fame there, for ought that I could learn, far inferior to what is
due, and will no doubt one day be paid to his merit. His poem
on the death o f Thomfon may be confidered as the molt elegant
piece o f criticifm, and the moll feeling and tender elegy that was
ever written by one poet on another. Collins, far luperior to that
jealouly and envy which tarnilhes the minds o f minor poets among
his countrymen, and from, which even Pope, that elegant veriifier,
is by no means exempt, felt what he wrote, and (hewed himfelf
at once a good and great man, and a pathetic and fablime poet.
But I ftray from Scandinavia, to which I return. Mr. Torild is
not more diftinguilhed by his poetical eompofttiom than by his
enthufiaftic admiration o f Ofltan. AH kinds o f poetry not in
the ftyle o f (M an he utterly defpifes. It is ncedlefs after this ob-
iervation to mention that his own poems are very much written
in that ftyle. There is nothing more natural than for a Scandinavian
to have a predilection and partiality for ^Offian: the valour,
the virtues^ and the extenftve power and dominion o f their
princes being celebrated in the longs o f that poet.
CH A P T E R
CHAPTER VIII.
The Academy o f Sciences at Stockholm— The ClaJJes into which it is
divided— Some Remarks on the Dfiribution and Arrangement o f
the Sciences— Abufe that prevails in admitting as Members o f L iterary
Societies Perfons not properly qualified— A L f i o f the Mem-
bfrs o f the Academy o f Sciences at Stockholm, with Obfervations
on their Writings and literary Character-*—Academy o f Sciences at
Upfala; Royal Society o f Sciences and Belles-Lettres at Gotheii-
burgh ; Society at L u n d ; and other Societies or Academies— Col-
leSlion o f Models and Machines at Stockholm— Dijpofition o f the
Swedes fo r the Arts and Sciences— Their National CharaSler.
f T 'H E royal academy o f fciences at Stockholm was founded in
173Q. It confifts o f a hundred members that are natives
o f Sweden, and a confiderable number o f alfociates o f foreign nations.
Their Memoirs are publilhed in the Swedilh language at
the end o f every three months. A new prefident is chofen half-
yearly. There are two perpetual feeretaries; no honorary or
merely nominal and ufelefs members. The only funds o f this fo-
ciety are the profits arifing from the monopoly o f almanacks, which
profits amounted in the year 1800 to two thoufand rix dollars.
T h e obfervatory and the cabinet of natural hiftory, with the houfe