7 ° 
TRAVELS 
The great formality and reftraint that prevails throughout all 
the polite circles of Sweden, and which are not banifhed even 
by the fuperabundant luxury of a northern lead:, and the jus¬ 
tice which all are inclined to do to it, may without doubt be 
traced to the court of Stockholm, the moft formal I believe in 
Europe; nay, I had nearly faid the world: but there is un¬ 
doubtedly ftill more of rigid etiquette at the court of Pekin. 
The reafon why the court of Stockholm has happened, ffiall I 
fay, to intrench itfelf in fo many forms and ceremonies above 
all other courts, I have not time to enquire; though the refearch 
might be curious, and perhaps capable of being illulbrated in a 
fatisfadlory manner, from the hiftory of the Swedilh government. 
Thus much we can fay, that Guftavus III, who had a very ex¬ 
alted notion of royal dignity and pre-eminence, added greatly to 
the ftriHnefs of etiquette, though it had already attained to a very 
conliderable height. As I have given an account of the dinner¬ 
parties in private life, I lhall attempt to fhew the manners of the 
court, and fpeak of the entertainments of the royal table, which will 
furnifh the reader with tolerably adequate ideas of the forms that 
may be obferved on other fimilar occafions. A drawing-room 
terminates commonly in a public fupper for the royal family, who 
lit alone at table, all the nobility and officers of the kingdom 
Handing round as mere fpedlators. The ladies of the fenators, 
and others of equal rank, have the privilege of being feated on 
tabourets , placed in femicircles at a diftance from the table, in 
front of the king and queen. The houfhold officers of the diffe¬ 
rent 
