letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第26节

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Adieu！



LETTER　XIX。



Business　having　obliged　me　to　go　a　few　miles　out　of　town　this　morning　I　was　surprised　at　meeting　a　crowd　of　people　of　every　description；　and　inquiring　the　cause　of　a　servant；　who　spoke　French；　I　was　informed　that　a　man　had　been　executed　two　hours　before；　and　the　body　afterwards　burnt。　　I　could　not　help　looking　with　horror　aroundthe　fields　lost　their　verdureand　I　turned　with　disgust　from　the　well…dressed　women　who　were　returning　with　their　children　from　this　sight。　　What　a　spectacle　for　humanity！　　The　seeing　such　a　flock　of　idle　gazers　plunged　me　into　a　train　of　reflections　on　the　pernicious　effects　produced　by　false　notions　of　justice。　　And　I　am　persuaded　that　till　capital　punishments　are　entirely　abolished　executions　ought　to　have　every　appearance　of　horror　given　to　them；　instead　of　being；　as　they　are　now；　a　scene　of　amusement　for　the　gaping　crowd；　where　sympathy　is　quickly　effaced　by　curiosity。

I　have　always　been　of　opinion　that　the　allowing　actors　to　die　in　the　presence　of　the　audience　has　an　immoral　tendency；　but　trifling　when　compared　with　the　ferocity　acquired　by　viewing　the　reality　as　a　show；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　in　all　countries　the　common　people　go　to　executions　to　see　how　the　poor　wretch　plays　his　part；　rather　than　to　commiserate　his　fate；　much　less　to　think　of　the　breach　of　morality　which　has　brought　him　to　such　a　deplorable　end。　Consequently　executions；　far　from　being　useful　examples　to　the　survivors；　have；　I　am　persuaded；　a　quite　contrary　effect；　by　hardening　the　heart　they　ought　to　terrify。　　Besides　the　fear　of　an　ignominious　death；　I　believe；　never　deferred　anyone　from　the　commission　of　a　crime；　because；　in　committing　it；　the　mind　is　roused　to　activity　about　present　circumstances。　　It　is　a　game　at　hazard；　at　which　all　expect　the　turn　of　the　die　in　their　own　favour；　never　reflecting　on　the　chance　of　ruin　till　it　comes。　　In　fact；　from　what　I　saw　in　the　fortresses　of　Norway；　I　am　more　and　more　convinced　that　the　same　energy　of　character　which　renders　a　man　a　daring　villain　would　have　rendered　him　useful　to　society；　had　that　society　been　well　organised。　　When　a　strong　mind　is　not　disciplined　by　cultivation　it　is　a　sense　of　injustice　that　renders　it　unjust。

Executions；　however；　occur　very　rarely　at　Copenhagen；　for　timidity；　rather　than　clemency；　palsies　all　the　operations　of　the　present　Government。　　The　malefactor　who　died　this　morning　would　not；　probably；　have　been　punished　with　death　at　any　other　period；　but　an　incendiary　excites　universal　execration；　and　as　the　greater　part　of　the　inhabitants　are　still　distressed　by　the　late　conflagration；　an　example　was　thought　absolutely　necessary；　though；　from　what　I　can　gather；　the　fire　was　accidental。

Not；　but　that　I　have　very　seriously　been　informed；　that　combustible　materials　were　placed　at　proper　distance；　by　the　emissaries　of　Mr。　Pitt；　and；　to　corroborate　the　fact；　many　people　insist　that　the　flames　burst　out　at　once　in　different　parts　of　the　city；　not　allowing　the　wind　to　have　any　hand　in　it。　　So　much　for　the　plot。　But　the　fabricators　of　plots　in　all　countries　build　their　conjectures　on　the　〃baseless　fabric　of　a　vision；〃　and　it　seems　even　a　sort　of　poetical　justice；　that　whilst　this　Minister　is　crushing　at　home　plots　of　his　own　conjuring　up；　on　the　Continent；　and　in　the　north；　he　should；　with　as　little　foundation；　be　accused　of　wishing　to　set　the　world　on　fire。

I　forgot　to　mention　to　you；　that　I　was　informed；　by　a　man　of　veracity；　that　two　persons　came　to　the　stake　to　drink　a　glass　of　the　criminal's　blood；　as　an　infallible　remedy　for　the　apoplexy。　　And　when　I　animadverted　in　the　company；　where　it　was　mentioned；　on　such　a　horrible　violation　of　nature；　a　Danish　lady　reproved　me　very　severely；　asking　how　I　knew　that　it　was　not　a　cure　for　the　disease？　adding；　that　every　attempt　was　justifiable　in　search　of　health。　　I　did　not；　you　may　imagine；　enter　into　an　argument　with　a　person　the　slave　of　such　a　gross　prejudice。　　And　I　allude　to　it　not　only　as　a　trait　of　the　ignorance　of　the　people；　but　to　censure　the　Government　for　not　preventing　scenes　that　throw　an　odium　on　the　human　race。

Empiricism　is　not　peculiar　to　Denmark；　and　I　know　no　way　of　rooting　it　out；　though　it　be　a　remnant　of　exploded　witchcraft；　till　the　acquiring　a　general　knowledge　of　the　component　parts　of　the　human　frame　becomes　a　part　of　public　education。

