letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第16部分

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difficult　to　form　an　idea　of　the　place；　if　you　have　never　seen　one　of　these　rocky　coasts。

We　were　a　considerable　time　entering　amongst　the　islands；　before　we　saw　about　two　hundred　houses　crowded　together　under　a　very　high　rockstill　higher　appearing　above。　　Talk　not　of　Bastilles！　　To　be　born　here　was　to　be　bastilled　by　natureshut　out　from　all　that　opens　the　understanding；　or　enlarges　the　heart。　　Huddled　one　behind　another；　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　the　dwellings　even　had　a　prospect　of　the　sea。　　A　few　planks　formed　passages　from　house　to　house；　which　you　must　often　scale；　mounting　steps　like　a　ladder　to　enter。

The　only　road　across　the　rocks　leads　to　a　habitation　sterile　enough；　you　may　suppose；　when　I　tell　you　that　the　little　earth　on　the　adjacent　ones　was　carried　there　by　the　late　inhabitant。　　A　path；　almost　impracticable　for　a　horse；　goes　on　to　Arendall；　still　further　to　the　westward。

I　inquired　for　a　walk；　and；　mounting　near　two　hundred　steps　made　round　a　rock；　walked　up　and　down　for　about　a　hundred　yards　viewing　the　sea；　to　which　I　quickly　descended　by　steps　that　cheated　the　declivity。　　The　ocean　and　these　tremendous　bulwarks　enclosed　me　on　every　side。　　I　felt　the　confinement；　and　wished　for　wings　to　reach　still　loftier　cliffs；　whose　slippery　sides　no　foot　was　so　hardy　as　to　tread。　　Yet　what　was　it　to　see？only　a　boundless　waste　of　water…　…not　a　glimpse　of　smiling　naturenot　a　patch　of　lively　green　to　relieve　the　aching　sight；　or　vary　the　objects　of　meditation。

I　felt　my　breath　oppressed；　though　nothing　could　be　clearer　than　the　atmosphere。　　Wandering　there　alone；　I　found　the　solitude　desirable；　my　mind　was　stored　with　ideas；　which　this　new　scene　associated　with　astonishing　rapidity。　　But　I　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　receiving　existence；　and　remaining　here；　in　the　solitude　of　ignorance；　till　forced　to　leave　a　world　of　which　I　had　seen　so　little；　for　the　character　of　the　inhabitants　is　as　uncultivated；　if　not　as　picturesquely　wild；　as　their　abode。

Having　no　employment　but　traffic；　of　which　a　contraband　trade　makes　the　basis　of　their　profit；　the　coarsest　feelings　of　honesty　are　quickly　blunted。　　You　may　suppose　that　I　speak　in　general　terms；　and　that；　with　all　the　disadvantages　of　nature　and　circumstances；　there　are　still　some　respectable　exceptions；　the　more　praiseworthy；　as　tricking　is　a　very　contagious　mental　disease；　that　dries　up　all　the　generous　juices　of　the　heart。　　Nothing　genial；　in　fact；　appears　around　this　place；　or　within　the　circle　of　its　rocks。　　And；　now　I　recollect；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　most　genial　and　humane　characters　I　have　met　with　in　life　were　most　alive　to　the　sentiments　inspired　by　tranquil　country　scenes。　　What；　indeed；　is　to　humanise　these　beings；　who　rest　shut　up　（for　they　seldom　even　open　their　windows）；　smoking；　drinking　brandy；　and　driving　bargains？　　I　have　been　almost　stifled　by　these　smokers。　　They　begin　in　the　morning；　and　are　rarely　without　their　pipe　till　they　go　to　bed。　　Nothing　can　be　more　disgusting　than　the　rooms　and　men　towards　the　eveningbreath；　teeth；　clothes；　and　furniture；　all　are　spoilt。　　It　is　well　that　the　women　are　not　very　delicate；　or　they　would　only　love　their　husbands　because　they　were　their　husbands。　　Perhaps；　you　may　add；　that　the　remark　need　not　be　confined　to　so　small　a　part　of　the　world；　and；　entre　nous；　I　am　of　the　same　opinion。　　You　must　not　term　this　innuendo　saucy；　for　it　does　not　come　home。

