letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第4部分

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　her　timidity。

Stopping　at　a　little　inn　to　bait　the　horses；　I　saw　the　first　countenance　in　Sweden　that　displeased　me；　though　the　man　was　better　dressed　than　any　one　who　had　as　yet　fallen　in　my　way。　　An　altercation　took　place　between　him　and　my　host；　the　purport　of　which　I　could　not　guess；　excepting　that　I　was　the　occasion　of　it；　be　it　what　it　would。　　The　sequel　was　his　leaving　the　house　angrily；　and　I　was　immediately　informed　that　he　was　the　custom…house　officer。　　The　professional　had　indeed　effaced　the　national　character；　for；　living　as　he　did　within　these　frank　hospitable　people；　still　only　the　exciseman　appeared；　the　counterpart　of　some　I　had　met　with　in　England　and　France。　　I　was　unprovided　with　a　passport；　not　having　entered　any　great　town。　　At　Gothenburg　I　knew　I　could　immediately　obtain　one；　and　only　the　trouble　made　me　object　to　the　searching　my　trunks。　　He　blustered　for　money；　but　the　lieutenant　was　determined　to　guard　me；　according　to　promise；　from　imposition。

To　avoid　being　interrogated　at　the　town…gate；　and　obliged　to　go　in　the　rain　to　give　an　account　of　myself　（merely　a　form）　before　we　could　get　the　refreshment　we　stood　in　need　of；　he　requested　us　to　descendI　might　have　said　stepfrom　our　car；　and　walk　into　town。

I　expected　to　have　found　a　tolerable　inn；　but　was　ushered　into　a　most　comfortless　one；　and；　because　it　was　about　five　o'clock；　three　or　four　hours　after　their　dining　hour；　I　could　not　prevail　on　them　to　give　me　anything　warm　to　eat。

The　appearance　of　the　accommodations　obliged　me　to　deliver　one　of　my　recommendatory　letters；　and　the　gentleman　to　whom　it　was　addressed　sent　to　look　out　for　a　lodging　for　me　whilst　I　partook　of　his　supper。　　As　nothing　passed　at　this　supper　to　characterise　the　country；　I　shall　here　close　my　letter。

Yours　truly。



LETTER　II。



Gothenburg　is　a　clean　airy　town；　and；　having　been　built　by　the　Dutch；　has　canals　running　through　each　street；　and　in　some　of　them　there　are　rows　of　trees　that　would　render　it　very　pleasant　were　it　not　for　the　pavement；　which　is　intolerably　bad。

There　are　several　rich　commercial　housesScotch；　French；　and　Swedish；　but　the　Scotch；　I　believe；　have　been　the　most　successful。　The　commerce　and　commission　business　with　France　since　the　war　has　been　very　lucrative；　and　enriched　the　merchants　I　am　afraid　at　the　expense　of　the　other　inhabitants；　by　raising　the　price　of　the　necessaries　of　life。

As　all　the　men　of　consequenceI　mean　men　of　the　largest　fortune　are　merchants；　their　principal　enjoyment　is　a　relaxation　from　business　at　the　table；　which　is　spread　at；　I　think；　too　early　an　hour　（between　one　and　two）　for　men　who　have　letters　to　write　and　accounts　to　settle　after　paying　due　respect　to　the　bottle。

However；　when　numerous　circles　are　to　be　brought　together；　and　when　neither　literature　nor　public　amusements　furnish　topics　for　conversation；　a　good　dinner　appears　to　be　the　only　centre　to　rally　round；　especially　as　scandal；　the　zest　of　more　select　parties；　can　only　be　whispered。　　As　for　politics；　I　have　seldom　found　it　a　subject　of　continual　discussion　in　a　country　town　in　any　part　of　the　world。　　The　politics　of　the　place；　being　on　a　smaller　scale；　suits　better　with　the　size　of　their　faculties；　for；　generally　speaking；　the　sphere　of　observation　determines　the　extent　of　the　mind。

