JET. 22.] AND SCANDINAVIA. 155 



thing of the kind to be found elsewhere, it may be 

 reckoned one of the first institutions of the kind in 

 Europe, if not the first. The expense is beyond all 

 proportion to the other establishments, being 80,000 

 rix-dollars per annum. 



It is now altogether in Swedish ; but the late king 

 had a French opera also. He was himself the man- 

 ager ; and was so imprudent as to say " that it cost him 

 more trouble to govern his opera than his kingdom." 



We had an opportunity of seeing the opera to great 

 advantage at the queen's lying-in ; indeed the operas 

 given on this occasion were the only solemnity which 

 accompanied it, except above a thousand guns which 

 were fired the very moment she was delivered. She 

 was brought to bed about two in the morning ; and the 

 king and Court repaired immediately to the Ryder- 

 holm Church, where a Te Deum was sung. The 

 baptism was a very fine show, in the private chapel 

 of the palace, every one attending in Court dress. 



Dido was the opera given at the lying-in ; Panurge, 

 at the reception, which happened a few days after we 

 left Stockholm. At the former we were present, 

 though privately (owing to the particular circum- 

 stances). The spectacle was truly grand; the pit and 

 amphitheatre being joined by boarding, benches were 

 placed there for the Court, the king and queen- 

 dowager sitting in the middle. They were superbly 

 dressed, particularly the king, in cloth-of-gold. Next 

 to him the Duke of Sudermania, and next to the 

 queen, the duchess. Behind, the officers and the 



