letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第17部分

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cold　solitary　feeling；　that　cannot　supply　the　place　of　disappointed　affection；　without　throwing　a　gloom　over　every　prospect；　which；　banishing　pleasure；　does　not　exclude　pain。　　I　reasoned　and　reasoned；　but　my　heart　was　too　full　to　allow　me　to　remain　in　the　house；　and　I　walked；　till　I　was　wearied　out；　to　purchase　restor　rather　forgetfulness。

Employment　has　beguiled　this　day；　and　to…morrow　I　set　out　for　Moss；　on　my　way　to　Stromstad。　　At　Gothenburg　I　shall　embrace　my　Fannikin；　probably　she　will　not　know　me　againand　I　shall　be　hurt　if　she　do　not。　　How　childish　is　this！　still　it　is　a　natural　feeling。　　I　would　not　permit　myself　to　indulge　the　〃thick　coming　fears〃　of　fondness；　whilst　I　was　detained　by　business。　　Yet　I　never　saw　a　calf　bounding　in　a　meadow；　that　did　not　remind　me　of　my　little　frolicker。　　A　calf；　you　say。　　Yes；　but　a　capital　one　I　own。

I　cannot　write　composedlyI　am　every　instant　sinking　into　reveries…　…my　heart　flutters；　I　know　not　why。　　Fool！　　It　is　time　thou　wert　at　rest。

Friendship　and　domestic　happiness　are　continually　praised；　yet　how　little　is　there　of　either　in　the　world；　because　it　requires　more　cultivation　of　mind　to　keep　awake　affection；　even　in　our　own　hearts；　than　the　common　run　of　people　suppose。　　Besides；　few　like　to　be　seen　as　they　really　are；　and　a　degree　of　simplicity；　and　of　undisguised　confidence；　which；　to　uninterested　observers；　would　almost　border　on　weakness；　is　the　charm；　nay　the　essence　of　love　or　friendship；　all　the　bewitching　graces　of　childhood　again　appearing。　　As　objects　merely　to　exercise　my　taste；　I　therefore　like　to　see　people　together　who　have　an　affection　for　each　other；　every　turn　of　their　features　touches　me；　and　remains　pictured　on　my　imagination　in　indelible　characters。　　The　zest　of　novelty　is；　however；　necessary　to　rouse　the　languid　sympathies　which　have　been　hackneyed　in　the　world；　as　is　the　factitious　behaviour；　falsely　termed　good…breeding；　to　amuse　those；　who；　defective　in　taste；　continually　rely　for　pleasure　on　their　animal　spirits；　which　not　being　maintained　by　the　imagination；　are　unavoidably　sooner　exhausted　than　the　sentiments　of　the　heart。　Friendship　is　in　general　sincere　at　the　commencement；　and　lasts　whilst　there　is　anything　to　support　it；　but　as　a　mixture　of　novelty　and　vanity　is　the　usual　prop；　no　wonder　if　it　fall　with　the　slender　stay。　　The　fop　in　the　play　paid　a　greater　compliment　than　he　was　aware　of　when　he　said　to　a　person；　whom　he　meant　to　flatter；　〃I　like　you　almost　as　well　as　a　NEW　ACQUAINTANCE。〃　　Why　am　I　talking　of　friendship；　after　which　I　have　had　such　a　wild…goose　chase。　　I　thought　only　of　telling　you　that　the　crows；　as　well　as　wild…geese；　are　here　birds　of　passage。



LETTER　XIII。



I　left　Tonsberg　yesterday；　the　22nd　of　August。　　It　is　only　twelve　or　thirteen　English　miles　to　Moss；　through　a　country　less　wild　than　any　tract　I　had　hitherto　passed　over　in　Norway。　　It　was　often　beautiful；　but　seldom　afforded　those　grand　views　which　fill　rather　than　soothe　the　mind。

We　glided　along　the　meadows　and　through　the　woods；　with　sunbeams　playing　around　us；　and；　though　no　castles　adorned　the　prospects；　a　greater　number　of　comfortable　farms　met　my　eyes　during　this　ride　than　I　have　ever　seen；　in　the　same　space；　even　in　the　most　cultivated　part　of　England；　and　the　very　appearance　of　the　cottages　of　the　labourers　sprinkled　amidst　them　excluded　all　those　gloomy　ideas　inspired　by　the　contemplation　of　poverty。

