letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第32节

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ing　out　sorrow；　surrounded　me；　whilst　peace　appeared　to　steal　along　the　lake　to　calm　my　bosom；　modulating　the　wind　that　agitated　the　neighbouring　poplars。　　Now　I　hear　only　an　account　of　the　tricks　of　trade；　or　listen　to　the　distressful　tale　of　some　victim　of　ambition。

The　hospitality　of　Hamburg　is　confined　to　Sunday　invitations　to　the　country　houses　I　have　mentioned；　when　dish　after　dish　smokes　upon　the　board；　and　the　conversation　ever　flowing　in　the　muddy　channel　of　business；　it　is　not　easy　to　obtain　any　appropriate　information。　　Had　I　intended　to　remain　here　some　time；　or　had　my　mind　been　more　alive　to　general　inquiries；　I　should　have　endeavoured　to　have　been　introduced　to　some　characters　not　so　entirely　immersed　in　commercial　affairs；　though　in　this　whirlpool　of　gain　it　is　not　very　easy　to　find　any　but　the　wretched　or　supercilious　emigrants；　who　are　not　engaged　in　pursuits　which；　in　my　eyes；　appear　as　dishonourable　as　gambling。　　The　interests　of　nations　are　bartered　by　speculating　merchants。　　My　God！　with　what　sang　froid　artful　trains　of　corruption　bring　lucrative　commissions　into　particular　hands；　disregarding　the　relative　situation　of　different　countries；　and　can　much　common　honesty　be　expected　in　the　discharge　of　trusts　obtained　by　fraud？　But　this　entre　nous。

During　my　present　journey；　and　whilst　residing　in　France；　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　peeping　behind　the　scenes　of　what　are　vulgarly　termed　great　affairs；　only　to　discover　the　mean　machinery　which　has　directed　many　transactions　of　moment。　　The　sword　has　been　merciful；　compared　with　the　depredations　made　on　human　life　by　contractors　and　by　the　swarm　of　locusts　who　have　battened　on　the　pestilence　they　spread　abroad。　　These　men；　like　the　owners　of　negro　ships；　never　smell　on　their　money　the　blood　by　which　it　has　been　gained；　but　sleep　quietly　in　their　beds；　terming　such　occupations　lawful　callings；　yet　the　lightning　marks　not　their　roofs　to　thunder　conviction　on　them　〃and　to　justify　the　ways　of　God　to　man。〃

Why　should　I　weep　for　myself？　　〃Take；　O　world！　thy　much　indebted　tear！〃　　Adieu！



LETTER　XXV。



There　is　a　pretty　little　French　theatre　at　Altona；　and　the　actors　are　much　superior　to　those　I　saw　at　Copenhagen。　　The　theatres　at　Hamburg　are　not　open　yet；　but　will　very　shortly；　when　the　shutting　of　the　gates　at　seven　o'clock　forces　the　citizens　to　quit　their　country　houses。　　But；　respecting　Hamburg；　I　shall　not　be　able　to　obtain　much　more　information；　as　I　have　determined　to　sail　with　the　first　fair　wind　for　England。

The　presence　of　the　French　army　would　have　rendered　my　intended　tour　through　Germany；　in　my　way　to　Switzerland；　almost　impracticable；　had　not　the　advancing　season　obliged　me　to　alter　my　plan。　　Besides；　though　Switzerland　is　the　country　which　for　several　years　I　have　been　particularly　desirous　to　visit；　I　do　not　feel　inclined　to　ramble　any　farther　this　year；　nay；　I　am　weary　of　changing　the　scene；　and　quitting　people　and　places　the　moment　they　begin　to　interest　me。　This　also　is　vanity！

DOVER。

I　left　this　letter　unfinished；　as　I　was　hurried　on　board；　and　now　I　have　only　to　tell　you　that；　at　the　sight　of　Dover　cliffs；　I　wondered　how　anybody　could　term　them　grand；　they　appear　so　insignificant　to　me；　after　those　I　had　seen　in　Sweden　and　Norway。

Adieu！　　My　spirit　of　observation　seems　to　be　fled；　and　I　have　been　wandering　round　this　dirty　place；　literally　speaking；　to　kill　time；　though　the　thoughts　I　would　fain　fly　from　lie　too　close　to　my　heart　to　be　easily　shook　off；　or　even　beguiled；　by　any　employment；　except　that　of　preparing　for　my　journey　to　London。

God　bless　you！

MARY。





APPENDIX。



Private　business　and　cares　have　frequently　so　absorbed　me　as　to　prevent　my　obtaining　all　the　information　during　this　journey　which　the　novelty　of　the　scenes　would　have　afforded；　had　my　attention　been　continually　awake　to　inquiry。　　This　insensibility　to　present　objects　I　have　often　had　occasion　to　lament　since　I　have　been　preparing　these　letters　for　the　press；　but；　as　a　person　of　any　thought　naturally　considers　the　history　of　a　strange　country　to　contrast　the　former　with　the　present　state　of　its　manners；　a　conviction　of　the　increasing　knowledge　and　happiness　of　the　kingdoms　I　passed　through　was　perpetually　the　result　of　my　comparative　reflections。

The　poverty　of　the　poor　in　Sweden　renders　the　civilisation　very　partial；　and　slavery　has　retarded　the　improvement　of　every　class　in　Denmark；　yet　both　are　advancing；　and　the　gigantic　evils　of　despotism　and　anarchy　have　in　a　great　measure　vanished　before　the　meliorating　manners　of　Europe。　　Innumerable　evils　still　remain；　it　is　true；　to　afflict　the　humane　investigator；　and　hurry　the　benevolent　reformer　into　a　labyrinth　of　error；　who　aims　at　destroying　prejudices　quickly　which　only　time　can　root　out；　as　the　public　opinion　becomes　subject　to　reason。

An　ardent　affection　for　the　human　race　makes　enthusiastic　characters　eager　to　produce　alteration　in　laws　and　governments　prematurely。　　To　render　them　useful　and　permanent；　they　must　be　the　growth　of　each　particular　soil；　and　the　gradual　fruit　of　the　ripening　understanding　of　the　nation；　matured　by　time；　not　forced　by　an　unnatural　fermentation。　　And；　to　convince　me　that　such　a　change　is　gaining　ground　with　accelerating　pace；　the　view　I　have　had　of　society　during　my　northern　journey　would　have　been　sufficient　had　I　not　previously　considered　the　grand　causes　which　combine　to　carry　mankind　forward　and　diminish　the　sum　of　human　misery。







End