1 70 Notices respecting Neiv Books. 



has entered into the career of the drama under favourable 

 auspices. Alten has given several translations of foreign 

 pieces. It ujay be said in general that within the latter half 

 of the 18lh century, and particularly since the reign of Gus- 

 tavus IJI., tiie belles lettres, and particularly poetry, have 

 been cultivated in Sweden with much success: the example 

 of this last monarch, who is himself celebrated as a poet and 

 an orator*, has had necessarily a most salutary influence 

 upon the fate of letters. By establishing the Swedish Aca- 

 demy, composed of eighteen members, his princi;.)al object 

 was the cultivation of the Swedish language, and to favour 

 poetry and eloquence. 



Among the best poets of Sweden now dead, M. Eck 

 mentions Nordenflycht, Kellegrew, Lidner, Crcutz, KexcU, 

 Bellman, and Oelf ; and among living poets, A.dlerbeth and 

 Leopold ; the latter is also author of several very fine lyrical 

 compositions, and of an agreeable collection of erotic poems. 

 ConntGyllenborg, a respectable old nobleman, some years ago 

 published a much esteemed heroic poem, entitled Toget cejver 

 Belt; " Expedition of Charles X. beyond the Belt;" some 

 satirical ))oenis, in which he has taken Boileau as his model j 

 and several lyrical poems, which will secure him an honour- 

 able place among the best poets of our times f. The mar- 

 shal of the empire, count Oxenstierna, is the author of a 

 happy imitation oV the Georgics of Virgil, entitled Skce- 

 dorric, or " The Harvest." Francis Franzen has written several, 

 lyrical pieces, in which he has drawn the picture of a coun- 

 try life and simplicity of manners. Eckcberg is the author 

 of several good satires ; and Bagge X published, at the age of 



eigliteen, 



• • Several of liis fpeeches, delivered before the states of the kingdom and 

 in the senate, have been tranddted into Latin by the learned Italian Domi- 

 nicui. Michilcssi, who was so much esteemed by Frederic II. of Prussia, on 

 account of his genius. This translation, publislied at Berlin hi 1 772, in 8vo. 

 was dedicated to Pope Clemeot XIV., and in the dedication Michclcssi calls 

 Gustavus III. cloqucnttsbimum regem. 



■{• There exists a choice collection of his poetry, and of his friend the late 

 count Creutz, under the title of " Vitterhets Arbetcn af Creutz och Gyllen- 

 borg," Stockholm 1795, in 8vo. 



\ M. Bnggc studied -it Upsal in 17!:»'». M. Eckeberg was tlien a wa^'/ster 

 rfuff/25 of that,uiiiversity ; M. r"r::nzen is adjunct professor of clotjucnce at 



Abo; 