The　hay　was　still　bringing　in；　for　one　harvest　in　Norway　treads　on　the　heels　of　the　other。　　The　woods　were　more　variegated；　interspersed　with　shrubs。　　We　no　longer　passed　through　forests　of　vast　pines　stretching　along　with　savage　magnificence。　　Forests　that　only　exhibited　the　slow　decay　of　time　or　the　devastation　produced　by　warring　elements。　　No；　oaks；　ashes；　beech；　and　all　the　light　and　graceful　tenants　of　our　woods　here　sported　luxuriantly。　　I　had　not　observed　many　oaks　before；　for　the　greater　part　of　the　oak…planks；　I　am　informed；　come　from　the　westward。

In　France　the　farmers　generally　live　in　villages；　which　is　a　great　disadvantage　to　the　country；　but　the　Norwegian　farmers；　always　owning　their　farms　or　being　tenants　for　life；　reside　in　the　midst　of　them；　allowing　some　labourers　a　dwelling　rent　free；　who　have　a　little　land　appertaining　to　the　cottage；　not　only　for　a　garden；　but　for　crops　of　different　kinds；　such　as　rye；　oats；　buck…wheat；　hemp；　flax；　beans；　potatoes；　and　hay；　which　are　sown　in　strips　about　it；　reminding　a　stranger　of　the　first　attempts　at　culture；　when　every　family　was　obliged　to　be　an　independent　community。

These　cottagers　work　at　a　certain　price　（tenpence　per　day）　for　the　farmers　on　whose　ground　they　live；　and　they　have　spare　time　enough　to　cultivate　their　own　land　and　lay　in　a　store　of　fish　for　the　winter。　　The　wives　and　daughters　spin　and　the　husbands　and　sons　weave；　so　that　they　may　fairly　be　reckoned　independent；　having　also　a　little　money　in　hand　to　buy　coffee；　brandy　and　some　other　superfluities。

The　only　thing　I　disliked　was　the　military　service；　which　trammels　them　more　than　I　at　first　imagined。　　It　is　true　that　the　militia　is　only　called　out　once　a　year；　yet　in　case　of　war　they　have　no　alternative　but　must　abandon　their　families。　　Even　the　manufacturers　are　not　exempted；　though　the　miners　are；　in　order　to　encourage　undertakings　which　require　a　capital　at　the　commencement。　　And；　what　appears　more　tyrannical；　the　inhabitants　of　certain　districts　are　appointed　for　the　land；　others　for　the　sea　service。　　Consequently；　a　peasant；　born　a　soldier；　is　not　permitted　to　follow　his　inclination　should　it　lead　him　to　go　to　sea；　a　natural　desire　near　so　many　seaports。

In　these　regulations　the　arbitrary　governmentthe　King　of　Denmark　being　the　most　absolute　monarch　in　Europeappears；　which　in　other　respects　seeks　to　hide　itself　in　a　lenity　that　almost　renders　the　laws　nullities。　　If　any　alteration　of　old　customs　is　thought　of；　the　opinion　of　the　old　country　is　required　and　maturely　considered。　　I　have　several　times　had　occasion　to　observe　that；　fearing　to　appear　tyrannical；　laws　are　allowed　to　become　obsolete　which　ought　to　be　put　in　force　or　better　substituted　in　their　stead；　for　this　mistaken　moderation；　which　borders　on　timidity；　favours　the　least　respectable　part　of　the　people。

I　saw　on　my　way　not　only　good　parsonage　houses；　but　comfortable　dwellings；　with　glebe　land　for　the　clerk；　always　a　consequential　man　in　every　country；　a　being　proud　of　a　little　smattering　of　learning；　to　use　the　appropriate　epithet；　and　vain　of　the　stiff　good…breeding　reflected　from　the　vicar；　though　the　servility　practised　in　his　company　gives　it　a　peculiar　cast。

The　widow　of　the　clergyman　is　allowed　to　receive　the　benefit　of　the　living　for　a　twelvemonth　after　the　death　of　the　incumbent。

