letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第5部分

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e　formed　of　logs　of　wood　rudely　hewn；　and　so　little　pains　are　taken　with　the　craggy　foundation　that　nothing　hike　a　pathway　points　out　the　door。

Gathered　into　himself　by　the　cold；　lowering　his　visage　to　avoid　the　cutting　blast；　is　it　surprising　that　the　churlish　pleasure　of　drinking　drams　takes　place　of　social　enjoyments　amongst　the　poor；　especially　if　we　take　into　the　account　that　they　mostly　live　on　high…seasoned　provision　and　rye　bread？　　Hard　enough；　you　may　imagine；　as　it　is　baked　only　once　a　year。　　The　servants　also；　in　most　families；　eat　this　kind　of　bread；　and　have　a　different　kind　of　food　from　their　masters；　which；　in　spite　of　all　the　arguments　I　have　heard　to　vindicate　the　custom；　appears　to　me　a　remnant　of　barbarism。

In　fact；　the　situation　of　the　servants　in　every　respect；　particularly　that　of　the　women；　shows　how　far　the　Swedes　are　from　having　a　just　conception　of　rational　equality。　　They　are　not　termed　slaves；　yet　a　man　may　strike　a　man　with　impunity　because　he　pays　him　wages；　though　these　wages　are　so　low　that　necessity　must　teach　them　to　pilfer；　whilst　servility　renders　them　false　and　boorish。　　Still　the　men　stand　up　for　the　dignity　of　man　by　oppressing　the　women。　The　most　menial；　and　even　laborious　offices；　are　therefore　left　to　these　poor　drudges。　　Much　of　this　I　have　seen。　　In　the　winter；　I　am　told；　they　take　the　linen　down　to　the　river　to　wash　it　in　the　cold　water；　and　though　their　hands；　cut　by　the　ice；　are　cracked　and　bleeding；　the　men；　their　fellow…servants；　will　not　disgrace　their　manhood　by　carrying　a　tub　to　lighten　their　burden。

You　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear　that　they　do　not　wear　shoes　or　stockings；　when　I　inform　you　that　their　wages　are　seldom　more　than　twenty　or　thirty　shillings　per　annum。　　It　is　the　custom；　I　know；　to　give　them　a　new　year's　gift　and　a　present　at　some　other　period；　but　can　it　all　amount　to　a　just　indemnity　for　their　labour？　　The　treatment　of　servants　in　most　countries；　I　grant；　is　very　unjust；　and　in　England；　that　boasted　land　of　freedom；　it　is　often　extremely　tyrannical。　　I　have　frequently；　with　indignation；　heard　gentlemen　declare　that　they　would　never　allow　a　servant　to　answer　them；　and　ladies　of　the　most　exquisite　sensibility；　who　were　continually　exclaiming　against　the　cruelty　of　the　vulgar　to　the　brute　creation；　have　in　my　presence　forgot　that　their　attendants　had　human　feelings　as　well　as　forms。　　I　do　not　know　a　more　agreeable　sight　than　to　see　servants　part　of　a　family。　　By　taking　an　interest；　generally　speaking；　in　their　concerns　you　inspire　them　with　one　for　yours。　　We　must　love　our　servants；　or　we　shall　never　be　sufficiently　attentive　to　their　happiness；　and　how　can　those　masters　be　attentive　to　their　happiness　who；　living　above　their　fortunes；　are　more　anxious　to　outshine　their　neighbours　than　to　allow　their　household　the　innocent　enjoyments　they　earn？

It　is；　in　fact；　much　more　difficult　for　servants；　who　are　tantalised　by　seeing　and　preparing　the　dainties　of　which　they　are　not　to　partake；　to　remain　honest；　than　the　poor；　whose　thoughts　are　not　led　from　their　homely　fare；　so　that；　though　the　servants　here　are　commonly　thieves；　you　seldom　hear　of　housebreaking；　or　robbery　on　the　highway。　　The　country　is；　perhaps；　too　thinly　inhabited　to　produce　many　of　that　description　of　thieves　termed　footpads；　or　highwaymen。　　They　are　usually　the　spawn　of　great　citiesthe　effect　of　the　spurious　desires　generated　by　wealth；　rather　than　the　desperate　struggles　of　poverty　to　escape　from　misery。

