Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian NorthPfeiffer, Ida
History
Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian North
Pfeiffer, Ida
Iceland -- Description and travel; Old Norse poetry -- History and criticism; Scandinavia -- Description and travel
I have here given a faithful account of what I saw during my short stay
at Copenhagen. It only remains for me to describe a few peculiar customs
of the people, and so I will begin as it were at the end, with the burial
of the dead. In Denmark, as in fact in the whole of Scandinavia, not
excepting Iceland, it is customary not to bury the dead until eight or
ten days have elapsed. In winter-time this is not of so much
consequence, but in summer it is far from healthy for those under the
same roof with the corpse. I was present at Copenhagen at the funeral of
Dr. Brandis, physician to the king. Two of the king's carriages and a
number of private equipages attended. Nearly all these were empty, and
the servants walked beside them. Among the mourners I did not notice a
single woman; I supposed that this was only the case at the funerals of
gentlemen, but on inquiry I found that the same rule is observed at the
burial of women. This consideration for the weaker sex is carried so
far, that on the day of the funeral no woman may be seen in the house of
mourning. The mourners assemble in the house of the deceased, and
partake of cold refreshments. At the conclusion of the ceremony they are
again regaled. What particularly pleased me in Copenhagen was, that I
never on any occasion saw beggars, or even such miserably clad people as
are found only too frequently in our great cities. Here there are no
doubt poor people, as there are such every where else in the world, but
one does not see them beg. I cannot help mentioning an arrangement which
certainly deserves to be universally carried out;--I mean, the setting
apart of many large houses, partly belonging to the royal family, partly
to rich private people or to companies, for the reception of poor people,
who are here lodged at a much cheaper rate than is possible in ordinary
dwellings.
The costumes of the peasants did not particularly please me. The women
wear dresses of green or black woollen stuff, reaching to the ankle, and
trimmed at the skirt with broad coloured woollen borders. The seams of
the spenser, and the arm-holes, are also trimmed with smaller coloured
borders. On their heads they wear a handkerchief, and over this a kind
of shade, like a bonnet. On Sundays I saw many of them in small, pretty
caps, worked with silk, with a border of lace of more than a hand's
breadth, plaited very stiffly; at the back they have large bows of fine
riband, the ends of which reach half down to their feet. I found nothing
very remarkable in the dress of the peasants. As far as strength and
beauty were concerned, I thought these peasants were neither more nor
less gifted than those of Austria. As regards the beauty of the fair
sex, I should certainly give the preference to the Austrians. Fair hair
and blue eyes predominate.
I saw but few soldiers; their uniforms, particularly those worn by the
king's life-guards, are very handsome.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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