letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第14节

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tion　of　gestures。　　As　their　minds　were　totally　uncultivated　I　did　not　lose　much；　perhaps　gained；　by　not　being　able　to　understand　them；　for　fancy　probably　filled　up；　more　to　their　advantage；　the　void　in　the　picture。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　they　excited　my　sympathy；　and　I　was　very　much　flattered　when　I　was　told　the　next　day　that　they　said　it　was　a　pleasure　to　look　at　me；　I　appeared　so　good…natured。

The　men　were　generally　captains　of　ships。　　Several　spoke　English　very　tolerably；　but　they　were　merely　matter…of…fact　men；　confined　to　a　very　narrow　circle　of　observation。　　I　found　it　difficult　to　obtain　from　them　any　information　respecting　their　own　country；　when　the　fumes　of　tobacco　did　not　keep　me　at　a　distance。

I　was　invited　to　partake　of　some　other　feasts；　and　always　had　to　complain　of　the　quantity　of　provision　and　the　length　of　time　taken　to　consume　it；　for　it　would　not　have　been　proper　to　have　said　devour；　all　went　on　so　fair　and　softly。　　The　servants　wait　as　slowly　as　their　mistresses　carve。

The　young　women　here；　as　well　as　in　Sweden；　have　commonly　bad　teeth；　which　I　attribute　to　the　same　causes。　　They　are　fond　of　finery；　but　do　not　pay　the　necessary　attention　to　their　persons；　to　render　beauty　less　transient　than　a　flower；　and　that　interesting　expression　which　sentiment　and　accomplishments　give　seldom　supplies　its　place。

The　servants　have；　likewise；　an　inferior　sort　of　food　here；　but　their　masters　are　not　allowed　to　strike　them　with　impunity。　　I　might　have　added　mistresses；　for　it　was　a　complaint　of　this　kind　brought　before　the　mayor　which　led　me　to　a　knowledge　of　the　fact。

The　wages　are　low；　which　is　particularly　unjust；　because　the　price　of　clothes　is　much　higher　than　that　of　provision。　　A　young　woman；　who　is　wet　nurse　to　the　mistress　of　the　inn　where　I　lodge；　receives　only　twelve　dollars　a　year；　and　pays　ten　for　the　nursing　of　her　own　child。　　The　father　had　run　away　to　get　clear　of　the　expense。　　There　was　something　in　this　most　painful　state　of　widowhood　which　excited　my　compassion　and　led　me　to　reflections　on　the　instability　of　the　most　flattering　plans　of　happiness；　that　were　painful　in　the　extreme；　till　I　was　ready　to　ask　whether　this　world　was　not　created　to　exhibit　every　possible　combination　of　wretchedness。　　I　asked　these　questions　of　a　heart　writhing　with　anguish；　whilst　I　listened　to　a　melancholy　ditty　sung　by　this　poor　girl。　　It　was　too　early　for　thee　to　be　abandoned；　thought　I；　and　I　hastened　out　of　the　house　to　take　my　solitary　evening's　walk。　　And　here　I　am　again　to　talk　of　anything　but　the　pangs　arising　from　the　discovery　of　estranged　affection　and　the　lonely　sadness　of　a　deserted　heart。

The　father　and　mother；　if　the　father　can　be　ascertained；　are　obliged　to　maintain　an　illegitimate　child　at　their　joint　expense；　but；　should　the　father　disappear；　go　up　the　country　or　to　sea；　the　mother　must　maintain　it　herself。　　However；　accidents　of　this　kind　do　not　prevent　their　marrying；　and　then　it　is　not　unusual　to　take　the　child　or　children　home；　and　they　are　brought　up　very　amicably　with　the　marriage　progeny。

I　took　some　pains　to　learn　what　books　were　written　originally　in　their　language；　but　for　any　certain　information　respecting　the　state　of　Danish　literature　I　must　wait　till　I　arrive　at　Copenhagen。

The　sound　of　the　language　is　soft；　a　great　proportion　of　the　words　ending　in　vowels；　and　there　is　a　simplicity　in　the　turn　of　some　of　the　phrases　which　have　been　translated　to　me　that　pleased　and　interested　me。　　In　the　country　the　farmers　use　the　THOU　and　THEE；　and　they　do　not　acquire　the　polite　plurals　of　the　towns　by　meeting　at　market。　　The　not　having　markets　established　in　the　large　towns　appears　to　me　a　great　inconvenience。　　When　the　farmers　have　anything　to　sell　they　bring　it　to　the　neighbouring　town　and　take　it　from　house　to　house。　　I　am　surprised　that　the　inhabitants　do　not　feel　how　very　incommodious　this　usage　is　to　both　parties；　and　redress　it；　they；　indeed；　perceive　it；　for　when　I　have　introduced　the　subject　they　acknowledged　that　they　were　often　in　want　of　necessaries；　there　being　no　butchers；　and　they　were　often　obliged　to　buy　what　they　did　not　want；　yet　it　was　the　custom；　and　the　changing　of　customs　of　a　long　standing　requires　more　energy　than　they　yet　possess。　　I　received　a　similar　reply　when　I　attempted　to　persuade　the　women　that　they　injured　their　children　by　keeping　them　too　warm。　　The　only　way　of　parrying　off　my　reasoning　was　that　they　must　do　as　other　people　did；　in　short；　reason　on　any　subject　of　change；　and　they　stop　you　by　saying　that　〃the　town　would　talk。〃　　A　person　of　sense；　with　a　large　fortune　to　ensure　respect；　might　be　very　useful　here；　by　inducing　them　to　treat　their　children　and　manage　their　sick　properly；　and　eat　food　dressed　in　a　simpler　mannerthe　example；　for　instance；　of　a　count's　lady。

