A Tour round the Baltic, thro the Northern Countries of Europe ... Fourth edition ... augmented

Letter I

On board "The Friendship," in the German Ocean, Thursday, 14th April, 1774. I consider the injunction which you laid on me at parting, to inform you constantly of all those events which elucidate the cha racters or manners of the countries through which I propose travelling, as not only doing me honor, but as opening to me a source of the most elevated and rational pleasure. There is a flattering and virtuous pride B which which we cannot avoid feeling, from the consciousness, or at least the hope, that we are opening scenes of liberal knowledge, and elegant curiosity, to our friends : and in a mind where gratitude prevails, this is one of the most animating considerations in nature. It must likewise be confessed, that the survey of foreign nations, and the comparison of dissimilar modes of acting and thinking to our own, is not only formed to enlarge the human mind, and to correct its early prejudices ; but, is calculated to delight in a supreme degree, as it has for its basis two passions most powerfully con ducing to pleasure; novelty and admiration.

So much, indeed, have travellers in all ages been conscious of this bias in nature, and so ready to take advantage of it, that the most improbable and ridiculous fictions have been invented and imposed upon the cre dulity of mankind. Recourse has been had to the marvellous, and the imagination has been entertained by amusing recitals of manners and actions which never existed. 22 But, OP EUROPE. 3 But, the age of imposition on one side, and of credulity on the other, seems now to be past : truth and sound knowledge are in troduced into subjects, where formerly they scarce ever intruded. Mankind are be come more sceptical, and refuse to be amused with superstitious legends, or the wanton sallies of a luxuriant imagination. The refinement and civilization of modern manners, has rendered it no difficult matter to inspect kingdoms and provinces, to which access was formerly barred by bigotry, barbarism, and want of all police.

Even Spain is not now impervious to curiosity, and superstition is declining in these her favorite dominions. But notwithstanding this diminution of the traveller's powers of entertainment, by excluding any address to the imagination, there are still objects sufficient left to interest the atten tive and curious mind. Certain parts of the globe are, however, infinitely more exuberant in the materials for producing elegant delight, than others. B 2 In In some they are so plenteously scattered, that stupidity or insensibility itself must catch a portion of their power of pleasing. In others, they lie deeper beneath the sur face, and like unpolished gems, only glitter in the eye of clear and perspicuous observa tion. — Of this last description are the king doms which I am about to visit ; covered during many months with snow, and wrapt in all the horrors of a polar winter : un polished in their manners, and still retaining the vestiges of Gothic ignorance or barbarism, they present not many charms to tempt the traveller.

The Roman arms never penetrated into these inhospitable climes, nor is the Antiquarian allured to pass their snows, by the venerable remains of amphi theatres, temples, and Naumachiæ. Yet even in these remote and inclement countries, are the seeds of knowledge scattered ; and if the mind receives no pleasure from the reflection of their past greatness or re finement, yet may it be enlarged and im proved, from the consideration of their present sent comparative power and importance in the scale of Europe. I purpose to visit the three northern capitals, and to pass a short time in each; though probably more in Pe tersburgh, than either in Copenhagen, or in Stockholm, as I regard it by far the greatest object of curiosity. We are now beating against a contrary wind, and heaven only knows when a more favourable gale may spring up.

I shall continue this sheet on my landing in Denmark. B3 Copenhagen, Tuesday night, igth April, 1774. Tins morning I rose with the sun, to land on the island of Zealand, at Elsinore : it was a pleasant day, though cold. I presented my letters of introduction to the English consul, Mr. Fenwick, who received me very politely; and as he was much en gaged with a multitude of ships which came in at the same time with us, he sent a ser vant to attend me over the Castle of Crons berg. This fortress stands at the narrowest part of that celebrated channel, which is called The Sound, and was doubtless in tended to command the entrance of it : whether it would be able now to prevent a fleet of men of war from passing it, I however much question. It is a fine Gothic Chateau or palace, built early in the last century by Christian the fourth, King of Denmark, and was then often honored with the royal residence. residence.

