from coming in contact with the saline atmosphere if any such exist,
but it effectually screens them from the wind, and as long as this
screen continues, the neighbourhood of the sea has no injurious effect
upon them.
When the canal intended to join the Yener and the Malar shall be
completed, we may conclude that the intercourse between the west
and east coast o f Sweden will be greatly promoted. .Such a communication
must be particularly advantageous in case,of a war with Denmark,
to which from the neighbourhood o f that kingdom, and the
rivalship and hostility which has so long existed between Sweden and
Denmark, the Swedes are particularly exposed.
The Vetter is another lake which might be o f great consequence to
the commerce o f Sweden, i f the Swedes ever become a manufacturing'
nation. It connects Nerike with.-Smoland. The only use to Which it
is applied at present is to facilitate the conveyance of limestone, to be
used in the smelting of the iron oreof-Taberg. : This limestone iis conveyed
in open boats to the lake on the south side o f lonkoping, and is
there distributed to the different smelting houses. I was sorry to see'
so large a lake, and apparently so deep, totally; destitute ofships. This
is probably owing to the nature of .Smoland, which is: the most barren,’
and consequently the thinnest inhabited proyince that I saw in Sweden.'
Much more advantage is taken of the Malar and Hjelmar, which lie
in the most populous and important,part of Sweden. ' Through the first
o f these at least a very considerable trade is carried .on between Dale-
carlia and Westmanland and Stockholm. I f the Motala, which runs'
out of the northern extremity of the Vetter, and: passes through Nor-
koping, could be rendered navigable, it would greatly benefit all that ,
part of Sweden which surrounds the Vetter, and bring that lake into-
the same situation as the Vener, which-is indebted for its chief value to
the large size o f the river Gotha.;
There is great reason to believe that, the lakes in Sweden are:
diminishing in size, and that many of them will at last dry up. I saw"
several striking instances of this diminution, some of which I have
stated in a preceding part o f this work. This diminution is attended
with a corresponding diminution in the size of the Swedish rivers, most
if not all of. which originate from lakes. This diminution has become
so.striking atUpsala, that apprehensions are entertained that the river
running through the city will soon be incapable o f driving a corn-mill
upon which the University-depends for a considerable part o f its revenue.
A diminution in the size o f the Baltic has ever been remarked
by the Swedish writers, and demonstrated by evidence that to me at
least appears incontestible. Some mineralogical writers conceive this
diminution o f water to be a general process going on in every part of
the earth, and which in their opinion has been going on since the
original formation o f the earth. In their opinion there is a constant
progress towards solidity, and the final termination o f all things terrestrial
will be brought about by the conversion o f the whole water into
firm matter. Such opinions are totally unsupported by any solid evidence
; they include theories beyond the human understanding to discuss,
and have no other tendency than to throw ridicule upon mineralogical
speculations, and induce men of sound heads to abandon them
altogether. Every thing involving speculations respecting the method
employed by the Divine Being in governing the earth, and the ultimate
objects which he has in view, ought to be abandoned as beyond our
sphere, except when they can be supportéd by mathematical demonstration,
or by authentic proofs o f a divine revelation.
The rivers in Sweden are very numerous ; but none o f them are of
-any great size; unless some of the rivers far to the north, which I
had no opportunity o f seeing, be exceptions. The greatest river in
South Sweden, and by far the most important, is the Gotha, which
joins the lake Vener to the sea, and serves as the channel of communication
between Vermeland and Gottenburg. It is a very respectable
river in point of size, and at the falls o f Trollhatta has a very picturesque
appearance. The commerce on it is considerable, and must
increase when the present canal cutting between the Vener and the
Malar is finished. The next river in point o f importance is the Motala,
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