letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第10节

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You　know　that；　as　a　female；　I　am　particularly　attached　to　her；　I　feel　more　than　a　mother's　fondness　and　anxiety　when　I　reflect　on　the　dependent　and　oppressed　state　of　her　sex。　　I　dread　lest　she　should　be　forced　to　sacrifice　her　heart　to　her　principles；　or　principles　to　her　heart。　　With　trembling　hand　I　shall　cultivate　sensibility　and　cherish　delicacy　of　sentiment；　lest；　whilst　I　lend　fresh　blushes　to　the　rose；　I　sharpen　the　thorns　that　will　wound　the　breast　I　would　fain　guard；　I　dread　to　unfold　her　mind；　lest　it　should　render　her　unfit　for　the　world　she　is　to　inhabit。　　Hapless　woman！　what　a　fate　is　thine！

But　whither　am　I　wandering？　　I　only　meant　to　tell　you　that　the　impression　the　kindness　of　the　simple　people　made　visible　on　my　countenance　increased　my　sensibility　to　a　painful　degree。　　I　wished　to　have　had　a　room　to　myself；　for　their　attention；　and　rather　distressing　observation；　embarrassed　me　extremely。　　Yet；　as　they　would　bring　me　eggs；　and　make　my　coffee；　I　found　I　could　not　leave　them　without　hurting　their　feelings　of　hospitality。

It　is　customary　here　for　the　host　and　hostess　to　welcome　their　guests　as　master　and　mistress　of　the　house。

My　clothes；　in　their　turn；　attracted　the　attention　of　the　females；　and　I　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　foolish　vanity　which　makes　many　women　so　proud　of　the　observation　of　strangers　as　to　take　wonder　very　gratuitously　for　admiration。　　This　error　they　are　very　apt　to　fall　into　when；　arrived　in　a　foreign　country；　the　populace　stare　at　them　as　they　pass。　　Yet　the　make　of　a　cap　or　the　singularity　of　a　gown　is　often　the　cause　of　the　flattering　attention　which　afterwards　supports　a　fantastic　superstructure　of　self…conceit。

Not　having　brought　a　carriage　over　with　me；　expecting　to　have　met　a　person　where　I　landed；　who　was　immediately　to　have　procured　me　one；　I　was　detained　whilst　the　good　people　of　the　inn　sent　round　to　all　their　acquaintance　to　search　for　a　vehicle。　　A　rude　sort　of　cabriole　was　at　last　found；　and　a　driver　half　drunk；　who　was　not　less　eager　to　make　a　good　bargain　on　that　account。　　I　had　a　Danish　captain　of　a　ship　and　his　mate　with　me；　the　former　was　to　ride　on　horseback；　at　which　he　was　not　very　expert；　and　the　latter　to　partake　of　my　seat。　The　driver　mounted　behind　to　guide　the　horses　and　flourish　the　whip　over　our　shoulders；　he　would　not　suffer　the　reins　out　of　his　own　hands。　　There　was　something　so　grotesque　in　our　appearance　that　I　could　not　avoid　shrinking　into　myself　when　I　saw　a　gentleman…like　man　in　the　group　which　crowded　round　the　door　to　observe　us。　　I　could　have　broken　the　driver's　whip　for　cracking　to　call　the　women　and　children　together；　but　seeing　a　significant　smile　on　the　face；　I　had　before　remarked；　I　burst　into　a　laugh　to　allow　him　to　do　so　too；　and　away　we　flew。　　This　is　not　a　flourish　of　the　pen；　for　we　actually　went　on　full　gallop　a　long　time；　the　horses　being　very　good；　indeed；　I　have　never　met　with　better；　if　so　good；　post…horses　as　in　Norway。　　They　are　of　a　stouter　make　than　the　English　horses；　appear　to　be　well　fed；　and　are　not　easily　tired。

I　had　to　pass　over；　I　was　informed；　the　most　fertile　and　best　cultivated　tract　of　country　in　Norway。　　The　distance　was　three　Norwegian　miles；　which　are　longer　than　the　Swedish。　　The　roads　were　very　good；　the　farmers　are　obliged　to　repair　them；　and　we　scampered　through　a　great　extent　of　country　in　a　more　improved　state　than　any　I　had　viewed　since　I　left　England。　　Still　there　was　sufficient　of　hills；　dales；　and　rocks　to　prevent　the　idea　of　a　plain　from　entering　the　head；　or　even　of　such　scenery　as　England　and　France　afford。　　The　prospects　were　also　embellished　by　water；　rivers；　and　lakes　before　the　sea　proudly　claimed　my　regard；　and　the　road　running　frequently　through　lofty　groves　rendered　the　landscapes　beautiful；　though　they　were　not　so　romantic　as　those　I　had　lately　seen　with　such　delight。

It　was　late　when　I　reached　Tonsberg；　and　I　was　glad　to　go　to　bed　at　a　decent　inn。　　The　next　morning　the　17th　of　July；　conversing　with　the　gentleman　with　whom　I　had　business　to　transact；　I　found　that　I　should　be　detained　at　Tonsberg　three　weeks；　and　I　lamented　that　I　had　not　brought　my　child　with　me。

The　inn　was　quiet；　and　my　room　so　pleasant；　commanding　a　view　of　the　sea；　confined　by　an　amphitheatre　of　hanging　woods；　that　I　wished　to　remain　there；　though　no　one　in　the　house　could　speak　English　or　French。　　The　mayor；　my　friend；　however；　sent　a　young　woman　to　me　who　spoke　a　little　English；　and　she　agreed　to　call　on　me　twice　a　day　to　receive　my　orders　and　translate　them　to　my　hostess。

