LETTER　VIII。
  Tonsberg　was　formerly　the　residence　of　one　of　the　little　sovereigns　of　Norway；　and　on　an　adjacent　mountain　the　vestiges　of　a　fort　remain；　which　was　battered　down　by　the　Swedes；　the　entrance　of　the　bay　lying　close　to　it。
  Here　I　have　frequently　strayed；　sovereign　of　the　waste；　I　seldom　met　any　human　creature；　and　sometimes；　reclining　on　the　mossy　down；　under　the　shelter　of　a　rock；　the　prattling　of　the　sea　amongst　the　pebbles　has　lulled　me　to　sleepno　fear　of　any　rude　satyr's　approaching　to　interrupt　my　repose。　　Balmy　were　the　slumbers；　and　soft　the　gales；　that　refreshed　me；　when　I　awoke　to　follow；　with　an　eye　vaguely　curious；　the　white　sails；　as　they　turned　the　cliffs；　or　seemed　to　take　shelter　under　the　pines　which　covered　the　little　islands　that　so　gracefully　rose　to　render　the　terrific　ocean　beautiful。　　The　fishermen　were　calmly　casting　their　nets；　whilst　the　sea…gulls　hovered　over　the　unruffled　deep。　　Everything　seemed　to　harmonise　into　tranquillity；　even　the　mournful　call　of　the　bittern　was　in　cadence　with　the　tinkling　bells　on　the　necks　of　the　cows；　that；　pacing　slowly　one　after　the　other；　along　an　inviting　path　in　the　vale　below；　were　repairing　to　the　cottages　to　be　milked。　　With　what　ineffable　pleasure　have　I　not　gazedand　gazed　again；　losing　my　breath　through　my　eyesmy　very　soul　diffused　itself　in　the　scene；　and；　seeming　to　become　all　senses；　glided　in　the　scarcely…agitated　waves；　melted　in　the　freshening　breeze；　or；　taking　its　flight　with　fairy　wing；　to　the　misty　mountain　which　bounded　the　prospect；　fancy　tripped　over　new　lawns；　more　beautiful　even　than　the　lovely　slopes　on　the　winding　shore　before　me。　　I　pause；　again　breathless；　to　trace；　with　renewed　delight；　sentiments　which　entranced　me；　when；　turning　my　humid　eyes　from　the　expanse　below　to　the　vault　above；　my　sight　pierced　the　fleecy　clouds　that　softened　the　azure　brightness；　and　imperceptibly　recalling　the　reveries　of　childhood；　I　bowed　before　the　awful　throne　of　my　Creator；　whilst　I　rested　on　its　footstool。
  You　have　sometimes　wondered；　my　dear　friend；　at　the　extreme　affection　of　my　nature。　　But　such　is　the　temperature　of　my　soul。　　It　is　not　the　vivacity　of　youth；　the　heyday　of　existence。　　For　years　have　I　endeavoured　to　calm　an　impetuous　tide；　labouring　to　make　my　feelings　take　an　orderly　course。　　It　was　striving　against　the　stream。　　I　must　love　and　admire　with　warmth；　or　I　sink　into　sadness。　Tokens　of　love　which　I　have　received　have　wrapped　me　in　Elysium；　purifying　the　heart　they　enchanted。　　My　bosom　still　glows。　　Do　not　saucily　ask；　repeating　Sterne's　question；　〃Maria；　is　it　still　so　warm？〃　　Sufficiently；　O　my　God！　　Has　it　been　chilled　by　sorrow　and　unkindness；　still　nature　will　prevail；　and　if　I　blush　at　recollecting　past　enjoyment；　it　is　the　rosy　hue　of　pleasure　heightened　by　modesty；　for　the　blush　of　modesty　and　shame　are　as　distinct　as　the　emotions　by　which　they　are　produced。
