letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第20部分

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iving　that　my　clothes　were　wet；　took　great　pains　procure　me；　as　a　stranger；　every　comfort　for　the　night。

It　had　rained　very　hard；　and　we　passed　the　ferry　in　the　dark　without　getting　out　of　our　carriage；　which　I　think　wrong；　as　the　horses　are　sometimes　unruly。　　Fatigue　and　melancholy；　however；　had　made　me　regardless　whether　I　went　down　or　across　the　stream；　and　I　did　not　know　that　I　was　wet　before　the　hostess　marked　it。　　My　imagination　has　never　yet　severed　me　from　my　griefs；　and　my　mind　has　seldom　been　so　free　as　to　allow　my　body　to　be　delicate。

How　I　am　altered　by　disappointment！　　When　going　to　Lisbon；　the　elasticity　of　my　mind　was　sufficient　to　ward　off　weariness；　and　my　imagination　still　could　dip　her　brush　in　the　rainbow　of　fancy；　and　sketch　futurity　in　glowing　colours。　　Nowbut　let　me　talk　of　something　elsewill　you　go　with　me　to　the　cascade？

The　cross　road　to　it　was　rugged　and　dreary；　and　though　a　considerable　extent　of　land　was　cultivated　on　all　sides；　yet　the　rocks　were　entirely　bare；　which　surprised　me；　as　they　were　more　on　a　level　with　the　surface　than　any　I　had　yet　seen。　　On　inquiry；　however；　I　learnt　that　some　years　since　a　forest　had　been　burnt。　This　appearance　of　desolation　was　beyond　measure　gloomy；　inspiring　emotions　that　sterility　had　never　produced。　　Fires　of　this　kind　are　occasioned　by　the　wind　suddenly　rising　when　the　farmers　are　burning　roots　of　trees；　stalks　of　beans；　&c；　with　which　they　manure　the　ground。　　The　devastation　must；　indeed；　be　terrible；　when　this；　literally　speaking；　wildfire；　runs　along　the　forest；　flying　from　top　to　top；　and　crackling　amongst　the　branches。　　The　soil；　as　well　as　the　trees；　is　swept　away　by　the　destructive　torrent；　and　the　country；　despoiled　of　beauty　and　riches；　is　left　to　mourn　for　ages。

Admiring；　as　I　do；　these　noble　forests；　which　seem　to　bid　defiance　to　time；　I　looked　with　pain　on　the　ridge　of　rocks　that　stretched　far　beyond　my　eye；　formerly　crowned　with　the　most　beautiful　verdure。

I　have　often　mentioned　the　grandeur；　but　I　feel　myself　unequal　to　the　task　of　conveying　an　idea　of　the　beauty　and　elegance　of　the　scene　when　the　spiry　tops　of　the　pines　are　loaded　with　ripening　seed；　and　the　sun　gives　a　glow　to　their　light…green　tinge；　which　is　changing　into　purple；　one　tree　more　or　less　advanced　contrasted　with　another。　　The　profusion　with　which　Nature　has　decked　them　with　pendant　honours；　prevents　all　surprise　at　seeing　in　every　crevice　some　sapling　struggling　for　existence。　　Vast　masses　of　stone　are　thus　encircled；　and　roots　torn　up　by　the　storms　become　a　shelter　for　a　young　generation。　　The　pine　and　fir　woods；　left　entirely　to　Nature；　display　an　endless　variety；　and　the　paths　in　the　woods　are　not　entangled　with　fallen　leaves；　which　are　only　interesting　whilst　they　are　fluttering　between　life　and　death。　　The　grey　cobweb…like　appearance　of　the　aged　pines　is　a　much　finer　image　of　decay；　the　fibres　whitening　as　they　lose　their　moisture；　imprisoned　life　seems　to　be　stealing　away。　　I　cannot　tell　why；　but　death；　under　every　form；　appears　to　me　like　something　getting　free　to　expand　in　I　know　not　what　elementnay；　I　feel　that　this　conscious　being　must　be　as　unfettered；　have　the　wings　of　thought；　before　it　can　be　happy。