If　I　had　not　determined　to　write　I　should　have　found　my　confinement　here；　even　for　three　or　four　days；　tedious。　　I　have　no　books；　and　to　pace　up　and　down　a　small　room；　looking　at　tiles　overhung　by　rocks；　soon　becomes　wearisome。　　I　cannot　mount　two　hundred　steps　to　walk　a　hundred　yards　many　times　in　the　day。　　Besides；　the　rocks；　retaining　the　heat　of　the　sun；　are　intolerably　warm。　　I　am；　nevertheless；　very　well；　for　though　there　is　a　shrewdness　in　the　character　of　these　people；　depraved　by　a　sordid　love　of　money　which　repels　me；　still　the　comparisons　they　force　me　to　make　keep　my　heart　calm　by　exercising　my　understanding。

Everywhere　wealth　commands　too　much　respect；　but　here　almost　exclusively；　and　it　is　the　only　object　pursued；　not　through　brake　and　briar；　but　over　rocks　and　waves；　yet　of　what　use　would　riches　be　to　me；　I　have　sometimes　asked　myself；　were　I　confined　to　live　in　such　in　a　spot？　　I　could　only　relieve　a　few　distressed　objects；　perhaps　render　them　idle；　and　all　the　rest　of　life　would　be　a　blank。

My　present　journey　has　given　fresh　force　to　my　opinion　that　no　place　is　so　disagreeable　and　unimproving　as　a　country　town。　　I　should　like　to　divide　my　time　between　the　town　and　country；　in　a　lone　house；　with　the　business　of　farming　and　planting；　where　my　mind　would　gain　strength　by　solitary　musing；　and　in　a　metropolis　to　rub　off　the　rust　of　thought；　and　polish　the　taste　which　the　contemplation　of　nature　had　rendered　just。　　Thus　do　we　wish　as　we　float　down　the　stream　of　life；　whilst　chance　does　more　to　gratify　a　desire　of　knowledge　than　our　best　laid　plans。　　A　degree　of　exertion；　produced　by　some　want；　more　or　less　painful；　is　probably　the　price　we　must　all　pay　for　knowledge。　　How　few　authors　or　artists　have　arrived　at　eminence　who　have　not　lived　by　their　employment？

I　was　interrupted　yesterday　by　business；　and　was　prevailed　upon　to　dine　with　the　English　vice…consul。　　His　house　being　open　to　the　sea；　I　was　more　at　large；　and　the　hospitality　of　the　table　pleased　me；　though　the　bottle　was　rather　too　freely　pushed　about。　　Their　manner　of　entertaining　was　such　as　I　have　frequently　remarked　when　I　have　been　thrown　in　the　way　of　people　without　education；　who　have　more　money　than　witthat　is；　than　they　know　what　to　do　with。　　The　women　were　unaffected；　but　had　not　the　natural　grace　which　was　often　conspicuous　at　Tonsberg。　　There　was　even　a　striking　difference　in　their　dress；　these　having　loaded　themselves　with　finery　in　the　style　of　the　sailors'　girls　of　Hull　or　Portsmouth。　　Taste　has　not　yet　taught　them　to　make　any　but　an　ostentatious　display　of　wealth。　　Yet　I　could　perceive　even　here　the　first　steps　of　the　improvement　which　I　am　persuaded　will　make　a　very　obvious　progress　in　the　course　of　half　a　century；　and　it　ought　not　to　be　sooner；　to　keep　pace　with　the　cultivation　of　the　earth。　　Improving　manners　will　introduce　finer　moral　feelings。　　They　begin　to　read　translations　of　some　of　the　most　useful　German　productions　lately　published；　and　one　of　our　party　sung　a　song　ridiculing　the　powers　coalesced　against　France；　and　the　company　drank　confusion　to　those　who　had　dismembered　Poland。

The　evening　was　extremely　calm　and　beautiful。　　Not　being　able　to　walk；　I　requested　a　boat　as　the　only　means　of　enjoying　free　air。

The　view　of　the　town　was　now　extremely　fine。　　A　huge　rocky　mountain　stood　up　behind　it；　and　a　vast　cliff　stretched　on　each　side；　forming　a　semicircle。　　In　a　recess　of　the　rocks　was　a　clump　of　pines；　amongst　which　a　steeple　rose　picturesquely　beautiful。

