my brave friend," returned the King, "you shall have your own!" and he the next day sent him a fine portrait of Charles the Twelfth. The compliment was worthy of the Prince, and of the British hero.

Like Cæsar, I say, "happy was Alexander who had arrived at the prize of his career, before the Roman had started!" Though I have also received the honour of knighthood, I yet consider my spurs are to be won; and in obedience to the higher powers, it will not be very long before I try their metal. A few days ago I was honoured by the official investiture of the Equestrian Order of St. Joachim, electing me a Knight Commander, &c. &c. My diploma was dated May, 1807; but owing to continental disturbances, I did not receive it till now. You can believe, that as this is one of the orders of which our immortal Nelson was a brother, I consider the honour I bear as doubled, by its making me a knight of his fraternity; and all I now want to make my star shine without a cloud, is the approval of my own revered Sovereign of the distinctions I have received. They are estimable to your friend, not because of the title they confer, but as a witness of that esteem having been adjudged to him by foreign nations, which will ever be his ambition to deserve in his own. I should be unworthy of your friendship were not these the sentiments of your faithful friend..

LETTER XXXIX.

Upsal, March, 1808.

IT happened as I expected: news arrived from the frontiers which put all Stockholm in consternation. The Russians had passed the Swedish lines, and advanced as far as Louisa, a sea-port town in the province of Nyland, on the north coast of the gulph of Finland. No information of this intended invasion having been intimated to the court of Stockholm by the Russian ambassador, the King issued orders for his arrest; and immediately he and his suite were confined to his hotel under a guard of cavalry, without permission to communicate with any person within or without the town.

Thus then the javelin has been mutually thrown; war is declared: and as there is no calculating on what may be its events, I shall make the most of my time; and at this early period of hostilities, set forward to take my intended tour of the interior. In this frame of mind, I prepared to bid a short adieu to Stockholm; and being provided with an agreeable companion in Mr. Fs (a son of the good Sir William F- --s of Edinburgh, whose name need only be mentioned to excite the liveliest respect), I left the city: having previously received from a Swedish gentleman a useful route, with directions to render our northern travelling as easy and pleasant as possible.

His first advice was, that we should not hire a sledge, but purchase one, which might be done for a trifle. Did we commit ourselves to the chance of engaging vehicles on the road, the consequence might be dangerous; as the hackney sledges are in general insecure and very comfortless. One horse is sufficient for your machine, if you be content to adopt one of the season; but should vanity, or inexperience lead you to prefer a carriage on pattens, you must then have three or four horses ; with the inconvenience in these narrow ways, of moving slowly, and very often at the imminent risque of being upset. The Swedish sledge is therefore the best conveyance in winter: but should the journey be in summer, then I recommend your own English carriage by all means; as there is nought you can hire along the roads, in the shape of vehicles, but mere rustic carts.

To proceed with rapidity, it is requisite to send forward to the various posts a forebode or courier (what antiquary will gainsay that our verb to forebode sprung from this very noun? Indeed there are clear traces in the language of Britain of the former visits of our northern neighbours to this island). The foreboding, fore-seeing, fore-doing gentleman, or by whatever name you choose to call him, orders horses to await you at every station, according to the fixed hour when he expects you will arrive. By him, all your heavy baggage is sent; and so honest are the people, that there would be no hazard of any being stolen, should it remain, without your appearance, from this to doomsday. But should you not appear at the different stages to the time your forebode has appointed, this inconvenience ensues; the boors may return to their respective homes with the horses; you are obliged to pay double for them on your arrival, and have the additional punish

ment of waiting until others are brought. An error of this kind at the first post, generally occasions a default of time to all the rest; and so disappointment, delay and expence accompanies you throughout the journey.

The peasant who brings the animals, is contented with two or three schillings for his douceur; about two-pence English. Charioteers, or postilions, you have none: you are obliged either to hire a person expressly for that purpose, or to drive yourself, which, if travelling day and night, would be no very agreeable amusement. The actual tax for each horse per mile, (six English), fixed by law in 1800, is twelve schillings rix money, about nine-pence of ours. This, in starting from the country; but if from any city, the price is double.

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The variation in the length of the mile of different countries, is very troublesome to travellers, who may not be exactly aware of the allotted ground in each. I found it very vexatious at first; and that you may not stumble where I fell, and be benighted where I expected day, I shall, while I think of it, give you a little calculation of miles according to the measurement of our neighbouring nations: - ten five-eighths of Swedish miles make a degree, and are equivalent to fifteen German, twenty-five geographical French miles, fifty English, seventy-five Italian miles, and one hundred Russian versts.

Having taken the necessary precaution for a journey into the interior, of providing our sledge with eatables, I set forth with my friend. The velocity with which we passed over the frozen lakes and high grounds, was even more amazing than that which I had experienced in Russia ;

and we arrived at Upsal about eleven at night, having quitted Stockholm at five the same evening, being a distance of seven Swedish miles. In summer the circuit is longer, as the waters, being then released, do not allow the short cuts now made by crossing over their icy bosoms. The borders of these glassy plains are richly wooded, and adorned with numerous country residences belonging to the nobility.

It being dark when we entered this ancient town, you must pardon me that I give you no account of its approach. It is built on the banks of the river Fyris, and altogether exhibits a very venerable appearance. Old historians tell us, that Upsal was a city in the year of our Lord 240, when Ingo, on being elected King of Sweden, after the death of his father, a wise and brave monarch, fixed his residence here, choosing often to be called King of Upsal. At present, instead of a royal palace, it boasts a fine cathedral, in which the monarchs of Sweden are usually crowned. From the earliest times, erudition does not seem to have been neglected at Upsal; some of its Kings, from their superior learning, acquired the name of magicians, the general appellation given to sages by the northern barbarians. In later ages, in the year 1247, Eric XI. instituted a university here, which was afterwards very richly endowed both by Gustavus Vasa and Gustavus Adolphus. One part of this establishment being built by the latter Monarch, is called Academia Gustaviana. These places I purpose going particularly through, and then I will duly initiate you into all their mysteries.

Upsal is the see of the primate of Sweden. His dignity once overtopped that of the throne: he was a senator by his office: and possessed