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thrown as much light as poflible on an event which will never be known for certain. Oarreaders will appreciate the arguments pro and contra, and will judge for themfelves.We are very bold in daring to contradict Mr. Coxe, who is convinced that Charles was{truck by a fmall ball, becaufe from the neared: baft ion, he was not more than from fiveto fix hundred yards diftant; and who, farther on, is Jure that the King was killed by aball from the citadel, and boldly contradicts the aflertions of thofe who pretend that hecould not be within mufquet (hot j a pofition which nobody of lenfe has ever maintained.for the caufes formerly affigned. We are not fo pofitive of our affumption : we expofeour dqubts. Mr. Coxe may be in the right; it is very poflible he may be wrong*
Chap. XVIII. —Morals of the Swedes. — Religion. — Laws. — Government. — Taxes.
OF all the nations in Europe , that w'hich, on account of its morals, deferves thehighefl: rank, is inconteftibly the Swedifh nation. The people are naturally good, vir-tuous, and attached*to their religion, and their Sovereign. Probity is general amongthem. In 1790 we met with waggons laden with the knapfacks of the loldiers whodied in Finland ; they were efcorted by a certain number of country people, who wererelieved at fucceflive ftages. They were on their way to Scania, that is to fay the ex-tremity of the kingdom, for the purpqfe of reftoring to the relatives of the deceafed,the effe&s they had left behind them. Frequently have we left our carriage open in thehigh road for hours together, both by day and night, but never did w'e mifs a Angle ar-ticle. If any thing can tempt a Swede to appropriate to himfelf the property of another,it is brandy, the love of which is at its height with them; it would be dangerous to leaveit within his reach ; for frequently the temptation is too ftrong for his honeftv. In thischara&er of the people we {peak of the country alone, the cities being as corrupt as they.are found elfewhere.
The Swedes are not covetous: they are ever content with what you give them, and.oftentimes afk nothing for their fervices. They are fober in every other particular,brandy excepted. This lamentable habit begins in infancy, and may be regarded asone of the caufes of the depopulation of Sweden . We have feen children, nine or tenyears of age, drink fuch large glafles of brandy as' we ourfelves never could compafs *-
The conftitution of the fair fex is frigid ; there is, nevertheless, no dearth of liber-tinifm in great towns; there it begins fometimes earlier than at twelve years of age, andis carried to excels until eighteen or twenty; the young folks then become prudent,that is to fay, confine themfelves to one lover, and after fome years marry, commonlyto great advantage, the men not regarding in the lead their former way of life.
From fo much debauchery prevailing, it is not furprifing that venereal complaints{hould be common, as they are; and what is more unfortunate, there is fcarcely oneman in Sweden , on whom you can depend on occafion.
The habit of drinking, far from being peculiar to the common people, prevails amongthe higher clafles. We are forry to have to confefs that it is not unufual to lee greatnoblemen occafionally on rifing from table unfit for. ferious avocations.. This defeatdoes not, however, diminifh their other good qualities, (for they are polite, alfeftionate,and engaging,) it is rather to be regarded as a vice peculiar to the country than to m-jdividuals, a vice, which, however, would be better laid afide. Some travellers pretend
* The glafs of brandy is called foup ; the pour hire of the French ; the trinkdt of the Germane ; cur f“p■»f beer, orfomelbing to dr ini jour honoirr. ^
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