The　churchyard　is　almost　the　only　verdant　spot　in　the　place。　　Here；　indeed；　friendship　extends　beyond　the　grave；　and　to　grant　a　sod　of　earth　is　to　accord　a　favour。　　I　should　rather　choose；　did　it　admit　of　a　choice；　to　sleep　in　some　of　the　caves　of　the　rocks；　for　I　am　become　better　reconciled　to　them　since　I　climbed　their　craggy　sides　last　night；　listening　to　the　finest　echoes　I　ever　heard。　　We　had　a　French　horn　with　us；　and　there　was　an　enchanting　wildness　in　the　dying　away　of　the　reverberation　that　quickly　transported　me　to　Shakespeare's　magic　island。　　Spirits　unseen　seemed　to　walk　abroad；　and　flit　from　cliff　to　cliff　to　soothe　my　soul　to　peace。

I　reluctantly　returned　to　supper；　to　be　shut　up　in　a　warm　room；　only　to　view　the　vast　shadows　of　the　rocks　extending　on　the　slumbering　waves。　　I　stood　at　the　window　some　time　before　a　buzz　filled　the　drawing…room；　and　now　and　then　the　dashing　of　a　solitary　oar　rendered　the　scene　still　more　solemn。

Before　I　came　here　I　could　scarcely　have　imagined　that　a　simple　object　（rocks）　could　have　admitted　of　so　many　interesting　combinations；　always　grand　and　often　sublime。　　Good　night！　　God　bless　you！



LETTER　XII。



I　left　East　Rusoer　the　day　before　yesterday。　　The　weather　was　very　fine；　but　so　calm　that　we　loitered　on　the　water　near　fourteen　hours；　only　to　make　about　six　and　twenty　miles。

It　seemed　to　me　a　sort　of　emancipation　when　we　landed　at　Helgeraac。　The　confinement　which　everywhere　struck　me　whilst　sojourning　amongst　the　rocks；　made　me　hail　the　earth　as　a　land　of　promise；　and　the　situation　shone　with　fresh　lustre　from　the　contrastfrom　appearing　to　be　a　free　abode。　　Here　it　was　possible　to　travel　by　landI　never　thought　this　a　comfort　beforeand　my　eyes；　fatigued　by　the　sparkling　of　the　sun　on　the　water；　now　contentedly　reposed　on　the　green　expanse；　half　persuaded　that　such　verdant　meads　had　never　till　then　regaled　them。

I　rose　early　to　pursue　my　journey　to　Tonsberg。　　The　country　still　wore　a　face　of　joyand　my　soul　was　alive　to　its　charms。　　Leaving　the　most　lofty　and　romantic　of　the　cliffs　behind　us；　we　were　almost　continually　descending　to　Tonsberg；　through　Elysian　scenes；　for　not　only　the　sea；　but　mountains；　rivers；　lakes；　and　groves；　gave　an　almost　endless　variety　to　the　prospect。　　The　cottagers　were　still　carrying　home　the　hay；　and　the　cottages　on　this　road　looked　very　comfortable。　　Peace　and　plentyI　mean　not　abundanceseemed　to　reign　aroundstill　I　grew　sad　as　I　drew　near　my　old　abode。　　I　was　sorry　to　see　the　sun　so　high；　it　was　broad　noon。　　Tonsberg　was　something　like　a　homeyet　I　was　to　enter　without　lighting　up　pleasure　in　any　eye。　　I　dreaded　the　solitariness　of　my　apartment；　and　wished　for　night　to　hide　the　starting　tears；　or　to　shed　them　on　my　pillow；　and　close　my　eyes　on　a　world　where　I　was　destined　to　wander　alone。　　Why　has　nature　so　many　charms　for　mecalling　forth　and　cherishing　refined　sentiments；　only　to　wound　the　breast　that　fosters　them？　　How　illusive；　perhaps　the　most　so；　are　the　plans　of　happiness　founded　on　virtue　and　principle；　what　inlets　of　misery　do　they　not　open　in　a　half…civilised　society？　　The　satisfaction　arising　from　conscious　rectitude；　will　not　calm　an　injured　heart；　when　tenderness　is　ever　finding　excuses；　and　self…applause　is　a　cold　solitary　feeling；　that　cannot　supply　the　place　of　disappointed　affection；　without　throwing　a　gl