restoration would be popular, though it had not till then been finally concluded.

to.

It was with some difficulty, that the proposal of preserving Bernadotte on the throne of Sweden was afterwards agreed It was inconsistent, it was said, with the system adopted by the Allies," that of restoring Europe as much as possible to the same state in which it was placed prior to the French Revolution;" but Bernadotte having joined the allies in the attack upon Napoleon, his claims were considered the strongest.

Letter from the King of Sweden to the Right Honourable Sir John Sinclair.

Monsieur le Chevalier Baronet Sinclair, J'ai reçu votre lettre, avec l'anonce de l'ouvrage important que vous venez de publier; et c'est avec un vrai plaisir que je prendrai des mesures pour remplir votre belle intention, à l'avantage du païs, dont la prosperité est l'objet de mes vœux et de mes efforts. J'eprouve une satisfaction particuliere, en profitant de l'occasion que vous m'offrez vous-même, de vous exprimer toute l'estime que vous m'inspirez, et que vous portent tous les habitans eclairés de la Suede, où votre nom est connu depuis longtems, aussi bien que les travaux que vous consacréz avec tant de succès au plus utile comme au plus honorable de tous les metiers. L'homme vertueux, qui remplit fidelement ses devoirs envers le païs qui l'a vû naitre, a des droits à la reconnaissance de sa patrie. Le philanthrope qui voue ses lumieres et ses veilles au bienêtre de l'humanité entiere, a droit de citoyen chez tous les peuples. En vous assurant de mes sentimens bien distingués, je prie Dieu qu'il vous ait, Monsieur le Chevalier Baronet Sinclair, en sa sainte et digne garde, étant votre affectionné,

Stockholm, le 18. Août 1817.

SIR,

• Translation.

CHARLES JEAN *.

I have received your letter, with the Prospectus of the important work you

X.

FREDERICK THE SIXTH, KING OF DENMARK.

When I visited Denmark in July 1786, the King, (Christian the Seventh), was incapable of carrying on the government, and no court was held for the introduction of strangers. The young Prince who succeeded him promised well. He studied much; and, what is always a good sign in a person of his rank, he rose early in the morning. He had not indulged himself to any excess, in women, in wine, or at the table. He had made great improvements in the discipline of the Danish troops, which had fallen into disorder; and he likewise paid much attention to naval matters. He was peculiarly fortunate in employing a minister, (Count Bernstorff), who was one of the ablest statesmen that I met with on the Continent.

When the Prince ascended the throne, under the name of Frederick VI., he became extremely partial to the pursuits of agriculture; and with a view of promoting a spirit for improving that art in Denmark, he was at the expense of having "The Code of Agriculture" translated and circulated in his dominions. A copy of the translation was sent to the Author, by the celebrated Professor Oersted, with the following letter:

are about to publish; and it will afford me the highest pleasure to forward your good intentions, for the advantage of a country whose prosperity is the great object of my wishes and efforts. I feel a particular satisfaction in availing myself of this opportunity of expressing to you the esteem with which you have inspired me, and which is also entertained for you by all the enlightened inhabitants of Sweden, where your name has been known for a long time, as well as the successful labour you bestow on the most useful and honourable of all pursuits. The virtuous man, who faithfully fulfils his duties to the country which has given him birth, has a right to its gratitude. The philosopher, who devotes his knowledge and acquirements to the benefit of the whole human race, has a claim to the rights of citizenship among all nations. Assuring you of the very distinguished place you hold in my regard, I pray God to preserve you in his holy keeping, and am your affectionate,

Stockholm, 18th August 1817.

(Signed)

CHARLES JEAN.

DEAR SIR,

To Sir John Sinclair, Bart.

Copenhagen, the 2d Martii 1824.

In sending you herewith a copy of the Danish translation of your celebrated Code of Agriculture, I am glad to have the occasion of expressing you my thanks for the kind reception I enjoyed with you, and of testifying you my high esteem and consideration.

Your most humble,

and most obedient servant, OERSTED.