Since　the　fire；　the　inhabitants　have　been　very　assiduously　employed　in　searching　for　property　secreted　during　the　confusion；　and　it　is　astonishing　how　many　people；　formerly　termed　reputable；　had　availed　themselves　of　the　common　calamity　to　purloin　what　the　flames　spared。　Others；　expert　at　making　a　distinction　without　a　difference；　concealed　what　they　found；　not　troubling　themselves　to　inquire　for　the　owners；　though　they　scrupled　to　search　for　plunder　anywhere；　but　amongst　the　ruins。

To　be　honester　than　the　laws　require　is　by　most　people　thought　a　work　of　supererogation；　and　to　slip　through　the　grate　of　the　law　has　ever　exercised　the　abilities　of　adventurers；　who　wish　to　get　rich　the　shortest　way。　　Knavery　without　personal　danger　is　an　art　brought　to　great　perfection　by　the　statesman　and　swindler；　and　meaner　knaves　are　not　tardy　in　following　their　footsteps。

It　moves　my　gall　to　discover　some　of　the　commercial　frauds　practised　during　the　present　war。　　In　short；　under　whatever　point　of　view　I　consider　society；　it　appears　to　me　that　an　adoration　of　property　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　　Here　it　does　not　render　the　people　enterprising；　as　in　America；　but　thrifty　and　cautious。　　I　never；　therefore；　was　in　a　capital　where　there　was　so　little　appearance　of　active　industry；　and　as　for　gaiety；　I　looked　in　vain　for　the　sprightly　gait　of　the　Norwegians；　who　in　every　respect　appear　to　me　to　have　got　the　start　of　them。　　This　difference　I　attribute　to　their　having　more　libertya　liberty　which　they　think　their　right　by　inheritance；　whilst　the　Danes；　when　they　boast　of　their　negative　happiness；　always　mention　it　as　the　boon　of　the　Prince　Royal；　under　the　superintending　wisdom　of　Count　Bernstorff。　　Vassalage　is　nevertheless　ceasing　throughout　the　kingdom；　and　with　it　will　pass　away　that　sordid　avarice　which　every　modification　of　slavery　is　calculated　to　produce。

If　the　chief　use　of　property　be　power；　in　the　shape　of　the　respect　it　procures；　is　it　not　among　the　inconsistencies　of　human　nature　most　incomprehensible；　that　men　should　find　a　pleasure　in　hoarding　up　property　which　they　steal　from　their　necessities；　even　when　they　are　convinced　that　it　would　be　dangerous　to　display　such　an　enviable　superiority？　　Is　not　this　the　situation　of　serfs　in　every　country。　Yet　a　rapacity　to　accumulate　money　seems　to　become　stronger　in　proportion　as　it　is　allowed　to　be　useless。

Wealth　does　not　appear　to　be　sought　for　amongst　the　Danes；　to　obtain　the　excellent　luxuries　of　life；　for　a　want　of　taste　is　very　conspicuous　at　Copenhagen；　so　much　so　that　I　am　not　surprised　to　hear　that　poor　Matilda　offended　the　rigid　Lutherans　by　aiming　to　refine　their　pleasures。　　The　elegance　which　she　wished　to　introduce　was　termed　lasciviousness；　yet　I　do　not　find　that　the　absence　of　gallantry　renders　the　wives　more　chaste；　or　the　husbands　more　constant。　　Love　here　seems　to　corrupt　the　morals　without　polishing　the　manners；　by　banishing　confidence　and　truth；　the　charm　as　well　as　cement　of　domestic　life。　　A　gentleman；　who　has　resided　in　this　city　some　time；　assures　me　that　he　could　not　find　language　to　give　me　an　idea　of　the　gross　debaucheries　into　which　the　lower　order　of　people　fall；　and　the　promiscuous　amours　of　the　men　of　the　middling　class　with　their　female　servants　debase　both　beyond　measure；　weakening　every　species　of　family　affection。

I　have　everywhere　been　struck　by　one　characteristic　difference　in　the　conduct　of　the　two　sexes；　women；　in　general；　are　seduced　by　their　superiors；　and　men　jilted　by　their　inferiors：　　rank　and　manners　awe　the　one；　and　cunning　and　wantonness　subjugate　the　other；　ambition　creeping　into　the　woman's　passion；　and　tyranny　giving　force　to　the　man's；　for　most　men　treat　their　mistresses　as　kings　do　their　favourites：　　ergo　is　not　man　then　the　tyrant　of　the　creation？

Still　harping　on　the　same　subject；　you　will　exclaimHow　can　I　avoid　it；　when　most　of　the　struggles　of　an　eventful　life　have　been　occasioned　by　the　oppressed　state　of　my　sex？　　We　reason　deeply　when　we　feel　forcibly。

But　to　return　to　the　straight　road　of　observation。　　The　sensuality　so　prevalent　appears　to　me　to　arise　rather　from　indolence　of　mind　and　dull　senses；　than　from　an　exuberance　of　life；　which　often　fructifies　the　whole　character　when　the　vivacity　of　youthful　spirits　begins　to　subside　into　strength　of　mind。

I　have　before　mentioned　that　the　men　are　domestic　tyrants；　considering　them　as　fathers；　brothers；　or　husbands；　but　there　is　a　kind　of　interregnum　between　the　reign　of　the　father　and　husband　which　is　the　only　period　of　freedom　and　pleasure　that　the　women　enjoy。　　Young　people　who　are　attached　to　each　other；　with　the　consent　of　their　friends；　exchange　rings；　and　are　permitted　to　enjoy　a　degree　of　liberty　together　which　1　have　never　noticed　in　any　other　country。　　The　days　of　courtship　are；　therefore；　prolonged　till　it　be　perfectly　convenient　to　marry：　　the　intimacy　of