Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Travels through Lapland - Chapter II
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
THROUGH LAPLAND. 17
and high clergy abufed their riches. As a politician he was a de-
termined enemy to every thing defpotic ; he had infinite refpect
for Bonaparte, and one would have thought he entertained fome
idea that the conqueror of [taly might one day come to Muonio-
nifca, and make him fuperintendent minifter of Lapland. He
was particularly hoftile to Ruffia and its government, which he
faid debafed the people, and kept them, from policy, ina ftate
of brutifh ignorance. Sometimes he would difcourfe on the abufes
of birth and hereditary fucceffion, in a manner which I was afto-
nifhed to hear from a man, who had nothing in the world but a
fhirt, a pair of breeches, and the fhoes on his feet. I imagined
that fome modern book on thofe fubjeéts had fallen into his
hands ; but when he gave me an account of the works that com-
pofed his library, I found it had confifted of nothing but traéts of
divinity, and books on theological controverfy. What aftonifhed
me moft was, that this fort of reading had not bereft him of the
good fenfe nature had given him; but he affured me he had
{tudied thofe yolumes as little as poffible. He was the better pleafed
to fee travellers, becaufe they never could be any inconvenience to
him, fince being very ill lodged himfelf, it could not be expected
he fhould find them accommodation ; and befides, by their arrival
he was fure of fome glaffes of brandy, with which we ufed to re-
gale him as often as he came to fee us. He declared our brandy
was delicious ; and with each glafs he fwallowed, pronounced its
eulogium in a manner equally energetic and fincere. In this coun-
try, far removed from the infection of our corrupt manners, flat-
Word D tery
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
