by anticipation, and which was fo flattering to a lively imagination,
yielded to the attraftions o f Uleaborg, which promifed us
pleafures and refources o f a different defcription. T he polite attention
of Baron Silfverkielm, o f Governor Carpalan, and the acquaintance
we made o f feveral other interefting characters, and
the pleafing accident o f finding here two gentlemen amateurs o f
nsufic, who, with my companion and myfdf, could execute a
quartetto, made us forget our plan, an<i convert our five days flay
into that o f a couple o f months. It being near the middle o f
April, the feafon was too far advanced; the ice began to wafte,
and lofe its ftrength, and the rivers became every day lefs fafe.
W e ihould have run the riik o f being detained in a defert country
during the period o f thaw, after which we muft have allowed
at leaft a week till the earth had recovered its fblidity, and the
toarfby grounds had become dry. The attractive fcene o f the
change o f feafons we might view at Uleaborg with nearly the
feme advantage; and as to the phenomena o f winter, we had al-
ready feen. fo much o f them on our journey from Stockholm, that
©nr curiofity was nearly gratified. In iliort, we found our iilua-
tion at Uleaborg fo. agreeable,* that we were at no. lofe to diicovcr
reafons for adapting our plan to our liking,, or for juitifying out
conduit in our own eyes.
I found at Uleaborg that I might carry on a courie o f ftudy introductory
to the natural hiftory o f Lapland. An excellent opportunity
for this purfuit was afforded by Mr. Julin, apothecary
at Uleaborg, who, befides a good collection o f objeCls in every
clafe
clafe o f the natural hiftory o f Lapland and Finland, was poffeffed
O f confiderable knowledge on this fubjeCt, and at the fame time
took great pleafure in communicating information to thofe who
were d e f i r o u s o f becoming acquainted with this branch o f fclence.
He was well provided with books, had an eleCtrical apparatus, and
amufed himfelf by making experiments in different departments,
o f natural pMlofbphy.
T h e Baron Silfverkielm was a very amiable man, who had
puffed a great part of his life near the perfon o f King Guftavus,
had travelled, and feen much o f the world. He was art excellent
mechanic, amufed himfelf w ith chemiftry, poffeffed an admirable
Englifh electrical machine, made experiments, and was fond o f
reading and the ftudy o f belles-lettres. He was a man o f no ceremony,
and (which wifl not be believed by every one) a moft
famous magnetifer, and one o f the grcateft proficients among the
difciples o f Mefmer. I have feen the Baron give proofs o f his:
ikill in animal magnetifm, which, I confefi, fhook my incredulity
a little, both in refpeCt to the efficacy o f his principles, and the
exiftence o f the magnetic fluid, or whatever elfe it may be called,
which is fuppofed to operate upon individuals. T h e effefts it
produces cannot eafily be attributed to ordinary eaufes, nor fup-
ported by reafons derived from the known laws o f nature. A l though
he was unable to affeft me with his magnetical powers,
yet he wrought upon perfons whofe probity and good faith I am
not at liberty in any degree to queftion. H e repeated to me experiments
he had made in different places, on different individuals,
and