  I　need　scarcely　inform　you；　after　telling　you　of　my　walks；　that　my　constitution　has　been　renovated　here；　and　that　I　have　recovered　my　activity　even　whilst　attaining　a　little　embonpoint。　　My　imprudence　last　winter；　and　some　untoward　accidents　just　at　the　time　I　was　weaning　my　child；　had　reduced　me　to　a　state　of　weakness　which　I　never　before　experienced。　　A　slow　fever　preyed　on　me　every　night　during　my　residence　in　Sweden；　and　after　I　arrived　at　Tonsberg。　　By　chance　I　found　a　fine　rivulet　filtered　through　the　rocks；　and　confined　in　a　basin　for　the　cattle。　　It　tasted　to　me　like　a　chalybeate；　at　any　rate；　it　was　pure；　and　the　good　effect　of　the　various　waters　which　invalids　are　sent　to　drink　depends；　I　believe；　more　on　the　air；　exercise；　and　change　of　scene；　than　on　their　medicinal　qualities。　　I　therefore　determined　to　turn　my　morning　walks　towards　it；　and　seek　for　health　from　the　nymph　of　the　fountain；　partaking　of　the　beverage　offered　to　the　tenants　of　the　shade。
  Chance　likewise　led　me　to　discover　a　new　pleasure　equally　beneficial　to　my　health。　　I　wished　to　avail　myself　of　my　vicinity　to　the　sea　and　bathe；　but　it　was　not　possible　near　the　town；　there　was　no　convenience。　　The　young　woman　whom　I　mentioned　to　you　proposed　rowing　me　across　the　water　amongst　the　rocks；　but　as　she　was　pregnant；　I　insisted　on　taking　one　of　the　oars；　and　learning　to　row。　It　was　not　difficult；　and　I　do　not　know　a　pleasanter　exercise。　　I　soon　became　expert；　and　my　train　of　thinking　kept　time；　as　it　were；　with　the　oars；　or　I　suffered　the　boat　to　be　carried　along　by　the　current；　indulging　a　pleasing　forgetfulness　or　fallacious　hopes。　How　fallacious！　yet；　without　hope；　what　is　to　sustain　life；　but　the　fear　of　annihilationthe　only　thing　of　which　I　have　ever　felt　a　dread。　　I　cannot　bear　to　think　of　being　no　moreof　losing　myself　though　existence　is　often　but　a　painful　consciousness　of　misery；　nay；　it　appears　to　me　impossible　that　I　should　cease　to　exist；　or　that　this　active；　restless　spirit；　equally　alive　to　joy　and　sorrow；　should　only　be　organised　dustready　to　fly　abroad　the　moment　the　spring　snaps；　or　the　spark　goes　out　which　kept　it　together。　　Surely　something　resides　in　this　heart　that　is　not　perishable；　and　life　is　more　than　a　dream。
  Sometimes；　to　take　up　my　oar　once　more；　when　the　sea　was　calm；　I　was　amused　by　disturbing　the　innumerable　young　star　fish　which　floated　just　below　the　surface；　I　had　never　observed　them　before；　for　they　have　not　a　hard　shell　like　those　which　I　have　seen　on　the　seashore。　They　look　like　thickened　water　with　a　white　edge；　and　four　purple　circles；　of　different　forms；　were　in　the　middle；　over　an　incredible　number　of　fibres　or　white　lines。　　Touching　them；　the　cloudy　substance　would　turn　or　close；　first　on　one　side；　then　on　the　other；　very　gracefully；　but　when　I　took　one　of　them　up　in　the　ladle；　with　which　I　heaved　the　water　out　of　the　boat；　it　appeared　only　a　colourless　jelly。
  I　did　not　see　any　of　the　seals；　numbers　of　which　followed　our　boat　when　we　landed　in　Sweden；　but　though　I　like　to　sport　in　the　water　I　should　have　had　no　desire　to　join　in　their　gambols。
  Enough；　you　will　say；　of　inanimate　nature　and　of　brutes；　to　use　the　lordly　phrase　of　man；　let　me　hear　something　of　the　inhabitants。
