The people of Holstein and Sleswick are Dutch in their manners, character, and appearance. Their language is in general the Low German; though the better sort of people in the towns begin to speak High German.* In Jutland and the isles, the Danish language is spoken: within half a century this language has been cultivated with some attention: before that period, the Danish writers preferred to make use of the Latin or the German language. It is in the island of Finland that it is spoken with the greatest purity. The Danish character is not agreeable. It is marked by silence, phlegm, and reserve. A Dane is the excess and extravagance of a Dutchman; more breeched, more ponderous, and more saturnine. He is not often a bad member of society in the great points of morals, and seldom a good one in the lighter requisites of manners. His understanding is alive only to the useful and the profitable: he never lives for what is merely gracious, courteous, and ornamental. His faculties seem to be drenched and slackened by the eternal fogs in which he resides; he is never alert, elastic, nor serene. His

There are, in the University of Co- | students in the same university we penhagen, seven professors of Theology, were a good deal amused to find only two of Civil Law, two of Mathematics, one student dedicating himself to one of Latin and Rhetoric, one of Belles Lettres. Greek, one of Oriental Languages, one of History, five of Medicine, one of Agriculture, and one of Statistics. They enjoy a salary of from 1000 to 1500 rix-dollars, and are well lodged in the University. The University of Copenhagen is extremely rich, and enjoys an income of 3,000,000 rixdollars. Even Mr. Catteau admits that it has need of reform. In fact, the reputation of universities is almost always short-lived, or else it survives their merit. If they are endowed, professors become fat-witted, and never imagine that the arts and sciences are anything else but incomes. If universities slenderly endowed are rendered famous by the accidental occurrence of a few great teachers, the number of scholars attracted there by the reputation of the place makes the situation of a professor worth intriguing for. The learned pate is not fond of ducking to the golden fool: he who has the best talents for getting the office has most commonly the least for filling it; and men are made moral and mathematical teachers by the same trick and filthiness with which they are made tide-waiters and clerks of the kitchen. The number of students in the Uni-state of animal spirits is so low, that versity of Copenhagen is about 700: what in other countries would be they come not only from Denmark, deemed dejection, proceeding from but from Norway and Iceland: the casual misfortune, is the habitual tenour latter are distinguished as well for the and complexion of his mind. In all regularity of their manners as for the the operations of his understanding intensity of their application; the in- he must have time. He is capable of struments of which application are undertaking great journeys; but he furnished to them by a library con-travels only a foot pace, and never taining 60,000 volumes. The Danes | leaps nor runs. He loves arithmetic have primary schools established in better than lyric poetry, and affects the towns, but which have need of Cocker rather than Pindar. He is much reform before they can answer slow to speak of fountains and amorous all the beneficial ends of such an in-maidens: but can take a spell at stitution. We should have been happy porisms as well as another; and will to have learned from Mr. Catteau the make profound and extensive comdegree of information diffused among binations of thought, if you pay him the lower orders in the Danish dominions; but upon this subject he is silent. In the University of Kiel there is an institution for the instruction of schoolmasters; and in the list of

Mr. Catteau's description of Heligoland is entertaining. In an island containing a population of 2000, there is neither imagined the possibility of such a fact in horse, cart, nor plough. We could not have any part of Europe.

for it, and do not insist that he shall | either be brisk or brief. There is something, on the contrary, extremely pleasing in the Norwegian style of character. The Norwegian expresses firmness and elevation in all that he says and does. In comparison with the Danes, he has always been a free man; and you read his history in his looks. He is not apt, to be sure, to forgive his enemies; but he does not deserve any, for he is hospitable in the extreme, and prevents the needy in their wants. It is not possible for a writer of this country to speak ill of the Norwegians; for, of all strangers, the people of Norway love and admire the British the most. In reading Mr. Catteau's account of the congealed and blighted Laplanders, we were struck with the infinite delight they must have in dying; the only circumstance in which they can enjoy any superiority over the rest of mankind; or which tends, in their instance, to verify the theory of the equality of human condition.

