1827.] 



Domestic and Foreign* 



19o 



this observation is strongly marked by the fact, 

 that in every house you enter the furniture and 

 appurtenances, which are not new, are invariably 

 English ; while all which bear the stamp of recent 

 acquisition are as invariably Gorman or French. 

 The duties on Norwegian timber aie now made so 

 high, in order to protect the Canada trade, that it 

 is quite impossible for the Norwegians to find a 

 sale in our markets ; and these imposts are conse- 

 quently impolitic, because they drive the Norwe- 

 gian to seek, from other countries, where he can 

 sell his timber, those articles for which he before 

 looked exclusively to England; added to which, 

 this system weakens the attachment which they 

 have invariably felt towards us. The population 

 of Norway is stated at from /50,000 to 900,000. 



On quitting Norway for Sweden, he 

 inspects the canal which completes the 

 chain of communication with the Baltic, 

 through West Gothland, and the lakes 

 Wenern and Wettern to the Trollhatten 

 Canal. The plans were drawn by an 

 English engineer, Mr. Tel ford. When he 

 had completed his undertaking-, Mr. T. 

 was asked by the Swedish government 

 whether he would not prefer an honorary 

 to a pecuniary reward, as if he did, the 

 king would invest him with the Order of 

 Vasa. Mr. T. replied, that he was a civi- 

 lian (this could not have been his word) 

 and money was what he worked for. They 

 gave him a thousand pounds and even- 

 tually he got the order into the bargain. 



At Stockholm he was introduced to the 

 king, and received without any parade 

 whatever. The king talked of naval mat- 

 ters, and of Lord Londonderry, whom he 

 thought not quite equal to Mr. Pitt, but 

 very nearly so ; he was going out of 

 town, but hoped to see Captain Jones to 

 dinner on his return which seems to have 

 been forgotten : 



From what I can discover of the public opinion 

 (says the author), the present king seems firmly 

 seated on his throne, and to reign in the affections 

 of his subjects which I do not find to be so un- 

 equivocally extended t his son. Indeed, when a 

 comparison is drawn between him and the son of 

 the ex-king, I think the decision is generally in 

 favour of the latter, and the preference is express- 

 ed, not without hints of his being supported by 

 Russia. The succession was guaranteed by Rus- 

 sia, before Bernadotte turned his arms against 

 France. But nous verrons. 



The rank of nobility is conferred by the 

 king; but the titles, since 1813, descend 

 only to the eldest son. The nobility 

 amount to l,20i). But to shew, says the 

 author, how opposite interests will act, 

 while he is endeavouring to reduce them 

 in Sweden, he wishes, to increase them in 

 Norway, and in both cases he finds him- 

 self strongly opposed. There are four 

 orders of knighthood upon which the 

 author sagaciously remarks he cannot 

 help thinking such distinctions to be a 

 very happy mode of rewarding their sub- 

 jects, at the trifling cost of a few stars 



and ribbands; besides, he adds, orders and 

 honourable employments inspire greater 

 emulation than pecuniary recompences, 

 as the man who looks only to the lucre of 

 gain as the reward of his heroism, will 

 very seldom perform any exalted action. 

 Yet I should be sorry, adds the author, 

 to see this system introduced into Eng- 

 land, because at all events, it would throw 

 into the hands of the government too great 

 a facility of making dependents. He need 

 be under no apprehensions ibit, ibit eo 

 quo vis, qui zonam perdidit. Besides, 

 can he forget the extensions of the Order 

 of.the Bath ? 



At Petersburgh the deposed royal family 

 of Georgia were present at a ball. 



It consists of the queen, the widow of the Tzar 

 George Herachevitch, her two daughters, and two 

 sons. The princes were in a sort of Russo-Georgian 

 costume, and wearing daggers richly mounted. The 

 whole of the family appeared melancholy and un- 

 happy. They have precedence next to the imperial 

 family. But, deprived of liberty, where can hap- 

 piness be found ? Bondage is still bondage, how- 

 ever highly the chains be gilt 



with more of the same calibre. They have 

 been at Petersburgh ever since 1801. 



And in the Crimea too, the writer met 

 with the grand-son of Krim Ghery, the 

 last khan of the Tartars. . We can but give 

 a glance at his singular story. The khan 

 himself accepted a pension and asylum at 

 Petersburg. The son disdaining submis- 

 sion fled to the Caucasus, where the grand- 

 son was born. At about the age of thir- 

 teen, this grand-son fell into the hands of 

 the Scotch Missionaries, who have long 

 been settled in that quarter became a 

 Christian, and was renounced by his fa- 

 mily. At the emperor's expense he went 

 to Edinburgh, made considerable progress 

 at the University, and formed an attach, 

 ment to a Miss Nelson, the daughter of a 

 gentleman of that town. After a succes- 

 sion of difficulties of the most romantic 

 character they were married, and are now 

 settled in the Crimea at Akmetchet 

 busied in forming schools, under the au- 

 spices of the emperor, and our Society for 

 the Propagation of Christian Knowledge. 

 The traveller reports, he does not get re- 

 paid for his outlays. The lady is still 

 very young; she has two children, the 

 eldest a boy. The husband addresses her 

 as the Sultana. 



At Petersburg, and again at Moscow, 

 he encountered poor blind Mr. Holman. 

 Really that gentleman's friends should 

 keep him at Windsor. Notwithstanding 

 all his activity, his must ever be in a help- 

 less condition ; and as, wherever he goes, 

 he must be dependent upon others, he 

 should not be permitted thus to tax the 

 humanity of every quarter of Europe. 

 He is every where too we ourselves the 

 other dav met him in Bond-street, and 



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