FORTIa’s TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.

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mature deliberation, with that of our fenators, which all wife men will applaud: this iscompofed for the ufe of all dwelling as we have defcribed.

“ This book of the law was made and written in the year from the birth of God i 295 *•the learned lords who follow being prefent:— ; M. Andre, Provoft of Upfal ; M. Rceud-Kceuldorffon ; M. Bendidl-Bofon ; Ulver Lagmanffon; Hagbarder de Suderby ; An-dre de Forekarleby ; Thorften deSambran d’Attundalande ; M. Philippe de Runeby \Jlakan, the great provincial Judge ; Elkil-Skielghi, Sighurd the Judge ; Jowan Gala-bogher de Fiedhu'ndraiand ; Ulver d’Oldmftum; Gotric and Ulridin, Judges ; befidesthefe, the greater part of the learned of the three diftricts of Upland, as well judges asfeudatories were fummoned, and all gave their confent to this law, which Byrger thegreat judge caufed to be tranferibed in this book, according to the advice of all thofebefore-mentioned.

“ We, Byrghir, by the grace of God, King of Sweden and Gothia, falute all thofewho {hall fee this letter, with the falutation of God , and his own,” &c.

N. B. It is difficult to tranflate into the French language, and prefervethe energy ofthe ancient Swedifh law.s ; the Latin language is better adapted for expreffion ; add towhich the language of thefe laws is widely different from that at prefent ufed in Swe-den , fo much fo that few of the learned are able to comprehend and appreciate the va-lue of the w'ords.

Torture was abolifhed by Guftavus III.; another benefit conferred on Sweden by thisPrince.

It does not form any part of our plan to fpeak at large of governments ;' we {hallonly fay that the government of Sweden appears to us more perfect, than thofe the moltextolled, as to the manner in which the nation is reprefented at the diets; the peafantryforms a fourth order in the {fate J this is the only great country'in Europe where thecultivator is looked upon as fomebody*. It might be poffible to correct fome abufeswhich exift in the mode of election of the peafants, and the number of members at thediet, but here the adage may be applied; the bejl is Jiill a foe to good. The Swedes, con-tent with enjoying a conftitution preferable to that of other people, tolerate the fmallnumber of abufes by which it is accompanied ; they fear damaging the trunk in loppingthe branches. The real, and poffibly the only abufe, in the Swedifh conftitution, is,that it is impoffible for the King to keep where he is placed by it; but this is an evilwithout a remedy; the fovereign, in a monarchical and hereditary ftate, muft neceffarily,in procefs of time, aftume an afcendency over the other powers, of whatfoever deferip*tion they may bef. Wherefore, as this evil is infinitely fmaller than that of being go*verned by an ele&ive King, we prefer the Swedifh conftitution, which we regard a sbeing moft free from faults of any that we know.

The taxes are numerous, and even burthenfome in the cities ; yet do they producebut an inconfiderable fum; the total revenue of the ftate not amounting to more thanthirty-three millions of livres.

Every poft under the government is liable to a certain tax, fuch p&Jfons as hold fe*veral, pay. but on one, but that is always the moft confiderabie. Thofe who have thetitle Without being adfually employed, gay double.

* The fame practice exifts in the Tyrol< a fmall province belonging to the Emperor. In France weconceived the people were reprefented by giving a double reprelentation to the tiers etat, as if lawyers, doc-tors, and coffee-noufe politicians, were the people. What an abfurdity !

-j- If he does not affume this afcendan.cy he will be overwhelmed ; there is for him no mean ; wherefore,in order to diilinguifh which of the two be preferable, let a look be caft on the relative fituationsof Englandand France .

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