letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第28节

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There　are　some　good　pictures　in　the　royal　museum。　　Do　not　start；　I　am　not　going　to　trouble　you　with　a　dull　catalogue；　or　stupid　criticisms　on　masters　to　whom　time　has　assigned　their　just　niche　in　the　temple　of　fame；　had　there　been　any　by　living　artists　of　this　country；　I　should　have　noticed　them；　as　making　a　part　of　the　sketches　I　am　drawing　of　the　present　state　of　the　place。　　The　good　pictures　were　mixed　indiscriminately　with　the　bad　ones；　in　order　to　assort　the　frames。　　The　same　fault　is　conspicuous　in　the　new　splendid　gallery　forming　at　Paris；　though　it　seems　an　obvious　thought　that　a　school　for　artists　ought　to　be　arranged　in　such　a　manner；　as　to　show　the　progressive　discoveries　and　improvements　in　the　art。

A　collection　of　the　dresses；　arms；　and　implements　of　the　Laplanders　attracted　my　attention；　displaying　that　first　species　of　ingenuity　which　is　rather　a　proof　of　patient　perseverance；　than　comprehension　of　mind。　　The　specimens　of　natural　history；　and　curiosities　of　art；　were　likewise　huddled　together　without　that　scientific　order　which　alone　renders　them　useful；　but　this　may　partly　have　been　occasioned　by　the　hasty　manner　in　which　they　were　removed　from　the　palace　when　in　flames。

There　are　some　respectable　men　of　science　here；　but　few　literary　characters；　and　fewer　artists。　　They　want　encouragement；　and　will　continue；　I　fear；　from　the　present　appearance　of　things；　to　languish　unnoticed　a　long　time；　for　neither　the　vanity　of　wealth；　nor　the　enterprising　spirit　of　commerce；　has　yet　thrown　a　glance　that　way。

Besides；　the　Prince　Royal；　determined　to　be　economical；　almost　descends　to　parsimony；　and　perhaps　depresses　his　subjects；　by　labouring　not　to　oppress　them；　for　his　intentions　always　seem　to　be　goodyet　nothing　can　give　a　more　forcible　idea　of　the　dulness　which　eats　away　all　activity　of　mind；　than　the　insipid　routine　of　a　court；　without　magnificence　or　elegance。

The　Prince；　from　what　I　can　now　collect；　has　very　moderate　abilities；　yet　is　so　well　disposed；　that　Count　Bernstorff　finds　him　as　tractable　as　he　could　wish；　for　I　consider　the　Count　as　the　real　sovereign；　scarcely　behind　the　curtain；　the　Prince　having　none　of　that　obstinate　self…sufficiency　of　youth；　so　often　the　forerunner　of　decision　of　character。　　He　and　the　Princess　his　wife；　dine　every　day　with　the　King；　to　save　the　expense　of　two　tables。　　What　a　mummery　it　must　be　to　treat　as　a　king　a　being　who　has　lost　the　majesty　of　man！　But　even　Count　Bernstorff's　morality　submits　to　this　standing　imposition；　and　he　avails　himself　of　it　sometimes；　to　soften　a　refusal　of　his　own；　by　saying　it　is　the　WILL　of　the　King；　my　master；　when　everybody　knows　that　he　has　neither　will　nor　memory。　　Much　the　same　use　is　made　of　him　as；　I　have　observed；　some　termagant　wives　make　of　their　husbands；　they　would　dwell　on　the　necessity　of　obeying　their　husbands；　poor　passive　souls；　who　never　were　allowed　TO　WILL；　when　they　wanted　to　conceal　their　own　tyranny。

A　story　is　told　here　of　the　King's　formerly　making　a　dog　counsellor　of　state；　because　when　the　dog；　accustomed　to　eat　at　the　royal　table；　snatched　a　piece　of　meat　off　an　old　officer's　plate；　he　reproved　him　jocosely；　saying　that　he；　monsieur　le　chien；　had　not　the　privilege　of　dining　with　his　majesty；　a　privilege　annexed　to　this　distinction。

The　burning　of　the　palace　was；　in　fact；　a　fortunate　circumstance；　as　it　afforded　a　pretext　for　reducing　the　establishment　of　the　household；　which　was　far　too　great　for　the　revenue　of　the　Crown。　The　Prince　Royal；　at　present；　runs　into　the　opposite　extreme；　and　the　formality；　if　not　the　parsimony；　of　the　court；　seems　to　extend　to　all　the　other　branches　of　society；　which　I　had　an　opportunity　of　observing；　though　hospitality　still　characterises　their　intercourse　with　strangers。

But　let　me　now　stop；　I　may　be　a　little　partial；　and　view　everything　with　the　jaundiced　eye　of　melancholyfor　I　am　sadand　have　cause。

God　bless　you！



LETTER　XXI。



I　have　seen　Count　Bernstorff；　and　his　conversation　confirms　me　in　the　opinion　I　had　previously　formed　of　him；　I　mean；　since　my　arrival　at　Copenhagen。　　He　is　a　worthy　man；　a　little　vain　of　his　virtue　a　la　Necker；　and　more　anxious　not　to　do　wrong；　that　is　to　avoid　blame；　than　desirous　of　doing　good；　especially　if　any　particular　good　demands　a　change。　　Prudence；　in　short；　seems　to　be　the　basis　of　his　character；　and；　from　the　tenor　of　the　Government；　I　should　think　inclining　to　that　cautious　circumspection　which　treads　on　the　heels　of　timidity。　　He　has　considerable　information；　and　some　finesse；　or　he　could　not　be　a　Minister。　　Determined　not　to　risk　his　popularity；　for　he　is　tenderly　careful　of　his　reputation；　he　will　never　gloriously　fail　like　Struensee；　or　disturb；　with　the　energy　of　genius；　the　stagnant　state　of　the　public　mind。