The form is square, and within is a fine quadrangle. The turrets at the corners are very superb, finished in the most improved style of Gothic architecture. They shewed me several large apartments, which are still denominated the king's: there is nothing, however, in them, except some gilt leather chairs of equal antiquity with the castle; and several daubings of the Danish Sovereigns, prancing about on white steeds. I desired to see the chambers which were occupied by her present majesty, during her confinement here ; I mean the queen Matilda, so lately dethroned: but they are, I find, those in which the Colonel Commandant resides; who it seems had humanity and politeness enough to resign his. during her stay; as the royal apart ments were not fit, at that inclement season of the year when she was brought down here, it being the 17 th day of January, 1772, to receive any person.

They are in fact vast, unfurnished, hideous, bare walls; hardly warm in July, I should suppose. B 4 While While I was looking about in the court below, a poor slave, fettered, whose crime most probably was theft, advanced, and taking off his cap, addressed me in French : I was glad to meet any person with whom I could converse ; for the Danish sentinel who accompanied me, could only transmit his ideas in his own language, which I under stood no more than the Chinese. I there fore began a conversation with the French captive, and asked him, if he was here when the queen Matilda was confined ? Ah ! Monsieur ! said he, I saw her every day ; I had the honor de tourner la broche for her majesty's dinner ; she even promised to endeavor to procure me my liberty. I as sure you, added he warmly, she was la princesse du monde la plus aimable !

Whe ther the fellow said this, because he apprehended it would please an Englishman, or whether it was the genuine effusion of re spectful gratitude, I cannot tell; but cer tainly it produced the effect on me that he wished. I could not resist the force of his compliment OF EU ROPE. 9 compliment to an English, and an injured, queen. I put my hand in my pocket, and gave him some half dozen stivers ; nor was it, I must own, either general philanthropy, or private commiseration, which drew most of them out — It was Caroline Matilda gave them ; and I bid him thank her, not me. There is a little hunting seat or palace, about a quarter of a mile from Elsinore, where the king drives down frequently for a few hours in the summer. There is no thing worth seeing in or about the building ; but the prospect from the roof is beautiful beyond expression : it looks down on the town of Elsinore and Castle of Cronsberg; commanding beyond these, the Sound, and the coast of Sweden, to a vast distance.

The town of Helsimborg in Sweden, which is exactly opposite, formsa fine object. I think it one of the most varied and picturesque landscapes that I ever beheld. Curiosity led me into the Danish church ; the woman carried me up to the high altar, which was entirely covered with a curtain ; a curtain ; and the boy who accompanied me, assured me that it was very fine. I expected a Corregio, or a Raphael, and be gan to wonder how they had got any such piece of painting. However, on drawing aside the veil, I found it was only a collection of saints, martyrs, and apostles, in wooden alto relievo, all dressed out in gold leaf, with king Christian the fifth I believe it was, in the middle of them, who seemed to stare like a man in amazement ; probably, at finding himself in such company. I was disappointed, and yet could not help smiling at my mistake.

In this situation I continued looking at the gaudy figures, while the woman read me a long Danish dissertation ; I suppose, on the history of the altar. On turning round, I found my self surrounded by a number of yellow haired boys and girls, who had formed themselves into a semi-circle to gaze at the stranger. I was as much pleased to look at them, as they could be at me ; and selecting one of the girls, whose cheveux blandim hung OF EUROPE. 11 hung down on her neck in loose disorder, and whose whole figure was a beauty in miniature ; for I suppose she could not count above eleven years — I went up to her, and presented her a stiver, in a manner, * which said, as well as silence could express it, ' 'tis your pretty form, sweet maid, which draws this present.' — The " detur pulchriori" was not more legibly written by the hand of nature on Paris's apple, than it was on my bit of silver ; but my goddess was too young, and too innocent, to read it.

