letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第24部分

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s　an　art　brought　to　great　perfection　by　the　statesman　and　swindler；　and　meaner　knaves　are　not　tardy　in　following　their　footsteps。

It　moves　my　gall　to　discover　some　of　the　commercial　frauds　practised　during　the　present　war。　　In　short；　under　whatever　point　of　view　I　consider　society；　it　appears　to　me　that　an　adoration　of　property　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　　Here　it　does　not　render　the　people　enterprising；　as　in　America；　but　thrifty　and　cautious。　　I　never；　therefore；　was　in　a　capital　where　there　was　so　little　appearance　of　active　industry；　and　as　for　gaiety；　I　looked　in　vain　for　the　sprightly　gait　of　the　Norwegians；　who　in　every　respect　appear　to　me　to　have　got　the　start　of　them。　　This　difference　I　attribute　to　their　having　more　libertya　liberty　which　they　think　their　right　by　inheritance；　whilst　the　Danes；　when　they　boast　of　their　negative　happiness；　always　mention　it　as　the　boon　of　the　Prince　Royal；　under　the　superintending　wisdom　of　Count　Bernstorff。　　Vassalage　is　nevertheless　ceasing　throughout　the　kingdom；　and　with　it　will　pass　away　that　sordid　avarice　which　every　modification　of　slavery　is　calculated　to　produce。

If　the　chief　use　of　property　be　power；　in　the　shape　of　the　respect　it　procures；　is　it　not　among　the　inconsistencies　of　human　nature　most　incomprehensible；　that　men　should　find　a　pleasure　in　hoarding　up　property　which　they　steal　from　their　necessities；　even　when　they　are　convinced　that　it　would　be　dangerous　to　display　such　an　enviable　superiority？　　Is　not　this　the　situation　of　serfs　in　every　country。　Yet　a　rapacity　to　accumulate　money　seems　to　become　stronger　in　proportion　as　it　is　allowed　to　be　useless。

Wealth　does　not　appear　to　be　sought　for　amongst　the　Danes；　to　obtain　the　excellent　luxuries　of　life；　for　a　want　of　taste　is　very　conspicuous　at　Copenhagen；　so　much　so　that　I　am　not　surprised　to　hear　that　poor　Matilda　offended　the　rigid　Lutherans　by　aiming　to　refine　their　pleasures。　　The　elegance　which　she　wished　to　introduce　was　termed　lasciviousness；　yet　I　do　not　find　that　the　absence　of　gallantry　renders　the　wives　more　chaste；　or　the　husbands　more　constant。　　Love　here　seems　to　corrupt　the　morals　without　polishing　the　manners；　by　banishing　confidence　and　truth；　the　charm　as　well　as　cement　of　domestic　life。　　A　gentleman；　who　has　resided　in　this　city　some　time；　assures　me　that　he　could　not　find　language　to　give　me　an　idea　of　the　gross　debaucheries　into　which　the　lower　order　of　people　fall；　and　the　promiscuous　amours　of　the　men　of　the　middling　class　with　their　female　servants　debase　both　beyond　measure；　weakening　every　species　of　family　affection。

I　have　everywhere　been　struck　by　one　characteristic　difference　in　the　conduct　of　the　two　sexes；　women；　in　general；　are　seduced　by　their　superiors；　and　men　jilted　by　their　inferiors：　　rank　and　manners　awe　the　one；　and　cunning　and　wantonness　subjugate　the　other；　ambition　creeping　into　the　woman's　passion；　and　tyranny　giving　force　to　the　man's；　for　most　men　treat　their　mistresses　as　kings　do　their　favourites：　　ergo　is　not　man　then　the　tyrant　of　the　creation？

Still　harping　on　the　same　subject；　you　will　exclaimHow　can　I　avoid　it；　when　most　of　the　struggles　of　an　eventful　life　have　been　occasioned　by　the　oppressed　state　of　my　sex？　　We　reason　deeply　when　we　feel　forcibly。

