I will farther obferve, before I quit this fubjedi, that this mode of
drefs gives to the Swedilh court an air o f magnificence and grandeur,
more ftriking than all the party-coloured glare that you meet
with in other places; in the fame manner as the imagination derives
more pleafure from contemplating a military corps in the
plaineft uniform, than from the fight o f an equal affemblage o f
men apparelled in richer clothes o f different hues and fafhions.
This court-drefs, which may be confidered as the national uniform,
was finally eftablifhed by Guftavus III.
A t the fame time that the moil: rigid obiervance o f particular
forms is exacted by the Court o f Stockholm, within what we may
call its own precincts, there is no country where the king and
princes mix more familiarly with the people than in Sweden. This
makes the contrail the more ilr ik in g ; for it is a very different
thing to be admitted to the private fuppers given by the king, and
the other branches o f the royal family, and to Hand as a Ipectator
at the public exhibition at court. T he king gives fuppers in a
domeftic and friendly way, twice, and fometimes three times a
week. On opera days thefe parties are at the royal apartments in
the opera-houfe: on other days, at an elegant palace called Haga,
or the Hague, not quite a Swedifh mile diflant from the north-
gate o f Stockholm, fituated on the border o f a lake in the midfl
o f a w ood: this was the favourite refidence o f his late majefly.
It was in a fmall pavilion, in a corner o f the gardens o f Haga,
where the king is faid to have formed the plan o f the revolution
in 1 772; and that fpot is ilill much vifited by the curious, as
being
being the birth-place o f a great enterprize. Foreigners who have
been invited once to the king’s private fuppers are, for the moil
part, honoured with a general invitation. T he king ufually feats
himfelf between two ladies at a comer o f the table. A t Haga
no fwords are worn, though the gentlemen are otherwife dreffed
in their court uniform, which has been mentioned before. In
fummer, when the king refided for fome time at Haga, ftran-
gers were alfo occafionally afked to dinner; and it was un-
derftood that they were to pafs the day, and not to leave the
royal company till after fupper. In order to be invited to the
king’s table, a Swedifh gentleman muff at leafl have the rank of
lieutenant-colonel. Younger officers are fometimes admitted,
but this is a mark o f very particular favour. A t thofe private
fuppers no formality is obferved even towards the royal family.
T h e queen and the princeffes ufed to take their places about the
middle o f the table without any certain rale o f diftin&ton. T h e
two princeffes give, each o f them, a fupper once a week, to which
ilrangers once admitted have, as at his majefly’s, a general invitation.
T h e pages who wait at table, at all thefe entertainments,
and who, as a badge o f their office, carry a napkin under their
arm, are officers of the a rmy: thefe only attend upon the royal
family. T he fervants who wait on the reft o f the company are
perfons o f low extradlion, that have neither the education nor
rank o f gentlemen-. Guftavus III. was wont to difplay a great
portion o f hilarity, conviviality, w it and humour, at his private
entertainments. He made it a point to obferve, notice, and
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