Ch. i. in Norway. 275 



Many of the most thinking and best informed 

 persons express their apprehensions on this sub- 

 ject, and on the probable result of the new regu- 

 lations respecting the enrolments of the army, 

 and the apparent intention of the court of Den- 

 mark to encourage at all events the population. 

 No very unfavourable season has occurred in 

 Norway since 1785 ; but it is feared that, in the 

 event of such a season, the most severe distress 

 might be felt from the rapid increase that has of 

 late taken place. 



Norway is, I believe, almost the only country 

 in Europe where a traveller will hear any appre- 

 hensions expressed of a redundant population, 

 and where the danger to the happiness of the 

 lower classes of people from this cause is in some 

 degree seen and understood. This obviously 

 arises from the smallness of the population alto- 

 gether, and the consequent narrowness of the 

 subject. If our attention were confined to one 

 parish, and there were no power of emigrating 

 from it, the most careless observer could not fail 

 to remark that, if all married at twenty, it would 

 be perfectly impossible for the farmers, however 

 carefully they might improve their land, to find 

 employment and food for those that would grow 

 up; but when a great number of these parishes 

 are added together in a populous kingdom, the 

 largeness of the subject, and the power of moving 

 from place to place, obscure and confuse our 

 view. We lose sight of a truth, which before 



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