II.

on the

the late

band is generally good, and the music well CHAP. given. The management also of the scenery, owing to the great pains bestowed upon the most trifling theatrical concerns during the reign of the late King, still reflects credit upon the mechanist who is employed. For our parts, Reflections during the whole of this evening's represen- death of tation, neither the splendours of the Court gala, monarch. nor the presence of the Sovereign, nor the stage decoration, could abstract our thoughts from dwelling upon the horrible tragedy which was acted here. The assassination of the late king, with all its cruel atrocities, dwelt full upon our minds;--and who could say how soon, or how late, the same sanguinary scene might not be renewed? The young Gustavus, seated, in his silken vest, upon the very floor stained with his father's blood, and surrounded by the same courtiers, seemed, from all the circumstances of his situation and character, marked to become another victim of the plots and conspiracies that were going on: and wonderful to us appeared the calm and placid indifference with which the young monarch sate occupied in attention to the turn of an Italian Rondo, or busied in enforcing some trivial rule of Court etiquette, upon the identical spot yet almost reeking with the murder of

CHAP. his father.

II.

RUSSIA !!!

But we had not yet visited

Desmaisons, the celebrated author of an Essay on the Revolutions of Sweden, in developing from national character and foreign political interests the true sources of those changes which have successively agitated the Swedish dominions, has also unconsciously pointed out the steps which ultimately led to the death of the very Sovereign who accomplished the most remarkable of all the revolutions the country has sustained'. Can it be supposed that an event of such immense political importance, reflecting such a distinguished lustre on the character of Gustavus the Third, and such dismay upon his adversaries, would be speedily forgotten; or that the hatred towards him, increased by the annihilation of the self-interested projects of a party, ever slept, so long as any of that party continued to exist in Sweden, and to hold communication upon the subject of the loss they had sustained? It only taught them to be more circumspect in carrying on their designs against the King's life than they had

(1) See "Histoire de la dernière Révolution de Suède," par Jacques Le Scene Desmaisons. Amst. 1782.

́ ́(2) Gustavus the Third was twenty-five years old when he was proclaimed King, the year before the Revolution of 1772.

II.

hitherto been in executing their former projects. CHAP. In our long journey through Sweden, we often endeavoured to procure accurate information relative to the real authors and abettors of the conspiracy which ended in his assassination by the hand of Ankarström; but the circumstances respecting it were either told with the most evident exaggeration, or with an air of studied and stupid mystery, which, bordering upon affectation, prevented further inquiry. From all, however, that we could collect, notwithstanding the difficulty of coming at the truth, it seemed plain that the conspiracy had been going on for a long time before its object was accomplished in the death of the King, and that the inhabitants of the most distant provinces in the realm were engaged in its operation. The only wonder is, that where the number of the disaffected was so numerous, a secret of such moment could so long remain concealed. Some of the Swedish gentry maintain that the number of the conspirators exceeded a thousand. Judging only from the facts which have transpired; from the conduct of the enemies of the King, and of suspected persons before and after his death; there is good reason to believe that individuals the most distinguished by their rank, by their relationship to Gustavus, and also others

CHAP. who pretended to class among the number of II. his most intimate friends, were implicated in

Opening of the Sepulchre

the Twelfth.

his murder. We could not help thinking, that in the crowded assembly we now beheld, and perhaps among those who were in immediate attendance upon his son, there were persons well qualified to dispel all doubts upon this subject.

A few days after this fete at the Opera House, we went to RIDDERHOLM CHURCH, to see the of Charles sepulchre of Charles the Twelfth, which had been opened by order of the young King. In the uncertainty which has always prevailed respecting the death of this hero, his remains have more than once before been submitted to examination, with a view of ascertaining, from the appearance of the scull, whether the wound which caused his death were inflicted, or not, by the hand of an assassin. Perhaps it was this curiosity on the part of the Sovereign which caused the tomb to be again violated. We arrived in time to see the coffin, which had been also opened, but was now closed. removing the principal slab of black marble placed over this coffin, the workmen had broken it near the corner, and masons were repairing it when we came to the spot. The coffin, meanwhile, was exposed to view: it was covered

In

II.

with crimson velvet, and adorned with gold CHAP. fringe. We observed that it was still in as perfect preservation as when the burial took place; the fringe being so strong, that we had difficulty in pulling off a few threads to bear away as á memorial. Some of the party present com→ plained of an unpleasant odour coming from this coffin; but we considered it as imaginary, the sepulchre having been some time open, and the coffin carefully closed immediately after the King's visit. Ridderholm Church is the regal cœemetery of the Kings of Sweden. All the Knights of the order of Seraphim are also buried here; and many of the principal families of Stockholm have their vaults in this church.

tion of the

amity sub

sisting between Eng

Sweden.

We waited upon our Minister soon after our Interrupreturn to the Capital, and received from him the intelligence of the unpleasant state of affairs between our country and Sweden, which seemed land and likely to end in a war. This, of course, prevented our appearance at Court; but, in lieu of a presentation to his Majesty, he proposed taking us to the SOCIETY, and introducing us Club called there to the different ambassadors, nobles, and officers of distinction, which constitute its membors. This Club is the greatest resource a stranger in this country can possibly enjoy: it is regulated upon the best principles, and kept

The Society.