letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第22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！


no　communication　with　the　torrent　had　I　not　seen　a　huge　log　that　fell　headlong　down　the　cascade　steal　peacefully　into　the　purling　stream。

I　retired　from　these　wild　scenes　with　regret　to　a　miserable　inn；　and　next　morning　returned　to　Gothenburg；　to　prepare　for　my　journey　to　Copenhagen。

I　was　sorry　to　leave　Gothenburg　without　travelling　farther　into　Sweden；　yet　I　imagine　I　should　only　have　seen　a　romantic　country　thinly　inhabited；　and　these　inhabitants　struggling　with　poverty。　The　Norwegian　peasantry；　mostly　independent；　have　a　rough　kind　of　frankness　in　their　manner；　but　the　Swedish；　rendered　more　abject　by　misery；　have　a　degree　of　politeness　in　their　address　which；　though　it　may　sometimes　border　on　insincerity；　is　oftener　the　effect　of　a　broken　spirit；　rather　softened　than　degraded　by　wretchedness。

In　Norway　there　are　no　notes　in　circulation　of　less　value　than　a　Swedish　rix…dollar。　　A　small　silver　coin；　commonly　not　worth　more　than　a　penny；　and　never　more　than　twopence；　serves　for　change；　but　in　Sweden　they　have　notes　as　low　as　sixpence。　　I　never　saw　any　silver　pieces　there；　and　could　not　without　difficulty；　and　giving　a　premium；　obtain　the　value　of　a　rix…dollar　in　a　large　copper　coin　to　give　away　on　the　road　to　the　poor　who　open　the　gates。

As　another　proof　of　the　poverty　of　Sweden；　I　ought　to　mention　that　foreign　merchants　who　have　acquired　a　fortune　there　are　obliged　to　deposit　the　sixth　part　when　they　leave　the　kingdom。　　This　law；　you　may　suppose；　is　frequently　evaded。

In　fact；　the　laws　here；　as　well　as　in　Norway；　are　so　relaxed　that　they　rather　favour　than　restrain　knavery。

Whilst　I　was　at　Gothenburg；　a　man　who　had　been　confined　for　breaking　open　his　master's　desk　and　running　away　with　five　or　six　thousand　rix…dollars；　was　only　sentenced　to　forty　days'　confinement　on　bread　and　water；　and　this　slight　punishment　his　relations　rendered　nugatory　by　supplying　him　with　more　savoury　food。

The　Swedes　are　in　general　attached　to　their　families；　yet　a　divorce　may　be　obtained　by　either　party　on　proving　the　infidelity　of　the　other　or　acknowledging　it　themselves。　　The　women　do　not　often　recur　to　this　equal　privilege；　for　they　either　retaliate　on　their　husbands　by　following　their　own　devices　or　sink　into　the　merest　domestic　drudges；　worn　down　by　tyranny　to　servile　submission。　　Do　not　term　me　severe　if　I　add；　that　after　youth　is　flown　the　husband　becomes　a　sot；　and　the　wife　amuses　herself　by　scolding　her　servants。　　In　fact；　what　is　to　be　expected　in　any　country　where　taste　and　cultivation　of　mind　do　not　supply　the　place　of　youthful　beauty　and　animal　spirits？　Affection　requires　a　firmer　foundation　than　sympathy；　and　few　people　have　a　principle　of　action　sufficiently　stable　to　produce　rectitude　of　feeling；　for　in　spite　of　all　the　arguments　I　have　heard　to　justify　deviations　from　duty；　I　am　persuaded　that　even　the　most　spontaneous　sensations　are　more　under　the　direction　of　principle　than　weak　people　are　willing　to　allow。

But　adieu　to　moralising。　　I　have　been　writing　these　last　sheets　at　an　inn　in　Elsineur；　where　I　am　waiting　for　horses；　and　as　they　are　not　yet　ready；　I　will　give　you　a　short　account　of　my　journey　from　Gothenburg；　for　I　set　out　the　morning　after　I　returned　from　Trolhaettae。

The　country　during　the　first　day's　journey　presented　a　most　barren　appearance；　as　rocky；　yet　not　so　picturesque　as　Norway；　because　on　a　diminutive　scale。　　We　stopped　to　sleep　at　a　tolerable　inn　in　Falckersberg；　a　decent　little　town。

