fQP SWEDEN. 



indignity done to his son. The successor of this prince, Adoiu 

 Frederic, married the princess Ulrica, sister to the king of Prussia, 

 and entered into the possession of his new dignity in 1751. He was a 

 prince of a mild and gentle temper,~but much harassed by the con- 

 tending Swedish factions, and -found his situation extremely trouble- 

 some, in consequence of the restraints and opposition which he met 

 with from the senate. He passed the greatest part of his reign very 

 disagreeably, and was at length, through the intrigues of the queen, 

 brought over to the French party. He died in February 1771, and 

 was succeeded by his son, Gustavus the Third, the late king, who pos- 

 sessed abilities greatly superior to those of his father. 



Gustavus was about five and twenty years of age when he was pro- 

 claimed king of Sweden : his understanding had been much cultiva- 

 ted ; he had an insinuating address, and a graceful and commanding 

 elocution. He was at Paris at the time of his father's death, whence 

 he wrote in the most gracious terms to the senate, repeatedly assur- 

 ing them that he designed to govern according to the laws. In con- 

 sequence of the death of his predecessor, an extraordinary diet was 

 called to regulate the affairs of the government, and to settle the 

 form of the coronation oath. Some time after his arrival in Sweden, 

 on the 28th of March, 1772, his majesty solemnly signed and swore 

 to support the government of the kingdom as then established ; to 

 maintain the rights and liberties of the states, the liberty and security 

 of all his subjects, and to reign with gentleness and equity according 

 to the laws of the kingdom. But scarcely had he taken these solemn 

 oaths, to rule according to the then established form of government, 

 and accepted the crown upon these conditions, before he formed a 

 plan to govern as he thought proper ; regarding these oaths ohly as 

 matters of ceremony. He made use of every art, the most profound 

 dissimulation, and the utmost dexterity and address, in order to ren- 

 der this hazardous enterprise successful. On his first arrival at 

 Stockholm, he adopted every method which could increase his popu- 

 larity. Three times a week he regularly gave audience to all who 

 presented themselves. Neither rank, fortune, nor interest, were ne- 

 cessary to obtain access to him ; it was sufficient to have been injured, 

 and to have a legal cause of complaint to lay before him. He listened 

 to the meanest of his subjects with affability, and entered into the 

 minutest details that concerned them: he informed himself of their 

 private affairs, and seemed to interest himself in their happiness. This 

 conduct caused him to.be considered as truly the father of his people, 

 and the Swedes began to idolise him. At length, when he found his 

 scheme ripe for execution, having taken the proper measures for 

 bringing a considerable number of the officers and soldiers into his in- 

 terest, on the 19th of August, 1772, he totally overturned the Swedish 

 constitution of government. In less than an hour he made himself 

 master of the whole military force of Stockholm ; made all the mem- 

 bers of the senate prisoners ; and suffering no person to leave the city, 

 that intelligence of these violent proceedings might not be carried to 

 any other part of the kingdom, issued a proclamation for an assembly 

 of the states to meet on the 21st, which having accordingly met, he 

 surrounded with troops, and planted cannon, over which soldiers stood 

 with lighted matches in their hands, facing the hall in which they 

 were assembled. The king then, being seated on his throne, sur- 

 rounded by his guards, and a numerous band of officers, after having 

 addressed a speech to the states,, ordered a secretary to read a new 



