letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第8节

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　yards　from　it　was　a　bridge　that　crossed　the　river；　the　murmurs　of　which　I　have　celebrated；　it　was　not　fordable。　The　Swedish　general　received　orders　to　stop　at　the　bridge　and　dispute　the　passagea　most　advantageous　post　for　an　army　so　much　inferior　in　force；　but　the　influence　of　beauty　is　not　confined　to　courts。　　The　mistress　of　the　inn　was　handsome；　when　I　saw　her　there　were　still　some　remains　of　beauty；　and；　to　preserve　her　house；　the　general　gave　up　the　only　tenable　station。　　He　was　afterwards　broke　for　contempt　of　orders。

Approaching　the　frontiers；　consequently　the　sea；　nature　resumed　an　aspect　ruder　and　ruder；　or　rather　seemed　the　bones　of　the　world　waiting　to　be　clothed　with　everything　necessary　to　give　life　and　beauty。　　Still　it　was　sublime。

The　clouds　caught　their　hue　of　the　rocks　that　menaced　them。　　The　sun　appeared　afraid　to　shine；　the　birds　ceased　to　sing；　and　the　flowers　to　bloom；　but　the　eagle　fixed　his　nest　high　amongst　the　rocks；　and　the　vulture　hovered　over　this　abode　of　desolation。　　The　farm　houses；　in　which　only　poverty　resided；　were　formed　of　logs　scarcely　keeping　off　the　cold　and　drifting　snow：　　out　of　them　the　inhabitants　seldom　peeped；　and　the　sports　or　prattling　of　children　was　neither　seen　or　heard。　　The　current　of　life　seemed　congealed　at　the　source：　　all　were　not　frozen；　for　it　was　summer；　you　remember；　but　everything　appeared　so　dull　that　I　waited　to　see　ice；　in　order　to　reconcile　me　to　the　absence　of　gaiety。

The　day　before；　my　attention　had　frequently　been　attracted　by　the　wild　beauties　of　the　country　we　passed　through。

The　rocks　which　tossed　their　fantastic　heads　so　high　were　often　covered　with　pines　and　firs；　varied　in　the　most　picturesque　manner。　Little　woods　filled　up　the　recesses　when　forests　did　not　darken　the　scene；　and　valleys　and　glens；　cleared　of　the　trees；　displayed　a　dazzling　verdure　which　contrasted　with　the　gloom　of　the　shading　pines。　　The　eye　stole　into　many　a　covert　where　tranquillity　seemed　to　have　taken　up　her　abode；　and　the　number　of　little　lakes　that　continually　presented　themselves　added　to　the　peaceful　composure　of　the　scenery。　　The　little　cultivation　which　appeared　did　not　break　the　enchantment；　nor　did　castles　rear　their　turrets　aloft　to　crush　the　cottages；　and　prove　that　man　is　more　savage　than　the　natives　of　the　woods。　　I　heard　of　the　bears　but　never　saw　them　stalk　forth；　which　I　was　sorry　for；　I　wished　to　have　seen　one　in　its　wild　state。　In　the　winter；　I　am　told；　they　sometimes　catch　a　stray　cow；　which　is　a　heavy　loss　to　the　owner。

The　farms　are　small。　　Indeed　most　of　the　houses　we　saw　on　the　road　indicated　poverty；　or　rather　that　the　people　could　just　live。　Towards　the　frontiers　they　grew　worse　and　worse　in　their　appearance；　as　if　not　willing　to　put　sterility　itself　out　of　countenance。　　No　gardens　smiled　round　the　habitations；　not　a　potato　or　cabbage　to　eat　with　the　fish　drying　on　a　stick　near　the　door。　　A　little　grain　here　and　there　appeared；　the　long　stalks　of　which　you　might　almost　reckon。　　The　day　was　gloomy　when　we　passed　over　this　rejected　spot；　the　wind　bleak；　and　winter　seemed　to　be　contending　with　nature；　faintly　struggling　to　change　the　season。　　Surely；　thought　I；　if　the　sun　ever　shines　here　it　cannot　warm　these　stones；　moss　only　cleaves　to　them；　partaking　of　their　hardness；　and　nothing　like　vegetable　life　appears　to　cheer　with　hope　the　heart。

So　far　from　thinking　that　the　primitive　inhabitants　of　the　world　lived　in　a　southern　climate　where　Paradise　spontaneously　arose；　I　am　led　to　infer；　from　various　circumstances；　that　the　first　dwelling　of　man　happened　to　be　a　spot　like　this　which　led　him　to　adore　a　sun　so　seldom　seen；　for　this　worship；　which　probably　preceded　that　of　demons　or　demigods；　certainly　never　began　in　a　southern　climate；　where　the　continual　presence　of　the　sun　prevented　its　being　considered　as　a　good；　or　rather　the　want　of　it　never　being　felt；　this　glorious　luminary　would　carelessly　have　diffused　its　blessings　without　being　hailed　as　a　benefactor。　　Man　must　therefore　have　been　placed　in　the　north；　to　tempt　him　to　run　after　the　sun；　in　order　that　the　different　parts　of　the　earth　might　be　peopled。　　Nor　do　I　wonder　that　hordes　of　barbarians　always　poured　out　of　these　regions　to　seek　for　milder　climes；　when　nothing　like　cultivation　attached　them　to　the　soil；　especially　when　we　take　into　the　view　that　the　adventuring　spirit；　common　to　man；　is　naturally　stronger　and　more　general　during　the　infancy　of　society。　　The　conduct　of　the　followers　of　Mahomet；　and　the　crusaders；　will　sufficiently　corroborate　my　assertion。