The　next　day　beeches　and　oaks　began　to　grace　the　prospects；　the　sea　every　now　and　then　appearing　to　give　them　dignity。　　I　could　not　avoid　observing　also；　that　even　in　this　part　of　Sweden；　one　of　the　most　sterile；　as　I　was　informed；　there　was　more　ground　under　cultivation　than　in　Norway。　　Plains　of　varied　crops　stretched　out　to　a　considerable　extent；　and　sloped　down　to　the　shore；　no　longer　terrific。　　And；　as　far　as　I　could　judge；　from　glancing　my　eye　over　the　country　as　we　drove　along；　agriculture　was　in　a　more　advanced　state；　though　in　the　habitations　a　greater　appearance　of　poverty　still　remained。　　The　cottages；　indeed；　often　looked　most　uncomfortable；　but　never　so　miserable　as　those　I　had　remarked　on　the　road　to　Stromstad；　and　the　towns　were　equal；　if　not　superior；　to　many　of　the　little　towns　in　Wales；　or　some　I　have　passed　through　in　my　way　from　Calais　to　Paris。

The　inns　as　we　advanced　were　not　to　be　complained　of；　unless　I　had　always　thought　of　England。　　The　people　were　civil；　and　much　more　moderate　in　their　demands　than　the　Norwegians；　particularly　to　the　westward；　where　they　boldly　charge　for　what　you　never　had；　and　seem　to　consider　you；　as　they　do　a　wreck；　if　not　as　lawful　prey；　yet　as　a　lucky　chance；　which　they　ought　not　to　neglect　to　seize。

The　prospect　of　Elsineur；　as　we　passed　the　Sound；　was　pleasant。　　I　gave　three　rix…dollars　for　my　boat；　including　something　to　drink。　　I　mention　the　sum；　because　they　impose　on　strangers。

Adieu！　till　I　arrive　at　Copenhagen。



LETTER　XVIII。COPENHAGEN。



The　distance　from　Elsineur　to　Copenhagen　is　twenty…two　miles；　the　road　is　very　good；　over　a　flat　country　diversified　with　wood；　mostly　beech；　and　decent　mansions。　　There　appeared　to　be　a　great　quantity　of　corn　land；　and　the　soil　looked　much　more　fertile　than　it　is　in　general　so　near　the　sea。　　The　rising　grounds；　indeed；　were　very　few；　and　around　Copenhagen　it　is　a　perfect　plain；　of　course　has　nothing　to　recommend　it　but　cultivation；　not　decorations。　　If　I　say　that　the　houses　did　not　disgust　me；　I　tell　you　all　I　remember　of　them；　for　I　cannot　recollect　any　pleasurable　sensations　they　excited；　or　that　any　object；　produced　by　nature　or　art；　took　me　out　of　myself。　　The　view　of　the　city；　as　we　drew　near；　was　rather　grand；　but　without　any　striking　feature　to　interest　the　imagination；　excepting　the　trees　which　shade　the　footpaths。

Just　before　I　reached　Copenhagen　I　saw　a　number　of　tents　on　a　wide　plain；　and　supposed　that　the　rage　for　encampments　had　reached　this　city；　but　I　soon　discovered　that　they　were　the　asylum　of　many　of　the　poor　families　who　had　been　driven　out　of　their　habitations　by　the　late　fire。

Entering　soon　after；　I　passed　amongst　the　dust　and　rubbish　it　had　left；　affrighted　by　viewing　the　extent　of　the　devastation；　for　at　least　a　quarter　of　the　city　had　been　destroyed。　　There　was　little　in　the　appearance　of　fallen　bricks　and　stacks　of　chimneys　to　allure　the　imagination　into　soothing　melancholy　reveries；　nothing　to　attract　the　eye　of　taste；　but　much　to　afflict　the　benevolent　heart。　　The　depredations　of　time　have　always　something　in　them　to　employ　the　fancy；　or　lead　to　musing　on　subjects　which；　withdrawing　the　mind　from　objects　of　sense；　seem　to　give　it　new　dignity；　but　here　I　was　treading　on　live　ashes。　　The　sufferers　were　still　under　the　pressure　of　the　misery　occasioned　by　this　dreadful　conflagration。　　I　could　not　take　refuge　in　the　thought：　　they　suffered；　but　they　are　no　more！　a　reflection　I　frequently　summon　to　calm　my　mind　when　sympathy　rises　to　anguish。　　I　therefore　desired　the　driver　to　hasten　to　the　hotel　recommended　to　me；　that　I　might　avert　my　eyes　and　snap　the　train　of　thinking　which　had　sent　me　into　all　the　corners　of　the　city　in　search　of　houseless　heads。

