ཌ| CHAP. IV. Trönjem. to their height and distance from the eye, those This city, once the capital of Norway, and re- (2) NIDROSIA Civitas olim potentia, et sede Regia et Archiepiscopali eminentissima, totiusque Norvegiæ caput, et arca Regiorum monumentorum Norvagicorum, ut Pontan. lib. 5. p. 77. loquitur. Appellationem Latinam deduxit à fluvio Nidero, cujus ostium obsidet. Mercaturæ et IV. CHAP. Pole, the traveller viewing it sees nothing but what may remind him of the cities of the south. It is of very considerable size: its streets are wide, well paved, and filled with regular wellbuilt-houses, generally plastered and whitewashed. There is no part of Copenhagen better built, or neater in its aspect, than the streets of Trönÿjem. Its market is held in a square formed by the meeting of four principal streets. In the centre of the square is an excellent conduit, supplying the inhabitants constantly with the purest limpid water. Upon the north side of this square stands the finest wooden house in all Norway; a magnificent building, the residence of the General Commandant. Beyond this building, the view is terminated by the sea, by Munkholm, or Monk Island', and by the mountains on the northern side of a beautiful bay. Looking down the street, which extends westward, the prospect of the town is more suddenly intercepted by the negotiationis causâ ab exteris æquè ac inquilinis frequentata. Celebritatis famâ aliquâ gaudet, quamvis nec vallo, nec fossis septa, sed ubique aperta, pagi potius, quam oppidi speciem præ se ferat. Antiquo more ædificia constructa sunt, palatiumque Regium magis ac magis collabitur. Nam anno 1522 ipso S. Johannis Baptistæ festo die incensionem tam vehementem passa est, ut usque ad Præfecti domicilium conflagraverit. Ab eo tempore pristini splendoris recuperandi occasio nunquam hactenus se ipsi obtulit." Deliciæ sive Amænitates Regnorum Daniæ, &c. p. 1225. L. Bat. 1706. (1) So called from a monastery formerly situate upon this small island. IV. summit of a bold and lofty mountain, towering CHAP. high above the tops of all the buildings: the road from Christiania traverses and descends a part of this mountain, as it approaches nearer to the city. Casting the eye eastward, another mountain also appears, less lofty, and covered with cultivated fields, in which a rich harvest at this time was displayed above the tall masts of the shipping lying in the river Nid. From this river the city had its antient name of NIDROSIA: after surrounding the town upon its southern and eastern side, it falls into the bay. Again surveying the city from the central square along the street which extends southward, the land here gradually rises: passing the Academy and Public Library, on the right, it is afterwards terminated by the venerable remains of the old Cathedral, a Gothic structure of exquisite pristine beauty, although now disfigured by modern. repairs it was built so early as the eleventh century. In the street which extends eastward from the square, is the principal inn; a large mansion, with a small garden in front, surrounded by painted rails, and full of dwarf cherry-trees: at the time of our arrival, their branches were laden with fruit, adding a very unexpected (2) Vide Amœnit. Regn. Daniæ, &c. in loco citato. IV. CHAP. ornament to the street of a city in such a latitude'. Opposite to this house is a Church; a large modern edifice, containing nothing, excepting its organ, worthy of notice There is also an organ in the Cathedral, and another in a church belonging to the Hospital. In describing the appearance of the central square and the streets leading into it, we have given the main plan of Trönÿjem; but, parallel to the four principal streets, there are others, little if at all inferior, either in beauty or magnitude. 4 The accommodations here are of the best kind; and a traveller finds himself, upon his first coming, as well provided for as if he were in the Capital of Denmark. It is expected that Reception a stranger, upon his arrival, should leave his of Stran gers. card with the General Commandant, and with the principal people. If he bring with him letters of recommendation, the persons to whom they are addressed conduct him round, to call upon the other families: after this ceremony, invitations pour in from all quarters, and in much greater number than it is possible for him to comply with. The inhabitants are not less distinguished by their politeness than by their hospitality. Their houses are thrown open to (1) 63°.24′. of north latitude. IV. the Inhabi strangers in the most generous manner; but CHAP. upon entering them, a degree of elegance is apparent, both in their furniture and in the form and disposition of their apartments, not seen in any of the Swedish towns, excepting Stockholm. Their customs are, to rise with the sun, when Manners of they take a small breakfast; and at nine they tants. have a kind of luncheon, which they call Duel. At twelve or one, they dine: the dinner is followed by coffee and in the evening they drink tea and play at cards; when punch is always served. About ten they usually sup, but do not go early to bed. The lower order of people, in summer, sit up the whole night, and take no sleep for a considerable length of time. Sunday is, in fact, their sleeping day: if they do not go to church, they spend the greater part of the sabbath in sleep; and in winter they amply repay themselves for any privation of their hours of repose during summer. The young men of the best families, in Trönijem, possess a thirst for literature, and are as desirous of a University as their fellow-countrymen of Bergen and Christiania: but this was denied to them by the policy of the Danish Government; it being the wish of the Court that the Norwegians, resorting for their education to Copenhagen, should spend their money in the capital, where their morals become vitiated, and their manners softened and de |