NORWAY. 



781 



many vexatious and burdensome feudal usages, but tbey are beginning to raise their heads. 

 The Germans occupy Holstein, Lubecl<, and the most oi" Slesvvick, and there are a few Gyp. 

 sies. The women of the middle classes are very fond of sliow in their dress, which is com- 

 posed of many colors, red being the most prevalent. In summer, many of the people retain 

 their great-coats, and in winter they assume furs. The French fashions are common in the 

 cities. The Danish language is allied to the Swedish and Norwegian. The Frisish is used in 

 some of the islands, and the German in Holstein, Lubec, and a part 'of Slesv/ick. The houses 

 in the cities are generally of brick ; in the country, they are of wood, with piazzas ; few of them 

 have much pretension to elegance. The general food of the lower class is oat-cake, rye- 

 bread, potatoes, fish, and cheese. Much beer and spirits, chiefly brandy, are consumed, and 

 the use of tobacco is general, but less so than in Germany. 



The mode of traveling is less convenient than in Germany, and few foreigners visit Den- 

 mark. The common post vehicles do not exceed 4 or 5 miles an hour. The Danes are 

 brave, but not adventurous. The}^ would do more for defence than for glor}-. They are less 

 cordial than the Germans, and less cheerful than their northern neighbors. They are faithful 

 and honest, but not strongly marked with national peculiarities. They are addicted to the use 

 of spirituous liquors, and the proverbial expression of a " drunken Dane," has some founda- 

 tion in the national character. 



The Danes are much less cheerful than either the Swedes or the Norv/egians. Cards and 

 dancing are the most common amusements, but these are not followed with much spirit. 



21. Education. There is a university at Copenhagen, and another at Kiel. There are many 

 gynmasiums, and every town has a primary school ; 2,302 of these schools are on the Lancas- 

 terian plan. The nobility are educated at Scroa. There is a school at Copenhagen for the 

 instruction of teachers, and there are several learned societies. The largest library has 

 410,000 volumes, of which 30,000 are of a date prior to 1500. There are SO periodical 

 publications in Denmark, 70 of which are in Danish. 



22. State of tlie Jlrts^ Sciences., and Literature. The arts are not in a flourishing state, 

 though Thorwaldsen, the sculptor, is by birth a Dane. The ancient literature is the Scandi- 

 navian, which will be mentioned under another head. In the 12th century, Saxo Grammaticus 

 wrote his Danish history. Holberg and Pontoppidan were Danes, and Make Brun was born 

 in Denmark. The sciences are cultivated with success, but the literature is limited. There 

 are some popular songs, and good dramas. 



23. Religion. The religion is chiefly Lutheran, and the church government partakes of the 

 English hierarchy, and of the Calvinistic discipline. Few of the clergy have livings of more 

 than !$ 1800, or less than ^250 a year. In Jutland, however, some have but $ 130. There 

 are a few nunneries. 



24. Government and Laws. The government is an hereditary and unlimited monarchy. 

 But though the king has power to make, interpret, and abrogate the laws, there is much practi- 

 cal freedom. The laws are equitable, and justly administered. The police is strict. 



25. IJislory. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, were anciently called Scandinavia. A 

 century before the Christian era, the inhabitants of the peninsula of Jutland were known to the 

 Romans by the name of the Cimbri. The Gothic conquerors gave this country a new set of 

 rulers. In the Middle Ages, these people, with the Swedes and Norwegians, were called 

 A'^ormans, or JS'^ortlimen. They conquered Normandy in France, peopled the Faroe Islands, 

 the Orkneys, Shetland, and Iceland, and carried their arms into the south of Europe. Canute, 

 king of Denmark, conquered in the 11th century, the whole of Norway, and nearly all Fmgland 

 and Scotland. Under this prince, Christianity was introduced ; and the progress of civilization 

 begun. But the most brilliant era was the reign of Margaret, surnamed the Northern Semira- 

 mis, who effected the union of Calmar, which placed on her head the crown of Denmark, 

 Norway, and Sweden, in the 14th century. Sweden, however, shook off the Danish yoke in 

 the IGth century, but Norway was retained until 1815, when it was ceded to Sweden, under 

 the dictation of the allied armies. 



CHAPTER CXX. NORWAY. 



1. Boundaries and Extent. Norway is bounded north by the Northern Ocean, cast by 

 Sweden, snnlh by the Scagerac, west and northwest bv the German Ocean. It extends from 