This　morning　I　have　been　walking　round　the　town；　till　I　am　weary　of　observing　the　ravages。　　I　had　often　heard　the　Danes；　even　those　who　had　seen　Paris　and　London；　speak　of　Copenhagen　with　rapture。　Certainly　I　have　seen　it　in　a　very　disadvantageous　light；　some　of　the　best　streets　having　been　burnt；　and　the　whole　place　thrown　into　confusion。　　Still　the　utmost　that　can；　or　could　ever；　I　believe；　have　been　said　in　its　praise；　might　be　comprised　in　a　few　words。　The　streets　are　open；　and　many　of　the　houses　large；　but　I　saw　nothing　to　rouse　the　idea　of　elegance　or　grandeur；　if　I　except　the　circus　where　the　king　and　prince　royal　reside。

The　palace；　which　was　consumed　about　two　years　ago；　must　have　been　a　handsome；　spacious　building；　the　stone…work　is　still　standing；　and　a　great　number　of　the　poor；　during　the　late　fire；　took　refuge　in　its　ruins　till　they　could　find　some　other　abode。　　Beds　were　thrown　on　the　landing…places　of　the　grand　staircase；　where　whole　families　crept　from　the　cold；　and　every　little　nook　is　boarded　up　as　a　retreat　for　some　poor　creatures　deprived　of　their　home。　　At　present　a　roof　may　be　sufficient　to　shelter　them　from　the　night　air；　but　as　the　season　advances；　the　extent　of　the　calamity　will　be　more　severely　felt；　I　fear；　though　the　exertions　on　the　part　of　Government　are　very　considerable。　　Private　charity　has　also；　no　doubt；　done　much　to　alleviate　the　misery　which　obtrudes　itself　at　every　turn；　still；　public　spirit　appears　to　me　to　be　hardly　alive　here。　　Had　it　existed；　the　conflagration　might　have　been　smothered　in　the　beginning；　as　it　was　at　last；　by　tearing　down　several　houses　before　the　flames　had　reached　them。　　To　this　the　inhabitants　would　not　consent；　and　the　prince　royal　not　having　sufficient　energy　of　character　to　know　when　he　ought　to　be　absolute；　calmly　let　them　pursue　their　own　course；　till　the　whole　city　seemed　to　be　threatened　with　destruction。　　Adhering；　with　puerile　scrupulosity；　to　the　law　which　he　has　imposed　on　himself；　of　acting　exactly　right；　he　did　wrong　by　idly　lamenting　whilst　he　marked　the　progress　of　a　mischief　that　one　decided　step　would　have　stopped。　　He　was　afterwards　obliged　to　resort　to　violent　measures；　but　then；　who　could　blame　him？　　And；　to　avoid　censure；　what　sacrifices　are　not　made　by　weak　minds？

A　gentleman　who　was　a　witness　of　the　scene　assured　me；　likewise；　that　if　the　people　of　property　had　taken　half　as　much　pains　to　extinguish　the　fire　as　to　preserve　their　valuables　and　furniture；　it　would　soon　have　been　got　under。　　But　they　who　were　not　immediately　in　danger　did　not　exert　themselves　sufficiently；　till　fear；　like　an　electrical　shock；　roused　all　the　inhabitants　to　a　sense　of　the　general　evil。　　Even　the　fire…engines　were　out　of　order；　though　the　burning　of　the　palace　ought　to　have　admonished　them　of　the　necessity　of　keeping　them　in　constant　repair。　　But　this　kind　of　indolence　respecting　what　does　not　immediately　concern　them　seems　to　characterise　the　Danes。　　A　sluggish　concentration　in　themselves　makes　them　so　careful　to　preserve　their　property；　that　they　will　not　ven