The　enjoyment　of　the　peasantry　was　drinking　brandy　and　coffee；　before　the　latter　was　prohibited；　and　the　former　not　allowed　to　be　privately　distilled；　the　wars　carried　on　by　the　late　king　rendering　it　necessary　to　increase　the　revenue；　and　retain　the　specie　in　the　country　by　every　possible　means。

The　taxes　before　the　reign　of　Charles　XII。　were　inconsiderable。　Since　then　the　burden　has　continually　been　growing　heavier；　and　the　price　of　provisions　has　proportionately　increasednay；　the　advantage　accruing　from　the　exportation　of　corn　to　France　and　rye　to　Germany　will　probably　produce　a　scarcity　in　both　Sweden　and　Norway；　should　not　a　peace　put　a　stop　to　it　this　autumn；　for　speculations　of　various　kinds　have　already　almost　doubled　the　price。

Such　are　the　effects　of　war；　that　it　saps　the　vitals　even　of　the　neutral　countries；　who；　obtaining　a　sudden　influx　of　wealth；　appear　to　be　rendered　flourishing　by　the　destruction　which　ravages　the　hapless　nations　who　are　sacrificed　to　the　ambition　of　their　governors。　　I　shall　not；　however；　dwell　on　the　vices；　though　they　be　of　the　most　contemptible　and　embruting　cast；　to　which　a　sudden　accession　of　fortune　gives　birth；　because　I　believe　it　may　be　delivered　as　an　axiom；　that　it　is　only　in　proportion　to　the　industry　necessary　to　acquire　wealth　that　a　nation　is　really　benefited　by　it。

The　prohibition　of　drinking　coffee　under　a　penalty；　and　the　encouragement　given　to　public　distilleries；　tend　to　impoverish　the　poor；　who　are　not　affected　by　the　sumptuary　laws；　for　the　regent　has　lately　laid　very　severe　restraints　on　the　articles　of　dress；　which　the　middling　class　of　people　found　grievous；　because　it　obliged　them　to　throw　aside　finery　that　might　have　lasted　them　for　their　lives。

These　may　be　termed　vexatious；　still　the　death　of　the　king；　by　saving　them　from　the　consequences　his　ambition　would　naturally　have　entailed　on　them；　may　be　reckoned　a　blessing。

Besides；　the　French　Revolution　has　not　only　rendered　all　the　crowned　heads　more　cautious；　but　has　so　decreased　everywhere　（excepting　amongst　themselves）　a　respect　for　nobility；　that　the　peasantry　have　not　only　lost　their　blind　reverence　for　their　seigniors；　but　complain　in　a　manly　style　of　oppressions　which　before　they　did　not　think　of　denominating　such；　because　they　were　taught　to　consider　themselves　as　a　different　order　of　beings。　　And；　perhaps；　the　efforts　which　the　aristocrats　are　making　here；　as　well　as　in　every　other　part　of　Europe；　to　secure　their　sway；　will　be　the　most　effectual　mode　of　undermining　it；　taking　into　the　calculation　that　the　King　of　Sweden；　like　most　of　the　potentates　of　Europe；　has　continually　been　augmenting　his　power　by　encroaching　on　the　privileges　of　the　nobles。

The　well…bred　Swedes　of　the　capital　are　formed　on　the　ancient　French　model；　and　they　in　general　speak　that　language；　for　they　have　a　knack　at　acquiring　languages　with　tolerable　fluency。　　This　may　be　reckoned　an　advantage　in　some　respects；　but　it　prevents　the　cultivation　of　their　own；　and　any　considerable　advance　in　literary　pursuits。

