letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第8部分

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hem　and　not　an　English　phrase；　were　anxious　to　amuse　me；　and　would　not　let　me　remain　alone　in　my　room。　　The　town　we　had　already　walked　round　and　round；　and　if　we　advanced　farther　on　the　coast；　it　was　still　to　view　the　same　unvaried　immensity　of　water　surrounded　by　barrenness。

The　gentlemen；　wishing　to　peep　into　Norway；　proposed　going　to　Fredericshall；　the　first　townthe　distance　was　only　three　Swedish　miles。　　There　and　back　again　was　but　a　day's　journey；　and　would　not；　I　thought；　interfere　with　my　voyage。　　I　agreed；　and　invited　the　eldest　and　prettiest　of　the　girls　to　accompany　us。　　I　invited　her　because　I　like　to　see　a　beautiful　face　animated　by　pleasure；　and　to　have　an　opportunity　of　regarding　the　country；　whilst　the　gentlemen　were　amusing　themselves　with　her。

I　did　not　know；　for　I　had　not　thought　of　it；　that　we　were　to　scale　some　of　the　most　mountainous　cliffs　of　Sweden　in　our　way　to　the　ferry　which　separates　the　two　countries。

Entering　amongst　the　cliffs；　we　were　sheltered　from　the　wind；　warm　sunbeams　began　to　play；　streams　to　flow；　and　groves　of　pines　diversified　the　rocks。　　Sometimes　they　became　suddenly　bare　and　sublime。　　Once；　in　particular；　after　mounting　the　most　terrific　precipice；　we　had　to　pass　through　a　tremendous　defile；　where　the　closing　chasm　seemed　to　threaten　us　with　instant　destruction；　when；　turning　quickly；　verdant　meadows　and　a　beautiful　lake　relieved　and　charmed　my　eyes。

I　had　never　travelled　through　Switzerland；　but　one　of　my　companions　assured　me　that　I　should　not　there　find　anything　superior；　if　equal；　to　the　wild　grandeur　of　these　views。

As　we　had　not　taken　this　excursion　into　our　plan；　the　horses　had　not　been　previously　ordered；　which　obliged　us　to　wait　two　hours　at　the　first　post。　　The　day　was　wearing　away。　　The　road　was　so　bad　that　walking　up　the　precipices　consumed　the　time　insensibly；　but　as　we　desired　horses　at　each　post　ready　at　a　certain　hour；　we　reckoned　on　returning　more　speedily。

We　stopped　to　dine　at　a　tolerable　farm；　they　brought　us　out　ham；　butter；　cheese；　and　milk；　and　the　charge　was　so　moderate　that　I　scattered　a　little　money　amongst　the　children　who　were　peeping　at　us；　in　order　to　pay　them　for　their　trouble。

Arrived　at　the　ferry；　we　were　still　detained；　for　the　people　who　attend　at　the　ferries　have　a　stupid　kind　of　sluggishness　in　their　manner；　which　is　very　provoking　when　you　are　in　haste。　　At　present　I　did　not　feel　it；　for；　scrambling　up　the　cliffs；　my　eye　followed　the　river　as　it　rolled　between　the　grand　rocky　banks；　and；　to　complete　the　scenery；　they　were　covered　with　firs　and　pines；　through　which　the　wind　rustled　as　if　it　were　lulling　itself　to　sleep　with　the　declining　sun。

Behold　us　now　in　Norway；　and　I　could　not　avoid　feeling　surprise　at　observing　the　difference　in　the　manners　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　two　sides　of　the　river；　for　everything　shows　that　the　Norwegians　are　more　industrious　and　more　opulent。　　The　Swedes　（for　neighbours　are　seldom　the　best　friends）　accuse　the　Norwegians　of　knavery；　and　they　retaliate　by　bringing　a　charge　of　hypocrisy　against　the　Swedes。　Local　circumstances　probably　render　both　unjust；　speaking　from　their　feelings　rather　than　reason；　and　is　this　astonishing　when　we　consider　that　most　writers　of　travels　have　done　the　same；　whose　works　have　served　as　materials　for　the　compilers　of　universal　histories？　　All　are　eager　to　give　a　national　character；　which　is　rarely　just；　because　they　do　not　discriminate　the　natural　from　the　acquired　difference。　　The　natural；　I　believe；　on　due　consideration；　will　be　found　to　consist　merely　in　the　degree　of　vivacity；　or　thoughtfulness；　pleasures　or　pain；　inspired　by　the　climate；　whilst　the　varieties　which　the　forms　of　government；　including　religion；　produce　are　much　more　numerous　and　unstable。

