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deem them, are so managed as to obtain their real value. Though the poor are very numerous, no one is allowed to beg; they are kept within doors, and made to work for their subsistence. The most prevalent complaints at Hamburgh are consumptions and other affections of the lungs; owing, probably, to the damp produced by the quantity of water which always adjoins, and not unfrequently inundates, the city. Few places, however, can boast more beautiful environs. The mixture of wood and water, joined to extensive prospects, makes the neighbouring scenery delightful in summer. The Elbe is supposed, by many who have not seen Hamburgh, to be the only river near it but, in addition to that capacious stream which flows on the south, it possesses the Alster to the north, and the Bille to the east. Though the surrounding country is fertile, the concourse of inhabitants makes living, and, consequently, wages, so high, that few manufactures are carried on at Hamburgh. Sugarrefining ranks among the most considerable; and there are, or rather were, in this city, nearly three hundred bake-houses of that description, great and small. [It deserves to be mentioned that the sugar-houses in our own country are worked almost exclusively by Germans.] In former years the chief importations of sugar, as well as of other colonial produce, were received from St. Domingo, which made the commerce of Hamburgh with France much greater than with other countries: but, since the French Revolution, the principal trade of Hamburgh has been with England. The chief articles of export from the Elbe are corn, timber, hemp, lead, and wool; all of which are brought by water-carriage from a distance. Vessels of 300 tons and upwards are obliged by their depth of draught to complete their loading at some distance below Hamburgh.

M. de Boisgelin communicates several observations on a topic which was lately discussed in the Report of the Bullion Committee, viz. the rules of the Hamburgh Bank. This establishment is of much older date than the Bank of England, having originated in 1619. Our bank was an institution of convenience; theirs, of self defence, the neighbouring states debasing their coin in such a manner as to constitute a kind of premium on the export of the unadulterated currency of Hamburgh. It was therefore determined by the merchants to pay their coin into the bank, and to make most of their transactions by checks or transfers. Such was the commencement of the Bank of Hamburgh; and its constitution still retains its original character, with this difference, that bank money now represents no particular coin, but any silver of a given fineness. A proprietor of a balance of bank money is entitled to receive it in this silver whenever he chooses: but the merchants rarely think of drawing

it out, finding it more convenient to make their transactions by an exchange of checks.-When treating of so important a topic as the Bank of Hamburgh, we have no objection to M. de Boisgelin's minuteness: but he unluckily follows it up with an enumeration of other matters, of which we are under the necessity of saying that they would be less misplaced in a "Hamburgh Guide" than in a book of travels. The history of the Hanseatic League, into which the author next enters, is given with equal prolixity, and is of course equally tedious. Of the contents of thirty pages, the only points which we deem worth offering to the attention of our readers are, that the league, when in its plenitude, consisted of sixty-four towns; that its dissolution took place about the year 1630; and that, since that time, the title of Hanse towns has been confined to Lubeck, Bremen and Hamburgh. The name of Arnemunda in the old list of Hanse towns having puzzled some authors, we believe that we can solve the difficulty, and may safely pronounce it to have been Arnemuyden, in the Island of Walcheren, which was formerly a sea-port of some consequence, though it is now an inconsiderable village.

After his minute account of the Hanseatic League, M. de Boisgelin proceeds to a description of Denmark; which, as we have already stated to our readers, is nothing else than a translation of the part of the Voyage des deux Francais which related to that kingdom, accompanied by a notice of the alterations produced in the course of the last twenty years. For the latter, the author is indebted, as he acknowledges, (Introduction, p. 4.) to M. Catteau's valuable work, Tableau des Etats Dannois.-We extract several passages of the description of Copenhagen:

"Some parts of this city are magnificent. The Goth-Street is a mile in length, and built in a straight line. It is, in general, well paved with flag-stones for foot-passengers in almost all the streets; but these are too narrow to be of any use; added to which, they are crossed by kennels between each house; and though these are usually covered with planks, it is not always the case; which makes it inconvenient, and indeed dangerous, to walk in the dark. The city is pretty well lighted. Since the great fire, which destroyed nearly a third of Copenhagen, in 1795, and which consumed the worst part of the town, the whole has been greatly embellished, and handsome houses, regularly built, have replaced the ancient ones."

"Copenhagen is very interesting to a traveller, and contains many fine establishments, which ought to be accurately examined. This city unites to the advantages of a capital all those arising from a commercial town. The port is safe and very handsome; and there are a great many canals, which are extremely convenient for transporting merchandise, and carrying it to the different store-houses appointed to receive it. The number of inhabitants in Copenhagen amounted, in the year 1798, to 85,470; and in 1799, to 83,618. If, as we have reason to believe, this calculation be just, it appears that the population of this

city has been nearly the same for some time, and even in some degree diminished. It is probable that, owing to the dearness of Copenhagen, several persons may have retired either into the country, or into provincial towns."

"There are very few assemblies in Copenhagen. Ombre is the favourite game, even at court. The corps diplomatique is the great resource of foreigners; and the ministers almost constantly live amongst themselves. They have established a private theatre, where they perform once a fortnight, and the royal family constantly attends. There are also different clubs, the members of which frequently give balls and concerts in the winter, where foreigners find no difficulty in being admitted.”

"If we compare Copenhagen, with respect to science, to the other cities of Europe, the advantage will undoubtedly not be on her side. The northern countries are in general very much behind-hand in every thing relating to arts and sciences; which we attribute to two principal causes. In the first place, the climate can have no great attractions for those born in a milder atmosphere; it indeed must, in a great degree, prevent learned and ingenious foreigners from settling in the country. The northern people are therefore left very much to themselves; which must have a great influence upon the state of the sciences, and still more upon that of the arts, which, in our opinion, require foreign assistance to bring them to perfection. A second obstacle is the poverty of the country, which cannot be remedied. Affluence is necessary for encouraging the arts; and it is impossible they can flourish where the fortunes of individuals are so moderate as they generally are in Denmark, though in Sweden they are still more so. It must not, however, be thought that there are no men of letters, libraries, nor cabinets of curiosities, in Copenhagen."

