CHAP. works Riots at upon this subject. Its principal secretary is Mr. Modur, who may be considered as its founder. This society is truly useful to the Swedish nation. On Saturday, December 7th, the King left Stockholm, for Upsala, in consequence of a petition he received, as Chancellor of the University, from the Students, remonstrating against the conduct of the Rector Magnificus, and demanding a legal inquiry into the propriety of the measures he had thought proper to pursue. These young men had celebrated Buonaparte's return to Paris'; and exhibited an ideot, in solemn procession, dressed and decorated with the uniform, orders, and insignia of Suwarof. The principal magistrate of the University had therefore assembled the students, and publickly reproved them for their conduct. In consequence of this disgrace, which they conceived they had not merited, the appeal had been made to the King. Upon receiving this petition, his Majesty immediately repaired to Upsala; and having satisfied himself of the irregular behaviour of a parcel of unruly boys, made it known to the members of the University that he did not deem them any (1) After landing at Frejus, from his Egyptian expedition. longer worthy either of his patronage or protection, and accordingly resigned the Chancellorship. This was one of those measures, for which, having acted from the impulse of his own heart, and consulting the advice of no one able to guide him, he was universally blamed in Stockholm: it was said, that it might tend to the ruin of the University. To an impartial bystander, the King's only error seemed to be in having at all noticed an application of so puerile a nature, and one that he might so easily have dismissed, by referring the whole affair to the resident magistrate. But so determined was he to adopt his own judgment in all things, that if any of his Ministers had the reputation of influencing his actions, it was made a sufficient ground for their immediate dismissal. CHAP. II. Palace. We availed ourselves of his absence, upon Royal this occasion, to pay a visit to the ROYAL PALACE; strangers not being admitted, during his residence, into the State apartments. This magnificent structure is one of the finest modern edifices of the kind in Europe. It is not so spacious as the Royal Palace of Copenhagen, but it has a grander aspect, being upon an eminence which commands all parts of the city. It is of a square form, built four stories high, of brickwork, faced with stucco after the Italian manner, II. CHAP. and adorned with Grecian pillars and pilasters. The interior court measures about eightyseven paces by seventy-five. A marble staircase leads to the Chapel, which is surrounded by a gallery, and beautifully decorated. Opposite the Chapel is the Council-chamber, in which we saw two fine portraits by an unknown artist; one of Gustavus Vasa, executed in black drapery; and another of Gustavus Adolphus. These are whole lengths; but they have been stretched upon new canvas since they were originally painted, by which means the back-ground has in each instance been enlarged, and the original design of the painter extended with marvellous success; the harmony and due effect not being at all violated, which is very unusual in such cases. The State apartments consist of a suite of chambers, the first of which, of a square form, is ornamented with gilded columns. Here there are two statues as large as life, by the famous Sergell, who was at this time resident in Stockholm, afflicted, as it was said, with an incurable melancholy the one is a statue of Apollo, the * other of Venus; the head of the latter being a portrait of the Countess Hoepken'. Passing on, (1) Voyage de Deux Francais, tom. II. p. 54. CHAP. II. Gallery. we entered another grand chamber, furnished with rich French velvet; in which were six marble busts, also by Sergell, representing the Family of Gustavus the Third. After this occurred a small Cabinet, serving as a kind of vestibule to the Picture Gallery, containing an antique marble bason, supported by a tripod of lion's feet, and three antient marble statues -Juno, Pescennius Niger, and A Youth with a Swan holding in its beak a serpent. The Picture Gallery contains Picture some fine pieces; but in the examination of this collection, we thought that the number of copies exceeded the original pictures, in the proportion of ten to one. It was principally formed by Gustavus the Third, during his travels in Italy; and any one who has resided in that country will figure to himself the traffic that would be going on when a young Prince, passionately fond of the arts, and liberal in his disposition, arrived among the Ciceroni and dealers at Rome. It is not wonderful that he should have brought away with him more trash than most of our English nobility journeying as amateurs. In viewing this collection, it was easy to recognise the decisive marks of a system of imposition, and some articles of manufacture, which have continued for many years to exercise the ingenuity of the Italian artists, and to dupe the II. CHAP. credulous foreigners by whom they are visited.— In this gallery is a picture of The Death of Adonis, attributed to Vandyke, which is assuredly a copy'. Others said to be by Bassano, which are also copies. One attributed to Leander da Ponte, seemed to be really by that master. A picture of Sigismund, king of Sweden and Poland, on horseback, with a dog, in the manner of Vandyke, is shewn as a picture painted by Rubens, Vandyke, and Sneyders: it was bought at a common posthouse, for a single ducat. Of this picture it is usually said, that the figure of Sigismund is by Vandyke, the horse by Rubens, and the dog by Sneyders. Here are many pleasing and highlyfinished Flemish pictures; and among others, some of Wouvermans: also a masterly picture by Rembrandt, of A Philosopher reading. A Butcher cutting up an ox; said to be by Teniers; doubtful. The Family of Rubens, by Vandyke. Besides these, are works attributed to Poussin, Berghem, Holbein, Titian, Lanfranc, and Simon da Pesaro, which it would be tedious to enumerate. In the same gallery, moreover, are thirteen. antique marble statues, some of which may justly rank among the finest reliques of antient (1) The Authors of the Voyage de Deux Français ascribe this picture to Le Moine. See tom. II. p. 55. |