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S19 FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.
to them than darknefs, and the difeuife which you are accuftomed to wear on thefe oes
cafions; you are therefore entreated, by every thing that is facred, to defer this curled
ball to a more fuitable opportunity, for your prefent and future intereft, as well as that
of fome enthufiafts, from whofe hands doubtlefs, upon reflection, the Almighty will
caufe the dagger to be throwns I have the honour to aflure you, in the face of hea-
ven, which I call to witnefs the motive and purity of my intentions, that the advertife-
ment I give you comes from a man who is nothing lefs than a courtier, who is in need
of nothing, and who is very far from approving ali the rafh {leps you have taken, either
in war or politics, and particularly in what regards morality. In making this confeffion
with the utmoft cordiality, I fhall appear to you the lefs liable to fufpicion when I affure
you, that being prefent at the diet at Gefle, I fhould not have hefitated an inftant to have
drawn the fword to oppofe your mercenaries with all my powers, in cafe they had re-
forted to open force, as was at one initant expected. Vouchfate, therefore, to diftin-
guith a difference between the conduct of a man of honour in his fenfes, and that of an
enthufiaft and a traitor: the one wifhes well to the commonweal, afking for nothing
more certainly than to be fo fituated as would allow of his making ufe of means fanc-
tioned by religion and honour to promote its welfare ; the other conceives all meafures
tolerable which may contribute to the objeé&t in view. It may, however, be difficult, if
not altogether impoffible in the end, to forewarn you againft all the calamities which
furround you, unlefs you put yourfelf in train to become fincerely reconciled with the
fame part of the nation, by following a conduct, however little, yet different to that you
have hitherto done.
«¢ | have conceived it for my internal fatisfa€tion a duty to reveal this fhocking fecret,
which I learnt by mere chance two hours ago ; be perfuaded, alfo, that I am not in-
fpired by a panic terror in taking this ftep, but on the contrary by the dreadful cer-
tainty I have, from what has been divulged to me, of the verity of the fact. Take
good heed, I further entreat you, of the ground-floor at Haga, as being, according to
their declaration, a place more appropriate than any other for their purpofes. You
cannot ufe, generally fpeaking, too much precaution: if I may advife, keep away en-
tirely from mafked balls, at leaft till after the holidays, this being of importance to
yourfelf as well as to us all. You will do wrong by fhewing a courage which nothing
can move ; we know that you have bravely faced the enemy ; you may therefore with
perfeé&t fecurity and without difhonour avoid the blow of a traitor. I fhall never ceafe
to put up prayers for your happinefs ; befeeching you, in the mean time, to make no
perquifitions for the purpofe of deteCting the author of this advice, as they would be
fruitlefs, having been entirely alone while I wrote it, and not having communicated its
contents to any one.”’
This letter was given in a garbled ftate in all the new{papers at the period of the fatal
event; above, it is given with exactitude: the traitor who wrote it knew well enough
what effect an anonymous letter would have upon the King; had he had any real in-
tention of faving him, he would have perfonally divulged the confpiracy: but we are
not to wonder at the conduct of the wretch; he owed his all to the King, his fupport,
his military rife, (he was a major in the guards,) and we live in an age in which ingra-
titude to the throne is looked upon as a merit; as if Kings were the only men on earth
bound to do good, the only objects of unfcrupled affaffination.
Extra&
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