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    at Loffoden ; and no man ia « 11 Nordland hiTcs himself oat , without makiag it « condition that he shall join the expedition to the islands . How do you like it ?" " Better at a distance , than near at hand , " said Marstrand , with a ssiile .. This picture of a cturch-interior in Norway gives an excellent specimen of'our author in -Ms best mood : — A full hour elapsed before the parson made his appearance ; and 'during this interval many -worldly affairs were transacted in the . poreh , and even on the seats of fli ' e little weather-beaten , wooden church . Sales and purchases of ^ Sh , cattle , oil , and provisions were concluded ; bargains of the most various kinds were laughed < 5 Ver , disputed , and drunk ; and , in short , it was a gathering of the people for many miles , who availed themselves of this occasion to supply both their spiritual and temporal wants .

    Finally , came the pastor of Lyngen ; a large , broad-shouldered man , in a leathern coat , lined with green freize , and a wolf-skin thrown over it . After he had exchanged a . tlozen-hand-sJjiakings , -and had complimented ladies and gentlemen , he put on the cope , arid ascended the pulpit to deliver an interminably tiresome discourse . He had selected bis theme from the fishing of the believer , who , trusting ia the word of the Lord , bad cast his net , and applied it to the prolific catch of that year , under thanks to a gracious God for the many large and fat fish which , by his command , swam in the Westfiord , there to fall into the hands of so many valiant Norwegian men . Tired and bored by this monotonous discourse , Marstrand turned his attention from the preacher to the congregation , which he found much more interesting . He could

    not , in general , gainsay the opinion that a long residence in the inhospitable North , amid ice and bog , and tempests on sea and land , had impaired the beauty and strength of the Norman race . The weather-beaten , leathern-hued complexions of most of the assembly testified to a continual contest with nature , against which no tender organisation could maintain itself , and before which , the hardiest and strongest often sank to theground . Here no one lived for pleasure , -and no one could exist but for the fish in the sea . The fishy odour which filled every cottage reeked also through this church ; and even the preacher -himself , whose red fa . ce glowed with the fire of toddy , and whose eyes shone with enthusiasm as he spoke of the fat fish , seemed to he a genuine -worshipper of the great Petasch , from whom came all the blessinga of the land , and to whom all adoration was offered .

    Several sprightly young men , with keen , strongly-marked features , distinguished themselves as advantageously among this mass of fish calculators and oil speculators as some young girls who , in their feather jackets and gold pins , were evidently conscious Of their charms . Behind them , against the walls of the church , sat the fishermen , with their wives , as motionless as statues , and gazing with a fixed stare from beneath their long , falling hair , straight ahead . Gigantic Quanes , from the islands and the new settlements—ugly , stump-nosed fellows , with -small , sparkling eyeshovered in the corners , together with their wives , in red gowns and flaunting kerchiefs , aald hideous , amonkey-visaged children by their sides . Among all the women , however , in the church , who \\ rere modlshly equipped in bonnet , cap , and r ibbons , bought for th « m by their fathers and husbands in Bergen , but few could compare with Miss Ilda .

    En her black , woollen dress , with her rich hair bound round with a velvet ribbon and fastened by a silver arrow , she was , as she sat by the side of liEarstrand , in his opinion , the prettiest maiden in the assemblage . Here , for the first time , where many of her sex were gathered together , he recognised and confessed her superiority ; and whether it proceeded from the fact that his eye was , for the first time , opened , never before did her commanding figure , her broad , arched brow , regularly formed face and large , mild eyes , appear to him so commendable . He lost the standard of beauty which he formerly held , and received in its stead another in the region in which he was now living . " Among the blind the one-eyed is king , " said he , jokingly , to himself . " I shall , however , never be able to persuade myself that Miss Ilda , as she sits there , tall and grand , strong-limbed atrd motionless of eye , is such a charming being as to set blood and nerves in motion . "" His thoughts flew from Ilda ' s cold , severe countenance , to the nimble-footed Gnia , revealing , with her pleasant smile , her white teeth , and nodding to him across the grass-plot before the door of the house at Orenaes . Yes , if she had something of the nature of "that child , he thought to himself ; if the pillow of salt could only move and breathe , life would awaken life .