My　not　understanding　the　language　was　an　excellent　pretext　for　dining　alone；　which　I　prevailed　on　them　to　let　me　do　at　a　late　hour；　for　the　early　dinners　in　Sweden　had　entirely　deranged　my　day。　　I　could　not　alter　it　there　without　disturbing　the　economy　of　a　family　where　I　was　as　a　visitor；　necessity　having　forced　me　to　accept　of　an　invitation　from　a　private　family；　the　lodgings　were　so　incommodious。

Amongst　the　Norwegians　I　had　the　arrangement　of　my　own　time；　and　I　determined　to　regulate　it　in　such　a　manner　that　I　might　enjoy　as　much　of　their　sweet　summer　as　I　possibly　could；　short；　it　is　true；　but　〃passing　sweet。〃

I　never　endured　a　winter　in　this　rude　clime；　consequently　it　was　not　the　contrast；　but　the　real　beauty　of　the　season　which　made　the　present　summer　appear　to　me　the　finest　I　had　ever　seen。　　Sheltered　from　the　north　and　eastern　winds；　nothing　can　exceed　the　salubrity；　the　soft　freshness　of　the　western　gales。　　In　the　evening　they　also　die　away；　the　aspen　leaves　tremble　into　stillness；　and　reposing　nature　seems　to　be　warmed　by　the　moon；　which　here　assumes　a　genial　aspect。　　And　if　a　light　shower　has　chanced　to　fall　with　the　sun；　the　juniper；　the　underwood　of　the　forest；　exhales　a　wild　perfume；　mixed　with　a　thousand　nameless　sweets　that；　soothing　the　heart；　leave　images　in　the　memory　which　the　imagination　will　ever　hold　dear。

Nature　is　the　nurse　of　sentiment；　the　true　source　of　taste；　yet　what　misery；　as　well　as　rapture；　is　produced　by　a　quick　perception　of　the　beautiful　and　sublime　when　it　is　exercised　in　observing　animated　nature；　when　every　beauteous　feeling　and　emotion　excites　responsive　sympathy；　and　the　harmonised　soul　sinks　into　melancholy　or　rises　to　ecstasy；　just　as　the　chords　are　touched；　like　the　AEolian　harp　agitated　by　the　changing　wind。　　But　how　dangerous　is　it　to　foster　these　sentiments　in　such　an　imperfect　state　of　existence；　and　how　difficult　to　eradicate　them　when　an　affection　for　mankind；　a　passion　for　an　individual；　is　but　the　unfolding　of　that　love　which　embraces　all　that　is　great　and　beautiful！

When　a　warm　heart　has　received　strong　impressions；　they　are　not　to　be　effaced。　　Emotions　become　sentiments；　and　the　imagination　renders　even　transient　sensations　permanent　by　fondly　retracing　them。　　I　cannot；　without　a　thrill　of　delight；　recollect　views　I　have　seen；　which　are　not　to　be　forgotten；　nor　looks　I　have　felt　in　every　nerve；　which　I　shall　never　more　meet。　　The　grave　has　closed　over　a　dear　friend；　the　friend　of　my　youth。　　Still　she　is　present　with　me；　and　I　hear　her　soft　voice　warbling　as　I　stray　over　the　heath。　　Fate　has　separated　me　from　another；　the　fire　of　whose　eyes；　tempered　by　infantine　tenderness；　still　warms　my　breast；　even　when　gazing　on　these　tremendous　cliffs　sublime　emotions　absorb　my　soul。　　And；　smile　not；　if　I　add　that　the　rosy　tint　of　morning　reminds　me　of　a　suffusion　which　will　never　more　charm　my　senses；　unless　it　reappears　on　the　cheeks　of　my　child。　　Her　sweet　blushes　I　may　yet　hide　in　my　bosom；　and　she　is　still　too　young　to　ask　why　starts　the　tear　so　near　akin　to　pleasure　and　pain。

I　cannot　write　any　more　at　present。　　To…morrow　we　will　talk　of　Tonsberg。



LETTER　VII。



Though　the　king　of　Denmark　be　an　absolute　monarch；　yet　the　Norwegians　appear　to　enjoy　all　the　blessings　of　freedom。　　Norway　may　be　termed　a　sister　kingdom；　but　the　people　have　no　viceroy　to　lord　it　over　them；　and　fatten　his　dependants　with　the　fruit　of　their　labour。

There　are　only　two　counts　in　the　whole　country　who　have　estates；　and　exact　some　feudal　observances　from　their　tenantry。　　All　the　rest　of　the　country　is　divided　into　small　farms；　which　belong　to　the　cultivator。　　It　is　true　some　few；　appertaining　to　the　Church；　are　let；　but　always　on　a　lease　for　life；　generally　renewed　in　favour　of　the　eldest　son；　who　has　this　advantage　as　well　as　a　right　to　a　double　portion　of　the　property。　　But　the　value　of　the　farm　is　estimated；　and　after　his　portion　is　assigned　to　him　he　must　be　answerable　for　the　residue　to　the　remaining　part　of　the　family。

Every　farmer　for　ten　years　is　obliged　to　attend　annually　about　twelve　days　to　learn　the　military　exercise；　but　it　is　always　at　a　small　distance　from　his　dwelling；　and　does　not　lead　him　into　any　new　habits　of　life。

There　are　about　six　thousand　regulars　also　in　garrison　at　Christiania　and　Fredericshall；　who　are　equally　reserved；　with　the　militia；　for　the　defence　of　their　own　country。　　So　that　when　the　Prince　Royal　passed　into　Sweden　in　1788；　he　was　obliged　to　request；　not　command；　them　to　accompany　him　on　this　expedition。

These　corps　are　mostly　composed　of　the　sons　of　the　cottagers；　who　being　labourers　on　the　farms；　are　allowed　a　few　acres　to　cultivate　for　them