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THROUGH SWEDEN. 77
gala, is that held once a fortnight in the upper-hall ‘of the Ex-
change. It begins at fix o’clock in the evening, and continues
- till ten or eleven: here you fee collected all the rank, fafhion, and
beauty that the capital can boaft of. As foon as there.is a fufficient
number of people affembled for country-dances the mufic begins.
The hall is fpacious enough to hold nine or ten different dancing
parties. There are alfo two rooms for card-tables. About eight
o’clock the royal family commonly make their appearance, but
without occafioning any interruption in the entertainment. The
queen, with her attendants, is feated in one of the balconies.
The king, princes of the blood, and princefles, walk about the
room and converfe with the company. The king generally no-
tices and fpeaks to almoft every perfon in the fame manner as
in the drawing-room. He does not even pafs over thofe that
have not been prefented at court, of which defcription are many
diftinguifhed families among the gentry, clergy, and the mercan-
tile clafs, and fhews them great affability ; for though they are
not of noble birth, yet their education and refpectability in fociety
is deemed a fufficient title to thefe marks of attention. They
bring their wives and daughters:to thefe affemblies, and never ex-
perience, as they might perhaps in other countries, the mortifi-
cation of feeing them humbled or neglected. The Exchange
affembly was at firft open to. all company of refpectable appear-
ance, without any other condition than. that of paying for their
entrance ; but an incident happened which occafioned a partial
alteration in this refpect. This occurrence, as it ferves to iluf-.
trate
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