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THROUGH FINLAND. 293
LICE 87
CHAPTER XVI.
Some of the Manners and Cuftoms of the Inhabitants of Finland de-
feribed—Their Modes of Courthip—Ceremonies attending Mar-~
riage—The ufe of Vapour-Baths among the People at large, and ef~
pecially among the Peafantry—Some Particulars of this Manner of ie
bathing—The extraordinary Tranfition from Heat to Cold which
the Finlanders can endure.
OTHING could be more curious than to defcribe the odd
and fantaftic cuftoms of the northern nations, and the grofs
indelicacies practifed among them on certain occafions: but I
fhall confine my remarks to their marriages and their baths. The
peafants of the province of Savolaxa, in Finland, have a very fin-
gular mode of making love. When a young man feels an attach-
ment for a young woman, he commiffions fome aged dame to
acquaint the object of his love with his paffion, and at the fame
time he fends her fome prefents. The old woman chufes as the
proper moment for executing her commiffion, that, when the girl
is preparing to go to reft. While fhe is putting off her cloaths,
the woman takes an opportunity of getting into her prefence, and
beftowing many praifes upon the lover. When the girl has heard
all fhe has to fay, the dame flips fome prefent, perhaps a handker-
chief,
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