T he great formality and reftraint that prevails throughout all
the polite circles o f Sweden, and which are not baniihed even
by the fuperabundant luxury o f a northern feaft, and the justice
which all are inclined to do to it, may without doubt be
traced to the court o f Stockholm, the moll formal I believe in
Europe; nay, I had nearly faid the w orld: but there is undoubtedly
ftill more o f rigid etiquette at the court o f Pekin.
The realon why the court o f Stockholm has happened, fhall I
day, to intrench itlelf in fo many forms and ceremonies above
all other courts, I have not time to enquire; though the refearch
might be curious, and perhaps capable o f being illuftrated in a
fatisfaftory manner, from the hiftory o f the Swedifh government.
Thus much we can lay, that Guftavus III, who had a very exalted
notion o f royal dignity and pre-eminence, added greatly to
the ftri&nels o f etiquette, though it had already attained to a very
conliderable height, As I have given an account o f the dinnerparties
in private life, I ihalL attempt to lhew the manners o f the
court, and fpeak o f the entertainments o f the royal table, which wiH
furnilh the reader with tolerably adequate ideas o f the forms that
may be oblerved on other limilar occafions. A drawing-room
terminates commonly in a public fupper for the royal family, who
lit alone at table, all the nobility and officers o f the kingdom
Handing round as mere ipedlators. T he ladies o f the fenators,
and others o f equal rank, have the privilege o f being feated on
tabourets, placed in femicircles at a diftance from the table, in
¿front o f the king and queen. T h e houlhold officers o f the difierent
branches o f the royal family Hand behind the chair o f the
perfonage to whom they belong: the fenators at his Majefty s
left hand, and the ambalfadors with other foreigners o f diftinition
at his right. T h e king fpeaks to every one according to their
rank, the degree o f favour they poffefs with him, or other cir-
cumftances. T h e dilhes are ferved, and the plates prefented to
the royal family by an officer called gentleman o f the court.
The marlhal Hands direitly oppofite the king during the whole
o f the entertainment, and the fteward o f his Majefty’s houlhold
a little to the right behind him. Though the prefence o f thefe
officers be wholly ufelefs, it is thought necelfary to complete
the group. When the king has dined, he makes a fign to the
queen, and to the reft o f the family, and all having anfwered
with a bow, he rifes from the table, takes a mail gracious leave
and withdraws to his own apartments, followed by the officers
o f the court. The reft o f the royal family do the fame ; no
one prefumes to retire before they have quitted the room. An
inftance o f the exadt formality o f the court o f Sweden was experienced
by the Prince Bilhop o f Holftein, when he came to
Stockholm on a vifit to the royal family, to whom he is related.
Before he could appear in public, he was obliged firft to wait in
form upon the prime minifter, Prince Ulric Scheeffer, who was
to prefent him to the king as foon as he had received his ma-
jefty’s orders to that purpofe. By this minifter the prince bilhop
was, after fome previous circumftanees, introduced to the court,
and met with a reception as diftant and ceremonious as i f he
had