nd
possess virtue and vice only in proportional masses to the size of the
brain and body, they can surely exhibit a pound or two of wisdom to
eighteen stone of folly; and if they must be asinine, may cover their
actions with a little good sense."

"They may, truly," I said; "but remember your head has not grown a
particle larger since the Spring of 1844, nor your body less; but had
the same idea of Ethics been then presented to you, you would certainly
not have seen its lucidity."

R---- was about to retort, and I do not know how much longer we should
have endangered the moral existence of the young dandies at home, had
not P----, already at a distance from us, called out with the impatience
of a huntsman,

"Are you fellows coming on to-day?"

In a few seconds we overtook P---- and the Norwegian, and they proposed
that we should descend till we came to a valley, which the Norwegian
pointed out at a considerable way beneath us, and there it was thought
we should find a herd of deer. Remaining stationary while we spoke, a
space of fifty miles, partly mountain, and partly valley, lay above and
below us, and glancing the eye from end to end of this immense tract,
not a hut of any kind could be seen; but, faintly, the tinkling of bells
attached to the necks of sheep, or cattle, could be heard, and that only
when the feeble puffs of wind blew from a certain direction. We wandered
for many miles over the desolate mountains, and found no signs by which
we might be guided to the animals that we sought. Hour after hour
elapsed, and the day began to wane; but no tracks, not even the print of
their hooves on the muddy banks of the small lakes that abounded
everywhere, pointed the path the deer had taken. We reached, at last,
towards sunset, a valley that, virent by the multitude and variety of
its trees, changed the dreary similarity pervading all things; and a few
sheep, that bleated loudly when they saw us, led us to hope we had come
again within the line of animal existence. The Norwegian, our guide,
however, said that no one lived in this valley, but in an adjoining
vale, he thought, some cowherds dwelt.

"What are all these sheep here for?" I asked.

"They are driven here," the man replied, "for food; since in the lower
lands the grass is parched by heat."

"Who takes care of them, then?" again I asked.

"No one," answered the guide. "They will remain among these mountains
all the summer; and when the winter returns,