FORTIA’s TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.
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more embarraffing from the fenate alone, that is to fay, without the concurrence ofthe King, being difabled by the laws of the realm from putting any orders into execu-tion. This convocation of the ftates however effected none of the changes reqmfi te.Adolphus Frederic died in 1771, regretted for his goodnefs and humanity, and pitiedby thole witneffes to a reign which the injuftice and vexations of a corrupt fe-nate rendered the epoch of mifery to the people and difcomfort to the King. He lefthis fon the name of King of Sweden , with which alone that young Prince did not longremain content.
The reigns of thefe two fovereigns, from 1720, afford a new proof of what we havebefore advanced, that Kings without authority are of little value. In the wars'of 1741and 1756 who in the Swedes would look for the companions of Charles XII. and Guf-tavus Adolphus ? But for hiftory one would take them for novices in war : nothing isfeen among them but generals difagreeing among themfelves, a divided fenate dilatingarbitrary orders to diftant armies, of whofe force and pofition they were perfectly igno-rant. To what a deplorable government has not Sweden been fubjeft for thefe fiftyyears ! To what humiliations has the chief of a nation, pretendedly free, been fubjedt!a nation which, while mocked with the title of free, groaned beneath the tyranny of anumber of families, and what is even worfe, beneath a foreign yoke. It cannot be tooftrongly enforced that to degrade the King is degrading the nation which permits it; ifit be his own people who vilify him, at the peril of his life, a king worthy of the nameought to refume the authority which is indubitably devolved on him, or if means forthe attempt be wanting, (that is to fay courage, for that alone is requifite to begin with,)he fhould abdicate the throne and live a private man, tranquil, and, if a virtuous man,refpedted ; fo would he fill his proper ftation.
In the number of kings whofe hiftory we have Iketched, we have noticed feveralwhofe memory will with juftice be renowned, becaufe they reigned fubftantially.A powerlefs king may be humane, affable, virtuous, a good father of a family, a goodfriend, but cannot be a great King. Adolphus Frederic poffeffed every eftimable qua-lity ; this is a tribute paid to him by all who knew that Sovereign : was it ever faid orwritten of him that he was a great King ? Staniflaus, the prefent King of Poland , whatis his chara&er after a thirty years reign ? that of being an amiable, well informed man,,whofe converfation is enchanting ; but this is all. Royal dignity is eafily forgot whenbut the name remains; and in (peaking of one fo fituated, the judgment given is fimi-lar to what would be given on a private man.
Chap. XV. —Guflavus III. the reigning Monarch.—Duke Charles the Regent.
WE fhall dilate more in deferibing the reign of Guftavus III. : to this we are in-duced by feveral motives: the revolution effe&ed by him, fufficient in itfelf to renderhis name illuftrious ; the eftablilhments which he has formed; all that he has donetowards the welfare of his people; the ftate in which he has left arts and fciences ; theadvantage we poffefs of having perfonally known him, and of having had means of ap-preciating part of his rare qualities; his death even, a death upon which he might have cal-culated, fince Henry IV . fell alfo by an affaffin ; his death, the greateft misfortune-thatcould have befallen Sweden ; all tend to induce us to trace the principal events of theFeign of this great Prince. This is a tribute defervedly his due, and which with the ut-moft cordiality we offer to his memory.
We