charader o f him that Rands impeached. Thofe who have travelled
in the North, or defcribed that part o f Europe, have been
peculiarly unfortunate in being expofed to attacks o f this kind,
and having their candour and diligence called in qucit! on. The
accufation has, in general, been brought by natives, who, though
we may allow them to be well acquainted with their own country,
cannot be fuppofed to furpals others in the virtue o f impartiality.
They are certainly as liable to be biaifed in favour o f what they
call their own, as foreigners who come to vifit them may be on
the oppofite fide. It is by no means ealy to divefl ourfelves o f all
prejudice and predilcdion for thofe places where we were born,
and where we fpent the earliefl and happiefl days o f our exiftence:
and this natural partiality fhould always be taken into the ac-'
count, when the afcertaining o f truth is our objed. W e may
grant that a man poffeffes a perfed knowledge o f the local fituation,
the government, manners and other particulars o f his country;
but neverthelefs he may be prejudiced; and while he labours under
this difadvantage, and is fwayed by thofe narrow ideas, which
are the almofl inevitable confequence o f a life entirely paffed at
home, he cannot claim unlimited confidence for his affertions.
Thus, when a Swede fmiles at Mr. Coxe’s reprefenting Warmer-
land as a moil delightful country, beautifully interfperfed and
variegated with lakes, charming vales and well cultivated fields,
we think him jullified in differing from that gentleman’s defcrip-
tion ; and admit that, on the contrary, it is a dreary and unplea-
fant trail, diverfified only by naked rocks and barren hills. But
when
when he cenfures an Engliffi, French, or Italian traveller for
affirming that there is no fuch thing as convenient travelling in
Sweden, and on the other hand maintains, that his country
abounds in comforts; every one that has the leafl knowledge o f
the fubjed, will immediately perceive the error and fallacy o f fuch
a pofition.
When a native o f the North reprefents that “ you may trayel as
“ fpeedily in Ruffia and Sweden, as in France or England ; and
“ that on the whole you meet with as good accommodation at
“ the inns in thefe cold regions as in any part o f Italy, fo much
“ reforted to by I t r a n g e r s th o u g h I may entertain a great eileem
for that perfon in other refpeds, yet I begin to fufped that he was
never in.any one o f thofe countries which he ufes for his companion.
T h e only point on which Sweden will bear being mentioned
with England, is the roads. But there are no public vehicles,
fuch as a flage-coach, mail, diligence, or other carriage, for
the convenience o f common travellers, who unite two principal
objeds in their journeys, viz. expedition and cheapnefs. There is
no regular conveyance between the country and the capital; none,
for example, between Gothenburg and Stockholm ; Stockholm
and Gefle ; Gefle and Upfala, or the other principal towns o f the
provinces. T he reafon affigned by the Swedes, “ that there is no
" need o f flage-waggons and the like, for the tranfportation o f
“ merchandize, as the country is every where interfeded by lakes
« and navigable rivers,” is not a fufficient excufe for the want o f
public carriages to accommodate paffengers. In France and England