NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 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-w r ater. 



SECT. XL 



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

 ficknefs, particularly as to the natives, it will appear to be pure to r heahh P and 

 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 confefs, 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 LasfToe, 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, whol- 

 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 lefs 

 healthy from the abundance of humid and faline vapours from 

 the fea, efpecially in winter, when the mifts 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 piercino- ■• 

 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 



Pa " L H Gene- 