  The　gentleman　with　whom　I　had　business　is　the　Mayor　of　Tonsberg。　　He　speaks　English　intelligibly；　and；　having　a　sound　understanding；　I　was　sorry　that　his　numerous　occupations　prevented　my　gaining　as　much　information　from　him　as　I　could　have　drawn　forth　had　we　frequently　conversed。　　The　people　of　the　town；　as　far　as　I　had　an　opportunity　of　knowing　their　sentiments；　are　extremely　well　satisfied　with　his　manner　of　discharging　his　office。　　He　has　a　degree　of　information　and　good　sense　which　excites　respect；　whilst　a　cheerfulness；　almost　amounting　to　gaiety；　enables　him　to　reconcile　differences　and　keep　his　neighbours　in　good　humour。　　〃I　lost　my　horse；〃　said　a　woman　to　me；　〃but　ever　since；　when　I　want　to　send　to　the　mill；　or　go　out；　the　Mayor　lends　me　one。　　He　scolds　if　I　do　not　come　for　it。〃
  A　criminal　was　branded；　during　my　stay　here；　for　the　third　offence；　but　the　relief　he　received　made　him　declare　that　the　judge　was　one　of　the　best　men　in　the　world。
  I　sent　this　wretch　a　trifle；　at　different　times；　to　take　with　him　into　slavery。　　As　it　was　more　than　he　expected；　he　wished　very　much　to　see　me；　and　this　wish　brought　to　my　remembrance　an　anecdote　I　heard　when　I　was　in　Lisbon。
  A　wretch　who　had　been　imprisoned　several　years；　during　which　period　lamps　had　been　put　up；　was　at　last　condemned　to　a　cruel　death；　yet；　in　his　way　to　execution；　he　only　wished　for　one　night's　respite　to　see　the　city　lighted。
  Having　dined　in　company　at　the　mayor's　I　was　invited　with　his　family　to　spend　the　day　at　one　of　the　richest　merchant's　houses。　　Though　I　could　not　speak　Danish　I　knew　that　I　could　see　a　great　deal；　yes；　I　am　persuaded　that　I　have　formed　a　very　just　opinion　of　the　character　of　the　Norwegians；　without　being　able　to　hold　converse　with　them。
  I　had　expected　to　meet　some　company；　yet　was　a　little　disconcerted　at　being　ushered　into　an　apartment　full　of　well　dressed　people；　and　glancing　my　eyes　round　they　rested　on　several　very　pretty　faces。　Rosy　cheeks；　sparkling　eyes；　and　light　brown　or　golden　locks；　for　I　never　saw　so　much　hair　with　a　yellow　cast；　and；　with　their　fine　complexions；　it　looked　very　becoming。
  These　women　seem　a　mixture　of　indolence　and　vivacity；　they　scarcely　ever　walk　out；　and　were　astonished　that　I　should　for　pleasure；　yet　they　are　immoderately　fond　of　dancing。　　Unaffected　in　their　manners；　if　they　have　no　pretensions　to　elegance；　simplicity　often　produces　a　gracefulness　of　deportment；　when　they　are　animated　by　a　particular　desire　to　please；　which　was　the　case　at　present。　　The　solitariness　of　my　situation；　which　they　thought　terrible；　interested　them　very　much　in　my　favour。　　They　gathered　round　me；　sung　to　me；　and　one　of　the　prettiest；　to　whom　I　gave　my　hand　with　some　degree　of　cordiality；　to　meet　the　glance　of　her　eyes；　kissed　me　very　affectionately。
  At　dinner；　which　was　conducted　with　great　hospitality；　though　we　remained　at　table　too　long；　they　sung　several　songs；　and；　amongst　the　rest；　translations　of　some　patriotic　French　ones。　　As　the　evening　advanced　they　became　playful；　and　we　kept　up　a　sort　of　conversation　of　gestures。　　As　their　minds　were　to