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Doc. 10.] 137
BISHOP JESPER SWEDBERG .
these we have fared well for many years. Away, away with
such a pillar as they wish to introduce now ; upon this we
can build nothing that will not fall down again .” Swedberg
defended them.
He well knew what apprehension there was of a rising of
the Dalecarlians, in which case " they would have had a different
a
kind of Diet.” But this apprehension he endeavoured as much
as possible to allay. Both the representatives from the people,
as a reward for their frank speech, were imprisoned, and fed on
bread and water. If the Diet could have dared to carry out
their wishes, Swedberg would have been obliged to keep them
company. This was the last Diet he attended.
Whatever judgment may be formed of Swedberg’s great
est weakness, that of opposing the limitation of the royal
power ; it must be admitted that he acted in perfect agreement
with his convictions ; although he must have known what a
hypocrite Ulrica Eleonora was, and how weak a prince she
had for her husband. It was consequently the regal office
itself, regarded from a theocratic point of view, which he con
sidered as holy, however unworthy the royal persons themselves
might be. It certainly was not " despotism ” which he contended.
for ; for he openly acknowledged this to be injurious, and main
tained that he who should attempt to introduce it again ought
to be punished .” It was only the extreme limitation of the
royal power which he considered dangerous.
The period of the absolute monarchy in Sweden had been
brought to an end, whilst in the Church there was a transition
from one epoch to another ; the former of which was called by a
wellknown author the epoch or period of symbolics, and the
latter that of pietism . Swedberg was one of those who contributed
most powerfully to the change, which was hastened by the despo
tism exercised by symbolics, a despotism worse than that in
herent in an absolute monarchy. Even when he removed, as an
academical teacher, to Upsal, he was known as, or rather
was supposed to be, a friend of pietism, and this suspicion
caused the defeat of the psalm book. But if he is to be
looked upon as a representative of pietism in Sweden, it must
be admitted that this schism was much better than its repu
tation. Suspicion fell upon the pietists chiefly from their
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