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6. GUSTAVUS III. OLOF WALLQUIST. GUSTAVUS IV. 351
The most prominent ecclesiastic in this and the next
reign was Olof Wallquist (17551800), Bishop of Vexio,
a politician and a financier, who, when scarcely more than
thirty years old, became leader of the Riksdag and the
Church. Under him a new office was created, the
"
Ekklesiastik expedition," intended to prepare all Church
business for the consideration of the king. It did not last
very long, but it paved the way for the ministry of public
worship which was afterwards created. Wallquist, who
was a man of literary ability and piety, an effective
preacher of the school of Baiter, was an opponent of
neology. He died worn out with hard work at the early
age of forty-four in the year 1800. His autobiography has
been published, and gives the picture of a very modern
mind.
When Gustavus III., who had made himself absolute
in 1789, and had thereby earned the hatred of the nobility,
was assassinated at a masked ball in 1792, he left his
brother, Duke Charles, as regent for his young son,
Gustavus IV. Gustavus III. was naturally a supporter
of the Bourbons, and was preparing to go to war to restore
them to the throne. Duke Charles entirely changed this
policy. He favoured the French Republicans. He also
at first sought an alliance with Russia by agreeing to
betroth his nephew to a young Grand Duchess. But
when the hour arrived the young king was absent, and the
reason was given that he was unwilling to allow his future
bride a chapel for her own religion, which was one of the
articles of the contract. But the stronger reason was, I
presume, a political one.
Gustavus IV., when he became responsible for the
government, was a great contrast to his father. He was
simple in his tastes, averse to extravagance, and upright
in private life. But he was narrow, obstinate and barren
in conception and initiation, and dreamy in his religion.
His great principle was hatred of Napoleon, whom he
regarded as the Beast of the Apocalypse.
Englishmen have reason,, indeed, to speak and think
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