72 
TRAVELS 
on which the divifion of the territory was founded. He laughed 
very heartily at the fabulous account which I recited to him of 
that matter. 
I have already obferved, that we no longer derived any benefit 
from maps, but were left wholly to our ow n refources. The bed 
maps of Sw r eden are thofe publifhed by Baron Hermelin: and 
when it is confidered that thefe have been executed at the ex¬ 
pence, and by the capacity and induftry of an individual, it is im- 
poffible to withhold the tribute of praife due to the diftinguifhed 
zeal of his patriotifm. Baron Hermelin employs the greateft part 
of his yearly income, which is very confiderable, in the promo¬ 
tion of the geography, the natural hiftory, and a knowledge of the 
political Rate of Sweden. He fends young men of genius to dif¬ 
ferent parts of the kingdom to take geographical furveys, to try 
experiments, make obfervations in mineralogy, and to colled - vari¬ 
ous ftatiftical accounts. From their fketches of particular diftrids 
he forms his maps of the different divifions of Sweden. It is how¬ 
ever to be obferved, that thefe geographical delineations, though 
wonderfully exad for the work of an individual, derive their dif- 
tindion and merit only from a comparifon with others lefs cor- 
red. In fad, they may be regarded as the only maps of Sw T eden 
that have yet been publifhed ; and wdrat is more, they have been 
completed folcly at that gentleman’s ow-n expence, and without 
any affiftance from government. Sweden, Finland, and Lapland, 
have not yet been furveyed w 7 ith that corrednefs which prevails in 
the geographical reprefentations of France, of Britain, and other 
countries ; 
