the standards of each Swedish province, flanked by rostral columns of granite. On the appearance of the young king, a salute of a hundred pieces of cannon announced his arrival. Placing himself at the head of the three regiments of guards, and advancing before the figure, he gave the word of command, and they fired several volleys in honour of the day. His majesty rode a white charger; and was surrounded by his officers of state, as well as a body of cuirassiers, whose high helms, plumes, and shining armour, imparted an uncommonly chivalric effect to the scene. The action of the monarch seemed as if he yet thought himself prince only, and moving under the eye of his august father.

The feelings of one whose soul is so alive to honour and filial affection, cannot be doubted. He came to the unfolding of a monument erected to the memory of his father, by his people! It was not a cold ceremony, but a solemn dedication, to testify to posterity the everlasting reverence in which they held their murdered king; their father: and that he deserved that reverential title, every lip was open to declare. He watched over them with all the care of a parent; and provided for the poorest of his subjects with an attention, that showed affection was united with the justice of an impartial legislator.

So regarding his memory, did the people appear before his statue: and the melancholy aspect of his gallant successor, bore the strongest marks that his feelings were in unison. The look with which he contemplated the marble representative of his murdered father, I shall never forget. His face was as pale as the statue's, while an expression of sorrow and admiration sat in his eye, that commanded the homage it expressed. When he bent down his head, and turned from the scene, the acclamations of loyalty that resounded on every side seemed to burst from every heart. For a moment they forgot the father in the son, Gustavus Augustus, in Gustavus the Brave; and had the dropping of a tear sealed my death warrant at that. time, it must have fallen; I never was so strangely affected: it was the virtue of the past and the present striking me at once; and, you will allow, that such admiration gives an agitating delight, that sometimes overflows at the eyes.

This was the first time I ever had seen his majesty; and if his affability merit the enthusiastic praises of his people, he must indeed be as amiable as brave.

Around the pedestal, and on the steps which surround the statue, stood many of the nobles and citizens, in the national dress; which group, together with the officers of the army and navy, formed a very interesting assemblage. Before Gustavus withdrew, he spoke a few words, declarative of his sentiments on the solemn occasion; and then, after fixing his eye, as I before said, for a few minutes on the statue, retired amid universal plaudits.

The day's festival is to close with a ball, given to the royal family at the expense of the city. As I shall be present, I will not close this letter till it carries away a history of the scene.

On my return from the morning ceremony, I found a note from our ambassador, saying that if I would attend at his house at five o'clock that day, he would with pleasure present me to the king and queen. I was punctual, being anxious personally to be acquainted with so distinguished a sovereign; with one whose monarchical dignity, much as it claimed my respect, I less revered, than the glorious intrepidity with which he defied the conqueror of nations, and repelled his seductions, when even bringing his snares and his thunder to the very shores of Sweden.

However, the demon which has lately ruled my destiny, threw in a little of her temporary traversings even here. After having joined our minister, who was to take me to the palace, my stupid Swedish coachman, instead of following his excellency's carriage, as were his orders, took me to the exchange where the ball was to be given. From the multitude, the blaze of lights, guards, &c., I believed myself at the palace; alighted; and what was my surprise to find myself ushered into the ball room. It was too late to rectify the mistake. My carriage was driven off, and I had nothing for it but resigning myself to the mortification of making my first bow to his majesty in a crowd.

The saloon was already nearly full of gay and splendid company. On one side were placed the chairs of state for the

royal family and court; and high on the other rose the musical gallery, furnished with numerous bands of vocal and instrumental performers. Every one present was in full dress; and before the entrance of the heads of the state, I had an opportunity of observing their costumes. The national habits of the country (rendered so by Gustavus III.) resemble in every respect the ancient Spanish. The nobility and knights wear them of different colours according to their fancy, but the reigning hue in full dress (like the grandees of Madrid), is in general black. Its detail consists of a short cloak, and a vest with sleeves, ornamented with straps or slashes, on the shoulders. The waist is bound with a sash. When this sable velvet is embellished with a star, the effect is very fine; as nothing shows that badge to greater advantage than a dark ground: light colours form a bad relief, though some chose a pale blue; others, crimson velvet; and a few, black lined with scarlet, which latter were the most magnificent of the whole. The burghers were uniformly dressed in black of the same fashion with the nobles, only marking their station by a light blue sash. The ladies were habited in splendid dresses à l'ordinaire.