    Meanwhile , the preacher held valiantly on ; and at length , as Marstrand congratulated himself he was nearly at an end , the discourse took a sudden turn \ vpon his own personal concerns , and the holy man , in the most strenuous manner , reminded his audience of their obligations and duty to him after so rich a fishery . " This is the day of offerings ! " he shouted , as he thumped the pulpit , *' I advise you also not to bo so miserly and niggardly as many among you for a long time have been . I will not mention names : you will understand me sufficiently , and will see to it , that I may be able to drink to your prosperity . Think of it , dear friends and neighbours ; consider of the great care and trouble I undergo for your tftikes , and that I am a Norman of good blood and family , and not a Lapp , who can liv « on fish-heads and frozen cheese . Search your pockets , and bring out what you have designed for me ; and if it bo too little , add to it , and make it better than the last time , when it was a shame for Lyngenfiord Parish to sec with -what a light purse I -went homo . And now , receive the blessing ; and I hope you will act properly towards your friend Ileiuriok Sturo . "

    If our readers are pleased with those specimens of Afraja , we can lionestly recommend them to open the volume for themselves . They will find it full of passages equal in merit and interest to any that we have -quoted .

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    AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS OF EUROT > E . Haps and Mishaps of a Towr in- Europe . By Grnco Greenwood . Bentley . ! TuEttE is nothing very new in this little volume , either as to the scenes visited or tho impressions produced by them ; hut all is so pleasantly described , the writer ' s enjoyment is so fresh and genuine , her perceptions so keen , and her appreciation so just , that it is impossible to read it without a certain , sympathy . The style is exceedingly good—very free from , those peculiarities whioli wo call " Americanisms ; '' here and there we find a slight oxcoss of adjootiv < 3 s and enthusiasm , but there is no affectation in this ; it is the jajontun'o pleasure of an imaginative and cultivated mind , enjoying tho gratification of beholding for the first thno scenes and persons hallowed by intellectual or historical associations . The touv may bo said to commence at Liverpool , whence , after viaiting some few " shrines" in the midland counties , tho authoress proceeds to London . During her short stay thore , she seems to liavo had tho good fortune ) to see some of its beat intellectual society , and to have appreciated it thoroughly . After excursions to Irelnnd and Scotland , she proceeds through Paris to Koine , naturally her chief object ; visits Naples , Genoa , VWico , and other Italian cities , and returns tlirough the Tyrol , vld Strusburg and Paris , to London , where wo part

    company . Of all these places she has brought away very pleasing darriierrotypes , from whfcch we shall nmke a few extracts . ° Here is a visit to the sister of Robert Burns : — On our way back to Ayr , we called to see the sister and nieces of Burns , —Mrs . Begg and her daughters , —who , -vre had been assured , were kindly accessible to visitors . This visit was altogether the most interesting and gratifying' event of the day . Mrs . Begg lives in a simple little rose-embowered cottage , about a mile from her birthplace , where all who seek her vrtk a respectful interest receive a courteous and cordial -welcome . Mrs . Begg is now about eighty years of age , but looks scarcely above sixty , and shows more than the remains of remarkable beauty . Her smile could hardly have been sweeter , or her eyes finer , at twenty . Her sight , hearing , and memory seem unimpaired ; her manners are graceful , modest , and ladylike , and she converses with rare intelligence and animation , speaking with a slight , sweet Scottish accent . Her likeness to NaysmitL ' s portrait of her brother is veTy marked—her are

    eyes peculiarly like the idea we have of his both by pictures and description—large , dark , lustrous , and changing . Those eyes shone with new brightness as I told her of oar love for the memory of her beloved brother , our sympathy in his sorrows , and our honour for his free and manly spirit—when I told her that the new world , as the old , bowed to the mastery of his genius , and were swayed to smiles or teats by the wondrous witchery of his song . But when I spoke my admiration of the monument , and satd , *< What a joy it would have been to him , could he have foreseen such noble recognition of his greatnessV" she smiled mournfully , and shoot her head , saving , " Ah , madam , in his proudest moments , my poor brother never dreamed of such a thing ; " then added that his death chamber was darkened and his death agony deepened by want and care , and torturing fears for the dear ones he was to leave . I was reminded by her words of the expression of an old Scotch dame in out country , on hearing of the completion of this monument : " Puir Rob ! lie asked for bread , anH now they gie him a stane . "

    A republican ' s impression of a royal prorogation of Parliament deserves a place : — Her Majesty wore a splendid tiara of brilliants , matched by bracelets , necklace , and stomacher . Her soft , brown , hair was dressed quite plainly—rolled in the neck as for riding . Her under-dress was of white satin , striped with gold ; her overdress was , of course , of crimson velvet , trimmed with gold and ermine . After desiring the lords to be seated , the Queen commanded that her " faithful Commons " should he summoned . The aaerutoers of the lower house are only allowed a narrow , ignoble space , railed off from the chamber , under the gallery , opposite the throne . Into this they soon came , hurrying , and tumbling , with a sad want of aristocratic dignity and parliamentary decorum . While the speaker was reading his formal speech I looked round upon the scene , striving to stamp it indelibly upon my memory . The vast chamber itself , gorgeous in crimson and gold , frescoes rich and historic , carving exqnisite beyond description , the pride and loveliness of England ' s aristocracy , with the emblems of its « xhaustless wealth , splendidly attired and decorated officers of state , or the army , and of the toyal household , grouped about the throne , and Tier upon the throne .

