Such awful fires,
fearful though they are at the time, seem absolutely necessary to
great towns, as they cause needful improvements to be made, which
the indolence or selfishness of the inhabitants would otherwise
prevent. There is not a great city that has not at one time or
another suffered severely from fire, and has risen out of the ruins
greater than before. - ED.
{12} There are no docks at Hamburgh, consequently all the vessels
lie in the river Elbe, and both receive and discharge their cargoes
there. Madame Pfeiffer, however, is mistaken in supposing that only
London could show a picture of so many ships and so much commercial
activity surpassing that of Hamburgh. Such a picture, more
impressive even than that seen in the Elbe, is exhibited every day
in the Mersey or the Hudson. - ED.
{13} Kiel, however, is a place of considerable trade; and doubtless
the reason why Madame Pfeiffer saw so few vessels at it was
precisely the same reason why she saw so many at Hamburgh. Kiel
contains an excellent university. - ED.
{14} At sea I calculate by sea-miles, of which sixty go to a
degree.
{15} This great Danish sculptor was born of poor parents at
Copenhagen, on the 19th November, 1770; his father was an Icelander,
and earned his living by carving figure-heads for ships.
