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144 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND.
But Gothland and Oftrogothia are fo fertile, in fome places, that they may be com-
pared to France ; and the foil is fo rich, that it rears in the fpace of three months the
{ame commodities, which it takes nine months, in other places, to produce. There are
other places, where nature mutt be forced in order to produce nourifhment fuflicient for
the inhabitants, Schonen, Schanmoland, Angermania, and Finland; and it is here,
where nature refufing fertility to the plains, grants in its ftead, abundance to the forefts,
which in winter are burnt by the inhabitants, for the purpofe of fowing in their afhes,
grain in fpring, which arrives at greater perfection, and in a fhorter time than any
where elfe.
The Swedes are naturally a brave people; and without mentioning the Goths and
Vandals, who, fealing the Alps and the Pyrennees conquered Italy and Spain, let us
for a moment attend to Guftavus Adolphus, the chief of conquerors, who was
followed by very few Swedes, and who vittorioufly over-ran the whole of Germany,
like lightening, making every Prince fenfible of the force of his arms. _ Let us confider
a Charles Guftavus, the laft King of this country, who reduced the Danes, his moft
formidable enemies, to fuch adegree, that they were obliged to retire within the walls
of their capital, which was the only place in the kingdom remaining in their poffeflion,
where he befieged them two years, and who, after many engagements, died of a fever
at Gottenburg, aged thirty-feven years, on the 12th day of February 1660.
This Prince, who was con{tantly performing wonders, forced heaven itfelf to aid and
aflift him, and to perform miracles in his favour. It hardened the waters of the Belt
- for the purpofe of affording him an opportunity of performing a heroic action.
Charles the Tenth led all his troops over a frozen fea two leagues in width, with all his
cannon, and encamped there where he remained feveral days with an intrepidity of
refolution, which furprifed every body, but which was natural to him. If this Prince
was a great warrior, he was equally an excellent politician; and he difplayed it clearly
during the reign of Queen Chriftina’; for, while fhe amufed herfelf with confulting men
of letters, whom fhe invited from all quarters, but who taught her not the art of
reigning, he embraced the opportunity of gaining the affections of all the fenators, who
were difgufted with the adminiftration of the Queen, and who obliged her to refign the
government in his favour.
Was it not the great Guftavus Adolphus who led the way to this worthy fucceffor ?
and who, after having led a life wholly warlike and heroic, ended his days in the field
of victory, and in the midft of his troops, in confequence of a mufket fhot, which .
deprived Europe of its greateft conqueror. Queen Chriftina was a worthy defcend-
dant of this great Prince. This Princefs had a foul truly royal, and exhautted all the
praifes of ingenious men. She might have reigned longer, if fhe had been more
miftrefs of herfelf; and the jealoufy which fhe excited amongft the fenators, who
beheld with impatience the greateft favours lavifhed on Riffrof2é, by whom fhe had
children, obliged her to refign the crown. She changed her religion at the inftigation
of the Spanifh ambaffador, who promifed her, that if fhe became Catholic, fhe
fhould be married to the King his mafter. She remained at Rome almoft all her life,
after fhe abdicated the throne, and fubfifted on ten thoufand crowns, which the
Pope gave her annually as a penfion, till the King of France put her in poffeffion of all
her property. Shekeptin her own hand the fertile iflands of Aland and Gothland,
fituated in the Baltic Sea, but fhe exchanged them a fhort time ago, for the territority of
Norcopin in Oftrogothia.
Charles XI., the prefent King, is fon of Charles Guftavus, Count Palatine, of the
houfe of Deux Ponts, and of Hedwige Eleonora, youngeft daughter of the Duke of
Holftein.
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