ANTIQUITIES AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS IN DENMARK. 303 



rary and characteristic specimens (a method of studying - the subject up 

 to this time too much neglected in most countries), a historical museum 

 has been established in the ancient castle of Bosenborg, at Copenhagen, 

 built by Christian IV, from 1610-1617, which bears the name of "The 

 Chronological Collection of the Danish Kings." This museum, under the 

 direction of Professor Worsaae, forms the complement to that of the Mu- 

 seum of Northern A ntiquities. It embraces, in fact, the period comprised 

 between Christian IV and the death of King Frederick VII (1863), par- 

 ticularly the whole period of the absolute monarchy, from 1660 to 1848. 

 In the halls, which by a happy coincidence have partly preserved the 

 successive styles of the different epochs, there has been arranged around 

 the royal house as a center, and in a rigorously chronological order, a rich 

 and valuable collection of portraits, representing members of the royal 

 family and celebrated men of their times; costumes, furniture, orna- 

 ments, arms, and other objects which characterize the style of each 

 epoch, of which the printed descriptions will give a clearer idea.* This 

 museum, in which the crown jewels are preserved contains also valu- 

 able materials for the history of industry and art, and of the recent 

 progress of civilization in Denmark. The chronological collection, which 

 is a trust of the royal family placed under the control of the government, 

 has, as such, a distinguished board of managers, consisting of the min- 

 ister of public instruction, as the representative of the state, and one of 

 the principal functionaries of the court, as the representative of the 

 royal family. Moreover, the expense of increasing and preserving the 

 collection is charged to the public treasury. 



B. — Monuments. 



It was in the time of Christian IV, from 1610 to 1648, that measures 

 were first taken for the preservation of the principal remains of antiquity 

 going to decay. By order of the king, several great runic stones were 

 transported from different localities to Copenhagen, where many were 

 destroyed in the fire of 1 728 ; those which were saved are now preserved 

 in the Museum of Northern Antiquities. But during the remainder of 

 the seventeenth and all of the eighteenth century the state did nothing 

 for the national monuments, of which a large number disappeared, or 

 were much damaged by pretended restorations. 



It was only after the royal commission for the preservation of antiq- 

 uities had been established, in 1807, that any serious attempt was made 

 to preserve that which there was still hope of saving. After having 

 received from the pastors throughout the kingdom reports — often very 



* Carl Andersen. Do danske Kongers chronologisko Samling paa Rosenberg (Chron- 

 ological Collection of the Danish Kings at Rosenberg), 8vo, 3d edition. Copenhagen, 

 1875. Die chronol.Sammlung der Dan. Konige, 8vo, Copenhagen, 1872. Mindeblado 

 fra de dauske Kongers chronol. Samling (Souvenirs of the Chronological Collection of 

 the Danish Kings), 4to, 2d edition. Copenhagen, 1875. Notes on the chron. collection 

 of the Danish Kings, 4 to. Copenhagen, 18G8. — Dr. C. Brock. Den Oldenhorgsko 

 Kongeshegt isier under Enevaslden (The Dynasty of Oldenburg in the Times of Ab- 

 solutism), 8vo. Copenhagen, 1870. 