The ancient Danes are represented to have been a strong, hardy, and martial race of men. But ever since the establishment of a despotic government, in 1660, they have been gradually degenerating; and for above a century past have done nothing worthy of their former reputation. The nobles, when I visited that country, with some laudable exceptions, were, in general, expensive and luxurious; and the commoners idle and dispirited. The diet of the peasants was very poor; and they were much addicted to spirituous liquors. They wore nothing but wooden shoes, which cramping the circulation, and giving the muscles of their feet no play, occasioned sometimes lameness, and hence the majority walked very indifferently. I rejoice to hear, that great improvement, in all these respects, has taken place since 1786. It was also particularly gratifying to me to see several of the young nobility of Denmark, as the Bernstorffs, the Revertlaus, &c. coming to England and Scotland to study agriculture.

The soil of Zealand, and of the rest of the Danish dominions, is in general excellent, and well entitled to better cultivation than it in general meets with. The climate, however, is not very favourable to health. It is violently hot in summer, and consequently relaxing; and the winters are wet and damp, with less snow than could be supposed, consider

ing its northern situation. Hence the air, being so often either hot or moist, seldom agrees with strangers; and the water is frequently so unwholesome, that it is very apt to occasion complaints in the stomach, if it be drunk in any quantity.

The Danes have an idea that their command over the entrance into the Baltic might be increased. The deepest part of the Sound is contiguous to them, and they assert, that by filling up two or three channels, no vessel of any burden could pass, but through the harbour of Copenhagen. As it is, a ship of 90 or 100 guns must lighten itself considerably, before it can sail from the Baltic into the German ocean. circumstance entitled to particular inquiry, since, were it ticable, it would be the easiest mode of keeping the naval ambition of Russia within moderate bounds.

This is a

prac

The commerce of Denmark would be considerable, were it not so cramped by monopolies, prohibitions, and exorbitant duties. The principal article it imports from Great Britain is coal, which would be consumed in larger quantities, were it not for the following circumstance:-By the custom of Denmark, ashes are the perquisite of the house-maid: wood yields great quantities, which sell well; and as hardly any are produced by coal, the house-maids of Copenhagen remonstrate against the use of that species of fuel, and will hardly serve in a family where it is burnt. It is said that freestone might answer well in the Danish market, and other British com

many

modities, were the importation of them permitted.

Of the two, the Danes They were anxious to be

It is unfortunate for Denmark and Sweden, that they are mutually so jealous of each other. seemed to me the most inveterate. considered a braver, a richer, a more polite, and a more learned nation than their neighbours; and the most agreeable of all topics, was to compare them with the Swedes, and to cast the balance in their favour. In regard to learning, they have the advantage in one point, namely, in the number of volumes they have published. In 1786, 25,000 different works had

been printed in Denmark, and it is said not above 18,000 in Sweden. Russia takes advantage of this mutual jealousy, to keep them both under, and to tyrannize over the north.

XI.

THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK AND PRINCE FERDINAND.

In the course of a tour through Germany, I had the pleasure of being introduced, on the 24th of November 1786, to the Ducal Family of Brunswick. On my arrival, at nine in the morning, I received an intimation that Prince Ferdinand, so celebrated for his victory at Mindin, would be glad to see On being introduced to that distinguished character, I was quite astonished at his appearance. He smiled with much complacency, was fat, good-humoured, and polite, but had nothing of the hero in his appearance. He spoke, with great propriety, of his regard for, and obligations to, the English nation.

me.

I went afterwards to the ducal palace to dinner, and was introduced to the then reigning Duchess, who was sister to George the Third of England, and resembled him much. Nothing gave her more pleasure than to see an Englishman; and I had no reason to complain of my reception. The Duke entered only immediately before dinner was announced, and asked merely some common questions. He had at that period the character of being one of the ablest generals in Europe, which his conduct at the commencement of the French Revolution, and still more the manner in which he commanded the Prussian army prior to, and at the battle of Jena, did not at all warrant. In fact, he was too much imbued with the tactics of the old school, and had not kept pace with the improvements in modern strategy.

The entertainment at dinner was tedious, and would have been dull, had it not been that the Duchess was lively and