EVENING PARTIES. 



And happily a very friendly feeling appeared to exist 

 amongst the neighbouring gentry, so that society was not, 

 as is too often the case elsewhere, divided into sets ; but we 

 all met together on the most cordial and friendly footing. 

 The intercourse between the several families was pretty 

 frequent. Dinners were given occasionally, but small evening 

 parties were of every-day occurrence. 



These social meetings were almost invariably enlivened 

 with music, in which the Swedes are generally proficients, and 

 to which they are devotedly attached. They are justly 

 proud of their great musical genius, Jenny Lind, whose 

 extraordinary vocal powers have been, and still are, the theme 

 of admiration in Europe as well as America. 



And our little parties not unfrequently finished with a 

 dance, of which, as well as of music, they are equally fond. 

 The Swedish ladies are very admirable dancers, and the 

 gentlemen also ; but according to our English notions, 

 exhibit rather too much action. 



But cards were the prevailing attraction of the evening 

 with the elder portion of the company at least, few of whom 

 could resist the pleasure of taking a part. Whist, Boston, 

 L'Hombre, Vira the last peculiar to Sweden, and said to be 

 the most intricate of all games were those most in vogue. 

 But Kille, or Camphio, Gropois the latter resembling the 

 French game, La Bouillote and Faro, were not unfrequently 

 played. 



Speaking generally, card-playing is a perfect passion with 

 a Swede, and if he be an idle man, the pack is seldom out 

 of his hand, morning, noon, or night. To myself, who 

 never shared in that amusement, this card-playing was an 

 excessive bore. 