We have been compelled to pass over many parts of Mr. Catteau's book more precipitately than we could have wished; but we hope we have said and exhibited enough of it, to satisfy the public that it is, upon the whole, a very valuable publication. The two great requisites for his undertaking, moderation and industry, we are convinced this gentleman possesses in an eminent degree. He represents everything without prejudice, and he represents everything authentically. The same cool and judicious disposition, which clears him from the spirit of party, makes him perhaps cautious in excess. We are convinced that everything he says is true; but we have been sometimes induced to suspect that we do not see the whole truth. After all, perhaps. he has told as much truth as he could do, compatibly with the opportunity of telling any. A person more disposed to touch upon critical and offensive subjects might not have submitted as diligently to the investigation of truth, with which passion was not concerned. How few writers are, at the same time, laborious, impartial, and intrepid!

If we pass over Tycho Brahé, and the well known history of the Scaldes, of the Chronicles of Isleif, Sæmunder, We cannot conclude this article withHinfronde, Snorro, Sturleson, and out expressing the high sense we enterother Islandic worthies, the list of tain of the importance of such reDanish literati will best prove that searches as those in which Mr. Catteau they have no literati at all. Are has been engaged. They must form there twenty persons in Great Britain the basis of all interior regulations, and who have ever heard of Longomon- ought principally to influence the contanus, Nicholas Stenonis, Sperling Lau-duct of every country in its relations renberg, Huitfeild, Gramn, Holberg, towards foreign powers. As they conLangebeck, Carstens, Suhm, Kofod, tain the best estimate of the wealth Anger? or of the living Wad, Fabricius, Hanch, Tode, and Zæga? We do not deny merit to these various personages; many of them may be much admired by those who are more conversant in Danish literature than we can pretend to be: but they are certainly not names on which the learned fame of any country can be bailt very high. They have no classical celebrity and diffusion: they are not an universal language: they have not enlarged their original dominion, and become the authors of Europe, instead of the authors of Denmark. It would be loss of time to speak of the fine arts in Denmark; they hardly exist.

and happiness of a people, they bring theory to the strictest test; and measure, better than all reasoning, the wisdom with which laws are made, and the mildness with which they are administered. If such judicious and elaborate surveys of the state of this and other countries in Europe had been made from time to time for the last two centuries, they would have quickened and matured the progress of knowledge, and the art of governing, by throwing light on the spirit and tendency of laws; they would have checked the spirit of officious interference in legislation; have softened persecution, and expanded narrow con

We

endowed, in each of which about is to the Hoieste Rett, or supreme twelve noble women are accommo- court, fixed at Copenhagen, which is dated, who, not bound by any vow, occupied for nine months in the year, find in these societies an economical and composed, half of noble, half of and elegant retirement. The nobility | plebeian judges. This is the only triof Norway have no fiefs. The nobility bunal in which the advocates plead of Holstein and Sleswick derive their vivâ voce; in all the others, litigation nobility from their fiefs, and are pos- is carried on by writing. The King sessed of very extensive privileges takes no cognisance of pecuniary suits Everything which concerns their com- determined by this court, but reserves mon interests is discussed in a conven- to himself a revision of all its sentences tion held periodically in the town of which affect the life or honour of the Kiel; during the vacations of the con- subject. It has always been the policy vention, there is a permanent deputa- of the Court of Denmark to render tion resident in the same town. Inter-justice as cheap as possible. ests so well watched by the nobles should have been glad to have learnt themselves, are necessarily respected from Mr. Catteau, whether or not the by the Court of Denmark. The same cheapness of justice operates as an eninstitution of free nunneries for the fe-couragement to litigation; and whemale nobility prevails in these pro- ther (which we believe is most comvinces. Societies of this sort might perhaps be extended to other classes, and to other countries, with some utility. The only objection to a nunnery is, that those who change their mind cannot change their situation. That a number of unmarried females should collect together into one mass, and subject themselves to some few rules of convenience, is a system which might afford great resources and accommodation to a number of helpless individuals, without proving injurious to the community; unless, indeed, any very timid statesman shall be alarmed at the progress of celibacy, and imagine that the increase and multiplication of the human race may become a mere antiquated habit.

