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SWEDISH LANGUAGE. 



The Swedish Language, in the course of a few 

 years past, has also undergone great improvements. 

 Previous to the middle of the century, it had been 

 much neglected, and, like its kindred dialects, 

 the German and the Danish, was but little esteemed 

 in Europe. About that time John Ihre, Pro- 

 fessor of Belles Lettres in the University of Upsal, 

 was commissioned, by Queen Ulrica Eleonora, 

 to translate into Swedish The Ladies' Library, 

 by Sir Richard Steele. In obeying this com- 

 mand, he was naturally led not only to study his 

 native language, but also to compare it with the 

 more polished tongue from which the translation 

 was to be made. The result of these inquiries 

 was an attempt to place the language of his coun- 

 try on a more respectable footing than it had be- 

 fore held. With this view he published his Glos- 

 surium S'ueo-Gothiatm, which displays great eru- 

 dition, the talents of a master in criticism, and un- 

 common sagacity in detecting both the faults and 

 the beauties which he wished to make known. In 

 this work the author exhibits, with great skill, the 

 analogy and etymology of the Swedish language; 

 and may be regarded as standing with the highest 

 in rank among its distinguished cultivators and 

 reformers. 



Since the time of Mr. Ihre other w T riters have 

 employed their talents on the same subject. These 

 writers have established rules of construction, cor- 

 rected the orthography, discarded foreign phrases 

 and corrupt modes of expression, and by producing 

 works in a correct, elegant, and refined style, have 

 done much to improve their native tongue. Among 

 these, Dahlix, Botin, Gyllenborg, Creutze, 



