XT. 22.] AND SCANDINAVIA. l6l 



was also read giving an account of a new steam- 

 engine, invented by a gentleman who resided many 

 years in Eussia and Sweden, and is now counsellor of 

 mines. The talking was carried on rather too quickly, 

 and without much distinctness or any order. I was 

 made acquainted (by Mr Sparman) with Mr Swanberg, 

 the professor of astronomy; he lives at the Observa- 

 tory, and was very obliging in assisting me with 

 letters for Torneo, of which place he is a native, though 

 I was surprised to find he knew little or nothing of 

 Lapland. He was up last summer at Torneo exam- 

 ining the measurements of the French Academy, as 

 the Academy here means to repeat these on a great 

 scale, taking in two degrees. This work they are 

 already preparing, and think to begin the summer 

 after next, though want of money is a great obstacle. 

 Mr Sparman is a very worthy creature, and, I believe, 

 skilful enough in his profession, but his scientific 

 knowledge seems confined altogether to natural his- 

 tory. He complains that Vaillant (whom he calls 

 charlatan) has copied his map, and says that Lieu- 

 tenant Paterson used him much better. He is a 

 Swedenborgian. Mr Sjostrom is one of the secre- 

 taries, and a great electrician. He lectures in the 

 Academy's great hall, where they meet in summer : it 

 is very handsome, and he has a good apparatus. He 

 has translated 'Cavallo's Electricity' into Swedish; 

 and is busy with a discovery he has made lately, and 

 which he explained to us. He finds that all parts of 

 the body which do not perspire sensibly, will show 



VOL. I. L 