A　people　have　been　characterised　as　stupid　by　nature；　what　a　paradox！　because　they　did　not　consider　that　slaves；　having　no　object　to　stimulate　industry；　have　not　their　faculties　sharpened　by　the　only　thing　that　can　exercise　them；　self…interest。　　Others　have　been　brought　forward　as　brutes；　having　no　aptitude　for　the　arts　and　sciences；　only　because　the　progress　of　improvement　had　not　reached　that　stage　which　produces　them。

Those　writers　who　have　considered　the　history　of　man；　or　of　the　human　mind；　on　a　more　enlarged　scale　have　fallen　into　similar　errors；　not　reflecting　that　the　passions　are　weak　where　the　necessaries　of　life　are　too　hardly　or　too　easily　obtained。

Travellers　who　require　that　every　nation　should　resemble　their　native　country；　had　better　stay　at　home。　　It　is；　for　example；　absurd　to　blame　a　people　for　not　having　that　degree　of　personal　cleanliness　and　elegance　of　manners　which　only　refinement　of　taste　produces；　and　will　produce　everywhere　in　proportion　as　society　attains　a　general　polish。　　The　most　essential　service；　I　presume；　that　authors　could　render　to　society；　would　be　to　promote　inquiry　and　discussion；　instead　of　making　those　dogmatical　assertions　which　only　appear　calculated　to　gird　the　human　mind　round　with　imaginary　circles；　like　the　paper　globe　which　represents　the　one　he　inhabits。

This　spirit　of　inquiry　is　the　characteristic　of　the　present　century；　from　which　the　succeeding　will；　I　am　persuaded；　receive　a　great　accumulation　of　knowledge；　and　doubtless　its　diffusion　will　in　a　great　measure　destroy　the　factitious　national　characters　which　have　been　supposed　permanent；　though　only　rendered　so　by　the　permanency　of　ignorance。

Arriving　at　Fredericshall；　at　the　siege　of　which　Charles　XII。　lost　his　life；　we　had　only　time　to　take　a　transient　view　of　it　whilst　they　were　preparing　us　some　refreshment。

Poor　Charles！　　I　thought　of　him　with　respect。　　I　have　always　felt　the　same　for　Alexander；　with　whom　he　has　been　classed　as　a　madman　by　several　writers；　who　have　reasoned　superficially；　confounding　the　morals　of　the　day　with　the　few　grand　principles　on　which　unchangeable　morality　rests。　　Making　no　allowance　for　the　ignorance　and　prejudices　of　the　period；　they　do　not　perceive　how　much　they　themselves　are　indebted　to　general　improvement　for　the　acquirements；　and　even　the　virtues；　which　they　would　not　have　had　the　force　of　mind　to　attain　by　their　individual　exertions　in　a　less　advanced　state　of　society。

The　evening　was　fine；　as　is　usual　at　this　season；　and　the　refreshing　odour　of　the　pine　woods　became　more　perceptible；　for　it　was　nine　o'clock　when　we　left　Fredericshall。　　At　the　ferry　we　were　detained　by　a　dispute　relative　to　our　Swedish　passport；　which　we　did　not　think　of　getting　countersigned　in　Norway。　　Midnight　was　coming　on；　yet　it　might　with　such　propriety　have　been　termed　the　noon　of　night　that；　had　Young　ever　travelled　towards　the　north；　I　should　not　have　wondered　at　his　becoming　enamoured　of　the　moon。　　But　it　is　not　the　Queen　of　Night　alone　who　reigns　here　in　all　her　splendour；　though　the　sun；　loitering　just　below　the　horizon；　decks　her　within　a　golden　tinge　from　his　car；　illuminating　the　cliffs　that　hide　him；　the　heavens　also；　of　a　clear　softened　blue；　throw　her　forward；　and　the　evening　star　appears　a　smaller　moon　to　the　naked　eye。　　The　huge　shadows　of　the　rocks；　fringed　with　firs；　concentrating　the　views　without　darkening　them；　excited　that　tender　melancholy　which；　sublimating　the　imagination；　exalts　rather　than　depresses　the　mind。