A　sensible　writer　has　lately　observed　（I　have　not　his　work　by　me；　therefore　cannot　quote　his　exact　words）；　〃That　the　Americans　very　wisely　let　the　Europeans　make　their　books　and　fashions　for　them。〃　But　I　cannot　coincide　with　him　in　this　opinion。　　The　reflection　necessary　to　produce　a　certain　number　even　of　tolerable　productions　augments　more　than　he　is　aware　of　the　mass　of　knowledge　in　the　community。　　Desultory　reading　is　commonly　a　mere　pastime。　　But　we　must　have　an　object　to　refer　our　reflections　to；　or　they　will　seldom　go　below　the　surface。　　As　in　travelling；　the　keeping　of　a　journal　excites　to　many　useful　inquiries　that　would　not　have　been　thought　of　had　the　traveller　only　determined　to　see　all　he　could　see；　without　ever　asking　himself　for　what　purpose。　　Besides；　the　very　dabbling　in　literature　furnishes　harmless　topics　of　conversation；　for　the　not　having　such　subjects　at　hand；　though　they　are　often　insupportably　fatiguing；　renders　the　inhabitants　of　little　towns　prying　and　censorious。　　Idleness；　rather　than　ill…nature；　gives　birth　to　scandal；　and　to　the　observation　of　little　incidents　which　narrows　the　mind。　　It　is　frequently　only　the　fear　of　being　talked　of　which　produces　that　puerile　scrupulosity　about　trifles　incompatible　with　an　enlarged　plan　of　usefulness；　and　with　the　basis　of　all　moral　principlesrespect　for　the　virtues　which　are　not　merely　the　virtues　of　convention。

I　am；　my　friend；　more　and　more　convinced　that　a　metropolis；　or　an　abode　absolutely　solitary；　is　the　best　calculated　for　the　improvement　of　the　heart；　as　well　as　the　understanding；　whether　we　desire　to　become　acquainted　with　man；　nature；　or　ourselves。　　Mixing　with　mankind；　we　are　obliged　to　examine　our　prejudices；　and　often　imperceptibly　lose；　as　we　analyse　them。　　And　in　the　country；　growing　intimate　with　nature；　a　thousand　little　circumstances；　unseen　by　vulgar　eyes；　give　birth　to　sentiments　dear　to　the　imagination；　and　inquiries　which　expand　the　soul；　particularly　when　cultivation　has　not　smoothed　into　insipidity　all　its　originality　of　character。

I　love　the　country；　yet　whenever　I　see　a　picturesque　situation　chosen　on　which　to　erect　a　dwelling　I　am　always　afraid　of　the　improvements。　　It　requires　uncommon　taste　to　form　a　whole；　and　to　introduce　accommodations　and　ornaments　analogous　with　the　surrounding…scene。

It　visited；　near　Gothenburg；　a　house　with　improved　land　about　it；　with　which　I　was　particularly　delighted。　　It　was　close　to　a　lake　embosomed　in　pine…clad　rocks。　　In　one　part　of　the　meadows　your　eye　was　directed　to　the　broad　expanse；　in　another　you　were　led　into　a　shade；　to　see　a　part　of　it；　in　the　form　of　a　river；　rush　amongst　the　fragments　of　rocks　and　roots　of　trees；　nothing　seemed　forced。　　One　recess；　particularly　grand　and　solemn　amongst　the　towering　cliffs；　had　a　rude　stone　table　and　seat　placed　in　it；　that　might　have　served　for　a　Druid's　haunt；　whilst　a　placid　stream　below　enlivened　the　flowers　on　its　margin；　where　light…footed　elves　would　gladly　have　danced　their　airy　rounds。

Here　the　hand　of　taste　was　conspicuous　though　not　obtrusive；　and　formed　a　contrast　with　another　abode　in　the　same　neighbourhood；　on　which　much　money　had　been　lavished；　where　Italian　colonnades　were　placed　to　excite　the　wonder　of　the　rude　crags；　and　a　stone　staircase；　to　threaten　with　destruction　a　wooden　house。　　Venuses　and　Apollos　condemned　to　lie　hid　in　snow　three　parts　of　the　year　seemed　equally　displaced；　and　called　the　attention　off　from　the　surrounding　sublimity；　without　inspiring　any　voluptuous　sensations。　　Yet　even　these　abortions　of　vanity　have　been　useful。　　Numberless　workmen　have　been　employed；　and　the　superintending　artist　has　improved　the　labourers；　whose　unskilfulness　tormented　him；　by　obliging　them　to　subm