ople　of　Sweden；　who；　only　aiming　at　pleasing　you；　never　think　of　being　admired　for　their　behaviour。
  Their　tables；　like　their　compliments；　seem　equally　a　caricature　of　the　French。　　The　dishes　are　composed；　as　well　as　theirs；　of　a　variety　of　mixtures　to　destroy　the　native　taste　of　the　food　without　being　as　relishing。　　Spices　and　sugar　are　put　into　everything；　even　into　the　bread；　and　the　only　way　I　can　account　for　their　partiality　to　high…seasoned　dishes　is　the　constant　use　of　salted　provisions。　Necessity　obliges　them　to　lay　up　a　store　of　dried　fish　and　salted　meat　for　the　winter；　and　in　summer；　fresh　meat　and　fish　taste　insipid　after　them。　　To　which　may　be　added　the　constant　use　of　spirits。　　Every　day；　before　dinner　and　supper；　even　whilst　the　dishes　are　cooling　on　the　table；　men　and　women　repair　to　a　side…　table；　and　to　obtain　an　appetite　eat　bread…and…butter；　cheese；　raw　salmon；　or　anchovies；　drinking　a　glass　of　brandy。　　Salt　fish　or　meat　then　immediately　follows；　to　give　a　further　whet　to　the　stomach。　　As　the　dinner　advances；　pardon　me　for　taking　up　a　few　minutes　to　describe　what；　alas！　has　detained　me　two　or　three　hours　on　the　stretch　observing；　dish　after　dish　is　changed；　in　endless　rotation；　and　handed　round　with　solemn　pace　to　each　guest；　but　should　you　happen　not　to　like　the　first　dishes；　which　was　often　my　case；　it　is　a　gross　breach　of　politeness　to　ask　for　part　of　any　other　till　its　turn　comes。　　But　have　patience；　and　there　will　be　eating　enough。　Allow　me　to　run　over　the　acts　of　a　visiting　day；　not　overlooking　the　interludes。
  Prelude　a　luncheonthen　a　succession　of　fish；　flesh；　and　fowl　for　two　hours；　during　which　time　the　dessertI　was　sorry　for　the　strawberries　and　creamrests　on　the　table　to　be　impregnated　by　the　fumes　of　the　viands。　　Coffee　immediately　follows　in　the　drawing…　room；　but　does　not　preclude　punch；　ale；　tea　and　cakes；　raw　salmon；　&c。　　A　supper　brings　up　the　rear；　not　forgetting　the　introductory　luncheon；　almost　equalling　in　removes　the　dinner。　　A　day　of　this　kind　you　would　imagine　sufficient；　but　a　to…morrow　and　a　to…morrow　A　never…ending；　still…beginning　feast　may　be　bearable；　perhaps；　when　stern　winter　frowns；　shaking　with　chilling　aspect　his　hoary　locks；　but　during　a　summer；　sweet　as　fleeting；　let　me；　my　kind　strangers；　escape　sometimes　into　your　fir　groves；　wander　on　the　margin　of　your　beautiful　lakes；　or　climb　your　rocks；　to　view　still　others　in　endless　perspective；　which；　piled　by　more　than　giant's　hand；　scale　the　heavens　to　intercept　its　rays；　or　to　receive　the　parting　tinge　of　lingering　dayday　that；　scarcely　softened　unto　twilight；　allows　the　freshening　breeze　to　wake；　and　the　moon　to　burst　forth　in　all　her　glory　to　glide　with　solemn　elegance　through　the　azure　expanse。
  The　cow's　bell　has　ceased　to　tinkle　the　herd　to　rest；　they　have　all　paced　across　the　heath。　　Is　not　this　the　witching　time　of　night？　The　waters　murmur；　and　fall　with　more　than　mortal　music；　and　spirits　of　peace　walk　abroad　to　calm　the　agitated　breast。　　Eternity　is　in　these　moments。　　Worldly　cares　melt　into　the　airy　stuff　that　dreams　are　made　of；　and　reveries；　mild　and　enchanting　as　the　first　hopes　of　love　or　the　recollection　of　lost　enjoyment；　carry　the　hapless　wight　into　futurity；　who　in　bustling　life　has　vainly　strove　to　throw　off　the　grief　which　lies　heavy　at　the　heart。　　Good　night！　　A　crescent　hangs　out　in　the　vault　before；　which　woos　me　to　stray　abroad。　　It　is　not　a　silvery　reflection　of　the　sun；　but　glows　with　all　its　golden　splendour。　　Who　fears　the　fallen　dew？　　It　only　makes　the　mown　grass　smell　more　fragrant。　　Adieu！
  LETTER　III。
  The　population　of　Sweden　has　been　estimated　from　two　millions　and　a　half　to　three　millions；　a　small　number　for　such　an　immense　tract　of　country；　of　which　only　so　much　is　cultivatedand　that　in　the　simplest　manneras　is　absolutely　requisite　to　supply　the　necessaries　of　life；　and　near　the　seashore；　whence　herrings　are　easily　procured；　there　scarcely　appears　a　vestige　of　cultivation。　The　scattered　huts　that　stand　shivering　on　the　naked　rocks；　braving　the　pitiless　elements；　are　formed　of　logs　of　wood　rudely　hewn；　and　so　little　pains　are　taken　with　the　craggy　foundation　that　nothing　hike　a　pathway　points　out　the　door。
  Gathered　into　himself　by　the　cold；　lowering　his　visage　to　avoid　the　cutting　blast；　is　it　surprising　that　the　churlish　pleasure　of　drinking　drams　takes　place　of　social　enjoyments　amongst　the　poor；　especially　if　we　take　into　the　account　that　they　mostly　live　on　high…seasoned　provision　and　rye　bread？　　Hard　enough；　you　may　imagine；　as　it　is　baked　only　once　a　year。　　The　servants　also；　in　most　families；　eat　this　kind　of　bread；　and　have　a　different　kind　of　food　from　their　masters；　which；　in　spite　of　all　the　arguments　I　have　heard　to　vindicate　the　custom；　appears　to　me　a　remnant　of　barbarism。
