OUR NEIGHBOURS 113 



Olaf, Martin, and so on. There is a fondness 

 for names of Latin form such as Rasmus and 

 Modestus. There being no aristocracy in 

 Norway, the common people are not tempted 

 to adopt the English fashion of christening 

 children after the family names of great houses, 

 Talbot, Howard, Percy, and the like. 



The absence of an upper class, as we under- 

 stand it, has a very noticeable effect on the life 

 and character of these peasants. The distinc- 

 tions of wealth and poverty, though they exist, 

 are trifling beside those we are accustomed to 

 in richer countries ; and the consequent equality 

 of station accounts for much of the self-respect 

 and independent bearing which are so marked 

 a characteristic of the Norwegians. To them 

 may fittingly be applied the well-known lines 

 of Goldsmith on the Swiss : 



" Though poor the peasant's hut, his feasts though small, 

 He sees his little lot the lot of all ; 

 Sees no contiguous palace rear its head, 

 To shame the meanness of his humble shed ; 

 No costly lord the sumptuous banquet deal, 

 To make him loathe his vegetable meal ; 

 But calm, and bred in ignorance and toil, 

 Each wish contracting, fits him to the soil." 



il 



