THROUGH SWEDEN. 
•107 
was not one German produdion fo much as mentioned, not even 
Emilia Galotti. I was greatly furprifed to find that not the 
fmalleft notice was taken of Leffing, a name that it would feem 
difficult, on the fubjed of the drama, not to recoiled with high 
efteem. But afterwards the myftery came out. I was informed 
that the Swedifli academicians profeflcd a contempt for German 
literature; and that to entertain and own any refped for it, was 
the fure way to incur difpleafure. One might apply to thefe 
Swedifli /ages what Rouifeau faid to the academicians of Paris— 
“ In your own imaginations you give lefions to and form the tafte 
<c of all France: but three fourths of the people of France do not 
“ fo much as know of your exigence”—for they feem to be ac¬ 
tuated by the fame fort of vanity. They flatter themfclves that 
their partiality will remain unobferved, and their decifions pafs 
current from the mere weight of their name. This is probably 
too much the cafe; yet I am w r ell allured, and it refleds no fmall 
degree of honour on the Swedifli nation, that pieces rejeded by 
the academy arc neverthelefs often read and approved of through¬ 
out the provinces. 
The members of the Swedifli academy are, Count OxemTierna, 
mentioned among the members of the academy of belles lettres; 
Count Gyllenborg, mentioned above; Count Clafs Fleming. 
When Clafs Fleming took his feat among the Swedifli academi¬ 
cians, a wag obferved, that their number amounted now to juft 
170. How fo ? it was afked. Bccaufe, replied he, when a cy¬ 
pher is added to the number 17, the amount is l/Q. 
P 2 C. J. Leopold, 