Mr. Fenwick's hock, and what was ten times more powerful, his lady's company and conversation, detained me at Elsinore till four o'clock, or later ; and I had then twenty-two miles to go in a chaise to Co penhagen. This vehicle, which was an inde finable somewhat, between a coach and a cart, partaking very much of both de scriptions, was drawn by four little Danish horses ; and notwithstanding that it appeared to me when I got into it, surmounted as as it was with trunks and with hay for the horses, very ill calculated for speed ; yet the fellow, who was a laughing, merry, talkative Dane, whipped his cattle so frequently and so well, that I got to the capital about nine o'clock, which in this country is driving at a great rate. I did not admire the apearance of objects between Elsinore and this place ; bat, indeed, I must confess, I saw them through a very bad medium, as I could not keep myself warm the whole way, though I wrapt myself in my great coat.

The day closed in, a good league before I reached the metropolis, and I was indebted to the moon for her light during the rest of the road. After they had stopped me at the gates of Copenhagen, inquired my name, and searched my trunks, I was set down at the inn, where I now am, opposite the royal palace. 'Tis midnight, and you may imagine, after the adventures of the day, I shall not quarrel with my pillow. 6F EUROPE. 13

Letter II

Copenhagen, 25th April 1774. I have now been here near a week, and begin to find that a stranger may pass his time not unpleasantly in Copenhagen. But before I proceed to foreign affairs, let me give you some account of domestic ones. I am lodged, as I think I mentioned in my last letter, at an excellent inn, or rather Hotel, immediately opposite the palace; my chamber commanding a very com plete prospect of it, and of the haven which separates us. It is not, however, the situa tion of this Hotel, or the entertaining land scape which it commands, that form, in my estimate of objects, its greatest charm. It possesses another attraction. When I am not particularly engaged in company, I always ciine at the landlord's table, which is is very well served, and where I have been happy enough to make several agreable acquaintances.

He has three daughters, who dress their heads to advantage, curtsey most civilly in return to my bows, and are well disposed to oblige ; but all these atten tions will only excite complacency, and do not affect the heart. There is a fourth female, who, in my eye, unites in her person a thousand times the attractions of the other three. She is by birth a Norwegian, and lives near Christiania in Norway, but is now here on a visit : her complexion is too ruddy, and her person has too much embonpoint, to be deemed handsome in England ; yet even among us she would be admired. I have silently paid homage to her from the first moment that I saw her ; nay, I have even said every thing that the sight of beauty can be supposed to dictate to a heart, sensible to its impressions. — How I said them, I must leave you to judge from your own feelings, since conversation constitutes scarcely any part of our interchange of ideas, as I am unhappy happy enough not to speak Danish, and she can converse in no other language.

But, the most animated expression ofadmiration may be conveyed, without the aid of words or sounds ; and there is a language, and that an eloquent one too, which is given by nature in common to the inhabitants of England, and of Norway. She sometimes plays to me on an instru ment which resembles our spinnet, and which they here call a Pantaloon. — She ac companies the music with her voice, and sings me twenty Danish songs, taken from a book which usually lies on the table. I do not apprehend that the language is much better calculated in itself for harmony, than the Dutch or Flemish ; and yet, bv what fascination I know not, I am more de lighted than ever I was at hearing the finest of Metastasio's Arias from Cæcilia Davies's mouth. There is one air in particular, which has something in it peculiarly touching ; and as she turns over the leaves, I stop at that, lay my finger on it, and humbly humbly request, in that language to which I alluded before, that she will oblige me with it.