Holberg, a native of Norway, though in very confined circumstances, travelled over the greatest part of Europe, and fixed his residence at last at Copenhagen. Possessed of very superior talents, and expressing his ideas with peculiar facility, he published a variety of works on different subjects. He wrote upon history, geography and philosophy; he also tried his genius in the satirical and burlesque style, but he owes his reputation principally to his comedies; though it is very apparent, on reading the theatrical works of this fruitful author, that he had been introduced at too late a period into the kind of society capable of refining his taste, and forming his judgment.”—

"From the middle of the eighteenth century to the present moment, many circumstances have combined to invigorate talents, and to extend the field of letters and science. Several men of distinguished merit have been enabled by government to undertake travels and voyages to increase knowledge, and to make useful discoveries. Learned and literary societies have been formed; public libraries have been considerably augmented; money being in general less scarce, a taste for reading and information of different kinds has spread through all ranks of people."

The library of the king of Denmark is a large collection; amounting, since the purchase of the late Mr. Suhm's books, to

260,000 volumes. The university-library is said to consist of 60,000 volumes.-If we turn from literature to trade, and compute the number of ships which annually navigate the Baltic, we find those of our own country greatly surpassing those of any other. A list is given (p. 52.) of the number of vessels which paid toll-dues at the Sound during a period of fourteen years, from 1777 to 1790, in which we find the

Aggregate of Danish shipping to be 20,454

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Many of the Danish and Swedish vessels being coasters, the Dutch was, no doubt, the flag which, in extent of tonnage, approached nearest to ours: but it deserves to be remarked that not only was the total of their shipping greatly inferior, but the progressive variation was altogether in our favour, their number being annually on the decrease, while ours proceeded in an augmenting ratio.-The military force of Denmark in infantry, cavalry, and artillery, may be computed at 60,000 men, of whom about the half are constantly under arms. Enlisting, we understand, is no longer the mode of raising troops; but all young men, except the sons of citizens, are accounted liable to enter on service at the age of twenty-one. These individuals draw lots, and all those who are thus selected are obliged to serve during six years; by which means an addition of 6 or 7,000 men is annually made to the army in Denmark, Holstein, and Sleswick. As a third only of the army is embodied at a time, two years of actual duty are all that is required, attendance in the months of May and June being accounted sufficient during the rest of the period. At the end of the six years the soldier becomes a militia-man, in which capacity he attends muster a few days only in the year. In eight years more he is exempted from this duty, and his name is inscribed in the reserve-militia, a corps which is scarcely ever assembled.

M. de Boisgelin's second volume is appropriated to an account of Sweden; in which, as in that of Denmark, we have a translation of the old work, with certain appendages arising out of events subsequent to the publication of the latter. Sköne, or Scania, the first province entered by the traveller arriving from the south, has a milder climate than any other part of Sweden; and the horses, oxen, and animals of every kind, are larger than elsewhere. The population here is not so thinly scattered as in the rest of Sweden, being computed to amount to 250,000 souls. In addition to other towns, Scania contains Malmoe, a flourishing place with 9,000 inhabitants; and Lund, the seat of the second Swedish University. Carlscrona, the chief naval harbour and

arsenal of Sweden, is situated in the adjoining province of Blekingen. Is is well built, and takes rank in the list of Swedish cities after Stockholm and Gottenburgh. The port is excellent, and strongly defended both by nature and art. Gottenburgh has thriven greatly during the war which for the last twenty years has agitated the chief part of Europe. From the circumstance of having canals cut through the principal streets, and rows of trees planted along their banks, it bears resemblance to a Dutch town: but of foreign merchants the British are here both the most numerous and the most in favour. It will require in Bonaparte more dexterity than his denunciations against trade have as yet discovered, to accomplish a change in the mercantile predilections of the Swedes.

The author expatiates largely on the integrity of the Swedish peasantry; whom he declares to be, in that respect, equal, if not superior, to the lower class in any other country of Europe. He regrets, however, to add that this high reputation is on the decline in the towns, and in the portions of the kingdom which are most frequented by travellers. The inhabitants of the northern provinces, and of the retired parts of the rest of the country, still maintain that purity of character which caused it to be said that a trunk might be sent unlocked, in perfect safety, from one end of Sweden to the other; but Stockholm has lost all claim to a participation in this high honour. Morals are there nearly on a par with those of other capitals; and adventurers are as numerous as in most cities which are inhabited by a mixed population.

"The predominant religion is the Augsburg Confession of Faith, which has not undergone the smallest change: but liberty of conscience is everywhere allowed, and no mode of worship prohibited. The Catholics have a church at Stockholm; there are near two thousand in that city, and at least six thousand more in different parts of the kingdom. Many families of that persuasion are established in Finland, who come to Stockholm once a year, or at least once in two years, to perform the acts of devotion prescribed by their religion."

"The Swedes are infinitely better informed than other nations; and all the peasantry, without any exception, know how to read. Gustavus III. who never neglected any thing, had reason, from this circumstance, to dread the effects of news from France, and the influence it might have upon the minds of his people: he therefore forbad mention being made of the French Revolution in the Swedish Gazette, not wishing to have any thing appear in the public prints either for or against it; thinking, with reason, that ignorance upon this subject was the best method of insuring the happiness of his people."

"The peasants form the fourth order of the state: and Sweden is the only place in Europe (at least the only considerable nation) where the husbandman is regarded as any thing."

* "The case is the same in the Tyrol."

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