FORTIA’s TRAVliLS IN SWEDEN.
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by Sergei!, about whom, a child on foot encircles a garland. A bronze buff of CharlesXII. , by Bouchardon the younger. This apartment was to be enlarged; the defigns forthe purpofe, projected by Mafrellier, were Ihewm to us. It is to be connected with theneighbouring chamber, that contains a painting by Gagnerot, which reprefents the Popeaccompanying the King to the Mufeum.
It is in contemplation to eflablilh a Royal Mufeum, which is to hold all the collec-tions made by the celebrated Nicodemus TeJJin, to whom are owing the handfomeft build-tngs in Stockholm ; by his fon Charles Guftavus, of equal celebrity as a connoiffeur ofthe arts and ftatefman ; by Oueen Louifa Ulrica, the worthy filter of the great Frederic ;and by Guftavus III., the firlt King who travelled to promote the arts, which formedbis chief delight. In this Mufeum is to be depofited the whole of the antique fpecimenscollected by them, than which, out of Italy, it would be difficult to produce a moreprecious collection. The Endymion, Apollo, Minerva, and the nine Mufes, will formits chief beauties in fculpture. It is to contain paintings; drawings by great mailers,of which there are thirteen enormous volumes; engravings, moftly proofs; the beltworks on the arts ; Etrufcan vales, bronzes, medals, and ancient and modern coins, thenumber of which amounts to twenty thoufand, the union of three valuable collections,See.
From this profpeCtus one can but form a favourable idea of the intended Mufeum.Mr. de Fredenheim, whom we ffiall Ihortly mention, is occupied with this eftablilhment,as intendant of all the King’s collections in the department of the arts. This appoint-ment does him honour, and will certainly not be blamed by thofe who, like us, have thebappinels of knowing him.
Theatres. They have four theatres. The grand opera in the Swedifh language, atwhich there are performances on Mondays, and occafionally on Thurfdays; the aCtorsare pretty good; Mr. Kaften is the firffc finger, who is of impofing appearance, andplays in a noble ftyle; notwithftanding which one ftill feels there is fomewhat in hismanner to look for. Madame Midler is poffeffed of great talents, but withal has atkanifh accent, in our opinion, very difagreeable: her hufband is an excellent violinplayer. The dancing part, managed by a Frenchman, is very tolerable. MademoifelleBafii (who, however, we believe has fince left them) was the firft dancer ; fhe perform-e d at Paris fome years back. The dreffes are extremely rich, and propriety of coflumemolt critically adhered to ; as for feenery, they may in this article vie with the moll ele-gant theatres; and in point of machinery, the moll difficult fpeftator has nothing tocondemn. Within five months, that is to fay, in courfe of two or three-and-twenty .mghts’ reprefentations, we were prefent at nine different operas, three of which na-tional. Guftavus Vafa in particular is extremely curious; the feenery of the firft a£l,which reprefents the court of Chriftiern, is exquifitely beautiful. The fubjefl: is, forthe natives of the country, of a very interefting nature, and is compofed by him the beftqualified to appreciate the great qualities of this Prince The mufic of the piece byNaumann , is frequently very fine; of the merit of the compofition we were unable tojudge, but were told that the verfes were excellent. In the opera of Elefbra, likewife,there is a beautiful feene; one of a new deferiprion, and extremely rich in Thetis and
* The King has framed the flceleton of feveral operas and many Swedifh pieces ; he is extremely partialto the ftage, is well acquainted with it, and an excellent judge particularly of French pieces; often is hethe only perfon who feels and applauds certain paflages; much of the delicate ftrokes of a language efcapir.gthofe who even fpeak it fluently, unlefs it be fundamentally acquired ; but the King underllands the French language equally well with the beft-infarmed Frenchman. (This article we have left exactly as. it was ori-gtnally compofed.)