letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第23部分

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concentration　in　themselves　makes　them　so　careful　to　preserve　their　property；　that　they　will　not　venture　on　any　enterprise　to　increase　it　in　which　there　is　a　shadow　of　hazard。

Considering　Copenhagen　as　the　capital　of　Denmark　and　Norway；　I　was　surprised　not　to　see　so　much　industry　or　taste　as　in　Christiania。　Indeed；　from　everything　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　observing；　the　Danes　are　the　people　who　have　made　the　fewest　sacrifices　to　the　graces。

The　men　of　business　are　domestic　tyrants；　coldly　immersed　in　their　own　affairs；　and　so　ignorant　of　the　state　of　other　countries；　that　they　dogmatically　assert　that　Denmark　is　the　happiest　country　in　the　world；　the　Prince　Royal　the　best　of　all　possible　princes；　and　Count　Bernstorff　the　wisest　of　ministers。

As　for　the　women；　they　are　simply　notable　housewives；　without　accomplishments　or　any　of　the　charms　that　adorn　more　advanced　social　life。　　This　total　ignorance　may　enable　them　to　save　something　in　their　kitchens；　but　it　is　far　from　rendering　them　better　parents。　On　the　contrary；　the　children　are　spoiled；　as　they　usually　are　when　left　to　the　care　of　weak；　indulgent　mothers；　who　having　no　principle　of　action　to　regulate　their　feelings；　become　the　slaves　of　infants；　enfeebling　both　body　and　mind　by　false　tenderness。

I　am；　perhaps；　a　little　prejudiced；　as　I　write　from　the　impression　of　the　moment；　for　I　have　been　tormented　to…day　by　the　presence　of　unruly　children；　and　made　angry　by　some　invectives　thrown　out　against　the　maternal　character　of　the　unfortunate　Matilda。　　She　was　censured；　with　the　most　cruel　insinuation；　for　her　management　of　her　son；　though；　from　what　I　could　gather；　she　gave　proofs　of　good　sense　as　well　as　tenderness　in　her　attention　to　him。　　She　used　to　bathe　him　herself　every　morning；　insisted　on　his　being　loosely　clad；　and　would　not　permit　his　attendants　to　injure　his　digestion　by　humouring　his　appetite。　　She　was　equally　careful　to　prevent　his　acquiring　haughty　airs；　and　playing　the　tyrant　in　leading…strings。　　The　Queen　Dowager　would　not　permit　her　to　suckle　him；　but　the　next　child　being　a　daughter；　and　not　the　Heir…Apparent　of　the　Crown；　less　opposition　was　made　to　her　discharging　the　duty　of　a　mother。

Poor　Matilda！　thou　hast　haunted　me　ever　since　may　arrival；　and　the　view　I　have　had　of　the　manners　of　the　country；　exciting　my　sympathy；　has　increased　my　respect　for　thy　memory。

I　am　now　fully　convinced　that　she　was　the　victim　of　the　party　she　displaced；　who　would　have　overlooked　or　encouraged　her　attachment；　had　not　her　lover；　aiming　at　being　useful；　attempted　to　overturn　some　established　abuses　before　the　people；　ripe　for　the　change；　had　sufficient　spirit　to　support　him　when　struggling　in　their　behalf。　Such　indeed　was　the　asperity　sharpened　against　her　that　I　have　heard　her；　even　after　so　many　years　have　elapsed；　charged　with　licentiousness；　not　only　for　endeavouring　to　render　the　public　amusements　more　elegant；　but　for　her　very　charities；　because　she　erected；　amongst　other　institutions；　a　hospital　to　receive　foundlings。　　Disgusted　with　many　customs　which　pass　for　virtues；　though　they　are　nothing　more　than　observances　of　forms；　often　at　the　expense　of　truth；　she　probably　ran　into　an　error　common　to　innovators；　in　wishing　to　do　immediately　what　can　only　be　done　by　time。

