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there their wonted industry[1]. The history of the North leaves us no room to doubt, that there have been vast forests cut down, and by this single means extensive marshes have been dried up and converted into land fit for cultivation. Without mentioning the general causes which insensibly effect the destruction of forests, it was common to set these on fire in order to procure fertile fields. This was so usual a practice in Sweden, that this country is supposed to have taken its name from thence[2]. A king of that country was
- ↑ “Our colonies in North-America” (says a learned Englishman) “become more temperate in proportion as we cut down the forests; but they are in general colder than the countries of Europe situated under the same latitude.” Vid. Hume’s Political Discours. Disc. 10. p. 246. Father Charlevoix observes the same of Canada. “Experience,” says he, “puts it past contradiction, that the cold decreases in proportion as the country is discovered,” Voyage en Amerique. Lettre X. p. 188.
- ↑ From the old Cimbric word Suidia to burn: Hence lands cleared away and prepared for cultivation are called in the North Suidior and Suidioland. The same derivation holds in the German dialect; Sueden from Sueda, to burn. Vid. Olai Vereli Notæ in Hist. Gotr. et Rolv. 1664. 12mo. T.
