letters on sweden, norway, and denmark-第20节

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ensibility　wounded　almost　to　madness。　　But　enough　of　this；　we　will　discuss　the　subject　in　another　state　of　existence；　where　truth　and　justice　will　reign。　　How　cruel　are　the　injuries　which　make　us　quarrel　with　human　nature！　　At　present　black　melancholy　hovers　round　my　footsteps；　and　sorrow　sheds　a　mildew　over　all　the　future　prospects；　which　hope　no　longer　gilds。

A　rainy　morning　prevented　my　enjoying　the　pleasure　the　view　of　a　picturesque　country　would　have　afforded　me；　for　though　this　road　passed　through　a　country　a　greater　extent　of　which　was　under　cultivation　than　I　had　usually　seen　here；　it　nevertheless　retained　all　the　wild　charms　of　Norway。　　Rocks　still　enclosed　the　valleys；　the　great　sides　of　which　enlivened　their　verdure。　　Lakes　appeared　like　branches　of　the　sea；　and　branches　of　the　sea　assumed　the　appearance　of　tranquil　lakes；　whilst　streamlets　prattled　amongst　the　pebbles　and　the　broken　mass　of　stone　which　had　rolled　into　them；　giving　fantastic　turns　to　the　trees；　the　roots　of　which　they　bared。

It　is　not；　in　fact；　surprising　that　the　pine　should　be　often　undermined；　it　shoots　its　fibres　in　such　a　horizontal　direction；　merely　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　requiring　only　enough　to　cover　those　that　cling　to　the　crags。　　Nothing　proves　to　me　so　clearly　that　it　is　the　air　which　principally　nourishes　trees　and　plants　as　the　flourishing　appearance　of　these　pines。　　The　firs；　demanding　a　deeper　soil；　are　seldom　seen　in　equal　health；　or　so　numerous　on　the　barren　cliffs。　　They　take　shelter　in　the　crevices；　or　where；　after　some　revolving　ages；　the　pines　have　prepared　them　a　footing。

Approaching；　or　rather　descending；　to　Christiania；　though　the　weather　continued　a　little　cloudy；　my　eyes　were　charmed　with　the　view　of　an　extensive　undulated　valley；　stretching　out　under　the　shelter　of　a　noble　amphitheatre　of　pine…covered　mountains。　　Farm　houses　scattered　about　animated；　nay；　graced　a　scene　which　still　retained　so　much　of　its　native　wildness；　that　the　art　which　appeared　seemed　so　necessary；　it　was　scarcely　perceived。　　Cattle　were　grazing　in　the　shaven　meadows；　and　the　lively　green　on　their　swelling　sides　contrasted　with　the　ripening　corn　and　rye。　　The　corn　that　grew　on　the　slopes　had　not；　indeed；　the　laughing　luxuriance　of　plenty；　which　I　have　seen　in　more　genial　climes。　　A　fresh　breeze　swept　across　the　grain；　parting　its　slender　stalks；　but　the　wheat　did　not　wave　its　head　with　its　wonted　careless　dignity；　as　if　nature　had　crowned　it　the　king　of　plants。

The　view；　immediately　on　the　left；　as　we　drove　down　the　mountain；　was　almost　spoilt　by　the　depredations　committed　on　the　rocks　to　make　alum。　　I　do　not　know　the　process。　　I　only　saw　that　the　rocks　looked　red　after　they　had　been　burnt；　and　regretted　that　the　operation　should　leave　a　quantity　of　rubbish　to　introduce　an　image　of　human　industry　in　the　shape　of　destruction。　　The　situation　of　Christiania　is　certainly　uncommonly　fine；　and　I　never　saw　a　bay　that　so　forcibly　gave　me　an　idea　of　a　place　of　safety　from　the　storms　of　the　ocean；　all　the　surrounding　objects　were　beautiful　and　even　grand。　　But　neither　the　rocky　mountains；　nor　the　woods　that　graced　them；　could　be　compared　with　the　sublime　prospects　I　had　seen　to　the　westward；　and　as　for　the　hills；　〃capped　with　ETERNAL　snow；〃　Mr。　Coxe's　description　led　me　to　look　for　them；　but　they　had　flown；　for　I　looked　vainly　around　for　this　noble　background。

A　few　months　ago　the　people　of　Christiania　rose；　exasperated　by　the　scarcity　and　consequent　high　price　of　grain。　　The　immediate　cause　was　the　shipping　of　some；　said　to　be　for　Moss；　but　which　they　suspected　was　only　a　pretext　to　send　it　out　of　the　country；　and　I　am　not　sure　that　they　were　wrong　in　their　conjecture。　　Such　are　the　tricks　of　trade。　　They　threw　stones　at　Mr。　Anker；　the　owner　of　it；　as　he　rode　out　of　town　to　escape　from　their　fury；　they　assembled　about　his　house；　and　the　people　demanded　afterwards；　with　so　much　impetuosity；　the　liberty　of　those　who　were　taken　up　in　consequence　of　the　tumult；　that　the　Grand　Bailiff　thought　it　prudent　to　release　them　without　further　altercation。