The lowest courts in Denmark are composed of a judge and a secretary, both chosen by the landed proprietors within the jurisdiction, but confirmed by the King, in whose name all their proceedings are carried on. These courts have their sessions once a week in Denmark, and are attended by four or five burgesses or farmers, in the capacity of assessors, who occasionally give their advice upon subjects of which their particular experience may entitle them to judge. From this jurisdiction there is appeal to a higher court, held every month in different places in Denmark, by judges paid by the Crown. The last appeal for Norway and Denmark

monly the case) the quality of Danish justice is not in the ratio of the price. But this gentleman, as we have before remarked, is so taken up by the formal part of institutions, that he has neither leisure, nor inclination, to say much of their spirit. The Tribunal of Conciliation, established since 1795, is composed of the most intelligent and respectable men in the vicinage, and its sessions are private. It is competent to determine upon a great number of civil questions; and if both parties agree to the arrangement proposed by the court, its decree is registered, and has legal authority. If the parties cannot be brought to agreement by the amicable interference of the mediators, they are at full liberty to prosecute their suit in a court of justice. All the proceedings of the Tribunal of Conciliation are upon unstamped paper, and they cannot be protracted longer than fifteen days in the country, and eight days in the towns, unless both parties consent to a longer delay. The expenses, which do not exceed three shillings, are not payable, but in case of reconciliation. During the three years preceding this institution, there came before the courts of law, 25,521 causes; and, for the three years following, 9653, making the astonishing difference of fifteen thousand eight hundred and sixty-three lawsuits. The idea of this court was taken from

the Dutch, among whom it likewise | satisfactory to the justice of the country, produced the most happy effects. And has a right to require that it be adopted; when we consider what an important whoever cannot, must remain in prison. point it is, that there should be time It is a principle that should never be for disputants to cool, the strong pro- lost sight of, that an accused person is bability there is, that four or five im- presumed to be innocent; and that no partial men from the vicinage will other vexation should be imposed upon take a right view of the case, and the him than what is absolutely necessary reluctance that any man must feel to for the purposes of future investigation. embark his reputation and property in The imprisonment of a poor man, beopposition to their opinion, we cannot cause he cannot find bail, is not a graentertain a doubt of the beauty and tuitous vexation, but a necessary seveimportance of the invention. It is rity; justified only, because no other, hardly possible that it should be bad nor milder mode of security can, in that justice which satisfies both parties, and particular instance, be produced. this species of mediation has no va- Inquisitorial and penal torture is, in lidity but upon such condition. It is some instances, allowed by the laws of curious, too, to remark, how much the Denmark: the former, after having progress of rancour obstructs the na- been abolished, was re-established in tural sense of justice; it appears that 1771. The corporations have been plaintiff and defendant were both satis-gradually and covertly attacked in fied in 15,868 causes: if all these causes Denmark, as they have been in Great had come on to a regular hearing, and Britain. The peasants, who had bethe parties been inflamed by the ex-fore been attached to the soil, were pense and the publicity of the quarrel, we doubt if there would have been one single man out of the whole number who would have acknowledged that his cause was justly given against him.

gradually enfranchised between 1788 and 1800; so that, on the first day of the latter year, there did not remain a single slave in the Danish dominions; or, to speak more correctly, slavery was equalised among all ranks of people. We need not descant on the immense importance of this revolution; and if Mr. Catteau had been of the same opinion, we should have been spared two pages of very bad declamation; beginning, in the true French style, with "oh toi," and going on with what might be expected to follow such a

There are some provisions in the criminal law of Denmark, for the personal liberty of the subject, which cannot be of much importance, so long as the dispensing power is vested in the Crown; however, though they are not much, they are better than nothing; and have probably some effect in of fences merely criminal, where the pas-beginning. sions and interests of the governors do The great mass of territorial pronot interfere. Mr. Catteau considers prietors in Denmark are the signiors, the law which admits the accused to possessing fiefs with very extensive bail, upon finding proper security, to privileges and valuable exemptions be unjust, because the poor cannot from taxes. Many persons hold land avail themselves of it. But this is bad under these proprietors, with interests in reasoning; for every country has a the land of very different descriptions. right to impose such restrictions and There are some cultivators who possess liens upon the accused, that they shall freeholds, but the number of these is be forthcoming for trial; at the same very inconsiderable. time, those restrictions are not to be number of farmers are what the French more severe than the necessity of the call Metayers, put in by the landlord, case requires. The primary and most furnished with stock and seed at his obvious method of security is imprison-expense, and repaying him in product, ment. Whoever can point out any labour, or any other manner agreed other method of effecting the same ob- on in the contract. This is the first, ject, less oppressive to himself and as or lowest stage of tenantry, and is the

The greater