r8o0r.] 
fhips in the harbour and roads, and the 
horizon is bounded by the fea. This, as 
well as the fteeple of the church of St. Sa- 
viour, which may be afcended on the out- 
fide by means of a flight of fteps, are 
worthy the attention of the curious. 
The Univerfity of Copenhagen has 
funds for the fupport of 330 ftudents (ilie 
number is not at prefent complete), and 
profeffors of the fciences of theology, 
aftronomy, mathematics, medicine, &c. 
It has a good library, containing man 
curious and ufeful books and MSS. The 
Univerfity has fome connection and cor- 
refpondence with the Academy at Sorde, 
a {mall village fituated .on a lake, in a 
beautifully romantic country, about a 
quarter of a mile from the high-road_be- 
tween Ringfted and Slagelseé. This aca- 
demy is now falling to decay. Indeed 
literature appears to meet’ with but little 
encouragement in Denmark: which may, 
in fome meafure, be attributed to the ex- 
treme partiality the Danes have for public 
amufements, convivial entertainments, 
balls, concerts, and card-playing. Of 
the Jatter diverfion (if fuch it may be 
called, when carried to excels) they are 
particularly fond, fo as almof to exclude 
all attention to the cultivation of their 
minds, or the ftudy of ufeful or polite li- 
terature,.for which they have great, ad- 
vantages; to enumerate them will be 
needleis, when it is faid, that they enjoy 
the liberty of the prefs in an almoft un- 
limited degree *. The fact is, that little 
patronage is given to literature, and no 
notice is taken of literary men: if they 
have not the title of profefior, or do not 
ftand high in the church, they may rot in 
obicurity. 
- The inhabitants of Copenhagen, in- 
cluding the fuburbs, may be eftimated at 
95,000.. The circumference of the city 
is about one mile and a quarter Danith, 
or rather more than five miles Englifh. 
‘The police is extremcly good, it is very 
feldom that a robbery is heard of, and ca- 
pital punifhments are very rare. This 
may be attributed to the excellent paucity 
and perfpicuity of the laws, and the wif- 
dom, firmnefs, and moderation, of the 
# This Was in the year 1796. Since then 
(in 1800) two Danith gentlemen were ba- 
nifhed for the freedom of their writings, 
This reftraint put upon the liberty of the 
prefs was in confequence of the requeft of 
Ruilia. The Danifh government was pro- 
bably afraid of the greatnefs of that power, 
and that ihe would revive the dormant claim 
on Denmark for the Dutchy of Holfteia. 
. 
Account of Copenhagen, by Afr. Roberi Stevens, 
found very agreeable; the ftoves with 
383 
Government; which feems, on all occa- 
fions, to recognize the firft principle of 
criminal jurifprudence—that to prevent is 
better than to punith. Too much cannot 
be faid in praife of the roads in the ifland 
of Zeeland as well as‘Funen: the high- 
road from Copenhagen to Korsoer (the 
port of Zeeland on the Great Belt) is one 
-of the fineft in the world, and can perhaps 
be only equalled by.thofe in the Eaft In- 
dies: it is as even as the gravel-walk in a 
garden, and at every quarter of a Danifh 
mile has fall obelifks of ftone erected on 
a rifing-ground, with the number of miles, 
&c. from the capital, marked on them. 
he government has offered a premitm to 
encourage the planting of trees at equa! 
dittances, and this has aétually been done 
ona great part of the road, the effect of 
which is peculiarly agreeable to the tra- 
veller. ‘he coins which pafs current in 
Copenhagen are copper fkillings, marks, 
and ducats, but the money in general ule 
is rix-dollars, a paper currency. 
The Danes are very hofpitable, and 
particularly attentive to ftrangers, by en- 
deavouring to contribute to their amufe- 
ment. There are frequent, card-parties 
at the houfes of the nobility and gentry, 
where ftrangers are always acceptable. 
Dancing is an amufement of which they 
are very fond, and in which they un- 
doubtedly excel: they introduce the Ger- 
man waltz, which is calculated to excite 
pleafurable and voluptuous fenfations, into 
all their dances. Their manners in this 
refpect bear a greater refemblance to thofe 
of the French than to any of the neigh- 
bouring nations. Dinner-parties are fre- 
quent; they will often laft four hours, 
during which time the cloth remains on 
the table, and there is a conftant fuccel- 
fion of difhes, between each of which an- 
chovies, hot pickles, and other ftimulants 
are handed round, as the appetite would 
otherwife pall amidit fuch a variety of 
viands. The hurtful cuftom of drinking 
brandy in the morning is very prevalent 
in Denmark and Norway *, particularly 
among the middling and lower claffes, 
who are alfo very fond of fmoaking. 
To perfons who require moch external 
heat, the rooms in Copenhagen, and in- 
deed in moft places in the North, will be 
*In Norway the peuple are very hofpitable ; 
on returning toa houle after a fhort abfence, 
the common faying is, ** Welcome again !* 
and the brandy-bottle and a pipe are imme- 
diately put into your hands as a fure token 
that you are ‘* welcome again,” 
. which 
‘ 
3D2 
