EUROPE IN 1827.

XI.

DENMARK, NORWAY, AND Sweden.

The once powerful kingdom of Denmark, which proudly maintained its rank among the first in Europe by sea and land, and was courted by the most influential powers of southern Europe, which till a very late period, was our nearest competitor for naval glory, though otherwise much weakened and depressed in the political scale,-received in the year 1807, the coup de grace from our hands, giving us then no other provocation, except that of being too weak and unable to defend itself. Yet not content with this, in the year 1815, at Vienna, it may be said, that we still more certainly sealed its destruction, when consenting to the separation from the sister kingdom of Norway; by which, though the loss of Denmark, in point of revenue, was very trifling, or even none at all, her political importance was so much lessened, that since that period it is felt nowhere in the affairs of Europe. Previous, however, to this external shock, there was certainly an inward decay, for which Great

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Britain is in no way accountable. The finances of Denmark were deranged, her commerce drooping, her energy and national spirit fast dying away, and the political malady to all appearance incurable, ever since the memorable year 1660, when the Danes chose to sell their liberties, for the false satisfaction of seeing their proud Nobles humiliated; and delivered up every thing which intellectual beings can surrender, into the hands of power. Yet, since the two events which we have mentioned above, of the first of which we were the sole authors, and consenting to the other, the progress of the decline has been more rapid, and the vital parts have been more grievously affected by the disease.

Denmark, we may now say, has no navy, no commerce, no manufactures; her progress in agriculture is insignificant; her colonies are in the most deplorable state; and her chief source of revenue, the Sound duties, are pledged for a loan contracted in London in 1825. Every thing, but arts and literature, and the nation's affection to the King, is in a state of decline.

Though the reign of Frederick VI. has hitherto not been a very fortunate one, yet all his subjects acknowledge, that it was not in his power to resist the tide of unfortunate events, by which the Danes have suffered so much. The members of the House of Oldenburgh, the most ancient reigning family in Europe, have always been highly gifted with those personal qualities of Royalty, which never fail to render monarchs beloved and revered by their subjects. It is well known to every Dane, that Frederick VI. has a paternal affection and care for all his subjects; that he loves them all, both high and

low; that he gives a hearing to every one who solicits that favour; that he wishes justice to be administered with impartiality; and this conviction, which is often manifested with great enthusiasm, when his Majesty appears in public on solemn occasions, goes a great length to render the people happy, even in a state of political calamity and suffering. This mutual good understanding between King and subject is very manifest when his Majesty takes his walk, as he does almost every day, with the Princess Royal, through the city of Copenhagen, often without any, sometimes with a single attendant; for every passenger bows with reverence, and is kindly noticed in return.

In the choice of his ministers, his Majesty, since the death of the Count Goetske Moltke, has not been very fortunate; almost all of them have been unpopular. Mr Kaas, President of the Chancery, an office which in some sort corresponds with that of our Premier, died last year, and was little regretted. Of no very amiable or spotless private character, he was haughty and insolent in his manners, and despotic in his measures. Formerly sent as an ambassador to Buonaparte, he was said to have been in great favour, and to have taken a particular liking to the Emperor of the French; and it was thought that, ever afterwards, he wished to copy him in private and political conduct; of course, he copied as little men copy great ones. Mr Stegmann, who was appointed his successor, and who formerly was Governor of Soroc-Amt in Seeland, was hitherto highly esteemed for his great vigilance in office; and, no doubt, the Danes expect much from him: yet his, is none of those highly gifted and comprehensive minds, which we

admire in ministers of state; and his strictness and accuracy in little things, often borders on pedantry. In point of moral character, he is an ornament to the Danish Council. The Count Schimmelman, who has served his Danish Majesty in almost every ministerial capacity by turns, for he has been Finance Minister, the Leader of the Privy Council, and now he is Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in his younger days, a very able metaphysician of the school of Kant, and a great theorist in every department; it is not altogether inappropriate to call him the Chateaubriand of Denmark. This worthy man is now turned of seventy, and infirm in mind and body. Yet he has more experience and knowledge of the world than all his colleagues; and Frederick VI. would not easily, amongst his nobles, find a more fit person for the foreign department. Major Abrahamson is not a member of the Privy Council, but an Adjutant to the King, and his intimate friend. He is a man of great activity, and great zeal in whatever he undertakes. It is owing to his exertions, in a great measure, that Denmark now can boast, that the education of the lower orders in that kingdom is on a better footing than in any other country in Europe. In addition to the Danish parochial schools, he has lately, by his own exertions, established two thousand, on the Lancasterian principle.

Denmark also has her full share of eminent literary characters. Mr Schlegel, a cousin to Aug. and Frid. Schlegel, as Professor of the law of Nature and Nations, is an ornament of the University of Copenhagen. Thorlacius, who is Professor of Belles Lettres, (Eloquentiæ Latina), is renowned as one of the most profound scholars on the

Continent. Herhold is a physician of great eminOersted's name is of high celebrity in the history of natural philosophy; and Rask is in all probability the first linguist of our age.

ence.

Prince Christian, the Heir-apparent to the Crown of Denmark, and his consort Princess Carolina Amelia, while travelling in Great Britain and on the Continent, were universally admired for their literary accomplishments. Their know.. ledge and love of polite literature is very uncommon. This, coupled with the most refined elegance in manners, as well as with universal benevolence of character, renders them highly admired and beloved by the Danish nation.

NORWAY.-Though the separation from Denmark, in the year 1813, wounded the feelings of the Norwegians, yet it now appears that they are completely reconciled to their political fate. The fact is, that on this occasion, the feelings manifested were more those of an habitual-it might almost be said personal-attachment to the House of Oldenburgh, than those of a genuine political character. The exchange of masters, from Frederick VI. to Bernadotte, even when all the military achievements of the latter, were thrown into the scale in his favour; could hardly flatter the vanity of a nation, which reveres ancient names and des- cents, as much as any of their northern neighbours. Frederick numbers at least 16 ancestors before -him in a direct line, adorned with a Royal Crown; this line again, was connected with the ancient Kings of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, with the Harolds, the Knuts, the Olavs; and it had al