letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


they　could　catch　any　luckless　wight　playing　at　bowls　or　skittles；　yet　what　could　be　more　harmless？　　It　would　even；　I　think；　be　a　great　advantage　to　the　English；　if　feats　of　activity　（I　do　not　include　boxing　matches）　were　encouraged　on　a　Sunday；　as　it　might　stop　the　progress　of　Methodism；　and　of　that　fanatical　spirit　which　appears　to　be　gaining　ground。　　I　was　surprised　when　I　visited　Yorkshire；　on　my　way　to　Sweden；　to　find　that　sullen　narrowness　of　thinking　had　made　such　a　progress　since　I　was　an　inhabitant　of　the　country。　　I　could　hardly　have　supposed　that　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　could　have　produced　such　an　alteration　for　the　worse　in　the　morals　of　a　place　yes；　I　say　morals；　for　observance　of　forms；　and　avoiding　of　practices；　indifferent　in　themselves；　often　supply　the　place　of　that　regular　attention　to　duties　which　are　so　natural；　that　they　seldom　are　vauntingly　exercised；　though　they　are　worth　all　the　precepts　of　the　law　and　the　prophets。　　Besides；　many　of　these　deluded　people；　with　the　best　meaning；　actually　lose　their　reason；　and　become　miserable；　the　dread　of　damnation　throwing　them　into　a　state　which　merits　the　term；　and　still　more；　in　running　after　their　preachers；　expecting　to　promote　their　salvation；　they　disregard　their　welfare　in　this　world；　and　neglect　the　interest　and　comfort　of　their　families；　so　that；　in　proportion　as　they　attain　a　reputation　for　piety；　they　become　idle。

Aristocracy　and　fanaticism　seem　equally　to　be　gaining　ground　in　England；　particularly　in　the　place　I　have　mentioned；　I　saw　very　little　of　either　in　Norway。　　The　people　are　regular　in　their　attendance　on　public　worship；　but　religion　does　not　interfere　with　their　employments。

As　the　farmers　cut　away　the　wood　they　clear　the　ground。　　Every　year；　therefore；　the　country　is　becoming　fitter　to　support　the　inhabitants。　　Half　a　century　ago　the　Dutch；　I　am　told；　only　paid　for　the　cutting　down　of　the　wood；　and　the　farmers　were　glad　to　get　rid　of　it　without　giving　themselves　any　trouble。　　At　present　they　form　a　just　estimate　of　its　value；　nay；　I　was　surprised　to　find　even　firewood　so　dear　when　it　appears　to　be　in　such　plenty。　　The　destruction；　or　gradual　reduction；　of　their　forests　will　probably　ameliorate　the　climate；　and　their　manners　will　naturally　improve　in　the　same　ratio　as　industry　requires　ingenuity。　　It　is　very　fortunate　that　men　are　a　long　time　but　just　above　the　brute　creation；　or　the　greater　part　of　the　earth　would　never　have　been　rendered　habitable；　because　it　is　the　patient　labour　of　men；　who　are　only　seeking　for　a　subsistence；　which　produces　whatever　embellishes　existence；　affording　leisure　for　the　cultivation　of　the　arts　and　sciences　that　lift　man　so　far　above　his　first　state。　　I　never；　my　friend；　thought　so　deeply　of　the　advantages　obtained　by　human　industry　as　since　I　have　been　in　Norway。　　The　world　requires；　I　see；　the　hand　of　man　to　perfect　it；　and　as　this　task　naturally　unfolds　the　faculties　he　exercises；　it　is　physically　impossible　that　he　should　have　remained　in　Rousseau's　golden　age　of　stupidity。　　And；　considering　the　question　of　human　happiness；　where；　oh　where　does　it　reside？　　Has　it　taken　up　its　abode　with　unconscious　ignorance　or　with　the　high…　wrought　mind？　　Is　it　the　offspring　of　thoughtless　animal　spirits　or　the　dye　of　fancy　continually　flitting　round　the　expected　pleasure？

The　increasing　population　of　the　earth　must　necessarily　tend　to　its　improvement；　as　the　means　of　existence　are　multiplied　by　invention。

