64 NATURAL HI S TO R Y of NO RWAY. 



off a numerous army. Whether mountains be univerfally a natural 

 girdle or band for ftrengthening thecompages of the globe, as fome 

 conceive, I leave abfolutely undetermined, it being immaterial to 

 my purpofe to adopt fuch conceits for my own*. 



Laftly, thefe natural fortifications feem alio to be an ornament 

 and decoration to the country ; the diverfified figures, and alter- 

 nate eminences, and other varieties, according to the tafte of 

 moft people, form a much more agreeable landfcape than a flat 

 and even country, which is almoft every where the fame. In this 

 fandlapes. re *P e & our country affords the moft delightful contrafts in the 

 diverfity of its profpe&s. And thefe moft magnificent ftruclures 

 of the great architect of nature, raife and animate the mind of 

 man, by infpiring him with the moft agreeable and the moft fub- 

 lime fentiments. Towards the extremities of the fea-coaft, thofe 

 who fail along the bare rocks and towering mountains of Nor- 

 way, will be apt to conclude, that the country can afford nothino- 

 but wretched cottages, and extreme penury; but this opinion foon 

 vanifhes upon their coming into the creeks, and obferving that here 

 according to the German proverb, there are people behind the 

 mountains^ and that in the vallies and narrow interftices they live 

 very agreeably, amidft fuch delightful landfcapes, that within a few 

 miles, a painter might have choice of incomparable originals. It 

 is certain that nature has been more profufely favourable to the 

 fituation of fome farm-houfes, than to moft royal palaces in other 

 countries, tho' affifted with all the embellifhments of groves, ter- 

 rains, cafcades, canals, and the like. Some trading places, as 

 Bragnefs and others, are charmingly fituated betwixt the moun- 

 tains at the mouth of the rivers. A predeceffor of mine is faid to 

 have given the name of the northern Italy to the diftricl of Waas, 

 which lies fome leagues eaftward of Bergen ; and certainly to one 

 who defires no more than a regular affemblage of the beauties of 

 nature (tho' of mere nature) there cannot be a more enchanting 

 profpeel; ; for all the buildings in it are Wang-church, the par- 

 fonage, and a few farm-houfes fcattered on different eminences. 

 But the beauty of the profpeel is much heightened by two uni- 



* Quod ofFa in microfcofmo, hoc in geocofmo montium flruttura facit, qui totam 

 terreni globi molem ita ftringunt, ut diffolui minime poffit atque hoc modo per- 

 feclam confiftentiam confequatur. Athanaf. Kircherus in Mundo Subterraneo, 

 P. i. pag. 67. 



form 



