File:Saw Mills at Tved (JW Edy plate 12).jpg

This place affords a most exquisite illustration of that striking feature in the physical character of Norway, which suggests to the mind the most soothing and delightful contemplations, at the very moment when it is seized with horror at the stupendous and awful appearances of nature, or most sensibly affected by the penurious condition of the inhabitants. The beauty and fertility of the valley of Tved, enclosed by majestic mountains, crowned with forests, the neatness of the houses, the activity of the saw-mills, and the picturesque cascade formed by the river Topdal, present so many images of peace, comfort, and happiness, in sudden opposition to views of tumult, neediness, and misery, that the mmd and the heart implicitly yield to an influence which nature exerts in no other European country, with the exception of Switzerland. For the coast of this part of Norway is particularly marked by nakedness, sterility, and an almost total absence of vegetation; and the inland parts in an eminent degree partake of the same features of barrenness. No cloister appears to have been established here, a circumstance quite decisive of the nature of the country, which is generally unproductive, and unpleasant; for the founders of monasteries always selected the most charming and fertile situations. One of those petty monarchs, among whom the country was anciently divided, styled Naze-kings, indeed resided in this part of the country, at ti place called Sigersvold; but these personages did not fix their residence with any regard to beauty and excellence of situation ; they chose those spots whence they could most conveniently carry on piracy, and, in consequence, generally resided on headlands or nazes, whence they drew their regal appellation.

These Naze-kings originally sprung from a people called Vikinger, who settled in the fine harbours, with which the coast abounds, and by degrees spread over the country. To judge from the cairns to be found every where in this part of the country, many illustrious characters appear to have existed in ancient times. The Naze-kings being attacked by King Harold Haarfager in the year 874, many of them repaired to Iceland. In 948 the southern part of Norway, as far as the Naze, embraced the doctrines of Christianity, and a distinguished tribe, called Agder, were in 997 forced to adopt the Christian religion. About the year 1028 the population appears to have been very great; but it was most severely checked by those dreadful plagues with which the northern parts of Europe were visited in the years 1350, 73, 91, and 92. At least two-thirds of the inhabitants were then carried off.

Emigration also appears to have had a sensible influence on population. The flower of the native youth, probably from a dread of naval and military conscription, or from a desire of seeking in other parts of the world that fortune which they despair of finding at home, generally, as soon as they are confirmed, emigrate to England and Holland. Nor is their purpose to be shaken even by the menaces or entreaties of their parents. Some of them return wealthy, others only with an English jacket; but the greater part remain abroad, being either prevented by necessity from regaining their native land, or, which is perhaps most frequently the case, voluntarily renouncing a country, where the scantiness of nature and the constitution of society place insurmountable obstacles to their rise in life.

It appears by the census taken in the beginning of the year that both the bailiwicks of Lister and Mandal, which contain an area of 88 Norwegian square miles, at 18,000 ells the mile, or 528 English square miles, at 2000 yards the mile, had only 30,327 inhabitants, and of course little more than 57 souls on the square mile. Since that period population may no doubt have been somewhat increased, as it has been remarked, that in most parishes the number of births exceeds that of deaths; but of latter years the war with England must have given very serious checks to population in a country, where a large proportion of the inhabitants subsist by the sea, and whose peaceful habits of industry have, in consequence, been either altogether, or in a great measure interrupted. The number of sea-faring men now engaged in commerce and fishing must be greatly diminished, so many being employed in the defence of the country, or shut up in English prisons, alike unable to promote the interests of population. The latter description of persons, it should be observed too, constituting in the nature of things, the most vigorous and youthful part of the community, it is but reasonable to conclude, that this, as well as all other maritime districts of Norway, must in regard to population, sustain an injury which it will require some years of peace to repair.