1504.) 
| known argument of Commuhe naufragium 
dulce. Chance would have it, that we 
met with none of the pieces of ice, that, 
drawn on by the current, fometimes im- 
pede the progrefs of the boats, and cénfe- 
quently our navigation was made without 
interraption. Al! thefe circumfances 
rendered the paffage one of the moft 
agrecable ever known ; and he recolleéts 
it always with new pleafure, although he 
has often had occafion to make others 
with much fatisfa@&tion. 
Our traveller having now arrived in 
Zealand, he defcribes the town where he 
has juft landed, viz. Corsder. His por- 
traiture of it is but a forry one. It is 
not, however, the lefs true in point of 
refemblance ; but M. Kuttner is not in 
the right, when afterward he compares 
the disjoined, diftant houfes of the great 
ftreet with thofe which he has feen be- 
tween Salerno and Peftum in Italy, and 
whrch had not the appearance of having 
been conftruéted to ferve for an afylum to 
human beings. You will find in the cot- 
tages of Italy all the fymptoms of poverty, 
that indifference for the very circumfecrib- 
ed wants of Jife, which a climate fo mild 
and happy is fure to produce. You will 
find many fymptoms of indigence in the 
Swedifh country ; but your eye will be 
rarely ftruck with that afflicting fpectacle 
in the country-places of Denmark, and 
ftill lefs at Corsder, and in the other towns. 
M. Kottner proceeds next to Slagelfe, 
in his way on the high road to Copen- 
hagen. He here takes occafion to 
draw up an eulogium on the fuperb 
caufeway which crofles Zealand, and to 
remark, that we can advance at the rate 
of a Danifh mile, or near two French 
leagues, in lefs than an hour. He ad- 
mires, in pafling, fite of the ci-dewant 
equeftrian academy of Sorde and its en- 
virons. It was founded by the Danifh 
Moliere, and celebrated hiftoriogiapher, 
Baron de Holberg, who is faid to have 
gained fo much by his appointments and 
writings, that by means of a rigorous 
economy, he was able to accumulate a 
fum fufficient to form fuch an eftablith- 
ment. This inftitution is but little fre. 
quented, by reafon of its proximity to 
Copenhagen, which is only ten Danith 
miles diitant from it, and where there is a 
complete univerfity, endowed with great 
privileges and prerogatives. ~ 
We cannot help; fays the editor, find- 
ing fome exaggeration in cer‘ain circum- 
ftances of a tour by night, in thefe envi- 
rons, as related by our guide. He pre- 
Monrury Mac. No. 115. 
A Tour in Denmark: 
433 
tends, for inftance, to have read at the 
window, without artificial light, fome 
printed matrer, at one o'clock at night ; 
but the effect of the moon, he adds, 
was fuperfluous. However beautifu', 
however clear, certain nights may be in 
the height of fummer in this climate, we 
entertain much doubt of the faét, unlefs 
our traveller be endowed with a very ex- 
traordinary acutenefs of vifion, or that he 
was fingularly affifted by the brightnefs of 
the moon. The nights in Zealand are 
not like thofe in Norway, or at a certain 
latitude of Sweden. To be fitisfied of 
this, we have only to confult the maps. 
The town of Ringfted, where we 
changed horfes, is more confiderable than 
the two former; but it is hardly till we 
arrive at Roefkilde, four miles further on, 
that we are tempted to imagine we are ap- 
proaching a capital; an! in general, it 
muft be admitted, that the road which 
leads to Copenhagen in that quarter is 
not at all agreeable, nor adapted to prez 
poffefs foreign travellers in favour of the 
metropolis. Befides, near large cities 
we are accuftomed to fee cultivation, hor- 
ticulture, &c. advanced to the higheft de- 
gree of perfection. Here we perceive no- 
thing of all this. In other places we find 
a number of buildings, manufaétures, 
country houfes, &c. We remark a cer- 
tain air of luxury, eafy circumftances, 
talte, &c. Here we find, indeed, a fort 
of progrefiion towards a more felicitou 
kind of exiftence—towards the delights! 
and conveniencies of life; but it is fcarce- 
ly perceptible, and only becomes ftriking, 
at the diftance of about half a mile from 
the city. 
So much has been faid on the maufolea 
of the Kings of Denmark at Roefkilde, 
fays our author, that it would be impof- 
fible to difpenfe with a vifit to them ; but 
we are not a little difappointed there in 
cur expectations. The cathedral wherein 
thefe maufolea are inclofed, is vaft, and 
forms a fine coup dail; but ic neither 
exhibits the macks of good tafte, nor of 
magnificence. Many confift of marble, 
but they leave much to be defired in refpeét 
of workmanfhip and of grandeur. We 
cannot fay much with refpect to the plan, 
the defign, the execution, and the effect 
of the enjemble. Befides, thefe monu- 
ments have contraéted.a yellowihh tinge, 
either from impure exhalations, or from 
the qualities of the maierials themfelves. 
We thail obferve, that if thefe maufolea 
have not been fo inuch admired, it is from 
the comparing them to fimilar ones in the 
ra es largeft 
