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Roz COXE’S TRAVELS IN DENMARK»
that the nobles might lay out their grounds equal to ours in England, if they would
truft more to nature and lefs to art.
In the mid{t of the park St. Helen’s {pring is a favourite fpot, to which the nobility®
and gentry, and the lower clafs of people refort, in July, as to a kind of fair, Many
tents and booths are ereéted for the reception of the company ; fometimes the royal
family make their appearance ; and the common people elteem themfelves very un-
fortunate, if they do not tafte the waters of the {pring every year. The weather being
fine, and the feafon delightful, we roved with pleafure about the woods, enjoying the
beauties of unadulterated nature, and walked to the hermitage, a building ftanding in the
moft elevated part, and commanding an extenfive view over the Baltic, the ifle of Huen,
and the coaft of Sweden.
Cuap. Il.—Antient form of Government in Denmark.—Revolution of 1660.—Change
of the Conftitution from an elected and limited, to an hereditary and abfolute Monarchy.
UNTIL the middle of the laft century the crown of Denmark was eleG@ive. The
fupreme legiflative authority refided in the three eftates of the realm, the nobles, clergy,
and commons, aflembled in a diet by means of reprefentatives ; the executive power
was vefted in the King, and fenate, compofed of the principal nobles. The King was
little more than prefident of the fenate, and commander of the army; the regal pre-
rogative being circum{cribed by a capitulation, or charter of privileges, ratified by the
fovereign at his acceffion, Although the crown was always continued in the fame fa-
mily, and uniformly conferred on the eldeft fon; yet the new prince was conftrained to
purchafe his fucceflion to the throne by farther immunities.
Such was the ftate of affairs until the fingular revolution of 1660 eftablifhed, almoft
without the concurrence of the fovereign, an hereditary and abfolute monarchy : ex-
hibiting an inftance, which ftands unparalleled in the annals of hiftory, of a people, who’
fpontaneoufly renounced their freedom, and invefted their limited governor with un-
bounded authority. ‘
Frederic III. who, on the death of his father Chriftian ]V. afcended the throne by
the free election of the ftates, figned a charter of rights, confifting of fifty-four articles ;
among which feveral new privileges were confirmed to the fenate, whereby they were
enabled to engrofs the whole adminiftration of affairs. Frederic pofflefled in the ordi-+
nary occurrences of life a mild and equitable temper of mind, and was apparently in-
different to ambition or glory. If his dominions had not been invaded by a powerful
rival, he would have fcarcely been noticed by his contemporaries. But as, during his
reign, the very being of Denmark, as a kingdom, was at ftake, and he was called to
aétion by the moft imminent danger which a fovereign could experience, he fuddenly
furmounted his natural apathy: his mind acquired unufual vigour ; and he exhibited
proofs of courage, prudence, and perfeverance, not inferior to the moft confummate
heroes of his time. Thefe circumftances placed his charaéter in an exalted point of
view ; while his gentlenefs and moderation prevented the umbrage which is apt to be
conceived by a free people againft their fovereign. ‘thus, from being thought incapa-
ble of interefted defigns, and yet equal to the tafk of carrying the moft adventurous into
execution, he became, from the accidental fituation of his affairs, the inftrument of
accomplifhing an important revolution, which totally changed the form of the Danifh
government. ,
When
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