The　more　I　see　of　the　world；　the　more　I　am　convinced　that　civilisation　is　a　blessing　not　sufficiently　estimated　by　those　who　have　not　traced　its　progress；　for　it　not　only　refines　our　enjoyments；　but　produces　a　variety　which　enables　us　to　retain　the　primitive　delicacy　of　our　sensations。　　Without　the　aid　of　the　imagination　all　the　pleasures　of　the　senses　must　sink　into　grossness；　unless　continual　novelty　serve　as　a　substitute　for　the　imagination；　which；　being　impossible；　it　was　to　this　weariness；　I　suppose；　that　Solomon　alluded　when　he　declared　that　there　was　nothing　new　under　the　sun！nothing　for　the　common　sensations　excited　by　the　senses。　　Yet　who　will　deny　that　the　imagination　and　understanding　have　made　many；　very　many　discoveries　since　those　days；　which　only　seem　harbingers　of　others　still　more　noble　and　beneficial？　　I　never　met　with　much　imagination　amongst　people　who　had　not　acquired　a　habit　of　reflection；　and　in　that　state　of　society　in　which　the　judgment　and　taste　are　not　called　forth；　and　formed　by　the　cultivation　of　the　arts　and　sciences；　little　of　that　delicacy　of　feeling　and　thinking　is　to　be　found　characterised　by　the　word　sentiment。　　The　want　of　scientific　pursuits　perhaps　accounts　for　the　hospitality；　as　well　as　for　the　cordial　reception　which　strangers　receive　from　the　inhabitants　of　small　towns。

Hospitality　has；　I　think；　been　too　much　praised　by　travellers　as　a　proof　of　goodness　of　heart；　when；　in　my　opinion；　indiscriminate　hospitality　is　rather　a　criterion　by　which　you　may　form　a　tolerable　estimate　of　the　indolence　or　vacancy　of　a　head；　or；　in　other　words；　a　fondness　for　social　pleasures　in　which　the　mind　not　having　its　proportion　of　exercise；　the　bottle　must　be　pushed　about。

These　remarks　are　equally　applicable　to　Dublin；　the　most　hospitable　city　I　ever　passed　through。　　But　I　will　try　to　confine　my　observations　more　particularly　to　Sweden。

It　is　true　I　have　only　had　a　glance　over　a　small　part　of　it；　yet　of　its　present　state　of　manners　and　acquirements　I　think　I　have　formed　a　distinct　idea；　without　having　visited　the　capitalwhere；　in　fact；　less　of　a　national　character　is　to　be　found　than　in　the　remote　parts　of　the　country。

The　Swedes　pique　themselves　on　their　politeness；　but　far　from　being　the　polish　of　a　cultivated　mind；　it　consists　merely　of　tiresome　forms　and　ceremonies。　　So　far；　indeed；　from　entering　immediately　into　your　character；　and　making　you　feel　instantly　at　your　ease；　like　the　well…bred　French；　their　over…acted　civility　is　a　continual　restraint　on　all　your　actions。　　The　sort　of　superiority　which　a　fortune　gives　when　there　is　no　superiority　of　education；　excepting　what　consists　in　the　observance　of　senseless　forms；　has　a　contrary　effect　than　what　is　intended；　so　that　I　could　not　help　reckoning　the　peasantry　the　politest　people　of　Sweden；　who；　only　aiming　at　pleasing　you；　never　think　of　being　admired　for　their　behaviour。

Their　tables；　like　their　compliments；　seem　equally　a　caricature　of　the　French。　　The　dishes　are　composed；　as　well　as　theirs；　of　a　variety　of　mixtures　to　destroy　the　native　taste　of　the　food　without　being　as　relishing。　　Spices　and　sugar　are　put　into　everything；　even　into　the　bread；　and　the　only　way　I　can　account　for　their　partiality　to　high…seasoned　dishes　is　the　constant　use　of　salted　provisions。　Necessity　obliges　them　to　lay　up　a　store　of　dried　fish　and　salted　meat　for　the　winter；　and　in　summer；　fresh　meat　and　fish　taste　insipid　after　them。　　To　which　may　be　added　the　constant　use　of　spirits。　　Every　day；　before　dinner　and　supper；　even　whilst　the　dishes　are　cooling　on　the　table；　men　and　women　repair　to　a　side…　table；　and　to　obtain　an　appetite　eat　bread…and…butter；　cheese；　raw　salmon；　or　anchovies；　drinking　a　glass　of　brandy。　　Salt　fish　or　meat　then　immediately　follows；　to　give　a　further　whet　to　the　stomach。　　As　the　dinner　advances；　pardon　me　for　taking　up　a　few　minutes　to　describe　what；　alas！　has　detained　me　two　or　three　hours　on　the　stretch　observing；　dish　after　dish　is　changed；　in　endless　rotation；　and　handed　round　with　solemn　pace　to　each　guest；　but　should　you　happen　not　to　like　the　first　dishes；　which　was　often　my　case；　it　is　a　gross　breach　of　politeness　to　ask　for　part　of　any　other　till　its　turn　comes。　　But　have　patience；　and　there　will　be　eating　enough。　Allow　me　to　run　over　the　acts　of　a　visiting　day；　not　overlooking　the　interludes。

