76 TEN YEAES IN SWEDEN. 



the coarser kinds, for trout and gwnynniad are confined 

 to the larger lakes. 



The Swedish monarchy is the oldest in Europe, for 

 they date its foundation about 600 A.D., under its first 

 king, Ingiald. The government is a limited monarchy; 

 liberal without being in the least despotic; in fact the 

 Swedes seem to enjoy perfect freedom, both in speech and 

 press. All the four estates are represented in parliament, 

 the representatives being chosen equally from the nobility, the 

 clergy, the burghers, and the peasants. A reform in the 

 representation is, however, now in contemplation. The 

 present king, Charles XV., is, as he deserves to be, popular 

 with all classes, and just the stamp of king to rule over such 

 a nation as the Swedes. Simple and unaffected, firm but 

 not overbearing, easily accessible, possessing talents of no 

 mean order, of a manly, handsome personal appearance he 

 is a favourite with all classes, and I consider Sweden, just 

 at the present time, one of the happiest countries in Europe. 



Torn by no internal factions ; troubled with no foreign 

 possessions; governed by a king who appears to have his 

 subjects' welfare at heart, and by laws which are just and 

 equitable, without being unduly severe; without a foreign 

 enemy ; with an increasing commerce, and a country gradu- 

 ally, although slowly improving, the Swedes may almost 

 be said to live together like a happy family, and although 

 they are poor in comparison with the inhabitants of other 

 large European nations, I doubt if many a richer country 

 might not well envy them. 



The religion, which is strictly Lutheran, was introduced 

 by Gustaf Vasa in the sixteenth century, and there appear 

 to be no dissenters. It is true there are a few Catholics and 

 Jews in the country, and a class called ' ' Lasare," or readers, 

 which seems to be much on the increase. These latter can 

 hardly, however, be called dissenters, because I never heard 

 that they wish to interfere with the standard religion of the 

 country. These " Lasare," who are chiefly of the lower and 

 middle classes, are simply rather stricter in the observance 



