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Southern or Proper Norway, separated from each
other by the small Swedish province of Herndahl.
It is divided into the four governments of Agger-
huys, Christiania or Christiansand, Bergen, and
Drontlieim. From its rocky soil, and northern
position, Norway is not populous in proportion to
its extent. The number of inhabitants is calcula-
ted at 1,000,000, who like the Swiss mountaineers,
are exceedingly attached to their country In
Norway, they have a particular code, called the
Norway Law. compiled by Grieffelfeld, at the
command of Christian V., the great legislator of
this country. By this law,xe2x80x94the palladium of
Norway, the peasants are free-born. They.possess
much spirit and fire in tlieir manner ; are frank,
ipen and undaunted, yet not insolent; never
fawning, yet paying proper respect. Their prin-
cipal mode of salute is by offering their hand;
and, when they are given or paid any trifle, the
peasants, instead of returning thanks by words,
or by a bow, shake hands with great frankness
and cordiality. The same causes which affect
the population of Norway operate likewise on
the state of tillage ; for, although in some places
vegetation is so quick that the corn is sown and
cut in six or seven weeks, yet the country does
not produce sufficient corn for its own consump-
tion. It is, however, exceedingly rich in pasture,
and consequently produces much cattle. The
horses are small, but strong, very active, and
haidy. The fisheries, particularly on the W.
coast, find employment and wealth for the natives,
and supply the finest sailors for the Danish fleet.
The principal fish are salmon, cod, ling, and
whiting; their livers also yield train-oil; and the
smallest are given as winter fodder to the cattle.
The extensive forests of oak and pine produce
timber, spars, beams, and planks, besides charcoal,
turpentine, bark, fuel, and even manure ; and the
birch (the bark of which is used as a covering for
the roofs of houses) not only supplies fuel, but
also a kind of wine. The general exports are tal-
low, butter, dried fish, timber, planks, horses,
horned cattle, silver, cobalt, alum, Prussian blue,
copper, and iron. It abounds in lakes and rivers;
the former so large that they appear like inlets
of the sea; but the rivers are in general of a short
course, except the Glomuien. The mountains
are numerous, and generally clothed with pines
and firs; the grand Scandinavian chain, which
runs from S. to N., is known by distinct appella-
tions ; the chief are the ridges of Langfial, Dofra-
fial, Kolen, and Severnoi. The wild animals are
the bear, lynx, wolf, fox, and hare; but the most
singular creature is the lemming, or Norwegian
mouse, of a reddish colour, and about five inches
long. These animals proceed in vast numbers
from the ridge of Kolen to the sea, devouring
every product of the soil in their course, and at
last seem to devour each other. |
Norway was formerly governed by its own he-
reditary sovereigns. On the demise of Hasen V.,
in 1319, without male issue, his grandson in the
female line, Magnus Smek, united in his person
the kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. Magnus
wins succeeded in the kingdom of Norwiny by his
son Ilagen VI., husband ofthe celebrated Marga-
ret, and at his decease, in 1380, Norwiny wins uni-
ted to Denmark by their son Olof V., who dying,
without issue, Margaret herself was raised to the
throne by the unanimous voice ofthe nation. On
her death it descended with Denmark and Swe
den to her nephew7 Eric. Swindeii was afterwards
separated from Denmark bv the valour and ad-
dress of Gustavus Vasa. By the treaty of Kiel,
in January, 1814, Norwiny wins ceded by the king
of Denmark to Sweden ; but the people, not ap-
proving of the cession, had recourse to arms, in
order to resist the entrance of the Swedish troops
into their country ; and the diet elected Prince
Christian, the king of Denmark’s son, who was
then governor, to the throne. However, on the
conclusion ofthe war with France, the allied
powers, who had previously promised this coun-
try to Sweden, if she would take an active part in
the coalition against the French empire,now did all
in their power to enforce the cession. For this pur-
pose a considerable body of their troops was march-
ed into the Danish territories on the continent, to
wintch that power, and all the ports of Norwiny were
blockaded by the Swindish and English fleets by
sea, while the Swindish army, under the crown
prince, entered Norway by land. Amidst such
united efforts, it was not to be expected that the
hrave Norwegians could hold out long. After
the capture of Frederickstadt, and the passage of
the Glommen by the Swedes, Prince Christian
proposed to resign his crown into the hands of the
Diet: and on the 20th of October, 1814, that as-
sembly came to the resolution that Norwiny should
be governed by the king of Sweden, but as an in-
tegral state, preserving its constitution and laws,
to which Sweden assented. Christiania is the
capital.
Norwich, a city and county of England, the cap-
ital of Norfolk, and a bishop’s see. It wins for-
merly surrounded by a strong wall, of which some
ruins still remain. Many of the streets are still
narrow and ill-disposed, though during the last 10
years considerable improvements have been effec-
ted. Besides the cathedral, which is one oflhp most
spacious and elegant in the kingdom, here are 32
parish churches, two churches for the Flemings,
a number of dissenting meeting houses, and two
Roman Catholic chapels. On a hill, command-
ding an extensive view ofthe city, is the castle,
an ancient and stately edifice. Near this city, on
Mousehold Heath, are the ruins of the castle of
Kett, the tanner, by whose rebellion, in the reign
of Edward VI., the city was reduced to a ruinous
state. Norwich has extensive manufactures of
crapes, bombazines, and stuffs of various kinds
and a considerable trade. It is seated on the riv-
er Yare, 22 m. W. of Yarmouth and 110 N. E. of
London. Long. 1. 20. E., lat. 52. 40. N.
Norwich, ph. Oxford Co. Me. Pop. 1,712; p.t
Herkimer Co. N. Y. Pop. 1,152.
Norwich, ph. Windsor Co. Vt. on the Connexc2xab |
