has　been　waiting　this　quarter　of　an　hour。　　I　now　venture　to　ride　out　alone。　　The　steeple　serves　as　a　landmark。　　I　once　or　twice　lost　my　way；　walking　alone；　without　being　able　to　inquire　after　a　path；　I　was　therefore　obliged　to　make　to　the　steeple；　or　windmill；　over　hedge　and　ditch。

Yours　truly。



LETTER　IX。



I　have　already　informed　you　that　there　are　only　two　noblemen　who　have　estates　of　any　magnitude　in　Norway。　　One　of　these　has　a　house　near　Tonsberg；　at　which　he　has　not　resided　for　some　years；　having　been　at　court；　or　on　embassies。　　He　is　now　the　Danish　Ambassador　in　London。　　The　house　is　pleasantly　situated；　and　the　grounds　about　it　fine；　but　their　neglected　appearance　plainly　tells　that　there　is　nobody　at　home。

A　stupid　kind　of　sadness；　to　my　eye；　always　reigns　in　a　huge　habitation　where　only　servants　live　to　put　cases　on　the　furniture　and　open　the　windows。　　I　enter　as　I　would　into　the　tomb　of　the　Capulets；　to　look　at　the　family　pictures　that　here　frown　in　armour；　or　smile　in　ermine。　　The　mildew　respects　not　the　lordly　robe；　and　the　worm　riots　unchecked　on　the　cheek　of　beauty。

There　was　nothing　in　the　architecture　of　the　building；　or　the　form　of　the　furniture；　to　detain　me　from　the　avenue　where　the　aged　pines　stretched　along　majestically。　　Time　had　given　a　greyish　cast　to　their　ever…green　foliage；　and　they　stood；　like　sires　of　the　forest；　sheltered　on　all　sides　by　a　rising　progeny。　　I　had　not　ever　seen　so　many　oaks　together　in　Norway　as　in　these　woods；　nor　such　large　aspens　as　here　were　agitated　by　the　breeze；　rendering　the　wind　audiblenay　musical；　for　melody　seemed　on　the　wing　around　me。　　How　different　was　the　fresh　odour　that　reanimated　me　in　the　avenue；　from　the　damp　chillness　of　the　apartments；　and　as　little　did　the　gloomy　thoughtfulness　excited　by　the　dusty　hangings；　and　worm…eaten　pictures；　resemble　the　reveries　inspired　by　the　soothing　melancholy　of　their　shade。　　In　the　winter；　these　august　pines；　towering　above　the　snow；　must　relieve　the　eye　beyond　measure　and　give　life　to　the　white　waste。

The　continual　recurrence　of　pine　and　fir　groves　in　the　day　sometimes　wearies　the　sight；　but　in　the　evening；　nothing　can　be　more　picturesque；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　better　calculated　to　produce　poetical　images。　　Passing　through　them；　I　have　been　struck　with　a　mystic　kind　of　reverence；　and　I　did；　as　it　were；　homage　to　their　venerable　shadows。　　Not　nymphs；　but　philosophers；　seemed　to　inhabit　themever　musing；　I　could　scarcely　conceive　that　they　were　without　some　consciousness　of　existencewithout　a　calm　enjoyment　of　the　pleasure　they　diffused。

How　often　do　my　feelings　produce　ideas　that　remind　me　of　the　origin　of　many　poetical　fictions。　　In　solitude；　the　imagination　bodies　forth　its　conceptions　unrestrained；　and　stops　enraptured　to　adore　the　beings　of　its　own　creation。　　These　are　moments　of　bliss；　and　the　memory　recalls　them　with　delight。

But　I　have　almost　forgotten　the　matters　of　fact　I　meant　to　relate；　respecting　the　counts。　　They　have　the　presentation　of　the　livings　on　their　estates；　appoint　the　judges；　and　different　civil　officers；　the　Crown　reserving　to　itself　the　privilege　of　sanctioning　them。　　But　though　they　appoint；　they　cannot　dismiss。　　Their　tenants　also　occupy　their　farms　for　life；　and　are　obliged　to　obey　any　summons　to　work　on　the　part　he　reserves　for　himself；　but　they　are　paid　for　their　labour。　　In　short；　I　have　seldom　heard　of　any　noblemen　so　innoxious。

