788 



SWEDEN. 



The population is 3,000,000. Sweden holds as a colony the island of St. Bat tholomew, m 

 the West Indies. 



20. Inhabitants. The Swedes are of the middle size, and few of them are corpulent ; they 

 have ruddy complexions and flaxen hair, though the women often have auburn hair and blue 

 eyes ; the females are distinguished for beauty. There is little diversity of appearance in the 

 Swedes, and they seem to a foreigner rather as members of the same family than natives of a 

 large country. All have a very composed demeanor. There are four orders in the state ; 

 nobles, clergy, peasants, and burghers, or citizens of towns. 



21. Dress. The Swedes have a national dress, established by law% about 60 years ago ; the 

 females, however, have little scruple to break this ordinance ; the general color is black, but on 

 gala days, it is blue lined with white. The dress of ladies is somewhat like the English, ex- 

 cept in the sleeves, which are Spanish. Veils are common. The coats of the men are short 

 and close ; they are fastened around the body with a sash ; the cloak is black, but lined with 

 gayer colors. Galoches or outward shoes are worn in winter, and a fur or sheepskin over-dress 

 is then indispensable and universal. The peasantry in Dalecarlia are called ivliite or black, as 

 they are dressed in either color ; and almost all wear one or the other. They wear huge shoes 

 with thick wooden soles, and a hat like a quaker's. Generally, in Sweden, the hats have a 

 feather, and no gentleman is in full dress without a sword. The Swedes in general are com- 

 fortably and neatly clad. 



22. Language. The language is a Germano-Gothic dialect, similar to that of Denmark. 



23. Manner of Building. The houses, except at Stockholm and in Scania, are of wood. 

 The peasants have log houses, and fill the interstices with moss ; the roof is covered with 

 oirchen bark and turf. In summer the floors are sometimes strewed with odorous twigs. In 

 the mountains of Dalecarlia, the houses are very simple. Many of the country houses are of 

 several stories, and make a good appearance. Some of them are so constructed, that they may 

 be taken down and removed in a short time. The beds of the common people are placed one 

 above another, on shelves, as in the berths of a ship. 



24. Food and Drink. The common people live chiefly on hard bread and salted or dried 

 fish ; they consume much beer and spirits, and a great deal of wine is drank by the higher 

 classes. The bread is baked but twice a year, and it is hung around the room in small loaves, 

 on strings, like dried apples in New England. It is extremely hard. The brandy is of a fiery 

 quality, and no dinner is complete without several glasses. Ladies, even, will take more than 

 one. Before a dinner, the guests are led to a side-table furnished with liquors and slight food, 

 as a preliminary to the more important repast. The dishes are all brought on the table at once, 

 and the guests do not ask for any particular one. All are circulated in turn, and all are parta- 

 ken, unless the guest prefers to sit with an empty plate till his favorite dish may arrive. After 

 dinner, the guests gravely thank the host for liis entertainment. The Swedes, like all northern 

 people, use much tobacco. 



25. Traveling. The roads of Sweden are hardly inferior to those of England, and the fa- 

 cilities for traveling are better than in the other northern countries. The roads are kept in re- 

 pair by the peasants ; each family of which has its portion marked with bounds. The inns 

 have few comforts, though all have a " traveler's room," with a bed, or at least a berth of 

 boards. The horses are small, but active and sure-footed ; they go at full speed down the steep- 

 est and largest hills, and are seldom known to stumble, though in the busy seasons they are 

 driven by boys or women. The peasants are obliged to furnish the post-horses, and a traveler 

 who would not be delayed at every post-house, sends a forbode or courier, to notify the post- 

 masters. There are no public carriages, and all travelers must furnish their own vehicles. At 

 the inns are kept registers, in which the traveler writes his name, &c. ; and, as one column is 

 made for complaints, it is usual for him to take this opportunity. A second column is appro- 

 priated to the innkeeper's defence. These books are curious miscellanies, and display national 

 as well as individual character. Acerbi has extracted from one of them the remark of an 

 Englishman, that "the Swedes are all slaves, crouching to their masters ;" which is followed 

 by a more just and generous exclamation, "God bless this good and brave nation," signed, 

 Kosciusko. 



26. Character, Manners, and Customs. The Swedes have many amiable traits in their 

 character, though they do not lack energy ; they are kind, cheerful, and faithful ; they love 

 their country, and are much attached to free institutions and principles of equahty. In this and 

 in other respects, they sometimes resemble the Swiss. The mountains of Dalecarlia have 



