the　middling　class　of　people　found　grievous；　because　it　obliged　them　to　throw　aside　finery　that　might　have　lasted　them　for　their　lives。
  These　may　be　termed　vexatious；　still　the　death　of　the　king；　by　saving　them　from　the　consequences　his　ambition　would　naturally　have　entailed　on　them；　may　be　reckoned　a　blessing。
  Besides；　the　French　Revolution　has　not　only　rendered　all　the　crowned　heads　more　cautious；　but　has　so　decreased　everywhere　（excepting　amongst　themselves）　a　respect　for　nobility；　that　the　peasantry　have　not　only　lost　their　blind　reverence　for　their　seigniors；　but　complain　in　a　manly　style　of　oppressions　which　before　they　did　not　think　of　denominating　such；　because　they　were　taught　to　consider　themselves　as　a　different　order　of　beings。　　And；　perhaps；　the　efforts　which　the　aristocrats　are　making　here；　as　well　as　in　every　other　part　of　Europe；　to　secure　their　sway；　will　be　the　most　effectual　mode　of　undermining　it；　taking　into　the　calculation　that　the　King　of　Sweden；　like　most　of　the　potentates　of　Europe；　has　continually　been　augmenting　his　power　by　encroaching　on　the　privileges　of　the　nobles。
  The　well…bred　Swedes　of　the　capital　are　formed　on　the　ancient　French　model；　and　they　in　general　speak　that　language；　for　they　have　a　knack　at　acquiring　languages　with　tolerable　fluency。　　This　may　be　reckoned　an　advantage　in　some　respects；　but　it　prevents　the　cultivation　of　their　own；　and　any　considerable　advance　in　literary　pursuits。
  A　sensible　writer　has　lately　observed　（I　have　not　his　work　by　me；　therefore　cannot　quote　his　exact　words）；　〃That　the　Americans　very　wisely　let　the　Europeans　make　their　books　and　fashions　for　them。〃　But　I　cannot　coincide　with　him　in　this　opinion。　　The　reflection　necessary　to　produce　a　certain　number　even　of　tolerable　productions　augments　more　than　he　is　aware　of　the　mass　of　knowledge　in　the　community。　　Desultory　reading　is　commonly　a　mere　pastime。　　But　we　must　have　an　object　to　refer　our　reflections　to；　or　they　will　seldom　go　below　the　surface。　　As　in　travelling；　the　keeping　of　a　journal　excites　to　many　useful　inquiries　that　would　not　have　been　thought　of　had　the　traveller　only　determined　to　see　all　he　could　see；　without　ever　asking　himself　for　what　purpose。　　Besides；　the　very　dabbling　in　literature　furnishes　harmless　topics　of　conversation；　for　the　not　having　such　subjects　at　hand；　though　they　are　often　insupportably　fatiguing；　renders　the　inhabitants　of　little　towns　prying　and　censorious。　　Idleness；　rather　than　ill…nature；　gives　birth　to　scandal；　and　to　the　observation　of　little　incidents　which　narrows　the　mind。　　It　is　frequently　only　the　fear　of　being　talked　of　which　produces　that　puerile　scrupulosity　about　trifles　incompatible　with　an　enlarged　plan　of　usefulness；　and　with　the　basis　of　all　moral　principlesrespect　for　the　virtues　which　are　not　merely　the　virtues　of　convention。
  I　am；　my　friend；　more　and　more　convinced　that　a　metropolis；　or　an　abode　absolutely　solitary；　is　the　best　calculated　for　the　improvement　of　the　heart；　as　well　as　the　understanding；　whether　we　desire　to　become　acquainted　with　man；　nature；　or　ourselves。　　Mixing　with　mankind；　we　are　obliged　to　examine　our　prejudices；　and　often　imperceptibly　lose；　as　we　analyse　them。　　And　in　the　country；　growing　intimate　with　nature；　a　thousand　little　circumstances；　unseen　by　vulgar　eyes；　give　birth　to　sentiments　dear　to　the　imagination；　and　inquiries　which　expand　the　soul；　particularly　when　cultivation　has　not　smoothed　into　insipidity　all　its　originality　of　character。
  I　love　the　country；　yet　whenever　I　see　a　picturesque　situation　chosen　on　which　to　erect　a　dwelling　I　am　always　afraid　of　the　improvements。　　It　requires　uncommon　taste　to　form　a　whole；　and　to　introduce　accommodations　and　ornaments　analogous　with　the　surrounding…scene。
  It　visited；　near　Gothenburg；　a　house　with　improved　land　about　it；　with　which　I　was　particularly　delighted。　　It　was　close　to　a　lake　embosomed　in　pine…clad　rocks。　　In　one　part　of　the　meadows　your　eye　was　directed　to　the　broad　expanse；　in　another　you　were　led　into　a　shade；　to　see　a　part　of　it；　in　the　form　of　a　river；　rush　amongst　the　fragments　of　rocks　and　roots　of　trees；　nothing　seemed　forced。　　One　recess；　particularly　grand　and　solemn　amongst　the　towering　cliffs；　had　a　rude　stone　table　and　seat　placed　in　it；　that　might　have　served　for　a　Druid's　haunt；　whilst　a　placid　stream　below　enlivened　the　flowers　on　its　margin；　where　light…footed　elves　would　gladly　have　danced　their　airy　rounds。