When she has done, I take her hand, and while I press it to my lips, they inform her that she has not played to a person in capable of tasting the delights,which beauty and harmony united must ever produce. You may laugh at this dumb tete-a-tete if you please ; and, perhaps, if I was inclined to burlesque, instead of admiring it, I could suppose it sometimes ridiculous enough. — Let that be as it may, I can only say the time slips unperceived away in this occupation ; and it is at least an agreeable relaxation from the more noisy amusements, or from the closer applications of the mind : but you must not therefore imagine, that she engrosses my whole time or attention ; I have been employed in viewing several objects of curiosity in this capital. I was accompanied this morning, by two gentlemen, to Count Moltcke's palace.

It is very splendid, and a fine taste is shewn in the collection of paintings which cover the the grand drawing-room. They are as much superior in excellence, as they are inferior in number, to those that I have seen in the king's cabinet of curiosities; or, as it is called here, the Musæum. This last Repository I have likewise visited ; but as I intend returning to it, and as it contains a number of curious and extraordinary productions pecuhar to the Danish dominions, I shall mention it in a future letter. — Count Moltcke himself, whom you may probably recollect in England, when he accompanied his present Danish Majes ty on his travels; lives now in a state of retirement, suited to his advanced age, and diminished influence over public affairs. He was the favorite, as well as the minister, of Frederic the fifth ; and so despotic was his sway during the concluding period of the late reign, when the king, from personal and mental incapacities, scarcely held the sceptre in his hand, that he was commonly called "King Moltcke."

The round tower here is very singular, C and, and, I believe, has only one parallel in Eu* rope; that of Amboise in Touraine. The tower of which I speak, was built by Chris tian the fourth, under whom the celebrated astronomer Tycho Brah6 flourished, and was designed for an observatory. There is not a single step in it, though the Tower is very lofty ; the ascent being performed by a spiral road, of near fourteen feet broad, from the base to it's summit. A professor, who shewed me over it, assured me, that one of their kings ; Christian the fifth, as I recollect, drove in his carriage up and down it; and he even produced a book, as I doubted the fact, to prove the veracity of his assertion. I must own that it may be easily done, though probably at some risk of the driver's neck. If it were not on account of the fair Nor* wegian, with whom, after all, it must be owned that I could wish to converse with the tongue, as well as with the eye, or the hand ; I find scarcely any inconvenience resulting from my ignorance of the Danish language.

Every Every person of condition here speaks French, and many of them, English. The gentlemen of the army and navy in parti cular, are almost universally used to these languages. They are, at least several of them, with whom I have fallen into com pany, extremely disposed to treat a strang er with every mark of urbanity and politeness. One of them has already promised to accompany me over the island of Zea land, and to be my conductor on a tour that I propose making, to see the royal palaces : and I am engaged to-morrow morn ing with two others, to view a private col lection of natural curiosities, which I am told is formed with great taste and judgment. The weather is still very cold : we have had hail almost every day since mv arrival ; nor are there as yet any marks of that sweet season, which the Italians so justly denominate the gioventii del anno, but which is pretty much unknown to Danish poets.

Indeed, I apprehend the year is C 2 more more properly divided here into the summer and winter, than as with us, into four seasons. A short summer succeeds to the long series of cold and darkness, which environs them from October till April ; and during this period, they often experience very great heat for a few days, or sometimes, weeks. Certainly man is much affected by physical causes ; nor can we be surprised to find the elegant arts chiefly confined to luxurious, southern climates, and faintly raising their heads amid these snowy and inhospitable regions, where the inhabitants seem in some degree to partake of the asperities of their soil; and where royal munificence, however unbounded, can only raise a few sickly and straggling plants. They seem to have a great turn for po litics here ; and as it may not be quite so safe to inspect too deeply into the conduct; of their own sovereign and statesmen, they make themselves some amends, by interest ing themselves in those of the English na- 51 tion tion.