  In　fact；　the　situation　of　the　servants　in　every　respect；　particularly　that　of　the　women；　shows　how　far　the　Swedes　are　from　having　a　just　conception　of　rational　equality。　　They　are　not　termed　slaves；　yet　a　man　may　strike　a　man　with　impunity　because　he　pays　him　wages；　though　these　wages　are　so　low　that　necessity　must　teach　them　to　pilfer；　whilst　servility　renders　them　false　and　boorish。　　Still　the　men　stand　up　for　the　dignity　of　man　by　oppressing　the　women。　The　most　menial；　and　even　laborious　offices；　are　therefore　left　to　these　poor　drudges。　　Much　of　this　I　have　seen。　　In　the　winter；　I　am　told；　they　take　the　linen　down　to　the　river　to　wash　it　in　the　cold　water；　and　though　their　hands；　cut　by　the　ice；　are　cracked　and　bleeding；　the　men；　their　fellow…servants；　will　not　disgrace　their　manhood　by　carrying　a　tub　to　lighten　their　burden。
  You　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear　that　they　do　not　wear　shoes　or　stockings；　when　I　inform　you　that　their　wages　are　seldom　more　than　twenty　or　thirty　shillings　per　annum。　　It　is　the　custom；　I　know；　to　give　them　a　new　year's　gift　and　a　present　at　some　other　period；　but　can　it　all　amount　to　a　just　indemnity　for　their　labour？　　The　treatment　of　servants　in　most　countries；　I　grant；　is　very　unjust；　and　in　England；　that　boasted　land　of　freedom；　it　is　often　extremely　tyrannical。　　I　have　frequently；　with　indignation；　heard　gentlemen　declare　that　they　would　never　allow　a　servant　to　answer　them；　and　ladies　of　the　most　exquisite　sensibility；　who　were　continually　exclaiming　against　the　cruelty　of　the　vulgar　to　the　brute　creation；　have　in　my　presence　forgot　that　their　attendants　had　human　feelings　as　well　as　forms。　　I　do　not　know　a　more　agreeable　sight　than　to　see　servants　part　of　a　family。　　By　taking　an　interest；　generally　speaking；　in　their　concerns　you　inspire　them　with　one　for　yours。　　We　must　love　our　servants；　or　we　shall　never　be　sufficiently　attentive　to　their　happiness；　and　how　can　those　masters　be　attentive　to　their　happiness　who；　living　above　their　fortunes；　are　more　anxious　to　outshine　their　neighbours　than　to　allow　their　household　the　innocent　enjoyments　they　earn？
  It　is；　in　fact；　much　more　difficult　for　servants；　who　are　tantalised　by　seeing　and　preparing　the　dainties　of　which　they　are　not　to　partake；　to　remain　honest；　than　the　poor；　whose　thoughts　are　not　led　from　their　homely　fare；　so　that；　though　the　servants　here　are　commonly　thieves；　you　seldom　hear　of　housebreaking；　or　robbery　on　the　highway。　　The　country　is；　perhaps；　too　thinly　inhabited　to　produce　many　of　that　description　of　thieves　termed　footpads；　or　highwaymen。　　They　are　usually　the　spawn　of　great　citiesthe　effect　of　the　spurious　desires　generated　by　wealth；　rather　than　the　desperate　struggles　of　poverty　to　escape　from　misery。
  The　enjoyment　of　the　peasantry　was　drinking　brandy　and　coffee；　before　the　latter　was　prohibited；　and　the　former　not　allowed　to　be　privately　distilled；　the　wars　carried　on　by　the　late　king　rendering　it　necessary　to　increase　the　revenue；　and　retain　the　specie　in　the　country　by　every　possible　means。
  The　taxes　before　the　reign　of　Charles　XII。　were　inconsiderable。　Since　then　the　burden　has　continually　been　growing　heavier；　and　the　price　of　provisions　has　proportionately　increasednay；　the　advantage　accruing　from　the　exportation　of　corn　to　France　and　rye　to　Germany　will　probably　produce　a　scarcity　in　both　Sweden　and　Norway；　should　not　a　peace　put　a　stop　to　it　this　autumn；　for　speculations　of　various　kinds　have　already　almost　doubled　the　price。
  Such　are　the　effects　of　war；　that　it　saps　the　vitals　even　of　the　neutral　countries；　who；　obtaining　a　sudden　influx　of　wealth；　appear　to　be　rendered　flourishing　by　the　destruction　which　ravages　the　hapless　nations　who　are　sacrificed　to　the　ambition　of　their　governors。　　I　shall　not；　however；　dwell　on　the　vices；　though　they　be　of　the　most　contemptible　and　embruting　cast；　to　which　a　sudden　accession　of　fortune　gives　birth；　because　I　believe　it　may　be　delivered　as　an　axiom；　that　it　is　only　in　proportion　to　the　industry　necessary　to　acquire　wealth　that　a　nation　is　really　benefited　by　it。
  The　prohibition　of　drinking　coffee　under　a　penalty；　and　the　encouragement　given　to　public　distilleries；　tend　to　impoverish　the　poor；　who　are　not　affected　by　the　sumptuary　laws；　for　the　regent　has　lately　laid　very　severe　restraints　on　the　articles　of　dress；　which　the　middling　class　of　people　found　grievous；　because　it　obliged　them　to　throw　aside　finery　that　migh