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THROUGH SWEDEN. Jou
than Denmark. When we told him that it was three hundred
Swedifh leagues beyond Denmark, he looked at us with amaze-
ment, and, after a fhort paufe, faid, that he could not imagine
from what motives we could have come to his country at an ex-
pence of fo many rix dollars for poft-horfes. His particular amufe-
ment in conyerfation feemed to be to {peak ill of the clergy, whom
he turned into ridicule with a very happy vein of humour. He
was a great partizan of Guftavus the Third, with whom he faid
he had converfed, and who not unlikely may have diverted him-
felf with this peafant. He never quitted his favourite topic of
abufing the clergy, but conftantly returned to it from any digref-
fion which we had indulged. <* Guftavus III. (faid he) was a
‘« reat man and a great king. Still, however, he did not make
‘* any pretenfions to half the refpect and veneration that are ex-
«< acted by our clergy. The clergy preach humility, but are them-
«* felves proud. Our parifh priefts enjoy good ftipends in the moft
“tranquil eafe: and that they may be difturbed by nothing, they
«< hire a poor clergyman to preach a fermon for them on Sundays,
«¢ while they themfelves do nothing but fit {till on a feat, and re-
‘« ceive the homage of the peafants as they pafs by them. This
‘« idlenefs of theirs, I can affure you, is not to be imputed to any
“« want of capacity or knowledge: for when any queftion arifes
‘concerning the payment of tythes, or of a portion of our hard
“‘ earnings, they immediately fhew themfelves to be the mott
« learned and acute men in the world. They are not only ready
s reckoners, but have at their fingers ends all the laws, ordinances
“and
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