    Throughout the reading of the speech , Her Majesty listened -with a cold , quiet manner , sitting perfectly motionless , even to her fingers and eyelids . The Iron Duke , standing at her left , bent and trembled slightly , supporting , -with evident difficulty , the ponderous sTrord of state . Trince Albert , sitting , tall and soldier-like , in Ma handsome field-marshal's uniform , looked nonchalant and serene , and only needed hia meerschaum to make up a perfect picture of German placidity . The Earl of Derby held the crown on its crimson cushion , gracefully , like an accomplished waiter presenting an ice . That crown smote on the eye with its Intolerable brightness . The Wondrous costly jewels seemed to throb with life , the undying life of light . O immortal stones , on how many scenes like this have ye looked , with your cold gleaming eyes , mocking 'alike the proud flash in the bold eyes of mighty kings , and the smiling light in the gentle eyes of fair queens—mocking , indeed , all the passing power , and the perishing glory ye are meant to adorn and emblazon , and tho mournful mortality , the deathward throbbing , of the brows ye encircle !

    After the reading of this speech , certain bills were road to Her Majesty for her assent ; which she gave each time with a gracious bow , shaking sparkles from her diamond tiara in dewdrops of light . At every token of roynl acquiescence , n certain personage , whom I took for an herald , bowed low towards the Queen , then performed a similar oboisance towards tho Commons , crying , in -a harsh , nnd utterly indescribable voice , " La Heine la veut . " This ceremony gone through with , the lord chancellor , kneeling at the foot of the throno , presented a copy of tlie royal speech to the Queen , Which she proceeded to read in « . manner perfectly simple , yet dignified , and in a voice singularly melodious and distinct . Finer reading I never heard anywhere ; every syllable was clearly enunciated , and tho emphasis fell with unerring precision upoft the right word .

    The Lord Chancellor having formally announced that parliament stood prorogued until tho 20 th of August , Hur Majesty rose us majestically as could bu expeclud of one more remarkable for rosy plimiptitndc than royal altitude ; . Prince Albert took his place at her side—the crown-benror took his in front—the train-bcaTero took theirs in . the- rear ; the royal procession formed , swept slowly forth , tho brilliant house broke up and followed ; and so the splendid pageant passed away—faded like a vision of poofcry , or a fairy enchantment . There is a good deal of truth in the following comments upon tho vexed question of Church ceremonial : — On descending wo found one or two vicars , and a little crowd of white-gowned boys , performing service in thts chapel . Wo heard tho organ rolling ita nuslodioua thunder through tho solemn ur « h « s , and tho choristera winging 11 beautiful anthem . But , boyond tho solemnity of wound , tho grandeur of nublo munie , tho En ^ linli worship struck mo as utterly inwuitcd to the wjilcndour of old Catholic cathedrals . It Ihih form without poutry , oorouiony without myrttury . It i » wanting in thu idcsal and pioturcHqno 5 and ho , to tho outward eyo at leant , comparatively cold and taHtoloaa ,

    There in a dreary bare liens , un ineoinpUileneBH , about a vast cathedral like thin , without tho warmth and glory spread abroad by pictures of Miinto anil " Llnj Virgin of virgins , " -without tho grace of Houlnturo , the pomp of gorgeous priestly robiw , the nilvcry wreaths of incense , tho radiance of illuminated ullure , and , above all , tlio presence of a kneeling crowd of furvont and lmmblu w «> rHhip | jurH . If wo arc to Iiavo a religion of form , lot it be the porfcustion of form , nay many in thorns day *; if wo arc to wornhipthrough tho outward and vinilil f tl "' in * blu lady to the Uothio rod-brick eountry-houHOw of tho rot . ired grocer—thin rayo for mouldy tapuwtry , ingoniourtly-uncomfurtabli ! ohairtt , and lildouui * old huIiUm in ,-ttaluuil tf lawa , in a part , of tho Haino rnligiouH back set . Here is an amusing sketch of a peculiar " industrio , " the " artist-model , in Rome : —

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    November 11 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 107 , 5

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 11, 1854, page 1075, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2064/page/19/