Book and as readily believed, by thofe whole filtered it was to believe
i them, that the prince’s abilities were extremely moderate. And,
although it was ufual for the prince royal of Denmark to be
confirmed, and take his feat in the privy council, at thirteen, yet
this ceremony was repeatedly poftponed long after the prince
had reached that age, under a notion that he was incapable of
undergoing a public examination.
But when the prince had nearly attained his fixteenth year,
they could not venture to delay his confirmation any longer.
As the fatal hour approached, every precaution, which prudence
or art could fuggeft, was taken to gain the prince, and to
continue the power in the fame hands in which it had been fo
long veiled. For this purpofe his governor, general Eiklted,
who was not beloved by his royal pupil, was difmiffed; and
Sporen, his preceptor, and fuppofed to be his favourite, appointed
lecretary of the cabinet. A new privy council was
nominated, confilling almoll entirely of the queen-dowager’s
creatures, in which Mr. Guldberg had the principal fway.
Every thing feemed to bend before her, when the prince ef-
fedted a revolution in the adminiliration of Denmark, as Angular
as it was unexpedted.
On the 4th of April 1784, the prince was confirmed in the
royal chapel of Copenhagen, in the prefence of the king and
court. According to the cullom of the Lutheran church, he
underwent a previous examination by the king’s chaplain. The
examination continued above an hour ; and the prince, as I have
been
C O P E N H A G E N .
been allured by many perfons who were prefent, replied in a
very fenfible manner; fufficiently proving, from the readinefs
and perfpicuity of his anfwers, that the reports o f his incapacity
were malicious and unfounded. He fpoke in a loud, clear,
manly tone of voice, with a dignity and propriety which af-
tonilhed the alfembly; and when he repeated the oath, by which
he fwore to continue true to the eftablilhed church, he did it
in fo feeling a manner, as abfolutely to draw tears from the eye*
of many who were prefent.
Having, on a fubfequent occafion, received the facrament, he
Was admitted into the privy council; and, on the morning of
the 14th of April, took the accultomed oath. About five in the
afternoon, the prince and the other members of the new privy
council alfembled for the firll time in the king’s prefence.
Mr. Steman, who was at the head of the treafury, was going
to propofe the ordinary bufinefs of the day; he was interrupted
by the prince: turning to the king, his royal highnefs
thanked his majelly for his education; adding, -that he was
now called to a refponfible office, and was anxious to advife
his majelly to the utmoll of his abilities. He then remon-
llrated with great force againll many abufes in the late ad-
minillration of affairs, particularly on the irregular mode of
iffuing orders from the cabinet, and not from the different boards
of gqvernment. He continued, that, confcious of his own in-
experience, he could not advife his majelly to any effedt, to the
V^ ’ $ F s lory
33