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BIOGRAPHY. 37
was then dancing, which afforded ine a great deal of pleas-
ure. Fredrika made her entrance into the world the fol-
lowing year; but she found less pleasure there than I did ;
she was not always invited to dance, and therefore soon got
tired of these gayeties. But she was, on the other hand,
very much interested in the many good plays which my
parents were kind enough to let us go to see. All this was
new to us, for we had not been to the theatre until we had
completed our sixteenth year.
In the winter of 1817 a young gentleman, born and set-
tled in France, was introduced into my parents’ house. On
my birthday in May he gave me a charade to guess. The
significant word, full of mighty moment, had a double
meaning. The following morning I found a note lying
upon my bed. I opened it and read these lines : —
“ All grandeur renounce, choose virtue and worth,
So taught the wise men of the ages:
Then let us while choosing our lot on this earth
Adopt the advice of the sages.
For grandeur resembles the foam of Champagne,
It flies as we gaze on its swelling:
Blest he who renounces Chateaux en Espagne
For peace in a northern dwelling.”
These verses were in Fredrika’s handwriting, but signed
“ J. P. Mallén,” the name of an old man at that time known
in Stockholm as a writer of occasional poems.
After our Confirmation, my father wished Fredrika and
me to go through a regular training in household duties,
and to learn the art of cooking. In the beginning we had
each our week, when, under the superintendence of the
housekeeper, we had to give out to the cook every thing
that was required for the various meals, and to see that
nothing was wanting at table. Later in the summer a
clever superior cook was engaged from Stockholm, and as
we were to learn to prepare the most delicate dishes, we
had a feast every day. My father, who was very fond of
the luxuries of the table, thought this delightfal ; and we,
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