Many　very　cogent　reasons　have　been　urged　by　her　friends　to　prove　that　her　affection　for　Struensee　was　never　carried　to　the　length　alleged　against　her　by　those　who　feared　her　influence。　　Be　that　as　it　may　she　certainly　was　no　a　woman　of　gallantry；　and　if　she　had　an　attachment　for　him　it　did　not　disgrace　her　heart　or　understanding；　the　king　being　a　notorious　debauchee　and　an　idiot　into　the　bargain。　As　the　king's　conduct　had　always　been　directed　by　some　favourite；　they　also　endeavoured　to　govern　him；　from　a　principle　of　self…　preservation　as　well　as　a　laudable　ambition；　but；　not　aware　of　the　prejudices　they　had　to　encounter；　the　system　they　adopted　displayed　more　benevolence　of　heart　than　soundness　of　judgment。　　As　to　the　charge；　still　believed；　of　their　giving　the　King　drugs　to　injure　his　faculties；　it　is　too　absurd　to　be　refuted。　　Their　oppressors　had　better　have　accused　them　of　dabbling　in　the　black　art；　for　the　potent　spell　still　keeps　his　wits　in　bondage。

I　cannot　describe　to　you　the　effect　it　had　on　me　to　see　this　puppet　of　a　monarch　moved　by　the　strings　which　Count　Bernstorff　holds　fast；　sit；　with　vacant　eye；　erect；　receiving　the　homage　of　courtiers　who　mock　him　with　a　show　of　respect。　　He　is；　in　fact；　merely　a　machine　of　state；　to　subscribe　the　name　of　a　king　to　the　acts　of　the　Government；　which；　to　avoid　danger；　have　no　value　unless　countersigned　by　the　Prince　Royal；　for　he　is　allowed　to　be　absolutely　aim　idiot；　excepting　that　now　and　then　an　observation　or　trick　escapes　him；　which　looks　more　like　madness　than　imbecility。

What　a　farce　is　life。　　This　effigy　of　majesty　is　allowed　to　burn　down　to　the　socket；　whilst　the　hapless　Matilda　was　hurried　into　an　untimely　grave。

〃As　flies　to　wanton　boys；　are　we　to　the　gods；　They　kill　us　for　their　sport。〃

Adieu！



LETTER　XIX。



Business　having　obliged　me　to　go　a　few　miles　out　of　town　this　morning　I　was　surprised　at　meeting　a　crowd　of　people　of　every　description；　and　inquiring　the　cause　of　a　servant；　who　spoke　French；　I　was　informed　that　a　man　had　been　executed　two　hours　before；　and　the　body　afterwards　burnt。　　I　could　not　help　looking　with　horror　aroundthe　fields　lost　their　verdureand　I　turned　with　disgust　from　the　well…dressed　women　who　were　returning　with　their　children　from　this　sight。　　What　a　spectacle　for　humanity！　　The　seeing　such　a　flock　of　idle　gazers　plunged　me　into　a　train　of　reflections　on　the　pernicious　effects　produced　by　false　notions　of　justice。　　And　I　am　persuaded　that　till　capital　punishments　are　entirely　abolished　executions　ought　to　have　every　appearance　of　horror　given　to　them；　instead　of　being；　as　they　are　now；　a　scene　of　amusement　for　the　gaping　crowd；　where　sympathy　is　quickly　effaced　by　curiosity。

I　have　always　been　of　opinion　that　the　allowing　actors　to　die　in　the　presence　of　the　audience　has　an　immoral　tendency；　but　trifling　when　compared　with　the　ferocity　acquired　by　viewing　the　reality　as　a　show；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　in　all　countries　the　common　people　go　to　executions　to　see　how　the　poor　wretch　plays　his　part；　rather　than　to　commiserate　his　fate；　much　less　to　think　of　the　breach　of　morality　which　has　brought　him　to　such　a　deplorable　end。　Consequently　executions；　far　from　being　useful　examples　to　the　survivors；　have；　I　am　persuaded；　a　quite　contrary　effect；　by　hardening　the　heart　they　ought　to　terrify。　　Besides　the　fear　of　an　ignominious　death；　I　believe；　never　deferred　anyone　from　the　commission　of　a　crime；　because；　in　committing　it；　the　mind　is　roused　to　activity　about　present　circumstances。　　It　is　a　game　at　hazard；　at　which　all　expect　the　turn　of　the　die　in　their　own　favour；　never　reflecting　on　the　chance　of　ruin　till　it　comes。　　In　fact；　from　what　I　saw　in　the　fortresses　of　Norway；　I　am　more　and　more　convinced　that　the　same　energy　of　character　which　renders　a　man　a　daring　villain　would　have　rendered　him　useful　to　society；　had　that　society　been　well　organised。　　When　a　strong　mind　is　not　disciplined　by　cultivation　it　is　a　sense　of　injustice　that　renders　it　unjust。