Reflecting　on　these　prejudices　made　me　revert　to　the　wisdom　of　those　legislators　who　established　institutions　for　the　good　of　the　body　under　the　pretext　of　serving　heaven　for　the　salvation　of　the　soul。　These　might　with　strict　propriety　be　termed　pious　frauds；　and　I　admire　the　Peruvian　pair　for　asserting　that　they　came　from　the　sun；　when　their　conduct　proved　that　they　meant　to　enlighten　a　benighted　country；　whose　obedience；　or　even　attention；　could　only　be　secured　by　awe。　　Thus　much　for　conquering　the　INERTIA　of　reason；　but；　when　it　is　once　in　motion；　fables　once　held　sacred　may　be　ridiculed；　and　sacred　they　were　when　useful　to　mankind。　　Prometheus　alone　stole　fire　to　animate　the　first　man；　his　posterity　needs　not　supernatural　aid　to　preserve　the　species；　though　love　is　generally　termed　a　flame；　and　it　may　not　be　necessary　much　longer　to　suppose　men　inspired　by　heaven　to　inculcate　the　duties　which　demand　special　grace　when　reason　convinces　them　that　they　are　the　happiest　who　are　the　most　nobly　employed。

In　a　few　days　I　am　to　set　out　for　the　western　part　of　Norway；　and　then　shall　return　by　land　to　Gothenburg。　　I　cannot　think　of　leaving　this　place　without　regret。　　I　speak　of　the　place　before　the　inhabitants；　though　there　is　a　tenderness　in　their　artless　kindness　which　attaches　me　to　them；　but　it　is　an　attachment　that　inspires　a　regret　very　different　from　that　I　felt　at　leaving　Hull　in　my　way　to　Sweden。　　The　domestic　happiness　and　good…humoured　gaiety　of　the　amiable　family　where　I　and　my　Frances　were　so　hospitably　received　would　have　been　sufficient　to　ensure　the　tenderest　remembrance；　without　the　recollection　of　the　social　evening　to　stimulate　it；　when　good　breeding　gave　dignity　to　sympathy　and　wit　zest　to　reason。

Adieu！I　am　just　informed　that　my　horse　has　been　waiting　this　quarter　of　an　hour。　　I　now　venture　to　ride　out　alone。　　The　steeple　serves　as　a　landmark。　　I　once　or　twice　lost　my　way；　walking　alone；　without　being　able　to　inquire　after　a　path；　I　was　therefore　obliged　to　make　to　the　steeple；　or　windmill；　over　hedge　and　ditch。

Yours　truly。



LETTER　IX。



I　have　already　informed　you　that　there　are　only　two　noblemen　who　have　estates　of　any　magnitude　in　Norway。　　One　of　these　has　a　house　near　Tonsberg；　at　which　he　has　not　resided　for　some　years；　having　been　at　court；　or　on　embassies。　　He　is　now　the　Danish　Ambassador　in　London。　　The　house　is　pleasantly　situated；　and　the　grounds　about　it　fine；　but　their　neglected　appearance　plainly　tells　that　there　is　nobody　at　home。

A　stupid　kind　of　sadness；　to　my　eye；　always　reigns　in　a　huge　habitation　where　only　servants　live　to　put　cases　on　the　furniture　and　open　the　windows。　　I　enter　as　I　would　into　the　tomb　of　the　Capulets；　to　look　at　the　family　pictures　that　here　frown　in　armour；　or　smile　in　ermine。　　The　mildew　respects　not　the　lordly　robe；　and　the　worm　riots　unchecked　on　the　cheek　of　beauty。

There　was　nothing　in　the　architecture　of　the　building；　or　the　form　of　the　furniture；　to　detain　me　from　the　avenue　where　the　aged　pines　stretched　along　majestically。　　Time　had　given　a　greyish　cast　to　their　ever…green　foliage；　and　they　stood；　like　sires　of　the　forest；　sheltered　on　all　sides　by　a　rising　progeny。　　I　had　not　ever　seen　so　many　oaks　together　in　Norway　as　in　these　woods；　nor　such　large　aspens　as　here　were　agitated　by　the　breeze；　rendering　the　wind　audiblenay　musical；　for　melody　seemed　on　the　wing　around　me。　　How　different　was　the　fresh　odour　that　reanimated　me　in　the　avenue；　from　the　damp　chillness　of　the　apartments；　and　as　little　did　the　gloomy　thoughtfulness　excited　by　the　dusty　hangings；　and　worm…eaten　pictures；　resemble　the　reveries　inspired　by　the　soothing　melancholy　of　their　shade。　　In　the　winter；　these　august　pines；　towering　above　the　snow；　must　relieve　the　eye　beyond　measure　and　give　life　to　the　white　waste。

The　continual　recurrence　of　pine　and　fir　groves　in　the　day　sometimes　wearies　the　sight；　but　in　the　evening；　nothing　can　be　more　picturesque；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　better　calculated　to　produce　poetical　images。　　Passing　through　them；　I　have　been　struck　with　a　mystic　kind　of　reverence；　and　I　did；　as　it　were；　homage　to　their　venerable　shadows。　　Not　nymphs；　but　philosophers；　seemed　to　inhabit　themever　musing；　I　could　scarcely　conceive　that　they　were　without　some　consciousness　of　existencewithout　a　calm　enjoyment　of　the　pleasure　they　diffused。

How　often　do　my　feelings　produce　ideas　that　remind　me　of　the　origin　of　many　poetic