Reaching　the　cascade；　or　rather　cataract；　the　roaring　of　which　had　a　long　time　announced　its　vicinity；　my　soul　was　hurried　by　the　falls　into　a　new　train　of　reflections。　　The　impetuous　dashing　of　the　rebounding　torrent　from　the　dark　cavities　which　mocked　the　exploring　eye　produced　an　equal　activity　in　my　mind。　　My　thoughts　darted　from　earth　to　heaven；　and　I　asked　myself　why　I　was　chained　to　life　and　its　misery。　　Still　the　tumultuous　emotions　this　sublime　object　excited　were　pleasurable；　and；　viewing　it；　my　soul　rose　with　renewed　dignity　above　its　cares。　　Grasping　at　immortalityit　seemed　as　impossible　to　stop　the　current　of　my　thoughts；　as　of　the　always　varying；　still　the　same；　torrent　before　me；　I　stretched　out　my　hand　to　eternity；　bounding　over　the　dark　speck　of　life　to　come。

We　turned　with　regret　from　the　cascade。　　On　a　little　hill；　which　commands　the　best　view　of　it；　several　obelisks　are　erected　to　commemorate　the　visits　of　different　kings。　　The　appearance　of　the　river　above　and　below　the　falls　is　very　picturesque；　the　ruggedness　of　the　scenery　disappearing　as　the　torrent　subsides　into　a　peaceful　stream。　　But　I　did　not　like　to　see　a　number　of　saw…mills　crowded　together　close　to　the　cataracts；　they　destroyed　the　harmony　of　the　prospect。

The　sight　of　a　bridge　erected　across　a　deep　valley；　at　a　little　distance；　inspired　very　dissimilar　sensations。　　It　was　most　ingeniously　supported　by　mast…like　trunks；　just　stripped　of　their　branches；　and　logs；　placed　one　across　the　other；　produced　an　appearance　equally　light　and　firm；　seeming　almost　to　be　built　in　the　air　when　we　were　below　it；　the　height　taking　from　the　magnitude　of　the　supporting　trees　give　them　a　slender　graceful　look。

There　are　two　noble　estates　in　this　neighbourhood；　the　proprietors　of　which　seem　to　have　caught　more　than　their　portion　of　the　enterprising　spirit　that　is　gone　abroad。　　Many　agricultural　experiments　have　been　made；　and　the　country　appears　better　enclosed　and　cultivated；　yet　the　cottages　had　not　the　comfortable　aspect　of　those　I　had　observed　near　Moss　and　to　the　westward。　　Man　is　always　debased　by　servitude　of　any　description；　and　here　the　peasantry　are　not　entirely　free。　　Adieu！

I　almost　forgot　to　tell　you　that　I　did　not　leave　Norway　without　making　some　inquiries　after　the　monsters　said　to　have　been　seen　in　the　northern　sea；　but　though　I　conversed　with　several　captains；　I　could　not　meet　with　one　who　had　ever　heard　any　traditional　description　of　them；　much　less　had　any　ocular　demonstration　of　their　existence。　　Till　the　fact　is　better　ascertained；　I　should　think　the　account　of　them　ought　to　be　torn　out　of　our　geographical　grammars。



LETTER　XVI。



I　set　out　from　Fredericstadt　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　expected　to　reach　Stromstad　before　the　night　closed　in；　but　the　wind　dying　away；　the　weather　became　so　calm　that　we　scarcely　made　any　perceptible　advances　towards　the　opposite　coast；　though　the　men　were　fatigued　with　rowing。

Getting　amongst　the　rocks　and　islands　as　the　moon　rose；　and　the　stars　darted　forward　out　of　the　clear　expanse；　I　forgot　that　the　night　stole　on　whilst　indulging　affectionate　reveries；　the　poetical　fictions　of　sensibility；　I　was　not；　therefore；　aware　of　the　length　of　time　we　had　been　toiling　to　reach　Stromstad。　　And　when　I　began　to　look　around；　I　did　not　perceive　anything　to　indicate　that　we　were　in　its　neighbourhood。　　So　far　from　it；　that　when　I　inquired　of　the　pilot；　who　spoke　a　little　English；　I　found　that　he　was　only　accustomed　to　coast　along　the　Norwegian　shore；　and　had　been　only　once　across　to　Stromstad。　　But　he　had　brought　with　him　a　fellow　better　acquainted；　he　assured　me；　with　the　rocks　by　which　they　were　to　steer　our　course；　for　we　had　not　a　compass　on　board；　yet；　as　he　was　half　a　fool；　I　had　little　confidence　in　his　skill。　　There　was　then　great　reason　to　fear　that　we　had　lost　our　way；　and　were　straying　amidst　a　labyrinth　of　rocks　without　a　clue。

