heard in the scene of desolation,

The ruggedness of the dark grey rock is not covered by a single shrub. The only music is the hoarse murmurings of the waves, ever and anon renewing their assaults on the huge masses that oppose them. The northern sun, creeping at midnight, at the distance of five diameters, along the horizon, and the unmeasurable ocean in apparent contact with the skies, form the grand outlines of the sublime picture presented to the astonished spectator. The incessant cares and pursuits of anxious mortals are recollected as a dream; the various forms and energies of animated nature are forgotten; the earth is contemplated only in its elements, and as constituting a part of the solar system."

Climate.] Two-thirds of Norway are situated within the temperate zone, the other third is situated within the polar circle. But, from its maritime situation, Norway is not so cold as might be expected from its high latitudes. In the interior, it is much colder in winter than on the coast, the atmosphere being less humid; but the temperature of the summer months is below that of Swedish Lapland. This is especially the case in Finmark, where, though the mean temperature at the North Cape is 6 degrees higher than at Enontekis, yet the mean temperature of the summer months, at the latter place, is much higher than at the former. On the southern edge of Norway the longest day is 18 hours 30 minutes, and the shortest 5 hours 30 minutes. In the middle districts, the longest day is 21 hours, and the shortest 3 hours. In the extreme north the sun continues above the horizon for two months and a half; and remains invisible for an equal period. Norway can hardly be said to possess a spring or autumn. The summer's heat instantly succeeds the cold of winter. Within the space of seven days, Nature throws off her snowy covering, and assumes the garb and hues of spring. "The contrast between the rudeness of winter and the bloom of spring," says Geijer, "is here much more powerful, and, consequently, the latter is here welcomed with a far higher feeling than in those countries, whose inhabitants know nothing of such quick transition: as if the warm look of maternal love were more delightful to that child, above whom it seldom beams. The spring, which quickens all beings, seems in the North, more than elsewhere, to stir the very heart of Nature; and presents, particularly in the mountainous parts, where the transition is more rapid, a spectacle which should pervade the darkest and most depressed bosom with a ray of the delightful bliss of existence. The snow melting in the sunbeams, and rushing from the mountains in numberless rivulets over the fragrant verdure of the vales,-the mighty waters, loosened from their icy chains, and hastening onward with augmented tide,-the trees, as it were, instantaneously arrayed in leafy verdure, from which the song-birds chirp their tuneful strains, filling the clear elastic air of spring with salutations to the North, the heaven floating in a brilliant sea, which soon no longer knows of night, the gladness, in fine, pervading the whole of animated nature, all combine in the northern spring, to cause an overflowing sense of life, as at once awakened from a lengthened torpor. If this first transition make a more powerful impression on the observer, the mildly blooming progress immediately succeeding it, has a more genuine and moving charm. From its contrast with the frequently barren grandeur of northern scenery, and from its tinge of evanescent beauty, all the loveliness of nature in the North has a sort of tender expression. This observation applies equally to the gentle tints of the opening rose, and to

the blooming cheek of the northern maiden; to the clear colouring of the heaven, when compared with a dark blue southern sky; to the light but vivid verdure of the grass, so strongly contrasting with the unaltered witnesses of winter,—our woods of gloomy pine, all which evince a weakness of vegetation not to be found in the maturity of southern nature, and its-we may so say-more full blooded productions.”28 However, it is thought that of late years a sensible change has taken place in the climate of Norway; the summer being less warm, and the winter less severc. Beyond the 66th parallel vegetation nearly disappears, although the Norwegians contrive to raise corn at Altengaard, under the 70th parallel. This is the highest known latitude in which corn has ever been raised.

