letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第17节

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；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　give　that　name　to　shivering　rocks；　to　ascertain　the　fact。

But　rain　coming　on；　and　the　night　growing　dark；　the　pilot　declared　that　it　would　be　dangerous　for　us　to　attempt　to　go　to　the　place　of　our　destinationEast　Rusoera　Norwegian　mile　and　a　half　further；　and　we　determined　to　stop　for　the　night　at　a　little　haven；　some　half　dozen　houses　scattered　under　the　curve　of　a　rock。　　Though　it　became　darker　and　darker；　our　pilot　avoided　the　blind　rocks　with　great　dexterity。

It　was　about　ten　o'clock　when　we　arrived；　and　the　old　hostess　quickly　prepared　me　a　comfortable　beda　little　too　soft　or　so；　but　I　was　weary；　and　opening　the　window　to　admit　the　sweetest　of　breezes　to　fan　me　to　sleep；　I　sunk　into　the　most　luxurious　rest：　　it　was　more　than　refreshing。　　The　hospitable　sprites　of　the　grots　surely　hovered　round　my　pillow；　and；　if　I　awoke；　it　was　to　listen　to　the　melodious　whispering　of　the　wind　amongst　them；　or　to　feel　the　mild　breath　of　morn。　　Light　slumbers　produced　dreams；　where　Paradise　was　before　me。　　My　little　cherub　was　again　hiding　her　face　in　my　bosom。　I　heard　her　sweet　cooing　beat　on　my　heart　from　the　cliffs；　and　saw　her　tiny　footsteps　on　the　sands。　　New…born　hopes　seemed；　like　the　rainbow；　to　appear　in　the　clouds　of　sorrow；　faint；　yet　sufficient　to　amuse　away　despair。

Some　refreshing　but　heavy　showers　have　detained　us；　and　here　I　am　writing　quite　alonesomething　more　than　gay；　for　which　I　want　a　name。

I　could　almost　fancy　myself　in　Nootka　Sound；　or　on　some　of　the　islands　on　the　north…west　coast　of　America。　　We　entered　by　a　narrow　pass　through　the　rocks；　which　from　this　abode　appear　more　romantic　than　you　can　well　imagine；　and　seal…skins　hanging　at　the　door　to　dry　add　to　the　illusion。

It　is　indeed　a　corner　of　the　world；　but　you　would　be　surprised　to　see　the　cleanliness　and　comfort　of　the　dwelling。　　The　shelves　are　not　only　shining　with　pewter　and　queen's　ware；　but　some　articles　in　silver；　more　ponderous；　it　is　true；　than　elegant。　　The　linen　is　good；　as　well　as　white。　　All　the　females　spin；　and　there　is　a　loom　in　the　kitchen。　　A　sort　of　individual　taste　appeared　in　the　arrangement　of　the　furniture　（this　is　not　the　place　for　imitation）　and　a　kindness　in　their　desire　to　oblige。　　How　superior　to　the　apish　politeness　of　the　towns！　where　the　people；　affecting　to　be　well　bred；　fatigue　with　their　endless　ceremony。

The　mistress　is　a　widow；　her　daughter　is　married　to　a　pilot；　and　has　three　cows。　　They　have　a　little　patch　of　land　at　about　the　distance　of　two　English　miles；　where　they　make　hay　for　the　winter；　which　they　bring　home　in　a　boat。　　They　live　here　very　cheap；　getting　money　from　the　vessels　which　stress　of　weather；　or　other　causes；　bring　into　their　harbour。　　I　suspect；　by　their　furniture；　that　they　smuggle　a　little。　　I　can　now　credit　the　account　of　the　other　houses；　which　I　last　night　thought　exaggerated。

I　have　been　conversing　with　one　of　my　companions　respecting　the　laws　and　regulations　of　Norway。　　He　is　a　man　within　great　portion　of　common　sense　and　heartyes；　a　warm　heart。　　This　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　remarked　heart　without　sentiment；　they　are　distinct。　The　former　depends　on　the　rectitude　of　the　feelings；　on　truth　of　sympathy；　these　characters　have　more　tenderness　than　passion；　the　latter　has　a　higher　sourcecall　it　imagination；　genius；　or　what　you　will；　it　is　something　very　different。　　I　have　been　laughing　with　these　simple　worthy　folkto　give　you　one　of　my　half…score　Danish　wordsand　letting　as　much　of　my　heart　flow　out　in　sympathy　as　they　can　take。　　Adieu！　　I　must　trip　up　the　rocks。　　The　rain　is　ever。　　Let　me　catch　pleasure　on　the　wingI　may　be　melancholy　to…morrow。　　Now　all　my　nerves　keep　time　with　the　melody　of　nature。　　Ah！　let　me　be　happy　whilst　I　can。　　The　tear　starts　as　I　think　of　it。　　I　must　flee　from　thought；　and　find　refuge　from　sorrow　in　a　strong　imagination　the　only　solace　for　a　feeling　heart。　　Phantoms　of　bliss！　ideal　forms　of　excellence！　again　enclose　me　in　your　magic　circle；　and　wipe　clear　from　my　remembrance　the　disappointments　that　reader　the　sympathy　painful；　which　experience　rather　increases　than　damps；　by　giving　the　indulgence　of　feeling　the　sanction　of　reason。