I　suppose　that　Lavater；　whom　he　invited　to　visit　him　two　years　ago　some　say　to　fix　the　principles　of　the　Christian　religion　firmly　in　the　Prince　Royal's　mind；　found　lines　in　his　face　to　prove　him　a　statesman　of　the　first　order；　because　he　has　a　knack　at　seeing　a　great　character　in　the　countenances　of　men　in　exalted　stations；　who　have　noticed　him　or　his　works。　　Besides；　the　Count's　sentiments　relative　to　the　French　Revolution；　agreeing　with　Lavater's；　must　have　ensured　his　applause。

The　Danes；　in　general；　seem　extremely　averse　to　innovation；　and　if　happiness　only　consist　in　opinion；　they　are　the　happiest　people　in　the　world；　for　I　never　saw　any　so　well　satisfied　with　their　own　situation。　　Yet　the　climate　appears　to　be　very　disagreeable；　the　weather　being　dry　and　sultry；　or　moist　and　cold；　the　atmosphere　never　having　that　sharp；　bracing　purity；　which　in　Norway　prepares　you　to　brave　its　rigours。　　I　do　not　hear　the　inhabitants　of　this　place　talk　with　delight　of　the　winter；　which　is　the　constant　theme　of　the　Norwegians；　on　the　contrary；　they　seem　to　dread　its　comfortless　inclemency。

The　ramparts　are　pleasant；　and　must　have　been　much　more　so　before　the　fire；　the　walkers　not　being　annoyed　by　the　clouds　of　dust　which；　at　present；　the　slightest　wind　wafts　from　the　ruins。　　The　windmills；　and　the　comfortable　houses　contiguous；　belonging　to　the　millers；　as　well　as　the　appearance　of　the　spacious　barracks　for　the　soldiers　and　sailors；　tend　to　render　this　walk　more　agreeable。　　The　view　of　the　country　has　not　much　to　recommend　it　to　notice　but　its　extent　and　cultivation：　　yet　as　the　eye　always　delights　to　dwell　on　verdant　plains；　especially　when　we　are　resident　in　a　great　city；　these　shady　walks　should　be　reckoned　amongst　the　advantages　procured　by　the　Government　for　the　inhabitants。　　I　like　them　better　than　the　Royal　Gardens；　also　open　to　the　public；　because　the　latter　seem　sunk　in　the　heart　of　the　city；　to　concentrate　its　fogs。

The　canals　which　intersect　the　streets　are　equally　convenient　and　wholesome；　but　the　view　of　the　sea　commanded　by　the　town　had　little　to　interest　me　whilst　the　remembrance　of　the　various　bold　and　picturesque　shores　I　had　seen　was　fresh　in　my　memory。　　Still　the　opulent　inhabitants；　who　seldom　go　abroad；　must　find　the　spots　were　they　fix　their　country　seats　much　pleasanter　on　account　of　the　vicinity　of　the　ocean。

One　of　the　best　streets　in　Copenhagen　is　almost　filled　with　hospitals；　erected　by　the　Government；　and；　I　am　assured；　as　well　regulated　as　institutions　of　this　kind　are　in　any　country；　but　whether　hospitals　or　workhouses　are　anywhere　superintended　with　sufficient　humanity　I　have　frequently　had　reason　to　doubt。

The　autumn　is　so　uncommonly　fine　that　I　am　unwilling　to　put　off　my　journey　to　Hamburg　much　longer；　lest　the　weather　should　alter　suddenly；　and　the　chilly　harbingers　of　winter　catch　me　here；　where　I　have　nothing　now　to　detain　me　but　the　hospitality　of　the　families　to　whom　I　had　recommendatory　letters。　　I　lodged　at　an　hotel　situated　in　a　large　open　square；　where　the　troops　exercise　and　the　market　is　kept。　　My　apartments　were　very　good；　and　on　account　of　the　fire　I　was　told　that　I　should　be　charged　very　high；　yet；　paying　my　bill　just　now；　I　find　the　demands　much　lower　in　proportion　than　in　Norway；　though　my　dinners　were　in　every　respect　better。

I　have　remained　more　at　home　since　I　arrived　at　Copenhagen　than　I　ought　to　have　done　in　a　strange　place；　but　the　mind　is　not　always　equally　active　in　search　of　information；　and　my　oppressed　heart　too　often　sighs　out　…


〃How　dull；　flat；　and　unprofitable　Are　to　me　all　the　usages　of　this　world：　That　it　should　come　to　this！〃


Farewell！　　Fare　thee　well；　I　say；　if　thou　canst；　repeat　the　adieu　in　a　different　tone。



LETTER　XXII。



I　arrived　at　Corsoer　the　night　after　I　quitted　Copenhagen；　purposing　to　take　my　passage　across　the　Great　Belt　the　next　morning；　though　the　weather　was　rather　boisterous。　　It　is　about　four…and…twenty　miles　but　as　both　I　and　my　little　girl　are　never　attacked　by　sea…　sicknessthough　who　can　avoid　ennui？I　enter　a　boat　with　the　same　indifference　as　I　change　horses；　and　as　for　danger；　come　when　it　may；　I　dread　it　not　sufficiently　to　have　any　anticipating　fears。

The　road　from　Copenhagen　was　very　good；　through　an　open；　flat　country　that　had　little　to　recommend　it　to　notice　excepting　the　cultivation；　which　gratified　my　heart　more　than　my　eye。

I　took　a　barge　with　a　German　baron　who　was　hastening　back　from　a　tou