I am asked a thousand questions in every company, respecting the inhabitants of Boston, and relative to' our East India affairs. They are unanimous in opinion, that the American colonies will be soon ab solutely emancipated ; and they give me a look of incredulity, accompanied with a significant shake of the head, when I as sure them that all will terminate quietly, that Boston must submit, and that our go vernment has uniformly embraced the most gentle, mild, and parental measures. I see they do not believe me, and I am obliged to refer them to futurity for the test of my assertions. So few persons visit this metropolis or kingdom, solely from motives of curiosity, that they are quite surprised when I as sure them I have no sort of business to transact here, and am only employed in the search of knowledge.

Indeed, I apprehend, a month or five weeks may be in some measure adequate to the completion of my c 3 objects, objects, and I shall not delay my departure after that time. There does not seem to me to be any appearance of industry or business here ; and Copenhagen, though one of the finest ports. in the world, can boast of little commerce, when the facilities which its position offers, are considered. The public places are filled with officers, either in the land or sea ser vice, and they appear to constitute three fourths of the audience at the comedy and the opera. The number of forces kept up, is indeed, much too considerable for the revenues of this kingdom, which has not been engaged in war these fifty years. They can boast, it is true, a vast extent of territorial dominion ; but, of what importance are the barren, and almost uninha bited mountains of Norway and Lapland, stretching to the pole ; or the plains of Iceland, where the inhabitants are yet, and will probably ever remain, in a degree of barbarism?

Their German provinces in Holstein3 OF EU ROPE. 23 Holstein or Sleswick, are by far the most fertile, and furnish a large part of the royal revenue. There needs, indeed, no stronger proof of the general poverty of the king dom, than the scarcity of specie, I have seen no gold coin, and hardly any silver money. They pay every thing in paper ; and if you lose a single dollar at the card table, or the billiard-rtable, it is given in a bill, or note. I received two hundred rix dollars yesterday morning, and not a single one in money, C4

Letter III

Copenhagen, Friday, 29th of April, 1774. I shall continue my remarks on the chief objects of curiosity here. Last Wednesday morning, I accompanied a party of ladies, to see the palace of Rosenbourg; which was constructed, as I am assured, by our celebrated Inigo Jones, and stands in the middle of a large garden, in the center of Copenhagen. It is small, and at present very little frequented or used by the king, or royal family. There is an air of antiquity in all the apartments, tapestry, and furniture, which is not displeasing, and impresses with respect. The grand sala or dining-room, in particular, is in this style. The hangings, which are not ill executed, represent the various actions by sea and land, which diversified the antient wars be tween the Swedes and Danes ; who seem always to have had the same national rivalship •ship and animosity, for which the French •and English are distinguished in Europe ; and which, it is probable, they will ever in some degree retain.

At one end of this grand apartment, are placed three silver lions, as large as the life ; who seem, by the ferocity of their appearance, designed to cha racterize the age and nation in which they were sculptured. It is a sort of savage mag nificence, which strikes more refined and luxurious times with wonder, to introduce such forms into a banqueting room of state. In the Rosenbourg palace are several small cabinets full of curious rarities, which the various sovereigns of Denmark have successively collected, and left to their posterity. Many of them are in trinsically valuable ; others are only pre served, from some event or accident connect ed with them. Among those of the first description, is a saddle, on which Christian the fourth made a' sort of triumphal entry into Copenhagen. It is covered with pearls, diamonds, and other precious stones ; and the spurs are of gold, enriched with jewels.

The The coat worn by the king, and a light hel* met used on the same occasion, are likewise covered with pearls. I forget the sum at which it was then estimated ; but you may easily suppose it to be immense. They preserve likewise, with great care, a hand kerchief of this prince dyed with his blood, from a wound that he received by a ball which deprived him of an eye. Christian the fourth made, indeed, no inconsiderable figure among the Princes of Europe, during a great portion of the seven teenth century,. His reign is scarcely ex ceeded in duration by that of any sovereign antient, or modern, except Louis the four teenth; Christian having occupied theDanish throne for sixty years, from 1588, to 1648. Nearly allied by blood to the royal family of England, he made repeated visits to Lon don, during the life of his brother-in-law, James the first.