Vegetation Line.] Connected with the climate and latitude, is the line of vegetation. Fruit-trees; of various kinds, flourish at an elevation of 1000 feet; the spruce-fir can stand the cold at an elevation of 2000 feet; the silver fir at a height of 3000 feet, as also the birch; beyond this the dwarf birch, some willows, and the juniper, alone vegetate to the elevation of 3,290 feet above the sea. Barley and oats vegetate at an elevation of from 1,500 to 1,800 feet, when sheltered in vallies; but at 1,200 or 1,300 feet of altitude, the night frosts are highly prejudicial to the seed.29

Thus," adds the professor in a somewhat more fantastic strain, "the beauty of the North almost invariably resembles a delicate and tender child, whose gentle, innocent loveliness, even in the cradle, seems to supplicate deliverance from the cruel fate by which it shortly must be doomed to perish; and the striking contrast between rudeness and gentleness, liveliness and torpor, perceptible in the northern regions, makes itself felt in the brighest bloom of spring. These and many other distinctive qualities, which pervade our being either pleasingly or painfully, seem, on that very account, in these regions, to draw the compassionate attention of man to nature, and to create a closer relation to it, and to its mysteries. To this cause may also be attributed that peculiarly deep and comprehensive perception of nature, which forms a fundamental principle in distinguished northern minds; a tendency which, even in the earliest mythology and poetry of the North, expresses itself by dusky images and tones, and in later times, purified by cultivation, has been principally developed in sciences and art."

Von Buch gives us the following curious description of the decreasing line of vegetation, in ascending the Kiolen mountains: "It is extremely entertaining to describe great and rapidly ascending heights in this climate. As in the ascent of Mont Blanc, we gradually rise beyond all the points which seemed immeasurable from the valley, so in like manner the Lapland vegetation, with which we are familiar in the valleys, gradually disappears under our feet. The Scotch fir soon leaves us; then the birches become shrivelled; now they wholly disappear, and between the bushes of mountain willows and dwarf birches, the innumerable clusters of berry-bearing shrubs have room to spread, blaeberries on the dry heights, and mountain brambles on the marshy grounds. We at last rise above them; the blaeberries no longer bear; they appear singly, with few leaves, and no longer in a bushy form. At last they disappear, and they are soon followed by the mountain willows. The dwarf birch alone braves the height and the cold, but at last it also yields, before reaching the limit of perpetual snow; and there is a broad border before reaching this limit, on which, besides mosses, a few plants only subsist with great difficulty. Even the rein-deer moss, which vies in the woods with the blaeberry in luxuriance of growth, is very unfrequent on such heights. On the top of the mountains, which is almost a table-land, there is no ice, it is true, nor glaciers, but the snow never leaves these heights; and a few single points and spots above this level are alone clear of snow for a few weeks. Here the Laplanders seldom or Lever come with their rein-deer, except in descending to the vallies. It is a melancholy prospect; nothing in life is to be seen any longer, except, perhaps, occasionally an eagle in his flight over the mountains, from one fiord to another. The view is more grateful as we descend, as it is a return from wilderness and solitude, to cultivation and society. On Akkha Solkhi, one of these mountains on the western coast, and 3,392 feet in altitude above the sea, the following limits of the different productions were accurately marked by the barometer.

Limit of snow, above Talvig, in 70° N. Lat.
Betula nana, or dwarf birch,

English Fect.