But　to　return　to　the　straight　road　of　observation。　　The　sensuality　so　prevalent　appears　to　me　to　arise　rather　from　indolence　of　mind　and　dull　senses；　than　from　an　exuberance　of　life；　which　often　fructifies　the　whole　character　when　the　vivacity　of　youthful　spirits　begins　to　subside　into　strength　of　mind。

I　have　before　mentioned　that　the　men　are　domestic　tyrants；　considering　them　as　fathers；　brothers；　or　husbands；　but　there　is　a　kind　of　interregnum　between　the　reign　of　the　father　and　husband　which　is　the　only　period　of　freedom　and　pleasure　that　the　women　enjoy。　　Young　people　who　are　attached　to　each　other；　with　the　consent　of　their　friends；　exchange　rings；　and　are　permitted　to　enjoy　a　degree　of　liberty　together　which　1　have　never　noticed　in　any　other　country。　　The　days　of　courtship　are；　therefore；　prolonged　till　it　be　perfectly　convenient　to　marry：　　the　intimacy　often　becomes　very　tender；　and　if　the　lover　obtain　the　privilege　of　a　husband；　it　can　only　be　termed　half　by　stealth；　because　the　family　is　wilfully　blind。　　It　happens　very　rarely　that　these　honorary　engagements　are　dissolved　or　disregarded；　a　stigma　being　attached　to　a　breach　of　faith　which　is　thought　more　disgraceful；　if　not　so　criminal；　as　the　violation　of　the　marriage…vow。

Do　not　forget　that；　in　my　general　observations；　I　do　not　pretend　to　sketch　a　national　character；　but　merely　to　note　the　present　state　of　morals　and　manners　as　I　trace　the　progress　of　the　world's　improvement。　　Because；　during　my　residence　in　different　countries；　my　principal　object　has　been　to　take　such　a　dispassionate　view　of　men　as　will　lead　me　to　form　a　just　idea　of　the　nature　of　man。　　And；　to　deal　ingenuously　with　you；　I　believe　I　should　have　been　less　severe　in　the　remarks　I　have　made　on　the　vanity　and　depravity　of　the　French；　had　I　travelled　towards　the　north　before　I　visited　France。

The　interesting　picture　frequently　drawn　of　the　virtues　of　a　rising　people　has；　I　fear；　been　fallacious；　excepting　the　accounts　of　the　enthusiasm　which　various　public　struggles　have　produced。　　We　talk　of　the　depravity　of　the　French；　and　lay　a　stress　on　the　old　age　of　the　nation；　yet　where　has　more　virtuous　enthusiasm　been　displayed　than　during　the　two　last　years　by　the　common　people　of　France；　and　in　their　armies？　　I　am　obliged　sometimes　to　recollect　the　numberless　instances　which　I　have　either　witnessed；　or　heard　well　authenticated；　to　balance　the　account　of　horrors；　alas！　but　too　true。　　I　am；　therefore；　inclined　to　believe　that　the　gross　vices　which　I　have　always　seem　allied　with　simplicity　of　manners；　are　the　concomitants　of　ignorance。

What；　for　example；　has　piety；　under　the　heathen　or　Christian　system；　been；　but　a　blind　faith　in　things　contrary　to　the　principles　of　reason？　　And　could　poor　reason　make　considerable　advances　when　it　was　reckoned　the　highest　degree　of　virtue　to　do　violence　to　its　dictates？　　Lutherans；　preaching　reformation；　have　built　a　reputation　for　sanctity　on　the　same　foundation　as　the　Catholics；　yet　I　do　not　perceive　that　a　regular　attendance　on　public　worship；　and　their　other　observances；　make　them　a　whit　more　true　in　their　affections；　or　honest　in　their　private　transactions。　　It　seems；　indeed；　quite　as　easy　to　prevaricate　with　religious　injunctions　as　human　laws；　when　the　exercise　of　their　reason　does　not　lead　people　to　acquire　principles　for　themselves　to　be　the　criterion　of　all　those　they　receive　from　others。

