124 071 the king of Sweden. MarcTo 28, 



This is the only security they enjoy for a contimi- 

 aiice of liberty and protection : Slender security ! 



To have effected such a great revolution, with 

 so much ease, discovers that the king of Sweden is 

 by no means destitute of talents ; and his conduct in 

 otlier respects confirms this judgement. By the best 

 accounts that have been publiflied of this kingdom, 

 it has advanced considerably in domestic improve- 

 anent under his administration. His manners are 

 engaging, and his conduct to his people affable and 

 mild, so that he is, upon the whole, well esteemed by 

 the nation. And if the reflections on the balance of 

 power in Europe, lately translated by lord FItzwilliam,, 

 be his, his talents as a writer are not inconsiderable, 

 though the consistency of his conduct as a politician, 

 may be disputed. 



On a recent occasion he put his popularity to the 

 test in a very eminent degree. Instigated, as it 

 Ihould seem, by a desire to display his military prow- 

 efs, he very unadvisedly and rallily entered into a 

 war with Rufsia, under a pretext that no reason 

 eould authorise ; and he has paid dear for the well 

 earned laurels he obtained on that occasion. Trust- 

 ing to his own marine, and to the afsistance he hoped 

 to derive from others, and expecting that Rufsia, em- 

 barrafsed with the war against the Turks, would not 

 be able to oppose him with vigour, he made a sudden 

 Irruption into the Rufsian Finland, where he met 

 with greater opposition than was expected. His 

 fleet, unafsisted by any ally, was opposed by the 

 whole naval power of P,.ufsia in the Baltic, and after 

 an obstinate fight of two da^s, was entirely broken, 

 and nearly anailiilated. Oa that occasion, with an 