3,514

2,742

Agriculture.] In Norway the soil is often so shallow as not to admit of being ploughed; and the number of inhabitants is too small to admit of its being cultivated in any other way. Vegetation, however, is amazingly quick: corn, we are informed, is sometimes sown and reaped within six or seven weeks. The nature of the climate requires this speedy growth. The summer is short, and autumn, such as it is, generally brings with it such a quantity of rain as almost completely destroys whatever crops may be on the ground. To dry the grain-which generally consists of rye-a contrivance has been made, which might be adopted in countries where similar seasons are common. "The peasants," says Coxe, "fix forked poles, about ten feet high, and place rows of other poles transversely, on which they file the sheaves, the lowermost sheaf hanging about two feet from the ground. They are also obliged to bake the corn in wooden sheds, heated by means of stoves." Around Christiana, we find apples, pears, cherries, and even apricots, growing in the open air. Forests.] The forests of Norway are immense, and constitute the true wealth of the country, occupying above 500 saw-mills. The produce of these forests, consisting of ash, birch, oak, and lime-tree, is applied to various purposes. The large trees are formed into beams, planks, and spars, for exportation. The more diminutive trees and branches, and even larger pieces of timber, in the interior, where carriage is expensive, are made into charcoal for the use of glass-houses, furnaces, and different kinds of manufactures. The roads in Norway, as in many parts of Russia, are formed of wood. Turpentine is extracted from the fir-trees in great quantities, and affords a valuable article for exportation. Fences in this country, as in America, where timber likewise abounds, are formed of split-wood; hedges being scarcely known. The forests afford the Norwegians abundance of fuel, so that though the country may contain coal, it is seldom, or rather never sought after. The Norwegians even make manure of their trees, by burning them, and strewing the ground with the ashes. Nothing can be more destructive of the timber than this practice; it being necessary to burn a great number of trees in order to procure a small quantity of ashes. The Norwegians, like the Americans, have learnt to apply particular parts of some of their trees to beneficial purposes. The inner bark of the elm, a tree said not to be common in Norway, and of the fir, which abounds, is dried, ground, and used not only for the feeding of swine-a use to which it seems to be well adapted-but, in times of scarcity, when mingled with meal, is used even as human food. The outward bark of the birch is used to cover the roofs of houses, because, from its sap and firmness, it resists putrefaction longer than almost any other substance. The inner bark of the birch serves a variety of purposes. It is used in the tanning of hides, and for strengthening fishing nets and sails. This tree, from an incision made in the trunk near the bottom, also yields a liquor resembling wine. The twigs serve, in times of scarcity, as fodder for horses; the twigs of alder and aspen are used for the same purpose.

Rein-deer.] The same benevolence of nature which has given the

Salix myrsinites, or whortle leafed willow,

Salix lanata, or downy willow, goes higher; it rises above the betula nana,

and approaches near to the limit of perpetual snow.

Betula alba, or birch tree,

Vaccinium myrtillus, or blaeberry,

Scotch fir, or pinus sylvestris,

English Fact.

2,150

2,031 1,579

450

camel to the parched deserts of Africa and Asia, has bestowed on Lapland the rein-deer, an animal no less calculated to live in extreme cold, and to walk on snow, than the former is fitted to dwell in heat, and to tread on the burning sand. The rein-deer is about the size of a buck; his colour is whitish; his horns, which are cylindrical, and palmated at the top, are large and branching. Two of the branches hang over the face, and remarkably distinguish this animal from every other of the deer kind. The females, as well as the males, have horns. This animal, which subsists where cattle of every description would perish, in a great measure compensates for their want. To the Laplander he affords milk, from which is made cheese of a good quality. In winter, he transports the sledge from one place to another with amazing rapidity, and thus compensates for the want of the horse. His flesh forms an agreeable and wholesome food. His skin is converted into clothing; his sinews into bow-strings, and even into threads. His bones are formed into spoons, and from his horns is manufactured glue. An animal affording advantages so numerous, might justly claim some attention to be paid to its preservation and nourishment, but nature has spared the Laplanders even this trouble. In summer, the rein-deer collect in immense herds, and repair to feed on the mountains, or in the forests. In winter, when the face of the ground is covered with snow, and vegetation appears to have entirely ceased, these hardy animals, with their hoofs and horns, dig into the snow, and find a small plant, called the rein-lugwort, of which they are extremely fond. Thus the owner of a herd of rein-deer enjoys all their advantages with little trouble. When he wants milk, he draws it from the animal; when he desires flesh, he selects one from the herd and kills it; and when he has killed it, he finds every part of it useful. All his trouble consists in training such as are to be yoked in the sledge, and in keeping his herds from mingling with those of his neighbours. Thus almost every Laplander can have a great number of these animals. Some individuals who in Lapland are accounted rich, can boast of possessing upwards of a thousand. When yoked to a sledge, they travel with great velocity, and continue long without being tired. Unless completely trained, however, they not unfrequently become restive, and endanger the lives of their drivers. The rein-deer are still found in a wild state, in the northern parts of Norway; but the greater number are claimed by individuals, and tamed so far as to feed in the herd, and return home at particular seasons.