Approaching　nearer　to　Stromstad；　the　appearance　of　the　town　proved　to　be　quite　in　character　with　the　country　we　had　just　passed　through。　　I　hesitated　to　use　the　word　country；　yet　could　not　find　another；　still　it　would　sound　absurd　to　talk　of　fields　of　rocks。

The　town　was　built　on　and　under　them。　　Three　or　four　weather…beaten　trees　were　shrinking　from　the　wind；　and　the　grass　grew　so　sparingly　that　I　could　not　avoid　thinking　Dr。　Johnson's　hyperbolical　assertion　〃that　the　man　merited　well　of　his　country　who　made　a　few　blades　of　grass　grow　where　they　never　grew　before；〃　might　here　have　been　uttered　with　strict　propriety。　　The　steeple　likewise　towered　aloft；　for　what　is　a　church；　even　amongst　the　Lutherans；　without　a　steeple？　But　to　prevent　mischief　in　such　an　exposed　situation；　it　is　wisely　placed　on　a　rock　at　some　distance　not　to　endanger　the　roof　of　the　church。

Rambling　about；　I　saw　the　door　open；　and　entered；　when　to　my　great　surprise　I　found　the　clergyman　reading　prayers；　with　only　the　clerk　attending。　　I　instantly　thought　of　Swift's　〃Dearly　beloved　Roger；〃　but　on　inquiry　I　learnt　that　some　one　had　died　that　morning；　and　in　Sweden　it　is　customary　to　pray　for　the　dead。

The　sun；　who　I　suspected　never　dared　to　shine；　began　now　to　convince　me　that　he　came　forth　only　to　torment；　for　though　the　wind　was　still　cutting；　the　rocks　became　intolerably　warm　under　my　feet；　whilst　the　herring　effluvia；　which　I　before　found　so　very　offensive；　once　more　assailed　me。　　I　hastened　back　to　the　house　of　a　merchant；　the　little　sovereign　of　the　place；　because　he　was　by　far　the　richest；　though　not　the　mayor。

Here　we　were　most　hospitably　received；　and　introduced　to　a　very　fine　and　numerous　family。　　I　have　before　mentioned　to　you　the　lilies　of　the　north；　I　might　have　added；　water　lilies；　for　the　complexion　of　many；　even　of　the　young　women；　seem　to　be　bleached　on　the　bosom　of　snow。　　But　in　this　youthful　circle　the　roses　bloomed　with　all　their　wonted　freshness；　and　I　wondered　from　whence　the　fire　was　stolen　which　sparkled　in　their　fine　blue　eyes。

Here　we　slept；　and　I　rose　early　in　the　morning　to　prepare　for　my　little　voyage　to　Norway。　　I　had　determined　to　go　by　water；　and　was　to　leave　my　companions　behind；　but　not　getting　a　boat　immediately；　and　the　wind　being　high　and　unfavourable；　I　was　told　that　it　was　not　safe　to　go　to　sea　during　such　boisterous　weather；　I　was；　therefore；　obliged　to　wait　for　the　morrow；　and　had　the　present　day　on　my　hands；　which　I　feared　would　be　irksome；　because　the　family；　who　possessed　about　a　dozen　French　words　amongst　them　and　not　an　English　phrase；　were　anxious　to　amuse　me；　and　would　not　let　me　remain　alone　in　my　room。　　The　town　we　had　already　walked　round　and　round；　and　if　we　advanced　farther　on　the　coast；　it　was　still　to　view　the　same　unvaried　immensity　of　water　surrounded　by　barrenness。

The　gentlemen；　wishing　to　peep　into　Norway；　proposed　going　to　Fredericshall；　the　first　townthe　distance　was　only　three　Swedish　miles。　　There　and　back　again　was　but　a　day's　journey；　and　would　not；　I　thought；　interfere　with　my　voyage。　　I　agreed；　and　invited　the　eldest　and　prettiest　of　the　girls　to　accompany　us。　　I　invited　her　because　I　like　to　see　a　beautiful　face　animated　by　pleasure；　and　to　have　an　opportunity　of　regarding　the　country；　whilst　the　gentlemen　were　amusing　themselves　with　her。

I　did　not　know；　for　I　had　not　thought　of　it；　that　we　were　to　scale　some　of　the　most　mountainous　cliffs　of　Sweden　in　our　way　to　the　ferry　which　separates　the　two　countries。

Entering　amongst　the　cliffs；　we　were　sheltered　from　the　wind；　warm　sunbeams　began　to　play；　streams　to　flow；　and　groves　of　pines　diversified　the　rocks。　　Sometimes　they　became　suddenly　bare　and　sublime。　　Once；　in　particular；　after　mounting　the　most　terrific　precipice；　we　had　to　pass　through　a　tremendous　defile；　where　the　closing　chasm　seemed　to　threaten　us　with　instant　destruction；　when；　turning　quickly；　verdant　meadows　and　a　beautiful　lake　relieved　and　charmed　my　eyes。

I　had　never　travelled　through　Switzerland；　but　one　of　my　companions　assured　me　that　I　should　not　there　find　anything　superior；　if　equal；　to　the　wild　grandeur　of　these　views。

As　we　had　not　taken　this　excursion　into　our　plan；　the　horses　had　not　been　previously　ordered；　which　obliged　us　to　wait　two　hours　at　the　first　post。　　The　day　was　wearing　away。　　The　road　was　so　bad　that　walking　up　the　precipices　consumed　the　time　insensibly；　but　as　we　desired　horses　at　each　post　ready　at　a　certain　hour；　we　reckoned　on　returning　more　speedily。

We　stopped　to　dine　at　a　tolerable　farm；　they　brought　us　out　ham；　butter；　cheese；　and　milk；　and　the　charge　was　so　moderate　that　I　scattered　a　little　money　amongst　the　children　who