CHAPTER VI.
OF THE CHARACTER AND CONDUCT OF GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS IV.
Erroneous Opinion of Gustavus entertained in Britain—His true Character—His Super-
stition Military Ignorance—Quarrel with Prussia—His War with France—Conduct in
Pomerania—Supposed Treaty for the Partition of Sweden—Russians invade Finland_
Arrest of the Russian Ambassador—War with Denmark—Invasion of Norway—Arrival
and Treatment of the British Auxiliaries—Projected Invasion of Zealand—Conquest of
Finland by the Russians—Quarrel with Great Britain—Projected Invasion of Sweden.
BEFORE I went to Sweden I was strongly impressed with a high
opinion of the late King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus IV. as it had
been drawn with so much zeal and apparent truth in the British newspapers.
I disapproved of the Swedish revolution, and was eager to
learn the opinion entertained of it by well informed people in Sweden.
I had many opportunities of conversing on the subject with people of
all ranks, both Swedes and foreigners, who had the means of accurate
information on the subject, and no motive whatever to disguise their
real sentiments. I found every person concur in the same opinion,
while the picture drawn of the conduct of Gustavus Adolphus was so
different from what I had conceived from the statements in the English
newspapers, that I was unwilling to admit it, and I yielded only to
the evidence of well authenticated facts. Before I enter upon an account
of the revolution itself, it will be proper to give a short account
of the late king, and of his conduct during the whole of his reign,
IHElSTJkW® ¡TV. AlEXDlKPiaWS.