You　may　think　me　too　severe　on　commerce；　but　from　the　manner　it　is　at　present　carried　on　little　can　be　advanced　in　favour　of　a　pursuit　that　wears　out　the　most　sacred　principles　of　humanity　and　rectitude。　What　is　speculation　but　a　species　of　gambling；　I　might　have　said　fraud；　in　which　address　generally　gains　the　prize？　　I　was　led　into　these　reflections　when　I　heard　of　some　tricks　practised　by　merchants；　miscalled　reputable；　and　certainly　men　of　property；　during　the　present　war；　in　which　common　honesty　was　violated：　damaged　goods　and　provision　having　been　shipped　for　the　express　purpose　of　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　English；　who　had　pledged　themselves　to　reimburse　neutral　nations　for　the　cargoes　they　seized；　cannon　also；　sent　back　as　unfit　for　service；　have　been　shipped　as　a　good　speculation；　the　captain　receiving　orders　to　cruise　about　till　he　fell　in　with　an　English　frigate。　　Many　individuals　I　believe　have　suffered　by　the　seizures　of　their　vessels；　still　I　am　persuaded　that　the　English　Government　has　been　very　much　imposed　upon　in　the　charges　made　by　merchants　who　contrived　to　get　their　ships　taken。　This　censure　is　not　confined　to　the　Danes。　　Adieu；　for　the　present；　I　must　take　advantage　of　a　moment　of　fine　weather　to　walk　out　and　see　the　town。

At　Christiania　I　met　with　that　polite　reception；　which　rather　characterises　the　progress　of　manners　in　the　world；　than　of　any　particular　portion　of　it。　　The　first　evening　of　my　arrival　I　supped　with　some　of　the　most　fashionable　people　of　the　place；　and　almost　imagined　myself　in　a　circle　of　English　ladies；　so　much　did　they　resemble　them　in　manners；　dress；　and　even　in　beauty；　for　the　fairest　of　my　countrywomen　would　not　have　been　sorry　to　rank　with　the　Grand　Bailiff's　lady。　　There　were　several　pretty　girls　present；　but　she　outshone　them　all；　and；　what　interested　me　still　more；　I　could　not　avoid　observing　that　in　acquiring　the　easy　politeness　which　distinguishes　people　of　quality；　she　had　preserved　her　Norwegian　simplicity。　　There　was；　in　fact；　a　graceful　timidity　in　her　address；　inexpressibly　charming。　　This　surprised　me　a　little；　because　her　husband　was　quite　a　Frenchman　of　the　ancien　regime；　or　rather　a　courtier；　the　same　kind　of　animal　in　every　country。

Here　I　saw　the　cloven　foot　of　despotism。　　I　boasted　to　you　that　they　had　no　viceroy　in　Norway；　but　these　Grand　Bailiffs；　particularly　the　superior　one；　who　resides　at　Christiania；　are　political　monsters　of　the　same　species。　　Needy　sycophants　are　provided　for　by　their　relations　and　connections　at　Copenhagen　as　at　other　courts。　　And　though　the　Norwegians　are　not　in　the　abject　state　of　the　Irish；　yet　this　second…hand　government　is　still　felt　by　their　being　deprived　of　several　natural　advantages　to　benefit　the　domineering　state。

The　Grand　Bailiffs　are　mostly　noblemen　from　Copenhagen；　who　act　as　men　of　common　minds　will　always　act　in　such　situationsaping　a　degree　of　courtly　parade　which　clashes　with　the　independent　character　of　a　magistrate。　　Besides；　they　have　a　degree　of　power　over　the　country　judges；　which　some　of　them；　who　exercise　a　jurisdiction　truly　patriarchal　most　painfully　feel。　　I　can　scarcely　say　why；　my　friend；　but　in　this　city　thoughtfulness　seemed　to　be　sliding　into　melancholy　or　rather　dulness。　　The　fire　of　fancy；　which　had　been　kept　alive　in　the　country；　was　almost　extinguished　by　reflections　on　the　ills　that　harass　such　a　large　portion　of　mankind。　I　felt　like　a　bird　fluttering　on　the　ground　unable　to　mount；　yet　unwilling　to　crawl　tranquilly　like　a　reptile；　whilst　still　conscious　it　had　wings。

1　walked　out；　for　the　open　air　is　always　my　remedy　when　an　aching　head　proceeds　from　an　oppressed　heart。　　Chance　directed　my　steps　towards　the　fortress；　and　the　sight　of　the　slaves；　working　with　chains　on　their　legs；　only　served　to　embitter　me　still　more　against　the　regulations　of　society；　which　treated　knaves　in　such　a　different　manner；　especially　as　there　was　a　degree　of　energy　in　some　of　their　countenances　which　unavoidably　excited　my　attention；　and　almost　created　respect。

I　wished　to　have　seen；　through　an　iron　grate；　the　face　of　a　man　who　has　been　confined　six　years　for　having　induced　the　farmers　to　revolt　against　some　impositions　of　the　Government。　　I　could　not　obtain　a　clear　account　of　the　affair；　yet；　as　the　complaint　was　against　some　farmers　of　taxes；　I　am　inclined　to　believe　that　it　was　not　totally　without　foundation。　　He　must　have　possessed　some　eloquence；　or　have　had　truth　on　his　side；　for　the　farmers　rose　by　hundreds　to　support　him；　and　were　very　much　exasperated　at　his　imprisonment；　which　will　probably　last　for　life；　though　he　has　sent　several　very　spirited　remonstrances　to　the　upper　court；　which　makes　the　judges　so　averse　to　giving　a　sentence　which　may　be　cavilled　at；　that　they　take　advantage　of　the　glorious　uncertainty　of　the　law；　to　protract　a　decision　which　is　only　to　be　regulated　by　reasons　of　state。

The　greater　number　of　the　slaves　I　saw　here　were　not　confined　for　life。　　Their　labour　is　not　hard；　and　they　work　in　the　open　air；　which　prevents　their　constitutions　from　suffering　by　imprisonment。　Still；　as　they　are　allowed　to　associate　together；　and　boast　of　their　dexterity；　not　onl