1825.] Biographical Sketch of Baron Edelcrantz. 333 



vigour, and his spirit of research its wonted ardour, and he now 

 bent all his energies calmly to study the dissolution of the body, 

 and the extinction of the vital principle. It is on the veracity 

 of one who was an eye-witness of the melancholy yet interesting 

 spectacle, that it is related that Edelcrantz, with the utmost 

 clearness and precision, watched the ebbing of the tide of life, 

 and measuring its progress, compared with the lapse of the pas- 

 sing moments, foreknew and predicted the crisis of the instant 

 when life should close. — It arrived, and Edelcrantz was no more. 



Few men have possessed a capacity for exertion equal to that 

 of Edelcrantz. His information was alike remarkable for its 

 accuracy and for its extent. His judgment was distinguished by 

 solidity and perspicacity, — his zeal in the cause of science and 

 the arts was unbounded ; and these qualities gave to him a 

 power of clearly expounding and eloquently enforcing his views, 

 which, whenever he brought forward any of his numerous plans 

 of general benefit and practical utility, was sure to produce in 

 him the most agreeably persuasive powers of oratory. 



In his private life his manners were most retired and unob- 

 trusive, yet such as ever commanded respect, and sustained the 

 dignity of his character. His house was ever hospitable, with- 

 out exhibiting profusion ; and his conversation was always easy 

 and sprightly, yet never uninstructive. The company which he 

 gathered round him, without being too rigorously exclusive, was 

 always composed of those only who could fully appreciate and 

 enjoy the intellectual and scientific topics about which he was 

 fond of holding converse. Such a general conversation-party 

 was held by him at least once each week during his residence in 

 the capital. When the weather was fine, he used to make a 

 practice of going from the city or from the cabinet to the tran- 

 quillity of his country-seat Skugga, situated in the Royal Deer 

 Park, and which he enjoyed as a gift from the King, where he 

 looked out upon those buildings, plantations, and parks, around 

 him, which had been all planned and designed by himself. In 

 this place, however, the only recreation sought by his active and 

 intelligent mind was a mere change of subject upon which to 

 occupy it, a variety in the kind of employment which was to 

 engage his hours. 



Even an imperfect delineation of the character, occupations, 

 habits, and discoveries of Baron A. N. Edelcrantz, is more than 

 the author of this little biography aspires to. His object has 

 been to gather a few detached incidents of the life of Edelcrantz, 

 from which the general utility of his proposals, the elevation of 

 his designs, and the amiableness of his private character, may 

 be felt by the reader better than the writer has been able to 

 pourtray them : just as the placing before an observer's eye the 

 appearance and dimensions of some of the parts of any well- 

 proportional structure, enables hiin to rear up and place before 