Arriving　at　the　ferry　（the　passage　over　to　Moss　is　about　six　or　eight　English　miles）　I　saw　the　most　level　shore　I　had　yet　seen　in　Norway。　　The　appearance　of　the　circumjacent　country　had　been　preparing　me　for　the　change　of　scene　which　was　to　greet　me　when　I　reached　the　coast。　　For　the　grand　features　of　nature　had　been　dwindling　into　prettiness　as　I　advanced；　yet　the　rocks；　on　a　smaller　scale；　were　finely　wooded　to　the　water's　edge。　　Little　art　appeared；　yet　sublimity　everywhere　gave　place　to　elegance。　　The　road　had　often　assumed　the　appearance　of　a　gravelled　one；　made　in　pleasure…grounds；　whilst　the　trees　excited　only　an　idea　of　embellishment。　　Meadows；　like　lawns；　in　an　endless　variety；　displayed　the　careless　graces　of　nature；　and　the　ripening　corn　gave　a　richness　to　the　landscape　analogous　with　the　other　objects。

Never　was　a　southern　sky　more　beautiful；　nor　more　soft　its　gales。　Indeed；　I　am　led　to　conclude　that　the　sweetest　summer　in　the　world　is　the　northern　one；　the　vegetation　being　quick　and　luxuriant　the　moment　the　earth　is　loosened　from　its　icy　fetters　and　the　bound　streams　regain　their　wonted　activity。　　The　balance　of　happiness　with　respect　to　climate　may　be　more　equal　than　I　at　first　imagined；　for　the　inhabitants　describe　with　warmth　the　pleasures　of　a　winter　at　the　thoughts　of　which　I　shudder。　　Not　only　their　parties　of　pleasure　but　of　business　are　reserved　for　this　season；　when　they　travel　with　astonishing　rapidity　the　most　direct　way；　skimming　over　hedge　and　ditch。

On　entering　Moss　I　was　struck　by　the　animation　which　seemed　to　result　from　industry。　　The　richest　of　the　inhabitants　keep　shops；　resembling　in　their　manners　and　even　the　arrangement　of　their　houses　the　tradespeople　of　Yorkshire；　with　an　air　of　more　independence；　or　rather　consequence；　from　feeling　themselves　the　first　people　in　the　place。　　I　had　not　time　to　see　the　iron…works；　belonging　to　Mr。　Anker；　of　Christiania；　a　man　of　fortune　and　enterprise；　and　I　was　not　very　anxious　to　see　them　after　having　viewed　those　at　Laurvig。

Here　I　met　with　an　intelligent　literary　man；　who　was　anxious　to　gather　information　from　me　relative　to　the　past　and　present　situation　of　France。　　The　newspapers　printed　at　Copenhagen；　as　well　as　those　in　England；　give　the　most　exaggerated　accounts　of　their　atrocities　and　distresses；　but　the　former　without　any　apparent　comments　or　inferences。　　Still　the　Norwegians；　though　more　connected　with　the　English；　speaking　their　language　and　copying　their　manners；　wish　well　to　the　Republican　cause；　and　follow　with　the　most　lively　interest　the　successes　of　the　French　arms。　　So　determined　were　they；　in　fact；　to　excuse　everything；　disgracing　the　struggle　of　freedom；　by　admitting　the　tyrant's　plea；　necessity；　that　I　could　hardly　persuade　them　that　Robespierre　was　a　monster。

The　discussion　of　this　subject　is　not　so　general　as　in　England；　being　confined　to　the　few；　the　clergy　and　physicians；　with　a　small　portion　of　people　who　have　a　literary　turn　and　leisure；　the　greater　part　of　the　inhabitants　having　a　variety　of　occupations；　being　owners　of　ships；　shopkeepers；　and　farmers；　have　employment　enough　at　home。　　And　their　ambition　to　become　rich　may　tend　to　cultivate　the　common　sense　which　characterises　and　narrows　both　their　hearts　and　views；　confirming　the　former　to　their　families；　taking　the　handmaids　of　it　into　the　circle　of　pleasure；　if　not　of　interest；　and　the　latter　to　the　inspection　of　their　workmen；　including　the　noble　science　of　bargain…makingthat　is；　getting　everything　a