Animated by his attachment to the Stuart line, and indignant at the tyranny of the emperor Ferdinand the se cond ; he endeavoured to extend assistance to his niece, Elizabeth, the unfortunate queen queen of Bohemia, married to the elector Palatine; and to liberate Gel-many from the yoke of the house of Austria. In 1623, he was placed at the head of the protestant league : but his genius, or his fortune, sunk under that of Tilly, the Impe rial general. It was reserved for Gustavus Adolphus to check the progress of Ferdi nand, and to rescue from oppression the Germanic Empire. Yet, Christian must be considered as an able, martial, and ac complished sovereign. There is scarcely one of the royal palaces here, in which I have not found portraits of him ; and he may justly be regarded as among the great est princes who have reigned in Denmark.

The man who accompanied us over the Ro senbourg palace, shewed me, with exultation in his countenance, a sword which had be longed to Charles the twelfth of Sweden - it is the kind of weapon that such a monarch may be supposed to have worn, and from its simplicity would well become the meanest soldier; it, indeed, evinces his strength NORTHER^ COUNTRIES strength and vigorous frame of body, by it's size and weight. I question whether his present majesty of Denmark could heave it, and I think I may be sure that he could not draw it. The blade is at least four feet long, and both the hilt and gripe are en tirely composed of brass. By what acci dent the sword of Charles fell into the hands of the Danes, I could not learn. Cer tainly he never surrendered it to them. I could not help smiling when I entered the chamber, in which we were informed that Christian the fourth expired.

There are, indeed, some figures in it, that may not improperly be termed celestial and an gelic ; but they are rather ill calculated for the regards of a dying man, and would better become the cabinet of a young and elegant voluptuary. I remarked this circumstance to our conductor, who only shook his head, and shrugged his shoulders, but said no thing. If his Danish majesty had been a Mussulman, I should have supposed that he designed them as representative of the Houns, OF EU ROPE. 29 ris, in whose arms he was so soon to repose his wearied virtue, and forget the toils an nexed to royalty : but it seems he died a Lutheran. The gardens of this palace constitute one of the chief recreations of the city, as they are always open, and on festivals or Sun days are crowded with company. They are spacious, but not laid out with taste, or adorned with any productions of art ; one statue only excepted, of Hercules vanquish ing the Næmean lion, which stands under a portico, raised to defend it from the in clemencies of the weather.

This piece is of Italian workmanship, and the artist has found means to display great anatomical skill and beauty in the attitude and mus cles of the hero, who by an extraordinary exertion of strength, forces open and breaks the jaw of his adversary. 1 went yesterday to see the private collection of natural curiosities, and paintings, which I have already mentioned to you. It is made by a Monsieur Spengler, who, I apprehend apprehend, is well known in the literary world. He is by birth a Swiss, but his urbanity and learning have made him a citizen of the world. I have always found the really great and good, to be of no country. His pieces of painting are, for a private individual, numerous, and yet very select; Many of them have been presented to him by the masters themselves, as tributes of friendship or admiration, made to his genius or his heart.

They are, indeed, mostly the production of German, Dutch, and Flemish artists. He is a fine mechanist, as well as anatomist, and possesses some pieces of workmanship in both those branches of sciencej executed by himself in ivory, which are chefs-d'œuvres. I was not surprised to hear him call Dr. Fothergill his intimate friend, Or to sind that he kept up the closest correspondence with the celebrated Linnæus in Sweden. I assured him of my intention to visit that great man in his retreat at Upsal, and that I had already procured letters of introduction to him. In justice to OF EUROPE. to the crown of Denmark, I ought to add, that his late majesty Frederic the fifth, appointed this gentleman keeper of the royal Musæum, and that he enjoys a very easy competence. I was charmed to find that his elevated understanding, and uncommon talents, had not, as is too frequent, allied him to poverty.