THROUGH SWEDEN. 
.85 
therefore be amifs to inculcate it whenever an opportunity occurs. 
Whether in the progrefs of civilization it will obtain greater in¬ 
fluence over the human mind, and fhew its bleffed effedls in the 
world to a greater degree than it hitherto has done, is an important 
and interefting fubjedt for fpeculation. Unfortunately for Sweden 
it was not a Henry IV. but a Lewis XIV. that Guftavus made 
the objedt of his emulation. Afpiring with inceffant ardour to an 
illuflrious name among fovereigns, he was wont among his cour¬ 
tiers to make not indiredt comparifons between himfelf and that 
monarch. Like him he fought to be furrounded with the fplendour 
of literature and the arts, and fludied in all things to appear a great 
and munificent king. Like his maternal uncle, Frederic the Great 
of Pruffia, he was ambitious of being an author as well as a war¬ 
rior. Emulating the renown of Charles XII. he threatened like 
him to involve his country in ruin. To poets, muficians, and 
painters, he extended a high degree of favour and protedlion. He 
inflituted focietics, and patronized learning and fcience : but all 
this did not flow from a pure defire to promote thefe great inte- 
refls of the human fpecies. He made thofe he protedted the tools 
of his ambition and vanity. They were in fadt little more than 
echoes of his wifhes, and ferved as means of operating on the pub¬ 
lic opinion, and predifpofing and preparing it for an acquiefcence 
in various fchemes which he had formed for the enlargement of 
his own grandeur, and the gratification of his ruling paffions. 
Not even the encouragement which he gave to the fine arts was 
founded on any thing elfe than political views and felfifli motives. 
His 
