328 Norivay and the Norivegians 



almost put an end to excessive drinkiug in Norway ; at 

 any rate, that the country, which was at one time the 

 most intemperate in Europe, now holds a good place 

 for sobriety among the nations. The traveller is sure 

 to come across instances of drunkenness. These take 

 place generally on some occasion of special festivity, 

 such as a wedding. But the kind of continual drink- 

 ing in the public-houses and the streets, which we are 

 used to in our towns and villages, will not be found. 



It is curious that the Scandinavian countries, Sweden 

 and Norway, have been among the last to keep up a 

 system of religious intolerance, almost of religious per- 

 secution. Until quite lately domicile was not allowed 

 except to the members of certain recognised creeds, of 

 which the Eoman Catholic was not one. I do not 

 mean that there were no Eoman Catholics in the 

 country, but that they did not enjoy the rights of 

 citizenship. Even to-day these rights are not extended 

 freely to all denominations ; still, only certain sects, 

 Evangelical (Lutheran), Eoman Catholic, Jewish, 

 one or two forms of ' orthodox ' dissent, are recognised. 

 And still no important public office is open to any one 

 but a Lutheran. 



There are probably few countries in Europe in which 

 the ministers of religion liave a greater influence in the 

 administration of the country and in the control of the 

 education of the people than they have in Norway. 

 Belgium may, perhaps, be parallel with it on the 

 Eoman Catholic side. However great the reluctance 

 of Norway to receive the Eeformed Faith in the 

 sixteenth century, she has become deeply attached to 



