chin, and paints his face. If, added to thefe decorations, he can
but fcrape a little on the fiddle, he is the darling o f all the ladies
■who play, in their feeble way, on the harpfichord. A tafte for
mufic in Swedilh focieties, is by no means the predominant paf-
fion. It is as yet fo little formed, and the judgment o f the audience
fo wavering and uncertain, that, after hearing any thing
played, they will confider with themfelves what opinion it may
be proper to g iv e ; and watch the countenance o f any foreigner
that may happen to be prefcnt in order to regulate their fenti-
ments, and decide concerning their own impreflions. Tafte is the
refult o f a well conftruded and well informed mind, and o f a fen-
fibility o f difpofition. Until the Swediih ladies ihall change their
minds and hearts, they will always fing and play more for the
purpofe o f furprizing by the eafe o f their execution, than for that
o f giving delight hy their expreflion. It is impoffible that they
ihould communicate to others what they do not feel themfelves.
However, for their confolation it may be faid, that in France,
Germany, England, and in all countries, there are mufioians o f
the fame inefficient clafs.
The want o f mufic in the polite circles, or any thing approaching
to that fcience, is not, I am lorry to fay, compenlated by the
attractions and charms o f converiation. You feel the want o f
many things in Sweden, which in fome other countries confti-
tute a fund o f locial pleafure and entertainment. There is, for
inftance, nothing to be met with that refembles thofe friendly
dinners, where a fmall number o f feled friends meet, not for the
purpoie
purpofe o f indulging in epicurean extravagance, but from the foie
motive of enjoying one another’ s company. T h e Swediih dinner
parties are expenfive arrangements o f ihew and formality. It w ill
(0ften happen that out o f forty or fifty people, who appear in con-
fequence o f an invitation fent with all poffible ceremony, and
perhaps a week or a fortnight before the appointed day, fearcely
three or four know one another fufficiently to make the meeting
agreeable. A foreigner may ftili fare worfe, and have the misfortune
o f being feated near a perfon totally unacquainted with any
language but his own. Before the company fit down to dinner,
they firft pay their refpedls to a fide table, laden with bread, butter,
cheefe, pickled falmon, and liqueur, or brandy; and by the
tailing o f thefe previous to their repaft, endeavour to give an edge
to their appetite, and to ftimulate the ftomach to perform its office.
After this prelude, the guefts arrange themfelves about the
dinner table, where' every one finds at his place three kinds o f
bread, flat and coarfe rye bread, white bread, and brown bread.
T h e firft fert o f bread is what the peafants e a t; it is crifp and dry.
the fecond fort is common bread; but the brown, laft mentioned,
has a fweet tafte, being made with the water with which the
veffets in the fugar-houfes are wafted, and is the naftieft thing
poffible; A ll the diftes are at once put upon the table, but no
one is allowed to a ft for what he tikes beft, the diihes being
handed round in regular fucceffion ; and an Engliftman has often
occafion for all his patience to wait till the one is put m motion
on which he has fixed his choice. T h e Swedes are more know-
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