THROUGH SWEDEN. 
21 
through which it was neceflary to penetrate before that level could 
be effected. I faw the canal not only when it was accomplifhed, 
but in its laborious progrefs toward completion. This canal, 
which was undertaken and begun by Charles XII. formed part of 
a grand plan meditated by Guftavus Vafa, and attempted by fome 
of his fuccefiors, for joining the Baltic with the North Sea by 
means of a communication cut through the kingdom. If ever 
a canal fhould be extended from the lake of Wennern, which is 
the largeft in Sweden, being about five hundred miles long and 
feventy-five broad, by Orebro to the lake of Hielmar, the Swedes 
may then, by a conjunction of this lake with that of Malar, through 
the fiuices of Arboga, tranfport all kinds of merchandize in the 
fame veflel from Gothenburg to Stockholm. Thus a paffage 
would be opened between the North Sea and the Baltic, and, 
among other advantages, the duties of the Sound would be 
avoided. The canal of Trolhatta may juftly be confidered as 
in fome refpedls charadleriftical of the Swedifh nation ; for it re- 
prefents them as they are, prone to the conception of grand en- 
terprifes, and diftinguilhed by mechanical invention. As a work' 
of art, and of bold and perfevering defign, it is not too much to 
fay, that it is the firffc in the world, even the Duke of Bridge¬ 
water’s canal in England, and that of Languedoc in France, not 
excepted. 
There is nothing that communicates to the mind a greater idea 
of human fkill, than the means that have been difeovered for con¬ 
veying things from one place to another. The watery element, 
apparently 
