C 0 XE*S TRAVELS IN DENMARK.

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the family of the King. The nobles were thrown into general confternation by fo hid-den and decifive a communication. Conceiving it, however, imprudent to negative thepropofal, they endeavoured to gain time; and replied accordingly, that declaration';yet a matter of fuch confequence deferved the moft mature difcuflion. Nanfen, per-ceiving the drift of this delay, anfwered, they came not to deliberate but to aft; theyhad already taken their refolution ; they would lofe no time in debate; if the noblesrefufed to concur, they would themfelves repair to the palace, not doubting that theKing would gracioufly accept their proffered declaration. During thefe proceedings,the nobles fecretly difpatched a meffage to the King, that they were willing to renderthe crown hereditary in the male line of his ifTue, provided it was done with the accuf-tomed formalities; a propofal his majefly rejefted as a circumftance not defirable, un-lefs the right offucceffion was extended to the females alfo. He added, with great ap-pearance of moderation, that he by no means wiflied to prefcribe rules for their con-duct ; they were to follow the diftates of their own judgment; as for his part, he wouldowe every thing to their free confent, but could not accept the offer with the limitationpropofed.

The nobles, who waited with anxiety for the return of the meffenger, kept the bufi-nefs in fufpenfe by declining their direft affent to the declaration, and propofing a fur-ther confideration of the fubjeft. The other deputies then quitted the affembly, and re-paired in foiemn proceffion to the court; leaving the nobles in a ftate of irrefolution anddiftraftion.

The deputies being admitted, the bifhop of Zealand addreffed the King on the refolu-tion taken by the clergy and commons; offering, in their name, to render the crownhereditary, and invert him with abfolute authority ; adding, they were ready to facrificetheir lives in defence of an ertablifhment fo falutary to their country. Frederic, in re-ply, thanked them for their favourable intentions; but mentioned the approbation ofthe nobles as a neceffary condition, though he had no doubt of their concurrence whenthey fhould have had time to accompany the declaration with the neceffary formalities:he affured them of his proteftion, promifed a redrefs of all grievances, and difmiffedthem with an exhortation to continue their fittings, until they fhould have broughttheir defign to perfection, and he could receive their voluntary fubmiflion with due fo-lemnity.

The reader will obferve, with much furprize, that in all the public occurrences be-fore this audience, the only affair apparently in agitation, was to change the form of go-vernment from an eleftive to an hereditary monarchy; no mention was made of en-larging the powers of the crown, or of the ftill more extraordinary fcheme of renderingthe King abfolute. It is probable, if the nobles had immediately confented to the declara-tion, that this ceffion might not have taken place. Was there no medium between here-ditary right and arbitrary power ? Or can we fuppofe that, according to the fyftem of theDanifh law, arbitrary power was neceffarily implied in hereditary right ? Something likethis was probably the cafe; as it is hardly portable to conceive that, when the deputiesof the commons and clergy had voted only for the declaration, the bifhop, of his ownaccord, fhould add the gift of unlimited authority. It often happens, that people aremore affected by appearances than realities. The bare mention of arbitrary powerwould have revolted the deputies; while the fubftance, being included in the popularexpreflion of hereditary right, was paffed without referve.

On the abrupt departure of the deputies, the nobles could not agree what plan topurfue in this alarming crifis. They were not, indeed, unanimous in their motives of

oppofition,