Animals.] Besides the rein-deer, Norway has the bear, the wolf, the lynx, the glutton, and the lemming, or Norway mouse; the two last being, in some degree, peculiar to the country. The elk is found in the southern districts of this region. The beaver is found in Norway, as well as in America. Hares, foxes, and the squirrels which furnish the well-known fur called petit gris, are not uncommon; and in winter, they assume a white, or, at least, a grey colour. Some birds are mentioned as being peculiar to Norway, such as the picus tridactylus, and the tetrao lagopus.

Minerals.] Gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, salt, and sulphur, are the minerals of Norway. Beautiful granite, rock crystals, garnets, and amethysts, are also found in some districts. The Norwegian cordierite, when cut and polished, exhibits a stellular opalescence resembling that of the stellular sapphire.

CHAP. II.-INHABITANTS-MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.

1st. Norwegians.] THE bulk of the nation are Normans, or Norwegians, who, like the Swedes and Danes, are of Germano-Celtic origin. They are generally of middle stature, well-formed, and of a resolute and energetic character, though, in few instances, capable of continued exertion. They are better soldiers and sailors than agriculturists. Their language bears considerable affinity to the Swedish and Danish, but is more nervous and manly. In early life, their hair is generally fair, and their complexion clear and ruddy. The women are often very handsome, with expressive blue eyes, and the most regularly formed features. Coxe assures us, that excepting in Switzerland, he never saw peasants who appeared to enjoy more of the comforts of life than the peasants of Norway. The dress is plain and simple, that of the men being generally of a stone colour, with white metal buttons, and red button-holes. They manufacture a stuff resembling the Scottish plaid; and they make linen of a good quality. The women are often seen dressed only in a petticoat, and shirt with a close collar, and round their waist a black sash, or girdle. Their manner is open, sincere, and, perhaps, by the advocates of ceremony, would be esteemed blunt. Instead of the distant bow, they frankly advance, and take the person whom they salute by the hand. The contrast between the manners of the Danes and Norwegians, is an evident illustration of the power of moral causes on the human character; and is, at the same time, directly opposed to that system which deduces the dispositions of men from the climates in which they live. Denmark is a cold country, but Norway is still colder. According to the physical theory, therefore, the Danes might be expected to be dull, and the Norwegians still duller. The Danes are indeed a torpid race, but the Norwegians are animated and sprightly. We must search for the causes of national character in something different from the climate, and the cause may with little difficulty be discovered. Man is never lively under oppression, and seldom is he dull or melancholy when he enjoys freedom, with a moderate degree of affluence. It is not strange, therefore, that the long-enslaved Dane should be frigid and heavy, or that the till lately independent Norwegian should display an animated dignity. It cannot be denied, however, that, notwithstanding the small influence which climate has upon the human character, and the essential powers of the human mind, it has a considerable influence on the ordinary customs of life; and, consequently, on the appearance of the human frame. This is clearly exemplified in the customs and appearance of the Laplanders.

2d. Laplanders.] The Laplander inhabits a region where wholesome food is far from being plentiful; his size is, therefore, generally diminutive, and his limbs are deficient in those proportions, which are reckoned in other places essential to beauty. Notwithstanding the meanness of his appearance, the Laplander, from his manner of life, is hardy, robust, and strong beyond what his size would indicate. He is not only more hardy than the muscular Norwegian, but so much more strong, that the stoutest of his southern neighbours cannot bend his bow. The Norwegian Laplanders are in general more wealthy than their Swedish brethren. Those inhabiting the coast-districts support themselves entirely by fishing. 30

The limits of the country which, in the geography of Russia, Sweden, and Norway, receives the general appellation of Lapland, are not very precisely ascertained,