hich spring from custom rather than depravity. I wish they were less
vain and sensitive, since in that case they would improve more rapidly."
He stated also that the surprising number of illegitimate births is
partly accounted for by the fact that there are a great number of
connections which have all the character of marriage except the actual
ceremony. This is an affair of considerable cost and show; and many of
the poorer people, unable to afford it, live together rather than wait,
hoping that a time may come when they will be able to defray the
expenses, and legitimate the children who may meanwhile be born. In some
cases the parties disagree, the connection is broken off, and each one
seeks a new mate. Whatever palliation there may be in particular
instances, the moral effect of this custom is unquestionably bad; and
the volume of statistics recently published by Herr Sundt, who was
appointed by the Storthing to investigate the subject, shows that there
is no agricultural population in the world which stands lower in the
scale of chastity, than that of Norway.

In the course of our conversation, the gentleman gave an amusing
instance of the very sensitiveness which he condemned. I happened,
casually, to speak of the Icelandic language. "The _Icelandic_
language!" he exclaimed. "So you also in America call it Icelandic; but
you ought to know that it is Norwegian. It is the same language spoken
by the Norwegian Vikings who colonised Iceland--the old Norsk, which
originated here, and was merely carried thither." "We certainly have
some reason," I replied, "seeing that it now only exists in Iceland, and
has not been spoken in Norway for centuries; but let me ask why you,
speaking Danish, call your language Norsk." "Our language, as written
and printed, is certainly pure Danish," said he; "but there is some
difference of accent in speaking it." He did not add that this
difference is strenuously preserved and even increased by the
Norwegians, that they may not be suspected of speaking Danish, while
they resist with equal zeal, any approach to the Swedish. Often, in
thoughtlessly speaking of the language as Danish, I have heard the
ill-humoured reply, "Our language is not Danish, but Norsk." As well
might we say at home, "We speak American, not English."

I had the good fortune to find Professor Munck, the historian of Norway,
at home, though on the eve of leaving for Italy. He is one of the few
distinguished literary na