Observing　that　the　gardens　round　the　count's　estate　were　better　cultivated　than　any　I　had　before　seen；　I　was　led　to　reflect　on　the　advantages　which　naturally　accrue　from　the　feudal　tenures。　　The　tenants　of　the　count　are　obliged　to　work　at　a　stated　price；　in　his　grounds　and　garden；　and　the　instruction　which　they　imperceptibly　receive　from　the　head　gardener　tends　to　render　them　useful；　and　makes　them；　in　the　common　course　of　things；　better　husbandmen　and　gardeners　on　their　own　little　farms。　　Thus　the　great；　who　alone　travel　in　this　period　of　society；　for　the　observation　of　manners　and　customs　made　by　sailors　is　very　confined；　bring　home　improvement　to　promote　their　own　comfort；　which　is　gradually　spread　abroad　amongst　the　people；　till　they　are　stimulated　to　think　for　themselves。

The　bishops　have　not　large　revenues；　and　the　priests　are　appointed　by　the　king　before　they　come　to　them　to　be　ordained。　　There　is　commonly　some　little　farm　annexed　to　the　parsonage；　and　the　inhabitants　subscribe　voluntarily；　three　times　a　year；　in　addition　to　the　church　fees；　for　the　support　of　the　clergyman。　　The　church　lands　were　seized　when　Lutheranism　was　introduced；　the　desire　of　obtaining　them　being　probably　the　real　stimulus　of　reformation。　　The　tithes；　which　are　never　required　in　kind；　are　divided　into　three　partsone　to　the　king；　another　to　the　incumbent；　and　the　third　to　repair　the　dilapidations　of　the　parsonage。　　They　do　not　amount　to　much。　　And　the　stipend　allowed　to　the　different　civil　officers　is　also　too　small；　scarcely　deserving　to　be　termed　an　independence；　that　of　the　custom…house　officers　is　not　sufficient　to　procure　the　necessaries　of　lifeno　wonder；　then；　if　necessity　leads　them　to　knavery。　　Much　public　virtue　cannot　be　expected　till　every　employment；　putting　perquisites　out　of　the　question；　has　a　salary　sufficient　to　reward　industry；whilst　none　are　so　great　as　to　permit　the　possessor　to　remain　idle。　　It　is　this　want　of　proportion　between　profit　and　labour　which　debases　men；　producing　the　sycophantic　appellations　of　patron　and　client；　and　that　pernicious　esprit　du　corps；　proverbially　vicious。

The　farmers　are　hospitable　as　well　as　independent。　　Offering　once　to　pay　for　some　coffee　I　drank　when　taking　shelter　from　the　rain；　I　was　asked；　rather　angrily；　if　a　little　coffee　was　worth　paying　for。　They　smoke；　and　drink　drams；　but　not　so　much　as　formerly。　Drunkenness；　often　the　attendant　disgrace　of　hospitality；　will　here；　as　well　as　everywhere　else；　give　place　to　gallantry　and　refinement　of　manners；　but　the　change　will　not　be　suddenly　produced。

The　people　of　every　class　are　constant　in　their　attendance　at　church；　they　are　very　fond　of　dancing；　and　the　Sunday　evenings　in　Norway；　as　in　Catholic　countries；　are　spent　in　exercises　which　exhilarate　the　spirits　without　vitiating　the　heart。　　The　rest　of　labour　ought　to　be　gay；　and　the　gladness　I　have　felt　in　France　on　a　Sunday；　or　Decadi；　which　I　caught　from　the　faces　around　me；　was　a　sentiment　more　truly　religious　than　all　the　stupid　stillness　which　the　streets　of　London　ever　inspired　where　the　Sabbath　is　so　decorously　observed。　　I　recollect；　in　the　country　parts　of　England；　the　churchwardens　used　to　go　out　during　the　service　to　see　if　they　could　catch　any　luckless　wight　playing　at　bowls　or　skittles；　yet　what　could　be　more　harmless？