Once　more　farewell！



LETTER　XI。



I　left　Portoer；　the　little　haven　I　mentioned；　soon　after　I　finished　my　last　letter。　　The　sea　was　rough；　and　I　perceived　that　our　pilot　was　right　not　to　venture　farther　during　a　hazy　night。　　We　had　agreed　to　pay　four　dollars　for　a　boat　from　Helgeraac。　　I　mention　the　sum；　because　they　would　demand　twice　as　much　from　a　stranger。　　I　was　obliged　to　pay　fifteen　for　the　one　I　hired　at　Stromstad。　　When　we　were　ready　to　set　out；　our　boatman　offered　to　return　a　dollar　and　let　us　go　in　one　of　the　boats　of　the　place；　the　pilot　who　lived　there　being　better　acquainted　with　the　coast。　　He　only　demanded　a　dollar　and　a　half；　which　was　reasonable。　　I　found　him　a　civil　and　rather　intelligent　man；　he　was　in　the　American　service　several　years；　during　the　Revolution。

I　soon　perceived　that　an　experienced　mariner　was　necessary　to　guide　us；　for　we　were　continually　obliged　to　tack　about；　to　avoid　the　rocks；　which；　scarcely　reaching　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　could　only　be　discovered　by　the　breaking　of　the　waves　over　them。

The　view　of　this　wild　coast；　as　we　sailed　along　it；　afforded　me　a　continual　subject　for　meditation。　　I　anticipated　the　future　improvement　of　the　world；　and　observed　how　much　man　has　still　to　do　to　obtain　of　the　earth　all　it　could　yield。　　I　even　carried　my　speculations　so　far　as　to　advance　a　million　or　two　of　years　to　the　moment　when　the　earth　would　perhaps　be　so　perfectly　cultivated；　and　so　completely　peopled；　as　to　render　it　necessary　to　inhabit　every　spotyes；　these　bleak　shores。　　Imagination　went　still　farther；　and　pictured　the　state　of　man　when　the　earth　could　no　longer　support　him。　　Whither　was　he　to　flee　from　universal　famine？　　Do　not　smile；　I　really　became　distressed　for　these　fellow　creatures　yet　unborn。　　The　images　fastened　on　me；　and　the　world　appeared　a　vast　prison。　　I　was　soon　to　be　in　a　smaller　onefor　no　other　name　can　I　give　to　Rusoer。　It　would　be　difficult　to　form　an　idea　of　the　place；　if　you　have　never　seen　one　of　these　rocky　coasts。

We　were　a　considerable　time　entering　amongst　the　islands；　before　we　saw　about　two　hundred　houses　crowded　together　under　a　very　high　rockstill　higher　appearing　above。　　Talk　not　of　Bastilles！　　To　be　born　here　was　to　be　bastilled　by　natureshut　out　from　all　that　opens　the　understanding；　or　enlarges　the　heart。　　Huddled　one　behind　another；　not　more　than　a　quarter　of　the　dwellings　even　had　a　prospect　of　the　sea。　　A　few　planks　formed　passages　from　house　to　house；　which　you　must　often　scale；　mounting　steps　like　a　ladder　to　enter。

The　only　road　across　the　rocks　leads　to　a　habitation　sterile　enough；　you　may　suppose；　when　I　tell　you　that　the　little　earth　on　the　adjacent　ones　was　carried　there　by　the　late　inhabitant。　　A　path；　almost　impracticable　for　a　horse；　goes　on　to　Arendall；　still　further　to　the　westward。

I　inquired　for　a　walk；　and；　mounting　near　two　hundred　steps　made　round　a　rock；　walked　up　and　down　for　about　a　hundred　yards　viewing　the　sea；　to　which　I　quickly　descended　by　steps　that　cheated　the　declivity。　　The　ocean　and　these　tremendous　bulwarks　enclosed　me　on　every　side。　　I　felt　the　confinement；　and　wished　for　wings　to　reach　still　loftier　cliffs；　whose　slippery　sides　no　foot　was　so　hardy　as　to　tread。　　Yet　what　was　it　to　see？only　a　boundless　waste　of　water…　…not　a　glimpse　of　smiling　naturenot　a　patch　of　lively　green　to　relieve　the　aching　sight；　or　vary　the　objects　of　meditation。

I　felt　my　breath　oppressed；　though　nothing　could　be　clearer　than　the　atmosphere。　　Wandering　there　alone；　I　found　the　solitude　desirable；　my　mind　was　stored　with　ideas；　which　this　new　scene　associated　with　astonishing　rapidity。　　But　I　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　receiving　existence；　and　remaining　here；　in　the　solitude　of　ignorance；　till　forced　to　leave　a　world　of　which　I　had　seen　so　little；　for　the　character　of　the　inhabitants　is　as　uncultivated；　if　not　as　picturesquely　wild；　as　their　abode。

Having　no　employment　but　traffic；　of　which　a　contraband　trade　makes　the　basis　of　their　profit；　the　coarsest　feelings　of　honesty　are　quickly　blunted。　　You　may　suppose　that　I　speak　in　general　terms；　and　that；　with　all　the　disadvantages　of　nature　and　circumstances；　there　are　still　some　respectable　exceptions；　the　more　praiseworthy；　as　tricking　is　a　very　contagious　mental　disease；　that　dries　up　all　the　generous　juices　of　the　heart。　　Nothing　genial；　in　fact；　appears　around　this　place；　or　within　the　circle　of　its　rocks。　　And；　now　I　recollect；　it　seems　to　me　that　the　most　genial　and　humane　characters　I　have　met　with　in　life　were　most　alive　to　the　sentiments　inspired　by　tranquil　country　scenes。　　What；　indeed；　is　to　humanise　these　beings；　who　rest　shut　up　（for　they　seldom　even　open　their　windows）；　smoking；　drinking　brandy；　and　driving　bargains？　　I　have　been　almost　stifled　by　these　smokers。　　They　begin　in　the　morning；　and　are　rarely　without　their　pipe　till　they　go　to　bed。　　Nothing　can　be　more　disgusting　than　the　rooms　and　men　towards　the　eveningbreath；　teeth；　clothes；　and　furniture；　all　are　spoilt。　　It　is　well　that　the　women　are　not　very　delicate；　or　they　would　only