hows how your mild
censure has rankled in the mind of the hearer. My friend was asked by a
passenger whether he did not think the women of Finmark very beautiful.
It was impossible to answer in the affirmative: the questioner went off
in high dudgeon, and did not speak to him again for several days.

In the Varanger Fjord, we had pretty freely expressed our impressions of
the desolate coast. Afterwards on returning past the grand cliff scenery
of Nordkyn, we were admiring some bold formation of the rocks, when a
Norwegian came up and said, in a tone of angry irony: "Ah, you find a
little to admire at last, do you? You find _some_ beauty in our country,
after all?" So in regard to the government. The Norwegians may be justly
proud of their constitution, which is as republican in its character as
our own. There is so much in the administration of the government which
every one must heartily commend, that they should be less sensitive in
regard to minor faults. This sensitiveness, however, is partly accounted
for, when we remember that for four hundred years Norway was a Danish
province, and that only forty-three years ago she leaped at once from
subjection to a freedom such as no other country in Europe enjoys. The
intense pride and self-glorification of the people resembles that of a
youth who for the first time assumes a dress-coat and standing collar.
King Oscar, on his accession to the throne, gave the country a separate
national flag, and nowhere does one see such a display of flags. All
over the land and all along the shores, the colours of Norway are
flying.

Jealousy of Sweden and dislike of the Swedes are inherited feelings, and
are kept alive by a mutual prejudice on the part of the latter people.
One cannot but smile a little at the present union of Sweden and Norway,
when he finds that the countries have separate currencies, neither of
which will pass at its full value in the other--separate tariffs, and of
course Custom-house examinations between the two, and, if the Norwegians
had their way, would have separate diplomatic representatives abroad.
Yet the strength of Norway is undoubtedly in her alliance with Sweden:
alone, she would be but a fourth-rate power. Enough has been done to
satisfy her national feeling and secure her liberties against assault,
and it is now time that this unnecessary jealousy and mistrust of a
kindred race should cease. The Swedes have all the honesty which the
Norwegians claim for