If　travelling；　as　the　completion　of　a　liberal　education；　were　to　be　adopted　on　rational　grounds；　the　northern　states　ought　to　be　visited　before　the　more　polished　parts　of　Europe；　to　serve　as　the　elements　even　of　the　knowledge　of　manners；　only　to　be　acquired　by　tracing　the　various　shades　in　different　countries。　　But；　when　visiting　distant　climes；　a　momentary　social　sympathy　should　not　be　allowed　to　influence　the　conclusions　of　the　understanding；　for　hospitality　too　frequently　leads　travellers；　especially　those　who　travel　in　search　of　pleasure；　to　make　a　false　estimate　of　the　virtues　of　a　nation；　which；　I　am　now　convinced；　bear　an　exact　proportion　to　their　scientific　improvements。

Adieu。



LETTER　XX。



I　have　formerly　censured　the　French　for　their　extreme　attachment　to　theatrical　exhibitions；　because　I　thought　that　they　tended　to　render　them　vain　and　unnatural　characters；　but　I　must　acknowledge；　especially　as　women　of　the　town　never　appear　in　the　Parisian　as　at　our　theatres；　that　the　little　saving　of　the　week　is　more　usefully　expended　there　every　Sunday　than　in　porter　or　brandy；　to　intoxicate　or　stupify　the　mind。　　The　common　people　of　France　have　a　great　superiority　over　that　class　in　every　other　country　on　this　very　score。　　It　is　merely　the　sobriety　of　the　Parisians　which　renders　their　fetes　more　interesting；　their　gaiety　never　becoming　disgusting　or　dangerous；　as　is　always　the　case　when　liquor　circulates。　Intoxication　is　the　pleasure　of　savages；　and　of　all　those　whose　employments　rather　exhaust　their　animal　spirits　than　exercise　their　faculties。　　Is　not　this；　in　fact；　the　vice；　both　in　England　and　the　northern　states　of　Europe；　which　appears　to　be　the　greatest　impediment　to　general　improvement？　　Drinking　is　here　the　principal　relaxation　of　the　men；　including　smoking；　but　the　women　are　very　abstemious；　though　they　have　no　public　amusements　as　a　substitute。　I　ought　to　except　one　theatre；　which　appears　more　than　is　necessary；　for　when　I　was　there　it　was　not　half　full；　and　neither　the　ladies　nor　actresses　displayed　much　fancy　in　their　dress。

The　play　was　founded　on　the　story　of　the　〃Mock　Doctor；〃　and；　from　the　gestures　of　the　servants；　who　were　the　best　actors；　I　should　imagine　contained　some　humour。　　The　farce；　termed　ballet；　was　a　kind　of　pantomime；　the　childish　incidents　of　which　were　sufficient　to　show　the　state　of　the　dramatic　art　in　Denmark；　and　the　gross　taste　of　the　audience。　　A　magician；　in　the　disguise　of　a　tinker；　enters　a　cottage　where　the　women　are　all　busy　ironing；　and　rubs　a　dirty　frying…pan　against　the　linen。　　The　women　raise　a　hue…and…cry；　and　dance　after　him；　rousing　their　husbands；　who　join　in　the　dance；　but　get　the　start　of　them　in　the　pursuit。　　The　tinker；　with　the　frying…　pan　for　a　shield；　renders　them　immovable；　and　blacks　their　cheeks。　Each　laughs　at　the　other；　unconscious　of　his　own　appearance；　meanwhile　the　women　enter　to　enjoy　the　sport；　〃the　rare　fun；〃　with　other　incidents　of　the　same　species。

The　singing　was　much　on　a　par　with　the　dancing；　the　one　as　destitute　of　grace　as　the　other　of　expression；　but　the　orchestra　was　well　filled；　the　instrumental　being　far　superior　to　the　vocal　music。

I　have　likewise　visited　the　public　library　and　museum；　as　well　as　the　palace　of　Rosembourg。　　This　palace；　now　deserted；　displays　a　gloomy　kind　of　grandeur　throughout；　for　the　silence　of　spacious　apartments　always　makes　itself　to　be　felt；　I　at　least　feel　it；　and　I　listen　for　the　sound　of　my　footsteps　as　I　have　done　at　midnight　to　the　ticking　of　the　death…watch；　encouraging　a　kind　of　fanciful　superstition。　　Every　object　carried　me