ing the usual proportion of the felspar appears. In the same part of
the province I observed a single bed of mica slate, which I mention
on account ot its great scarcity in Sweden, at least in those provinces
which I visited, 1 saw also beds o f hornblende slate. This I conceive
to be the rock which the Swedes call compact botblende, and
which Cronstedt included under his name trap. In the same part of
the province were beds of primitive lime. In short the whole of Upland
may be conceived as consisting- o f gneiss, containing here and
there beds ot hornblende, greenstone, mica slate, lime, &c. not to mention
the various mineral deposites, some o f which I shall describe afterwards.
There is no town and hardly even a village between Stockholm and
I. psala. But the road seems to be well frequented; and though it
possesses all the beauty and goodness of the Swedish roads in general,
yet it bears marks o f a much more frequent communication between
Stockholm and Upsala, than had been apparent in the road between
Gottenburg and Stockholm. This is rather a curious circumstance
and not easily accounted for.
W e reached Upsala about two in the morning, and got lodgings in
the Post-house, a ruinous building at the entrance o f the city, The
night was cold, and onr bed clothes very scanty. The consequence
was that we never got warm in our beds, were unable to sleep, and
were in consequence exceedingly impatient for the appearance of
morning.
Upsala is one o f the most ancient cities in Sweden. It was long
the capital o f the kingdom: even before the introduction of Christianity
it was a place o f note, and the residence o f the High Priest of
Odin. The present c i y stands a little to the south o f Gamla Upsala,
or Old Upsala, nothing o f which now remains, except some rude monuments
which are said to be tombs of the ancient Swedish Kings,
I t is conceived that the ancient city had been destroyed by fire, to
which all wooden towns are extremely liable, and that the present
ra y o f Upsala, which is better situated,. rose upon its ruins. About
a Swedish mile from Upsala there is a place called Mora Stenar (probably
black stones) where the ancient kings of Sweden were elected,
and received the homage o f their subjects. Nothing else is to be seen
but a number of black stones (seemingly sienite and greenstone), covered
with figures, and Runic inscriptions, collected into a small house
hear the meadow Where they formerly stood.
When we got up in the morning, the first objects that struck us
were the palace, situated upon a rising ground, on the south side o f
Upsala, and the cathedral within the town. These were the most striking
objects; the one, from its size and situation, the other, from its magnificence.
The palace at Upsala was begun by Gustavus Vasa, and
finished by his son Eric XIV. In the year 1702 it was burnt down,
and only one wing and part of another at present remain. In tbis
palace the Governor of the province usually resides. Here the dungeon
is shown in which Steno Store was confined by Eric XIV., and
some rude letters are still seen on the wall which he is said to have
cut in the estasy o f his grief, when he was informed of the murder o f
his son.
The cathedral o f Upsala is a very large brick building, completely
Gothic within; but without, there are two towers o f a later date than
the rest o f the building, adorned with Doric pillars, which injure a good
deal the symmetry of the whole. It must be allowed however to be
tbe finest as well as the largest cathedral in Sweden. The interior is
particularly fine: perhaps it owes not a little of the interest which we
take in surveying it to the monuments o f tbe different celebrated men
and heroes which it contains. Upsala is perhaps the most ancient
Christian establishment in Sweden. The first Bishop was an Englishman,
named Everinus, who came over in the year 1026 at the request
of Olaus Scotkonung, to assist in converting the natives of Upsala to
Christianity; the similarity o f the English and Swedish languages was
the motive o f this request, and induced not only Everinus, but several
others of his countrymen, to attempt the conversion o f the Swedes:
their endeavours, conducted with great moderation and address, were
eminently successful. The successors o f Everinus resided chiefly at
Sigtunatill the year 1120, when Nicholas Ulphson fixed his residence
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