TRAVELS 
* 3 ° 
return home, he may in his port-folio again take a view of thofe 
rivers, cafcades, and mountains, that prompt fo lively a recollection 
of his fucceflive pleafures and pains, he will not want in Lapland 
abundant fubjeCts for his imitative pencil. And although winter 
be unpropitious to his art, he will find what in fummer will pre¬ 
sent a thoufand objeCts to invite his attention, and an ample re- 
compence for his patience. His imagination will be exalted to an 
extacy of a melancholy kind : a penfive fadnefs, not without its 
charms and ufefulnefs.'* That profound folitude and filence which 
every where reigns, will every inftant fuggeft the queftion, to 
what good end do thofe places ferve ? To w'hat purpofe all that 
beautiful fcenery of lakes, rivers, rivulets, and cafcades, if thofe 
deferts are never, as w T ould feem to be the cafe, to be peopled by 
human beings ? This queftion will never be folved by man, 
while he retains the perfuafion that he is the Lord of the crea¬ 
tion, and fo long as he indulges the idle and prefumptuous preju¬ 
dice, that every thing exifts only for him. Thofe birds w'hich 
make the woods refound with their fong, which fwarm in 
mar flies, on rivers, and in the air, and which in fummer retreat 
by a long continued flight to Lapland from all parts of Europe, 
in order to provide themfelves with nefts—have not thofe crea¬ 
tures a natural right of multiplying their fpecies, as well as man ? 
Perfecuted every where elfe by human fnares and induftry, re¬ 
fined by fidlitious wants and defines, ought they not to have an 
afylum where they may depofit the fruits of their loves ? 
* A melancholy turn of mind belt fitted for love and fiiendfiiip.—H ume. 
To 
