NATURAL HISTORY of NO RWAT. 23 



voyages of the Englifh to Norway, fome of whom are very well 

 pleafed to fettle there ; or the conftant voyages of Norwegians to 

 England, who, if the trade would turn to any account, might fur- 

 nifh the Englifh abundantly with rofe-water. 



SECT. XL 



If the air of Norway be confidered in refpett to health and Quality of the 

 ficknefs, particularly as to the natives, it will appear to be pure to heaitVand 

 and falubrious from many inftances of perfons of a very ad- 

 vanced age, efpecially among the peafants. Mr. Jonas Ramus, 

 in his Chorographical Defcription of Norway, is of opinion that 

 a more healthy air in fummer is hardly to be met with any where 

 than in Norway; though' I muft confcfs, that this varies accord- 

 ing to the fituation of places. The moft pure and kindly air, I 

 judge to be, in the middle of the country, efpecially about the 

 mountains, where the inhabitants have hardly an idea of fick- 

 nefs, unlefs it be hereditary, or contracted by intemperance. It 

 is reported, though I will not warrant the truth of it, that in the 

 vale of Guldbrand, which is regularly vifited by very falubrious 

 gales, efpecially in the parifh of LaefToe, there are perfons of fuch 

 an extreme age, that from a laffitude of longer life, they get 

 themfelves removed elfewhere in order to die the fooner ; that 

 farther in the province of Valders, and in other parts, meal may 

 be kept many years without being worm-eaten,' or any other da- 

 mage ; which amounts to a demonstration of the purity, whoi- 

 fomnefs, and drynefs of the air. But on the other hand, on the 

 fea-coafts, and here in Bergen, I account the air to be lels 

 healthy from the abundance of humid and faline vapours from 

 the fea, efpecially in winter, when the mills and rain are more fre- 

 quent than clear froft ; yet with the afthmatic, this moift air 

 agrees better than a finer or drier, which may be more piercing • 

 a proof of this I had in an intimate acquaintance of mine who 

 found his breaft and lungs confiderably eafed after his arrival from 

 Denmark, which I attribute to the air here, as more humid than 

 that of Copenhagen, tho' the latter in winter is not without fre- 

 quent fogs and rains *, 



* This may poffibly be the caufe that a very dry air hurts confumptive perfons ; 

 by too ftrong a tenfion of their weak lungs, and by detaching and carrying off too 



fe* T i- h. s Gene „ 



