PREFACE. 
IX 
fciences, and manners in Sweden, contains an account of circum- 
ftances too bold, perhaps, to meet the public eye. But to have 
re-compofed and foftened it, by the fuppreffion of fame particu¬ 
lars, however perfonally prudent for the Author, Would have been 
to withhold from the reader a juft and accurate idea of the Rate 
of fadls. It w 7 as incumbent upon him to facrifice all inferior 
confiderations to a fefped; for the public and for truth. 
With regard to that portion of the Volumes which relates to 
Finland and Lapland, the Author was for fome time reftraiiled 
from producing it to the Public, by a motive of delicacy. Co¬ 
lonel Skioldebrand, a Swedilh officer, the companion of his tra¬ 
vels, had announced his defign of publiffiing in Stockholm his 
drawings of pidnrefque feenery in thofe countries, accompanied 
with deferiptiorts of the objetls reprefented in his plates. The 
Author, therefore, fufpended his own publication from a fear of 
injuring the interefts of his friend. But, on obferving that the 
announced work made its appearance only in numbers, that it 
will not be completed for fome years, and what is moll material, 
that any degree of fuccefs which might attend the prefent pub¬ 
lication, mull only ferve to promote .that of the other, all fcruples 
of delicacy were removed. 
Vol. I. 
b 
Another 
