that he was faluted in a very familiar manner by the gentlemen
that pafled us in the ftreet, and that all the people, wherever we
went to enquire for lodgings, anfwered his queftions with the
greateft refped, and "apparent readinefs and defire to oblige him»
I did not well know what to think o f my friend. In the morning
we were awakened early by a band o f military mufic, that did us
the honours o f the place at the door o f our bedchamber. Having
a greater inclination to lleep than to hear their performance, we
gave them Ibme rix-dollars, and wilhed them a good-morrow:
but we were deceived in our calculations; as they found it worth
their while, they came again two days after to wifh us good bye.
But as we did not like a continuation o f this practice, we fuffered
them to depart without taking any farther notice o f their civility.
Next day, when we went to prefent fome o f our letters o f intro-
dudion, we were aftonifhed to find that all the gentlemen to
whom they were addreffed were already apprized o f our vifit.
The y were acquainted with the time o f our arrival, and with
what happened to us fince ; they knew in what fort o f carriage
we had come, the route we had taken, where we lodged, who was
o.ur lackey, what was our dreis, &c. &c. Thefe circumftances
did not imprefs us with any great idea o f the capital o f Sweden;
and we anticipated thofe ineonveniencies which are ufuallj- experienced
in a large capital, but without the pleafing freedom o f
living at perfed eafe» and ju ft as one pleafes, amidft the obfcurity
o f an immenfe capital.
CH A P T E R
CH A P T E R III.
Topographical Gefcription o f Stockholm— Change produced in its Appearance
by the Ice— Violence o f the Cold that prevails in Winter
— Some ObjeSls mentioned which are peculiar to the Winter Seafon:
Water-Carts, Sledges, & c.— A Sugar-Houfe on Fire, and the curious
EffeSls o f the Fro/l— The Seafon o f Summer: Country L ife
o f the Nobility and Gentry— Their Giverjions and Amufements—-
Pajjion o f the Swedes fo r Cards and Gaming■— Environs o f Stockholm—
Grottningholm : the Royal Palace— Annual Tournament
at Grottningholm— The Royal Park at Stockholm— Royal Procession
and. yearly F e fiv a l in the Park.
T N order to form an idea o f the romantic pofition o f S tockholm,
it will be well to call a look over the accompanying map.
There are few cities in Europe more advantageoufly fituated than
the one o f which I am fpeaking, whether it be confidered in a
commercial point o f view, or with regard to the variety o f ice-
nety that prefents itfelf to the eye. T he latter is particularly enhanced
by the different profpeds o f the water, with which the
•city is every where indented and encompaffed. From a want of
topographical knowledge, two Frenchmen, in their tour to the
North, fay, “ that only the city o f Stockholm, properly fo called,
F 2 “ is