indelible mark of its former preponderancy and injuftice. It is
remarkable, that hitherto all the attempts to aboliih it, which
have fucceeded in Sweden, Norway, and feveral parts of Germany,
have contributed only to rivet ftill more ftrongly in Den,
mark a iervitude, no leis diigraceful to the government, than
prejudicial to the community. I enjoyed however great fatisfae-
tion in finding, on my fécond vifit to Copenhagen, that the fpirit
of juftice and humanity, and I may add, the fuggeftions of felf-
intereft, had lately begun to fpread themièlves among the nobility ;
and that a few of them were upon the point o f emancipating
their peafants. And as the prince royal has turned his humanity
and attention to this fubjeét *, and feems inclined to favour
any well-planned fyftem, which may give new life and vigour to
an order of men, the moil uieful in the community; it is to fie
prefumed, that in time the prejudices againft fuch a fyftem will be
removed ; and that fuch effedtive and prudent meafures will be
adopted by government, as may, without any convulfion, reftore
to thé peafants the common rights of mankind.
We .were prefent at a very agreeable dinner given by admiral
Molcke, on board of the Princefs Sophia Frederica, a man of
war carrying 74 guns, and 600 men, lately fitted out, and going
upon a cruize to the Baltic, with three other ihips of the line.
We embarked at the port, and were rowed in the captain’s, boat’
* I am informed, that fince my departure from Copenhagen, the prince has
g iv en freedom, to the crown-peafants.
to
C O P E N H A G E N .
to the lhip, where we found Count Molcke, and a large company,
confifting of perfons of the firft condition, afiembled. From
the captain’s cabin we had a moil delightful view of the town and
dock-yard of Copenhagen; of the Daniih navy laid up in two lines
in the harbour ; of feveral men of war and frigates lying at anchor
near us in the road; of numerous veilels failing and covering
the furface of the fea, which was curled by a gentle breeze ; of
the diftant coafts of Sweden, and the adjacent fhores of Zealand,
richly clothed with wood. Dinner was ferved upon deck, under
a canopy of fails and pendants; and forty perfons fat down to
a moil fuperb and elegant repaft. After drinking the healths of
the king and rOyal family, each health accompanied with a lalute
offifteen guns,admiral Molcke gave, in compliment to Mr. Elliott,
the Engliih envoy, who was prefent, The navy of England; and
Mr. Elliott in return gave, The navy of Denmark. Several Daniih
fongs were, fung to the accompaniment of violins and tambours
de bafque, which had a moft pleafing eflfedt. Thefe fongs
related to naval engagements, and to the honour of the Daniih
marine; and the chorus was repeated by the company; and reechoed
by the whole Ihip’s'crew. Books containing the words of
the fongs were handed round the company, with the Daniih on
one fide, and the Engliih on the other. One fong recorded the
gallant behaviour of admiral Huitfield, who, in an engagement
with the Swedifh fleet, finding his own lhip on fire, inftead of
endeavouring to efcape in the long-boat, grappled with two of the
enemy’s men of war, and blew them up with his own lhip. Another
iong