1 68 VISIT TO DENMARK [i799- 



king, also, wished to have the Lank into his own 

 hands, but this he could not accomplish. The late 

 king made specie somewhat plenty by borrowing 

 from Holland near a million specie, which he circu- 

 lated ; but this is now drained off also. The old plates 

 (of copper) went to Denmark chiefly. 



At this diet bribery was exercised in a very open 

 way, though on a small scale. Thus pensions were 

 given of a rix-dollar per day. Indeed the late king 

 ruled very much by corruption, which, from the 

 poverty of the nobility, he found no very difficult 

 thing. One of the engines of bribery was orders: of 

 these there are four. 



1. The Seraphim or Blue Ribbon, which is held by 

 a few only. 



2. The Sword, a military order of merit a yellow 

 ribbon, distributed with immense profusion to almost 

 all the army above captains. It is this which Sir 

 Sidney Smith has. 



3. The Polar Star, a black ribbon given to civil 

 officers, learned men, &c. 



4. Vasa or the Wheatsheaf, a green ribbon given to 

 eminent merchants, agriculturists, &c. 



The Sword and Vasa were invented by the late 

 king, and distributed in great profusion, as well as 

 the Polar Star and letters of nobility in the way of 

 douceurs. Indeed this continues, as we saw at the 

 queen's lying-in, when three columns of the news- 

 paper were rilled with a list of creations. 



The dissimulation of the late king was consummate. 



