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124 A History of Sweden
His Old Age, After having passed his sixtieth year,
Gustavus began to feel less cheerful. His beloved lute
no more gave him any joy. He often complained of
feeling tired and of being unable to bear the accus-
tomed work for his beloved country. Family cares in-
creased his troubles. The oldest sons did not give the
father the joy he might have expected. Reared in times
of prosperity, Eric disregarded his father’s warnings
against his thoughtless and prodigal life, and behaved
in a defiant and scornful manner toward his old father.
It was the old story of the rich man’s son. Even John,
the favorite son, caused his father sorrow. It pained
the aged father to see that the two sons could never
bear each other. Under the burden of family troubles
he wrote during his last year, "My soul is sorrowful
even unto death."
His Farewell Address. When he felt his end ap-
proaching, he summoned the Estates to a meeting in
Stockholm to say farewell to his people. The venerable
"Father of his Country" sat on his throne with the two
oldest sons at his side ; the youngest, the nine-year-old
Charles, stood at the father’s knee. For the last time
the people heard his eloquent voice, at times choked
with tears. "My dear Swedish people," he said, "you
now see me here in a royal palace, but we should not
forget that forty years ago this seemed to mortal eye
an impossibility, when I hid in forest and cranny,
dressed in homespun, drank water, and lived on
wretched food. But a merciful God in heaven has Him-
self wrought the wonder. He often uses humble means
for putting down haughty, aspiring minds. He took
David, a humble youth, and gave him the victory over
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