My　companions　fell　asleepfortunately　they　did　not　snore；　and　I　contemplated；　fearless　of　idle　questions；　a　night　such　as　I　had　never　before　seen　or　felt；　to　charm　the　senses；　and　calm　the　heart。　The　very　air　was　balmy　as　it　freshened　into　morn；　producing　the　most　voluptuous　sensations。　　A　vague　pleasurable　sentiment　absorbed　me；　as　I　opened　my　bosom　to　the　embraces　of　nature；　and　my　soul　rose　to　its　Author；　with　the　chirping　of　the　solitary　birds；　which　began　to　feel；　rather　than　see；　advancing　day。　　I　had　leisure　to　mark　its　progress。　　The　grey　morn；　streaked　with　silvery　rays；　ushered　in　the　orient　beams　（how　beautifully　varying　into　purple！）；　yet　I　was　sorry　to　lose　the　soft　watery　clouds　which　preceded　them；　exciting　a　kind　of　expectation　that　made　me　almost　afraid　to　breathe；　lest　I　should　break　the　charm。　　I　saw　the　sunand　sighed。

One　of　my　companions；　now　awake；　perceiving　that　the　postillion　had　mistaken　the　road；　began　to　swear　at　him；　and　roused　the　other　two；　who　reluctantly　shook　off　sleep。

We　had　immediately　to　measure　back　our　steps；　and　did　not　reach　Stromstad　before　five　in　the　morning。

The　wind　had　changed　in　the　night；　and　my　boat　was　ready。

A　dish　of　coffee；　and　fresh　linen；　recruited　my　spirits；　and　I　directly　set　out　again　for　Norway；　purposing　to　land　much　higher　up　the　coast。

Wrapping　my　great…coat　round　me；　I　lay　down　on　some　sails　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　its　motion　rocking　me　to　rest；　till　a　discourteous　wave　interrupted　my　slumbers；　and　obliged　me　to　rise　and　feel　a　solitariness　which　was　not　so　soothing　as　that　of　the　past　night。

Adieu！



LETTER　VI。



The　sea　was　boisterous；　but；　as　I　had　an　experienced　pilot；　I　did　not　apprehend　any　danger。　　Sometimes；　I　was　told；　boats　are　driven　far　out　and　lost。　　However；　I　seldom　calculate　chances　so　nicely　sufficient　for　the　day　is　the　obvious　evil！

We　had　to　steer　amongst　islands　and　huge　rocks；　rarely　losing　sight　of　the　shore；　though　it　now　and　then　appeared　only　a　mist　that　bordered　the　water's　edge。　　The　pilot　assured　me　that　the　numerous　harbours　on　the　Norway　coast　were　very　safe；　and　the　pilot…boats　were　always　on　the　watch。　　The　Swedish　side　is　very　dangerous；　I　am　also　informed；　and　the　help　of　experience　is　not　often　at　hand　to　enable　strange　vessels　to　steer　clear　of　the　rocks；　which　lurk　below　the　water　close　to　the　shore。

There　are　no　tides　here；　nor　in　the　Cattegate；　and；　what　appeared　to　me　a　consequence；　no　sandy　beach。　　Perhaps　this　observation　has　been　made　before；　but　it　did　not　occur　to　me　till　I　saw　the　waves　continually　beating　against　the　bare　rocks；　without　ever　receding　to　leave　a　sediment　to　harden。

The　wind　was　fair；　till　we　had　to　tack　about　in　order　to　enter　Laurvig；　where　we　arrived　towards　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　It　is　a　clean；　pleasant　town；　with　a　considerable　iron…work；　which　gives　life　to　it。

As　the　Norwegians　do　not　frequently　see　travellers；　they　are　very　curious　to　know　their　business；　and　who　they　areso　cur