This　was　something　like　an　adventure；　but　not　of　the　most　agreeable　cast；　besides；　I　was　impatient　to　arrive　at　Stromstad；　to　be　able　to　send　forward　that　night　a　boy　to　order　horses　on　the　road　to　be　ready；　for　I　was　unwilling　to　remain　there　a　day　without　having　anything　to　detain　me　from　my　little　girl；　and　from　the　letters　which　I　was　impatient　to　get　from　you。

I　began　to　expostulate；　and　even　to　scold　the　pilot；　for　not　having　informed　me　of　his　ignorance　previous　to　my　departure。　　This　made　him　row　with　more　force；　and　we　turned　round　one　rock　only　to　see　another；　equally　destitute　of　the　tokens　we　were　in　search　of　to　tell　us　where　we　were。　　Entering　also　into　creek　after　creek　which　promised　to　be　the　entrance　of　the　bay　we　were　seeking；　we　advanced　merely　to　find　ourselves　running　aground。

The　solitariness　of　the　scene；　as　we　glided　under　the　dark　shadows　of　the　rocks；　pleased　me　for　a　while；　but　the　fear　of　passing　the　whole　night　thus　wandering　to　and　fro；　and　losing　the　next　day；　roused　me。　　I　begged　the　pilot　to　return　to　one　of　the　largest　islands；　at　the　side　of　which　we　had　seen　a　boat　moored。　　As　we　drew　nearer；　a　light　through　a　window　on　the　summit　became　our　beacon；　but　we　were　farther　off　than　I　supposed。

With　some　difficulty　the　pilot　got　on　shore；　not　distinguishing　the　landing…place；　and　I　remained　in　the　boat；　knowing　that　all　the　relief　we　could　expect　was　a　man　to　direct　us。　　After　waiting　some　time；　for　there　is　an　insensibility　in　the　very　movements　of　these　people　that　would　weary　more　than　ordinary　patience；　he　brought　with　him　a　man　who；　assisting　them　to　row；　we　landed　at　Stromstad　a　little　after　one　in　the　morning。

It　was　too　late　to　send　off　a　boy；　but　I　did　not　go　to　bed　before　I　had　made　the　arrangements　necessary　to　enable　me　to　set　out　as　early　as　possible。

The　sun　rose　with　splendour。　　My　mind　was　too　active　to　allow　me　to　loiter　long　in　bed；　though　the　horses　did　not　arrive　till　between　seven　and　eight。　　However；　as　I　wished　to　let　the　boy；　who　went　forward　to　order　the　horses；　get　considerably　the　start　of　me；　I　bridled　in　my　impatience。

This　precaution　was　unavailing；　for　after　the　three　first　posts　I　had　to　wait　two　hours；　whilst　the　people　at　the　post…house　went；　fair　and　softly；　to　the　farm；　to　bid　them　bring　up　the　horses　which　were　carrying　in　the　first…fruits　of　the　harvest。　　I　discovered　here　that　these　sluggish　peasants　had　their　share　of　cunning。　　Though　they　had　made　me　pay　for　a　horse；　the　boy　had　gone　on　foot；　and　only　arrived　half　an　hour　before　me。　　This　disconcerted　the　whole　arrangement　of　the　day；　and　being　detained　again　three　hours；　I　reluctantly　determined　to　sleep　at　Quistram；　two　posts　short　of　Uddervalla；　where　I　had　hoped　to　have　arrived　that　night。

But　when　I　reached　Quistram　I　found　I　could　not　approach　the　door　of　the　inn　for　men；　horses；　and　carts；　cows；　and　pigs　huddled　together。　From　the　concourse　of　people　I　had　met　on　the　road　I　conjectured　that　there　was　a　fair　in　the　neighbourhood；　this　crowd　convinced　me　that　it　was　but　too　true。　　The　boisterous　merriment　that　almost　every　instant　produced　a　q