Prelude　a　luncheonthen　a　succession　of　fish；　flesh；　and　fowl　for　two　hours；　during　which　time　the　dessertI　was　sorry　for　the　strawberries　and　creamrests　on　the　table　to　be　impregnated　by　the　fumes　of　the　viands。　　Coffee　immediately　follows　in　the　drawing…　room；　but　does　not　preclude　punch；　ale；　tea　and　cakes；　raw　salmon；　&c。　　A　supper　brings　up　the　rear；　not　forgetting　the　introductory　luncheon；　almost　equalling　in　removes　the　dinner。　　A　day　of　this　kind　you　would　imagine　sufficient；　but　a　to…morrow　and　a　to…morrow　A　never…ending；　still…beginning　feast　may　be　bearable；　perhaps；　when　stern　winter　frowns；　shaking　with　chilling　aspect　his　hoary　locks；　but　during　a　summer；　sweet　as　fleeting；　let　me；　my　kind　strangers；　escape　sometimes　into　your　fir　groves；　wander　on　the　margin　of　your　beautiful　lakes；　or　climb　your　rocks；　to　view　still　others　in　endless　perspective；　which；　piled　by　more　than　giant's　hand；　scale　the　heavens　to　intercept　its　rays；　or　to　receive　the　parting　tinge　of　lingering　dayday　that；　scarcely　softened　unto　twilight；　allows　the　freshening　breeze　to　wake；　and　the　moon　to　burst　forth　in　all　her　glory　to　glide　with　solemn　elegance　through　the　azure　expanse。

The　cow's　bell　has　ceased　to　tinkle　the　herd　to　rest；　they　have　all　paced　across　the　heath。　　Is　not　this　the　witching　time　of　night？　The　waters　murmur；　and　fall　with　more　than　mortal　music；　and　spirits　of　peace　walk　abroad　to　calm　the　agitated　breast。　　Eternity　is　in　these　moments。　　Worldly　cares　melt　into　the　airy　stuff　that　dreams　are　made　of；　and　reveries；　mild　and　enchanting　as　the　first　hopes　of　love　or　the　recollection　of　lost　enjoyment；　carry　the　hapless　wight　into　futurity；　who　in　bustling　life　has　vainly　strove　to　throw　off　the　grief　which　lies　heavy　at　the　heart。　　Good　night！　　A　crescent　hangs　out　in　the　vault　before；　which　woos　me　to　stray　abroad。　　It　is　not　a　silvery　reflection　of　the　sun；　but　glows　with　all　its　golden　splendour。　　Who　fears　the　fallen　dew？　　It　only　makes　the　mown　grass　smell　more　fragrant。　　Adieu！



LETTER　III。



The　population　of　Sweden　has　been　estimated　from　two　millions　and　a　half　to　three　millions；　a　small　number　for　such　an　immense　tract　of　country；　of　which　only　so　much　is　cultivatedand　that　in　the　simplest　manneras　is　absolutely　requisite　to　supply　the　necessaries　of　life；　and　near　the　seashore；　whence　herrings　are　easily　procured；　there　scarcely　appears　a　vestige　of　cultivation。　The　scattered　huts　that　stand　shivering　on　the　naked　rocks；　braving　the　pitiless　elements；　are　formed　of　logs　of　wood　rudely　hewn；　and　so　little　pains　are　taken　with　the　craggy　foundation　that