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86 TRAVELS
His object was to aftonith the nation by fhows and other novelties,
to dazzle the people by the fplendor of his magnificence, and to
engage them in purfuits of pleafure, that they might be di-
verted from reflections on their political fubjection and degra-
dation. He was willing to root out every fentiment of honour,
and to extinguifh every fpark of liberty, that he might bear {way
over a herd of flaves. When impartial hiftory fhall unfold the
various artifices by which this prince, who was unhappily for his
country, a man of unqueftionable genius, attained to the accom-
plifhment of all his ends, we fhall be fatisfied that he wasa greater
enemy to the Swedifh nation than Charles XII.: for Charles left
behind him, in the minds of the Swedes, a fpirit of national pride
as well as perfonal honour and {elf-efteem, and a fatisfactory recol-
leétion of the noble exploits of their anceftors. Though reduced
by him to the loweft ebb of fortune, they were animated by his
name to a love of glory. They were proud of having had fuch a
king, and wept over his memory. ‘That of Guftavus III. is che-
rifhed at this day by none but painters, muficians, comedians, and
particular favourites. As for the fciences, Guftavus III. was fo
far from affording them any fubftantial fupport, that on the con-
trary, he treated them with neglect, if not contempt: The mag-
nificent colleGion of natural hiftory made by Linnzus, was per-
mitted to be bought by an Englifhman, and carried to England.*
Many of the manu({cripts of the incomparable Bergmann, for want
of encouragement in Sweden, were difpofed of and printed in
Germany. |
* It is in the poffeffion of James Edward Smith, M. D. who refides at Norwich.
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