About seven o'clock their majesties, accompanied by the young prince and princess arrived. The duke of Sudermania, with the other branches of the royal family, had entered a short time before. As soon as the king was seated, a piece of music with, I suppose, appropriate words (for it was in Swedish) burst from the orchestra. His majesty seemed very attentive to what was sung, while the queen, with a less impressed countenance, sometimes listened, and at others looked round on the assembly with a delightful complacency. I confess that my observation was most particularly directed to Gustavus. He bears a striking resemblance to the best portraits of Charles the Twelfth; and seems not to neglect the addition of similar habiliments. For, really, at the first glance you might almost imagine the picture of his renowned ancestor had walked from its canvas. He is thin, though well made; about the middle stature, pale, and with eyes whose eagle beams strike with the force of lightning: look at them, and while he is in thought they appear remarkably calm and sweet but

when he looks at you and speaks, the vivacity of his manner and the brilliancy of his countenance are beyond description. His mouth is well shaped, with small mustachios on his upper lip; and his hair, which is cropped and without powder, is combed up from his forehead.

Her majesty is most interestingly beautiful; very much resembling her sister the empress of Russia. She is fair with expressive blue eyes. Her features are fine; but the affability of her countenance, her smile, and engaging air, independently of other charms, would be sufficient to fascinate every heart almost to forget she was a queen, in her loveliness as a woman. She was drest with exquisite taste. Her hair, in light but luxuriant tresses over her brow and head, was looped up with a double diadem of jewels. Her robe was splendidly embroidered; and on her breast she wore the badges of the order of St. Catherine. And certainly it must be acknowledged that the star, whether of distinction or of beauty, never shone brighter than on the bosom of the fair Helen of the North; for thus this beautiful queen is generally distinguished: though, were I to give her a title, it should rather be that of Andromache, whose beauties, lovely as they were, were yet transcended by the more endearing graces of the chaste wife and tender mother.

During the whole of the evening, after the musical salutation, their majesties mingled with the company, conversing with every person with the kindest condescension. Every citizen was spoken to; and their eyes sparkled with joy, while their tongues faultered out a reply to the address of their sovereign. His conversation with the subjects of his brother in arms, our revered monarch, was of the most gratifying complexion; no coldness, no form; all was frank, great, and consistent with himself. In short, it would have been impossible for any potentate to have shown more graceful knight like courtesy to all present; or for a sovereign to be received with deeper homage from a brave and loyal people. In many courts I have seen the body of loyalty, here its spirit was felt.

Who that was present at such a scene would believe, that some of his ungracious subjects affect to lament the destiny

of the state? But so it is. As in most countries parties exist, who contend for they know not what, even in Sweden there are a set of grumblers, troubling the government with discontents, which, lying in themselves rather than in the constitution, neither king nor senate can rectify. These turbulent natures are the torment of every state. We may consider them as inherent diseases amongst all people; a sort of acrimonious humour boiling from the body politic, which, as the evil is in human nature, must discharge itself somewhere; and what is more, there is no hope of the disorder being cured, till the final exit of the world with all its imperfections.

A superb supper was prepared for the royal visitants, and one equally elegant for the rest of the assembly. Their majesties returned from the banqueting room into the dancing saloon about twelve o'clock, where they remained till four o'clock in the morning; at which time they took their leaves; first kissing their offspring with the most parental tenderness, and then repeating their adieus to the company, arm in arm they left the apartment, followed by the acclamations and blessings of all present.

So powerful was the example of this illustrious pair (and indeed, at the moment they embraced their children first recalled to me the similitude of Hector and Andromache), that every wife drew nearer to her husband, and, like her august queen, quitted the room so supported, rather than be led out by any of the young men who pressed around her. The effect was as remarkable as instantaneous; and showed the consequence of example in the great. As I observed the departing groups, I could not but reflect with pleasure on the scene I had witnessed: where a young and heroic sovereign had laid aside his purple, and appeared amongst his people, as a friend, a husband, and a father. This was a lesson for the world as well as for Sweden; for princes as well as their subjects.

I understand that this fete, and the elevation of the statue besides, was given at the charge of the citizens of Stockholm. They were, in all ages of the monarchy, more attached to their sovereign than any other inhabitants of the towns; and now, they evinced the same sentiment by a cost and magnificence rarely exhibited in the kingdom.