Have had several very interesting conversations with a Finlander

June 14th. Yesterday the above mentioned young man was examined before the Church and received into fellowship. Had a very good Sabbath to my own soul, praise the Lord. Last week I met with a Captain on board of one of the coasting vessels, who appeared much interested in conversing with me on religious subjects. He said he loved to read and listen to the word of God, but that he felt that after all, all was not right with him. I had great liberty in directing him to Christ who said " come unto me all ye that labor;" and spent the time of two hours with him very pleasantly,which we concluded by both of us kneeling down on the cabin floor, imploring the spirit of truth, to lead us into his own saving truth. The Finlander I spoke of above I have found this week more humble and anxious. Have a good hope of him.

Sailor's magazine, September 1852. Naval journal, Volume 25

The Finlanders had tried variety of applications to no purpose

Nothing exemplifies this truth more than the history of a minute insect, or rather worm, of which we hive, in this dissertation, the first proper intelligence ; it is very curious, and worthy of notice. In Finland, Bothnia, and the northern provinces of Sweden, it was not unfrequently that people were seized with a pungent pain, confined to a point, in the hand, or other exposed part of the body, which presently increased to a most excruciating degree, and hath sometimes been suddenly fatal. This disorder was more particularly observed in Finland, especially about boggy and marshy places, and always in autumn. At length it was discovered, that this pain instantly succeeded somewhat that dropped out of the air, and in a moment penetrated and buried itself in the flesh. The Finlanders had tried variety of applications to no purpose, until at length a poultice of curds, or cheese, was found the most effectual in easing the pain ; and the event confirmed, that the insect was allured by this application to leave the flesh; as on its removal, this worm, no longer than the sixth of an inch, was found in it, and thus the cause of this painful disease explained.

Richard Pulteney: A general view of the writings of Linnæus

I turned over the Finlander

I uttered an exclamation of joy and surprise, which, however, no sooner escaped me than a second rush separated us again. Maddened and desperate, I threw off the market-woman, turned over the Finlander, kicked down the droschki-driver; and upsetting the whole posse, with the little chambermaid to boot, I most strenuously endeavoured to free myself from their fangs, and to dash forward and regain hold of Liesli; but all in vain. They clung to me like bees; and instead of herself, I succeeded only in gaining—her shawl. I called out her name; but my voice was completely lost amongst the multitude, and the charming apparition had vanished from my sight. My way was, in fact, so completely obstructed by the crowds of Calmucks, Wogulians, Barabinzelians, Tunguselians, Tschetschewzelians, &c. &c, that nothing further could be heard or seen of her; and I thanked Heaven that I had been happy enough even to catch the shawl.

Heun: Liesli

For some time, the Finn advanced on foot steadily beside me.

It was, then, a Finn that I saw before me ; one of that mysterious race, of which such strange tales are told among all the people of the North. In spite, however, of his wild appearance and of his almost distrustful glances, I felt at once that I should be safer under his protection than under that of a strife-loving Swede; such, for instance, as Thorvald, whom we had met as we approached the house of Nial. It was, therefore, with less anxiety than I had anticipated, that I took leave of Jarl, and set forward on my journey with my strange companion.

Anschar: A story of the North (1850)

The mystic currents move through the air

So Ted's expert friend goes home, and Ted Brown himself goes to bed. The radio is silent and the house is still. The mystic currents move through the air, and Atlanta is whispering to Vancouver, and Helsingfors in Finland murmurs to the Hebrides. But not a sound of it comes to the darkened room. The house is still and the people are asleep and the radio machine is silent. Its programs and its announcements lie beside it on a little table, but from it there comes not a sound. The radio, hushed by the whispering currents, is asleep.

Stephen Leacock: Short Circuits (1938)

The first Baptist in Finland

From Sweden, Air. Drake gives a most pleasing account of "the first Baptist in Finland," a young Finlander who has returned to his own land, after voyaging far and travelling in India, England, and other countries; and has evidently brought with him the gospel in his heart, and is ready to make it known among his own people. "Thus," says Mr. Drake, "the Lord has opened a door in this country, for none but a Russian subject would be permitted to labour here in missionary work."

The Gospel Herald Aug 1st 1869

Russian peasants made more neat and durable labtis than the Finlanders

"The Emperor," says M. Strehlin, "notwithstanding the important affairs that demanded his attention, did not neglect those which seem of inferior consequence, but which, nevertheless, contribute to the happiness of the people. Several of his actions prove this beyond dispute; but the only one we shall mention here, is the pains he took to improve the Russian labti. The labti is a kind of shoe worn by the country people, and is made of osiers, or the bark of the birch tree matted in the form of a sock, and tied on the foot with a string.

The Czar having remarked that the Russian peasants made more neat and durable labtis than the Finlanders, attributed the diseases to which the latter were subject to this want of industry. He asked them why they did not make their labtis with more care? and as they answered they could not, he sent for six men, well skilled in the business, from the governments of Novogorod and Cassan, from whence many thousands are circulated, every year, over the different provinces of the empire.

These six workmen were successively distributed through the parishes of Finland, where, under the inspection of the vicars, they taught the peasants to make their labtis in a more wholesome and durable manner; nor were they permitted to return home till all the inhabitants had learned their method.

The vicars were obliged to give an account every month to the governor of Vibourg of the progress made by their parishioners. They also received a sum of money, which they distributed to the shoemakers at the rate of a rouble per week.

By these means the Czar procured the Finland peasantry shoes more capable of resisting the weather, and consequently more proper to defend them from the diseases to which they were exposed by those they were before accustomed to wear."

Russell Lee: Stories from Russia, Siberia, Poland, and Circassia