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60 TRAVELS
great inclination to be particular; nor do I apprehend that in-
formation of this kind is very generally interefting. Theatrical
entertainments, which among nations that have arrived at a high
degree of civilization and refinement, are confidered as a great
fource of pleafure, are not fo much fought after by the inhabi-
tants of Sweden. Guftavus III. was the firft king who wifhed to
excite a tafte for the theatre; in his reign, therefore, the ftage
met with great encouragement, and rofe high in reputation.
The opera at Stockholm was thought little inferior to that at
Paris. Befides fome very good fingers, feveral excellent ballet-
dancers were engaged ; but fince that king’s death it has greatly
fallen off, and is now very little attended to. The Swedes have
never at any period difcovered an original genius for mufic. All
the operas hitherto performed in Sweden are either tranflations
from French or Italian pieces, or the works of fome foreign maf-
ter. As to mufical compofitions, not a fingle piece has been pro-
duced fince the departure of Vogler, that comes up even to me-
diacrity. If indeed the mere application of mechanical rules,
without any knowledge of declamation or fenfibility of foul, were
fufficient to conftitute a compofer in mufic, we might confer
that appellation on Mr. Hofner, and with the fame juftice we
might call Mr. Kaiftner a finger, if voice alone gave a claim to that
appellation. Or, if it were poflible for any one to excel in vocal
performance without voice, modulation, or method, we might
rank Madame Mello, Mademoifelles Stading and Myaberg, Mr.
Stenborg and others, in the number of virtuofi. The dramatic repre-
| fentation
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