proaches by star-light, he was killed by an halfpound ball, discharged from a cannon loaded with grape-shot. Though he expired without a groan, the moment he had received the blow he had instinctively grasped the hilt of his sword, and was found in that position, so extremely characteristic of his mind.

Thus fell Charles XII. a prince posA. D. sessed of many eminent, and few amiable 1718. qualities. He was rigidly just, but void of lenity; romanticly brave, yet blind to consequences; profusely generous, without knowing how to oblige; temperate, without delicacy; a stranger to the pleasures of society, and only slightly acquainted with books; a Goth in his manners, and a savage in his resentments. In short, he was little formed to conciliate love, or procure esteem. But his wonderful intrepidity and perseverance in enterprize, his firmness under misfortune, his contempt of danger, and his enthusiastic passion for glory, will ever command the admiration of mankind.

CHAP. IV.

From the Death of Charles XII. to the present

A.D. 1719.

ON

Time.

N the death of Charles XII. his sister Ulrica-Eleonora, wife to the prince of Hesse, assumed the Swedish sceptre, as the gift of the states, not as her own heredi-, tary right. The senate made some conditions with that princess, which emancipated the assembly from the state of subjection, in which it

had

had been held by the late monarch, The oppression of the king was not so much attributed to Charles as to his minister Goertz, who treated the people with great pride and hauteur, and who, after the death of his master, atoned by the loss of his head for his past influence, and for the imperious and arbitrary use which he had made of it. The restrictions imposed upon the regal power restored some equilibrium to the government, and pleased the Swedes, who al lowed Eleonora to associate her husband, Frederic, prince of Hesse, with herself on the throne.

A. D.

1720.

No sooner was the new government established, than the Swedes turned their views to peace, and signed three treaties with the belligerent powers; one with the king of Great Britain, as elector of Hanover, to whom the queen of Sweden ceded the duchies of Bremen and Verden, in consideration of a million of rixdollars; another with the king of Prussia, who restored Stralsund and the isle of Rugen, and retained Stetin and the isles of Usedom and Wollin; and a third with the Danish monarch, who kept part of the duchy of Sleswick, and gave up Wismar, on condition that the fortifications should not be rebuilt. Russia still continued to carry on the war; but an English squadron being sent to the assistance of Sweden, the czar recalled his fleet, and a peace was at length concluded between the two hostile crowns, by which Peter retained possession of the provinces of Livonia, Estonia, and In- 1721. gria, with parts of Carelia and of Finland,

C c 2

A. D.

The

The states of Sweden at this time required, indeed, that peace should be procured, whatever might be the concessions demanded; and the condition of this kingdom makes us shudder, and calls forth our lamentations for those nations governed by princes who are infatuated by a passion for war. All the veteran soldiers had disappeared, being either killed or captured by the enemy. The armies were composed of young recruits, raw and inexperienced in the profession of arms, and who had not the opportunity of acquiring military skill from the superintendence and example of Charles. The taxes were numerous and oppressive, and the people groaned under the weight of their burdens. Destitute of money and credit, Sweden was unable to resist any longer the attacks of her enemies. Her commerce was ruined, industry unnerved, and the marine destroyed. Entire provinces were covered with ruins; and consternation and dismay pervaded the whole kingdom.

Frederic and his consort, having thus restored peace and tranquillity to their subjects, by the treaties concluded with the belligerent powers, endeavoured to re-establish the prosperity and commerce of the nation. But the success of their operations was impeded by the refractory and turbulent disposition of the senate; who, too proud of the power which they had regained after the death of Charles, became jealous of the power of the king, and on almost every occasion opposed his wishes. After the death of his wife, Ulrica, who was greatly beloved by the Swedes, Frederic stood in need of all his prudence and moderation to support his authority,

and

A. D.

1751.

and to procure a settlement of the succession, without disturbances. The states nominated Adolphus-Frederic, who was a near kinsman of the deceased queen, and of the house of Holstein, to be hereditary prince of the crown of Sweden.

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The long reigns of these monarchs, though peaceable, were nevertheless not free from troubles. In Sweden factions arose which became the watch-words of an entire nation, and whose vulgar appellations were the "Ilats," and the Caps.' The former consisted of those that were attached to the royal prerogative, and were desirous of re-establishing the administration of government on the footing on which it had stood during the reigns of Charles XI. Gustavus-Adolphus, and Charles-Gustavus. It was well known that this party, with which the nobles and clergy sided, were favoured by the king and his council. The sentiments of the Caps were directly adverse to those of the Hats, and breathed nothing but the liberty and privileges of the senate. With these were united the principal burghers, and the most distinguished members of the order of the peasants. Besides

those two factions, a third party was formed, called the "Hunting-caps," who consisted of individuals from all the different classes of the people; and who, by their accession or defection, gave to or took from either of the others a preponderant influence.

Little repressed by Frederic, and still less restrained by the feeble interposition of Adolphus-Frederic, the Swedish senate had assumed a sway which frequently mortified the two mo. C c 3 narchs

A. D.

1751.

narchs. On the death of the former, the latter prince ascended the throne of Sweden without the least disturbance; and, of his own accord, took an oath, in the assembly of the senate, that he would never attempt to introduce despotic authority, but maintain the liberties of the people, and rule according to the established laws and government of the kingdom. Eut the senate, by dint of remonstrances and of opposition to the royal will, in matters which seemed to affect the public welfare, had acquired a degree of credit, which rendered the Caps predominant. The king had been obliged to abandon to popular justice, or vengeance, valuable generals and envied ministers, whose zeal for the support of the regal authority and the views of France had given offence.

Indignant at what he deemed the unA. D. due influence of the senate, Adolphus 1755. endeavoured to change the form of government, and to increase the power of the crown by diminishing that of the states. The design, however, being discovered, several persons of rank were convicted as principals in this conspiracy, and condemned to suffer death. The Swedish monarch threatened to resign the crown, and to retire into his hereditary dominions; but he was dissuaded from his purpose by the people, who espoused his cause in opposition to the senate. The party of the Hats, however, had not the skill to avail themselves of the ascendency which the king gained in the general diet. They constituted, indeed, a majority in that assembly; but, as they did not possess any fixed plan, nor knew on what to determine,