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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN. 391
nue our journey; unfortunately, it fo happened that none out of the whole number un.
derftood any other than the Swedifh language ; figns were, confequently, of much fer-
vice tous; thisinconvenience excepted, we paffed the fix hours we ftayed in the moft
agreeable manner imaginable, and imbibed a very favourable idea of Swedifh hofpitality.
At Torfhalla, you fee from the bridge a number of finall catara€ts, which havea very
fine effect. Between Malmby and Lageftrok, the caftle of Gripfholm is fituated, of
which a defcription at length fhall be given. Near to Gripfholm is Ofer, a cannon
foundry, and near to Torfhalla E/el/tuna, of which, alfo, more fhall be faid in another
place: paft which nothing more is met with worthy attention, before you reach Stock-
holm.
Cuap. Il. — Arrival at Stockholm. — General Account of that City. — The Court of
Sweden. — The Royal €a/tle. — Play-Hou/es.
The entrance into Stockholm by no means announces a capital: we arrived by the
fouthern fuburbs. The city, properly fpeaking, is very fmall, and fituated in an ifland
at the point of junction of the fea and Jake Meler: the fouthern and northern fuburbs
are very large, fince from the north’to the fouth gate is half a mile, but parts of the
ftreets are either without houfes, or covered with fuch as have only a ground floor,
which is the caufe why Stockholm, notwith{tanding the great fpace it occupies, does not
certainly contain more than 75,000 inhabitants: part of the houfes are of wood ; fome
in the f{uburbs wear the appearance of wretched cottages. Queen-ftrect, and Regeney-
ftreet, in the northern fuburbs, are the handfomeft, and beft inhabited of the whole
plain: in the fouthern fuburbs fome merchants refide, but not a fingle man of rank.
The north fquare will make a very good appearance when the bridge in contemplation is
finifhed, and in cafe of their changing the front oppofite the caftle. The opera and the
palace form the two other fides, and are very handfome buildings.
Few cities in Europe are fo badly paved as Stockholm, which is the more difagreeable
from the royal garden being the only promenade within the city; and on account of
that being damp and unhealthy, except in the height of fummer, you have no other
place for walking.
The fituation of Stockholm is fingular, and highly picturefque, and is comparable to
that of no other city ; as it affords, from many fpots, moft charming points of view, in
which you fee a mixture of fteeples, houfes, rocks, trees, lakes, and the caftle, which is
diftinguifhed from every quarter, and has a moft admirable effet. ‘This capital, as we
have before obferved, is built by the fea, and lake Meler: the locks on the fouth (which
are a very handfome work) dividing them.
The port is handfome, fpacious, and fafe, but difficult of accefs ; it frequently takes
feveral days to get to fea, or to arrive thence at Stockholm, on account of the courfe to
be taken between numberlefs banks, to effect which, particular winds are requifite.
The quays are of aftonifhing breadth.
Police. The city is but badly lighted ; the police is tolerably good; a confequence
rather of the tranquil nature of the inhabitants, than any care that is taken. In the
winter of 1792, fome difagreeable occurrences took place, on the part of Ruffians it is
true ; but fome time elapfed before means were difcovered of ftopping thefe diforders,
the exiftence of which, likewife, the police had fome difficulty in crediting, notwith-
ftanding they were repeated often enough to put the matter out of queftion : frequently
it imputes excefles that may be committed, to liquor, and this is the firft inflance we
have
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