4oo ’foe.tia’s travels in Sweden .

Peleus, a very old opera , the mufic of which is but indifferent, notwithftanding the pro-duction of an Italian, but remarkable on account of its being rehearfed on the eveningof the memorable day on which the revolution took place in 1772, at which rehearfaithe King was prefent till eleven in the evening, evincing the greateft tranquillity, andapparently intent on nothing but the opera, fo much fo, in fhort, that many perfons whohad heard a rumour of it, could not be perfuaded it would take place on the morrow.

For the chief feats at the opera you pay thirty-two {killings. Provided you have nofeat in the boxes, it is ufual to fit in the pit; but a foreigner of any notoriety eafily ob-tains a place either in the box of the minifter of his nation, or in fonte other. In thewinter on thofe days on which there are performances, the King fups at the opera, witha great company, and thofe Itrangers admitted to his fociety, are conftantly invited. Hehas referved for his own ufe a very elegant apartment there, in which is a painting byDepres, (an artift of whom we Ihall fpeak as we proceed:) it reprefents the EmperorJofeph and the King of Sweden in the church of St. Peter, at Rome, with the Pope of-ficiating. A number of figures are very ftriking likeneffes.

The theatre is handfome, and the coup d’oeil it affords very pleafing; the ftage islarge. This building forms one of the fides of the north-fquare, and has a very fine ef-fect. The palace of the Princefs Sophia Albertina , the only one who has apartmentswithout the palace, is oppofite, and in architecture perfectly correfponds. The capitalsof the columns of the front are of iron, founded by Afplund. In the veftibule are tobe columns of granite, now polilhing near the north-bridge.

The French theatre is only comparable to one of our provincial ftages ; but for aFrenchman it muff be pleafing to meet with performances or his nation, in the very bo-fom of the north. M ## * was fora long time the principal aCtor at this theatre, and itwas imagined that the unmeafured bounty of the King would have induced him to re-main, but M*** has demonftrated, that fenfe and confiderable talents can be united toa corrupt heart, and the foulefl ingratitude. His behaviour towards the King, and themanner in which he left Sweden (to pace the boards of the fifth play-houfe in Paris, )would have difgraced any one but himfelf. They play on Wednefdays and Fridays atthe French theatre. On the other days of the week, in the fame houfe which is builtof wood, is very mean, and very inconvenient * ; the company of national aCtors per-form ; this company was lately compofed under the aufpices of His Majefty, and has al-ready arrived at a fingular degree of perfection, the Ihortnefs of the time confidered jthe King interefts himfelf greatly in the improvement of the aCtors, to which circum-ftance the fpeed of their progrefs is to be attributed. Coftume is always rigidly attendedto among them, and their drefles are very good. They perform both tragedy and co-medy. For the chief places at them, as well as the French performances, you paytwenty-four {killings. The latter company, fince the death of the King, has been dif-mifled.

The fourth theatre may be compared to that of our boulevards, as well for the placeitfelf, as the company which refort to it; at this they play trifling pieces and comicoperas.

In fummer they only aCt once in a fortnight, as almofl: everybody at this feafon is inthe country ; this is but a {lender privation.

During carnival a mafqued ball is given every Friday, at lead; this was the cafe duringour refidence there ; the price of a ticket of admiflion is twenty-four {killings. Youcannot enter the theatre unlefs in a mafk or domino, but may go into the upper boxes,

* It was deftroyed in 1792.

whence