186 VISIT TO DENMARK [1799. 



translations from English, French, and German, and 

 many authors of political pamphlets, which they are at 

 incredible pains to get transported into Eussia, as the 

 difficulty of procuring such publications there makes 

 them sure of a ready sale. 



The law of Sweden is founded partly on the civil 

 law, partly on the old Gothic constitutions. The 

 code is small and very distinctly drawn up, occupy- 

 ing only one small volume. The criminal code is 

 extremely mild, and (except Ankerstrom's) no execu- 

 tion had taken place at Stockholm for twenty years. 

 One happened while we were there, that for forgery 

 (vide suprci), and was performed in a cruel manner. 

 The culprits were hung up by the middle, their head 

 and heels almost touching ; then the executioner gave 

 each a kick on the neck, so that the numerous spec- 

 tators actually heard it break. They were so shocked 

 at the spectacle that it was feared for some time after 

 a tumult might take place. 



The police of Stockholm is very bad indeed. The 

 Lieutenant de Police was turned out of town by the 

 late king for infamous practices. The rogues about 

 town are chiefly soldiers, and it is extremely unsafe 

 to walk at night in any but the most frequented parts 

 of the town. Thieving is universal. 



The religion of Sweden is Lutheran, though they 

 admit bishops who are for the most part ennobled, 

 and prelates of orders. Von Troil was created Arch- 

 bishop of Upsala the only Lutheran archbishop in 

 the world by Gustavus III., rather as one whom he 