  Here　the　hand　of　taste　was　conspicuous　though　not　obtrusive；　and　formed　a　contrast　with　another　abode　in　the　same　neighbourhood；　on　which　much　money　had　been　lavished；　where　Italian　colonnades　were　placed　to　excite　the　wonder　of　the　rude　crags；　and　a　stone　staircase；　to　threaten　with　destruction　a　wooden　house。　　Venuses　and　Apollos　condemned　to　lie　hid　in　snow　three　parts　of　the　year　seemed　equally　displaced；　and　called　the　attention　off　from　the　surrounding　sublimity；　without　inspiring　any　voluptuous　sensations。　　Yet　even　these　abortions　of　vanity　have　been　useful。　　Numberless　workmen　have　been　employed；　and　the　superintending　artist　has　improved　the　labourers；　whose　unskilfulness　tormented　him；　by　obliging　them　to　submit　to　the　discipline　of　rules。　　Adieu！
  Yours　affectionately。
  LETTER　IV。
  The　severity　of　the　long　Swedish　winter　tends　to　render　the　people　sluggish；　for　though　this　season　has　its　peculiar　pleasures；　too　much　time　is　employed　to　guard　against　its　inclemency。　　Still　as　warm　clothing　is　absolutely　necessary；　the　women　spin　and　the　men　weave；　and　by　these　exertions　get　a　fence　to　keep　out　the　cold。　　I　have　rarely　passed　a　knot　of　cottages　without　seeing　cloth　laid　out　to　bleach；　and　when　I　entered；　always　found　the　women　spinning　or　knitting。
  A　mistaken　tenderness；　however；　for　their　children；　makes　them　even　in　summer　load　them　with　flannels；　and　having　a　sort　of　natural　antipathy　to　cold　water；　the　squalid　appearance　of　the　poor　babes；　not　to　speak　of　the　noxious　smell　which　flannel　and　rugs　retain；　seems　a　reply　to　a　question　I　had　often　askedWhy　I　did　not　see　more　children　in　the　villages　I　passed　through？　　Indeed　the　children　appear　to　be　nipt　in　the　bud；　having　neither　the　graces　nor　charms　of　their　age。　　And　this；　I　am　persuaded；　is　much　more　owing　to　the　ignorance　of　the　mothers　than　to　the　rudeness　of　the　climate。　Rendered　feeble　by　the　continual　perspiration　they　are　kept　in；　whilst　every　pore　is　absorbing　unwholesome　moisture；　they　give　them；　even　at　the　breast；　brandy；　salt　fish；　and　every　other　crude　substance　which　air　and　exercise　enables　the　parent　to　digest。
  The　women　of　fortune　here；　as　well　as　everywhere　else；　have　nurses　to　suckle　their　children；　and　the　total　want　of　chastity　in　the　lower　class　of　women　frequently　renders　them　very　unfit　for　the　trust。
  You　have　sometimes　remarked　to　me　the　difference　of　the　manners　of　the　country　girls　in　England　and　in　America；　attributing　the　reserve　of　the　former　to　the　climateto　the　absence　of　genial　suns。　　But　it　must　be　their　stars；　not　the　zephyrs；　gently　stealing　on　their　senses；　which　here　lead　frail　women　astray。　　Who　can　look　at　these　rocks；　and　allow　the　voluptuousness　of　nature　to　be　an　excuse　for　gratifying　the　desires　it　inspires？　　We　must　therefore；　find　some　other　cause　beside　voluptuousness；　I　believe；　to　account　for　the　conduct　of　the　Swedish　and　American　country　girls；　for　I　am　led　to　conclude；　from　all　the　observations　I　have　made；　that　there　is　always　a　mixture　of　sentiment　and　imagination　in　voluptuousness；　to　which　neither　of　them　have　much　pretension。
  The　country　girls　of　Ireland　and　Wales　equally　feel　the　first　impulse　of　nature；　which；　restrained　in　England　by　fear　or　delicacy；　proves　that　society　is　there　in　a　more　advanced　state。　　Besides；　as　the　mind　is　cultivated；　and　taste　gains　ground；　the　passions　become　stronger；　and　rest　on　something　more　stable　than　the　casual　sympathies　of　the　moment。　　Health　and　idleness　will　always　account　for　promiscuous　amours；　and　in　some　degree　I　term　every　person　idle；　the　exercise　of　whose　mind　does　not　bear　some　proportion　to　that　of　the　body。
  The　Swedish　ladies　exercise　neither　sufficiently；　of　course；　grow　very　fat　at　an　early　age；　and　when　they　have　not　this　downy　appearance；　a　comfortable　idea；　you　will　say；　in　a　cold　climate；　they　are　not　remarkable　for　fine　forms。　　They　have；　however；　mostly　fine　complexions；　but　indolence　makes　the　lily　soon　displace　the　rose。　　The　quantity　of　coffee；　spices；　and　other　things　of　that　kind；　with　want　of　care；　almost　universally　spoil　their　teeth；　which　contrast　but　ill　with　their　ruby　lips。
  The　manners　of　Stockholm　are　refined；　I　hear；　by　the　introduction　of　gallantry；　but　in　the　country；　romping　and　coarse　freedoms；　with　coarser　allusions；　keep　the　spirits　awake。　　In　the　article　of　cleanliness；　the　women　of　all　descriptions　seem　very　deficient；　and　their　dress　shows　that　vanity　is　more　inherent　in　women　than　taste。
  The　men　appear　to　have　paid　still　less　court　to　the　graces。　　They　are　a　robust；　healthy　race；　distinguished　for　their　common　sense　and　turn　for　humour；　rather　than　for　wit　or　sentiment。　　I　include　not；　as　you　may　suppose；　in　this　general　character；　some　of　the　nobility　and　officers；　who　having　travelled；　are　polite　and