1792. on literature in Denmark. 3u 
INTELLIGENCE RESPECTING ARTS AND LITERATURE IN 
DENMARK. 
“Wine so many other potentates are disturbing the peace 
of nations by war and intrigues, the priace of Denmark, 
(who has for some years past taken the lead in the busi- 
‘nels of the cabinet,) is continually occupied in promoting 
domestic improvements and encouraging literary  pur- 
suits. ‘ 
This prince had no sooner taken his seat at the council- 
board, in the year 1784, than he bestowed a particular 
attention to the lower clafses of the people, and has been 
ever since eager to redrefs those grievances which the weak 
in every country are too much subjected to by the influ- 
ence of the powerful. He was very soon sensible of the in- 
estimable benefits that in this respect may be derived from 
the liberty of the prefs, and has therefore taken care that no 
severe restraints fhould be put upon that, the only sure cor- 
rector of abuses. The nobles, who felt their power in 
danger of being curtailed by that means, did not fail to en- 
‘deavour to persuade him to put the prefs under restraints, 
‘and artfully insinuated that the character of his highnefs 
had been treated with too much freedom in certain pamph- 
lets ; but instead of being irritated at this, as they expected, 
he calmly replied, that he was sorry that any thing in his 
behaviour fhould have given occasion for animadversion ; 
though if it had, he thought himself more. obliged to 
those who pointed it out to his notice than to those 
who endeavoured to prevent him from observing and 
correcting his errors. If the strictures were just, they 
would thus prove beneficial to him, if they were ground- 
lefs they would soon be disregarded. He therefore left no 
ather corrector of the prefs but the jucgés of the land, 