You　have　probably　made　similar　reflections　in　America；　where　the　face　of　the　country；　I　suppose；　resembles　the　wilds　of　Norway。　　I　am　delighted　with　the　romantic　views　I　daily　contemplate；　animated　by　the　purest　air；　and　I　am　interested　by　the　simplicity　of　manners　which　reigns　around　me。　　Still　nothing　so　soon　wearies　out　the　feelings　as　unmarked　simplicity。　　I　am　therefore　half　convinced　that　I　could　not　live　very　comfortably　exiled　from　the　countries　where　mankind　are　so　much　further　advanced　in　knowledge；　imperfect　as　it　is；　and　unsatisfactory　to　the　thinking　mind。　　Even　now　I　begin　to　long　to　hear　what　you　are　doing　in　England　and　France。　　My　thoughts　fly　from　this　wilderness　to　the　polished　circles　of　the　world；　till　recollecting　its　vices　and　follies；　I　bury　myself　in　the　woods；　but　find　it　necessary　to　emerge　again；　that　I　may　not　lose　sight　of　the　wisdom　and　virtue　which　exalts　my　nature。

What　a　long　time　it　requires　to　know　ourselves；　and　yet　almost　every　one　has　more　of　this　knowledge　than　he　is　willing　to　own；　even　to　himself。　　I　cannot　immediately　determine　whether　I　ought　to　rejoice　at　having　turned　over　in　this　solitude　a　new　page　in　the　history　of　my　own　heart；　though　I　may　venture　to　assure　you　that　a　further　acquaintance　with　mankind　only　tends　to　increase　my　respect　for　your　judgment　and　esteem　for　your　character。　　Farewell！



LETTER　X。



I　have　once　more；　my　friend；　taken　flight；　for　I　left　Tonsberg　yesterday；　but　with　an　intention　of　returning　in　my　way　back　to　Sweden。

The　road　to　Laurvig　is　very　fine；　and　the　country　the　best　cultivated　in　Norway。　　I　never　before　admired　the　beech　tree；　and　when　I　met　stragglers　here　they　pleased　me　still　less。　　Long　and　lank；　they　would　have　forced　me　to　allow　that　the　line　of　beauty　requires　some　curves；　if　the　stately　pine；　standing　near；　erect；　throwing　her　vast　arms　around；　had　not　looked　beautiful　in　opposition　to　such　narrow　rules。

In　these　respects　my　very　reason　obliges　me　to　permit　my　feelings　to　be　my　criterion。　　Whatever　excites　emotion　has　charms　for　me；　though　I　insist　that　the　cultivation　of　the　mind　by　warming；　nay；　almost　creating　the　imagination；　produces　taste　and　an　immense　variety　of　sensations　and　emotions；　partaking　of　the　exquisite　pleasure　inspired　by　beauty　and　sublimity。　　As　I　know　of　no　end　to　them；　the　word　infinite；　so　often　misapplied；　might　on　this　occasion　be　introduced　with　something　like　propriety。

But　I　have　rambled　away　again。　　I　intended　to　have　remarked　to　you　the　effect　produced　by　a　grove　of　towering　beech；　the　airy　lightness　of　their　foliage　admitting　a　degree　of　sunshine；　which；　giving　a　transparency　to　the　leaves；　exhibited　an　appearance　of　freshness　and　elegance　that　I　had　never　before　remarked。　　I　thought　of　descriptions　of　Italian　scenery。　　But　these　evanescent　graces　seemed　the　effect　of　enchantment；　and　I　imperceptibly　breathed　softly；　lest　I　should　destroy　what　was　real；　yet　looked　so　like　the　creation　of　fancy。　　Dryden's　fable　of　the　flower　and　the　leaf　was　not　a　more　poetical　reverie。