Executions；　however；　occur　very　rarely　at　Copenhagen；　for　timidity；　rather　than　clemency；　palsies　all　the　operations　of　the　present　Government。　　The　malefactor　who　died　this　morning　would　not；　probably；　have　been　punished　with　death　at　any　other　period；　but　an　incendiary　excites　universal　execration；　and　as　the　greater　part　of　the　inhabitants　are　still　distressed　by　the　late　conflagration；　an　example　was　thought　absolutely　necessary；　though；　from　what　I　can　gather；　the　fire　was　accidental。

Not；　but　that　I　have　very　seriously　been　informed；　that　combustible　materials　were　placed　at　proper　distance；　by　the　emissaries　of　Mr。　Pitt；　and；　to　corroborate　the　fact；　many　people　insist　that　the　flames　burst　out　at　once　in　different　parts　of　the　city；　not　allowing　the　wind　to　have　any　hand　in　it。　　So　much　for　the　plot。　But　the　fabricators　of　plots　in　all　countries　build　their　conjectures　on　the　〃baseless　fabric　of　a　vision；〃　and　it　seems　even　a　sort　of　poetical　justice；　that　whilst　this　Minister　is　crushing　at　home　plots　of　his　own　conjuring　up；　on　the　Continent；　and　in　the　north；　he　should；　with　as　little　foundation；　be　accused　of　wishing　to　set　the　world　on　fire。

I　forgot　to　mention　to　you；　that　I　was　informed；　by　a　man　of　veracity；　that　two　persons　came　to　the　stake　to　drink　a　glass　of　the　criminal's　blood；　as　an　infallible　remedy　for　the　apoplexy。　　And　when　I　animadverted　in　the　company；　where　it　was　mentioned；　on　such　a　horrible　violation　of　nature；　a　Danish　lady　reproved　me　very　severely；　asking　how　I　knew　that　it　was　not　a　cure　for　the　disease？　adding；　that　every　attempt　was　justifiable　in　search　of　health。　　I　did　not；　you　may　imagine；　enter　into　an　argument　with　a　person　the　slave　of　such　a　gross　prejudice。　　And　I　allude　to　it　not　only　as　a　trait　of　the　ignorance　of　the　people；　but　to　censure　the　Government　for　not　preventing　scenes　that　throw　an　odium　on　the　human　race。

Empiricism　is　not　peculiar　to　Denmark；　and　I　know　no　way　of　rooting　it　out；　though　it　be　a　remnant　of　exploded　witchcraft；　till　the　acquiring　a　general　knowledge　of　the　component　parts　of　the　human　frame　becomes　a　part　of　public　education。

Since　the　fire；　the　inhabitants　have　been　very　assiduously　employed　in　searching　for　property　secreted　during　the　confusion；　and　it　is　astonishing　how　many　people；　formerly　termed　reputable；　had　availed　themselves　of　the　common　calamity　to　purloin　what　the　flames　spared。　Others；　expert　at　making　a　distinction　without　a　difference；　concealed　what　they　found；　not　troubling　themselves　to　inquire　for　the　owners；　though　they　scrupled　to　search　for　plunder　anywhere；　but　amongst　the　ruins。

To　be　honester　than　the　laws　require　is　by　most　people　thought　a　work　of　supererogation；　and　to　slip　through　the　grate　of　the　law　has　ever　exercised　the　abilities　of　adventurers；　who　wish　to　get　rich　the　shortest　way。　　Knavery　without　personal　danger　is　an　art　brought　to　great　perfection　by　the　statesman　and　swindler；　and　meaner　knaves　are　not　tardy