NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY, 29] 



a nobleman has in Denmark; for the Norwegians Odelfgaard, or 

 freehold is only fubjecl: to the crown. Whether this Odels-right Importanf 

 be to the advantage, or difadvantage of the country, is a queftion queftl0n ' 

 that cannot be eafily refolved. However, We may fay of this as 

 of moft human inilitutions, which are always imperfect, that it 

 may produce both good and bad confequences. It has this good 

 effecl, that it fixes the peafant's affections on his native place, with 

 hopes o[ keeping his little patrimony in his family, and confe- 

 qucntly, improves with pleafure thofe poffeffions which he looks 

 upon to be fo flrongly fecured to him. It likewife induces many 

 a peafant's fon, who fees the pofTeiTion that mud: one day devolve 

 to him, to keep near at hand, with hopes of enjoying and im- 

 proving it by his induftry. On the contrary, when it muft be 

 fold to a ftranger, it never fetches its value; becaufe the buyer 

 poffeffes it with a great uncertainty, and does little to improve 

 the ground that cannot properly be call'd his own, according to 

 the words of the poet. 



" Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves." 

 However, one very great evil arifes from this odels-right, 

 namely, many an undutiful and wicked fon, becaufe he is the 

 eldeft, and depends on his odels-right, which nothing can affea, 

 behaves extremely ill, not only to a deferving mother-in-law after 

 the death of his father, but alfo to his own parents. This might 

 certainly be remedied, without infringing the odels-right, where 

 there are younger children of a better difpofition, and more de- 

 ferving of the inheritance. By this means, great fins againft the 

 law of nature might be prevented, if the legislature would think 

 fit to fet proper reftridions to the odels-right. But this extends 

 beyond the bounds of my fubje&, which does not allow me to 

 introduce any thing foreign to a Natural Hiftory. I fhall there- 

 fore willingly leave this point to be difcuffed by others, who are 

 more converfant and experienced in thofe affairs. 



THE END. 