Adieu；　however；　to　fancy；　and　to　all　the　sentiments　which　ennoble　our　nature。　　I　arrived　at　Laurvig；　and　found　myself　in　the　midst　of　a　group　of　lawyers　of　different　descriptions。　　My　head　turned　round；　my　heart　grew　sick；　as　I　regarded　visages　deformed　by　vice；　and　listened　to　accounts　of　chicanery　that　was　continually　embroiling　the　ignorant。　　These　locusts　will　probably　diminish　as　the　people　become　more　enlightened。　　In　this　period　of　social　life　the　commonalty　are　always　cunningly　attentive　to　their　own　interest；　but　their　faculties；　confined　to　a　few　objects；　are　so　narrowed；　that　they　cannot　discover　it　in　the　general　good。　　The　profession　of　the　law　renders　a　set　of　men　still　shrewder　and　more　selfish　than　the　rest；　and　it　is　these　men；　whose　wits　have　been　sharpened　by　knavery；　who　here　undermine　morality；　confounding　right　and　wrong。

The　Count　of　Bernstorff；　who　really　appears　to　me；　from　all　I　can　gather；　to　have　the　good　of　the　people　at　heart；　aware　of　this；　has　lately　sent　to　the　mayor　of　each　district　to　name；　according　to　the　size　of　the　place；　four　or　six　of　the　best…informed　inhabitants；　not　men　of　the　law；　out　of　which　the　citizens　were　to　elect　two；　who　are　to　be　termed　mediators。　　Their　office　is　to　endeavour　to　prevent　litigious　suits；　and　conciliate　differences。　　And　no　suit　is　to　be　commenced　before　the　parties　have　discussed　the　dispute　at　their　weekly　meeting。　　If　a　reconciliation　should；　in　consequence；　take　place；　it　is　to　be　registered；　and　the　parties　are　not　allowed　to　retract。

By　these　means　ignorant　people　will　be　prevented　from　applying　for　advice　to　men　who　may　justly　be　termed　stirrers…up　of　strife。　　They　have　for　a　long　time；　to　use　a　significant　vulgarism；　set　the　people　by　the　ears；　and　live　by　the　spoil　they　caught　up　in　the　scramble。　There　is　some　reason　to　hope　that　this　regulation　will　diminish　their　number；　and　restrain　their　mischievous　activity。　　But　till　trials　by　jury　are　established；　little　justice　can　be　expected　in　Norway。　　Judges　who　cannot　be　bribed　are　often　timid；　and　afraid　of　offending　bold　knaves；　lest　they　should　raise　a　set　of　hornets　about　themselves。　　The　fear　of　censure　undermines　all　energy　of　character；　and；　labouring　to　be　prudent；　they　lose　sight　of　rectitude。　Besides；　nothing　is　left　to　their　conscience；　or　sagacity；　they　must　be　governed　by　evidence；　though　internally　convinced　that　it　is　false。

There　is　a　considerable　iron　manufactory　at　Laurvig　for　coarse　work；　and　a　lake　near　the　town　supplies　the　water　necessary　for　working　several　mills　belonging　to　it。

This　establishment　belongs　to　the　Count　of　Laurvig。　　Without　a　fortune　and　influence　equal　to　his；　such　a　work　could　not　have　been　set　afloat；　personal　fortunes　are　not　yet　sufficient　to　support　such　undertakings。　　Nevertheless　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　speak　of　the　size　of　his　estate　as　an　evil；　because　it　obstructs　commerce。　　The　occupiers　of　small　farms　are　obliged　to　bring　their　wood　to　the　neighbouring　seaports　to　be　shipped；　but　he；　wishing　to　increase　the　value　of　his；　will　not　allow　it　to　be　thus　gradually　cut　down；　which　turns　the　trade　into　another　channel。　　Added　to　this；　nature　is　against　them；　the　bay　being　open　and　insecure。　　I　could　not　help　smiling　when　I　was　informed　that　in　a　hard　gale　a　vessel　had　been　wrecked　in　the　main　street。　　When　there　are　such　a　number　of　excellent　harbours　on　the　coast；　it　is　a　pity　that　accident　has　made　one　of　the　largest　towns　grow　up　on　a　bad　one。

The　father　of　the　present　count　was　a　distant　relation　of　the　family；　he　resided　constantly　in　Denmark；　and　his　son　follows　his　example。　　They　have　not　been　in　possession　of　the　estate　many　years；　and　their　predecessor　lived　near　the　town；　introducing　a　degree　of　profligacy　of　manners　w