could transport himself in a moment from one place to another, he
would always drink his coffee in Sweden, and his tea in England. The
Swedish tea is so weak, that happening one evening to sit by the lady
who was pouring it out, it struck me that she had accidentally forgot
to put in any tea, and was pouring out nothing but hot water: I took
the liberty to notice this mistake, in order as I thought to prevent the
lady, when the tea should be handed round, from being put out of
countenance by the detection o f the oversight. My blunder occasioned
much mirth, and the company no doubt set me down as a person
very little acquainted with tea. It is not the quality of the tea that is
bad, but the quantity employed is so small that you do not perceive the
taste of it in the water. So that in fact you are drinking in reality hot
water, sugar, and cream. The Swedish cream, to do them justice, is
excellent. Though I have met with some Englishmen accustomed to
the London cream complain of it as too thick.
After tea the company usually sit down to cards: supper is served
up about nine, and the party separate for the evening between eleven
and twelve. In some houses, the interval between tea and supper was
filled up by music. The Swedish instrument is a kind of harpsicord,
not equal in its tones to our pianoforte. The music played is always
Italian, and some of the ladies usually accompany the instrument with
their voice. I could not find out that the Swedes had any peculiar
music of their own; at least I could not succeed in Stockholm in procuring
any specimens o f it. All the music exposed for sale was
Italian.
There is no money at present in circulation in Sweden; not even
silver or copper. The only currency is paper, and as the notes are
of very different value, they occasion considerable embarrassment to
strangers. On that account it may be proper.to explain them hefe; as
it was at Gottenburg that we were supplied with such notes, and
obliged to make ourselves acquainted with their value. There are two
kinds o f paper in Sweden: bank paper and government paper. The
name of the notes issued by both is the same, but they are distinguished
from each other by the word banco being added to the first, and
ricfachels to. the second: they are of very different value. The government
paper has suffered a depreciation of 50 per cent.; but the bank
paper continues at par. The bank of Stockholm was established about
the year 1688 by Charles XI.; and though it has undergone several
fluctuations in consequence o f various encroachments o f the crown, it
has upon the Whole maintained its credit. It has been customary for
many years in Sweden to suspend the cash payments o f the bank
whenever the state of their affairs render it necessary. This is the case
at present. The bank issues no gold nor silver, but i f you present a
small note you may have its value in copper money. Besides the national
bank, there are several private banks, at least in Gottenburg, and
their notes bear the same value as bank o f Stockholm paper.
The calculations are all made by means of government paper, so
that when you pay in bank paper, or in copper, your payments go for
one-third more than their denomination.
The money in Sweden is rix-dollars, dollars, skillings (pronounced
shillings), stivers, and runsticks. The following is the relative value
o f these denominations:
12 runsticks make 1 skilling.
4 stivers 1 skilling.
8 skillings ....................................................1 dollar.
48 skillings or 6 dollars.................................1 rix-dollar.
A skilling, according to the present rate o f exchance, is as nearly as
possible equivalent to an English halfpenny, and a rix-dollar to two
shillings; but what was formerly called a copper skilling (and which is
still so marked upon the coin) goes for a skilling and a half, or is equal
in value to . three-farthings. The bank notes are of the following
kinds:
s. d.
8 skillings equivalent to o 6 sterling.
12 skillings 0 9
24 skillings 1 6
1 rix-dollar . ................. 3 o
2 rix-dollars.....................6 O
3 rix-dollars ..............9 0