THROUGH SWEDEN. 
*39 
reading and writing are taught. Befides this, there is a public 
fchool maintained in every large town at the expence of the crown, 
in which the boys continue till about their eleventh or twelfth year, 
when they are commonly fent to one of the gymnafia. Thefe 
alfo are public fchools, but upon a larger fcale than the former; 
and one of them exifts in almoft every province. From the gym- 
nafia the young men, at the age of feventeen or eighteen, proceed 
to one of the univerfities, and for the greater part to Upfala. In 
the gymnafia, and many of the greater fchools, they are not only 
inftrudted in the Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages, but in the 
principal dodtrines of theology. Thefe fchola illujlres and gym¬ 
nafia, are under the care and infpedtion of the bifhops of the re- 
fpedlive diocefes in which they are eftablifhed, and where the 
bifhops conftantly refide. The bifhops, accompanied by fome of 
the inferior clergy, and others, vifit and examine the fchools pub¬ 
licly at fixed periods. The courfe of education, and the books 
read, are not left to the diferetion of the teachers, but preferibed 
by public authority. At Stockholm there is a German fchool, 
which is placed under the infpedlion of two German minifters of 
the go r pel. In this feminary the pupils are inflrudted in Grecian, 
Roman, and moderm hiftory, geography and religion. The 
Swedifh gentlemen are feldom contented with what may be called 
a fcholaftic, or a gymnaftic education, but proceed either from one 
of the greater, or, as they call them, the illuftrious fchools; or 
more generally from one of the gymnafia to the univerfity. The 
fons of wealthy tradefmen too, and peafants, have very frequently 
T 2 the 
