1796.) 
mnounce that the prince really cherifhes 
the laudable ambition of fultilling the 
duties of his ftation. ‘This ambition is 
cherifhed and direéted by the count 
Bernftorf, the prime minifter of Den- 
mark, who is univerfally celebrated for 
his abilities and virtue.” 
: eee EE 
LAWS, CUSTOMS, | - 
AND 
MANNERS oF NATIONS. 
CHARACTER of ihe Swapes, from the 
Letters of Mrs. Wallftencraft. 
“ THE Swedes pigue themfelves on 
their politenefs ; but far from being the 
polifh of a cultivated mind, it confifts 
merely of tirefome forms and ceremo- 
nies. So far indeed from entering im- 
mediately into your character, and mak- 
ing you feel inftantly at your eafe, like 
the well-bred French, their over-aéted 
civility is a continual reflraint on all 
your actions. The fort of fuperiority 
which a fortune gives when there is no 
fuperiority of education, excepting what 
confifts m the obfervance of fenfelefs 
forms, has a contrary effect than was in- 
tended; fo that I could not help reckon- 
ing the peafantry the politeft people of 
Sweden, who only aiming at pleafing 
you, never think of being admired for 
their behaviour. 
<¢ Their tables, like their compliments, 
feem equally a caricature of the French. 
The dithes are compofed, as well as 
their’s, of a variety of mixtures to de-« 
ftroy the native tafte of the food, without 
being as relifhing. Spices and fugar are 
put into every thing, even into the 
bread ; and the only way that I can ac- 
count for their partiality to high-feafon- 
ed difhes, is the conftant ufe of falted 
provifions. Neceflity obliges them to 
lay up a ftore of dried fith, and falted 
meat, for the winter; and in fummer, 
frefh meat and fith tafte infipid after 
them. ‘To which may be. added, the 
conitant ufe of fpirits. Every day, be- 
fore dinner and fupper, even whilft the 
difhes are cooling cn the table, men and 
women repair to a fide-table, and, to ob- 
tain an appetite, eat bread and butter, 
cheefe, raw falmon, or anchovies, drink- 
ing a glafs of brandy. Salt fith or ineat 
then immediately follows, to give a far- 
“ther whet to the ftomach. -As the dinner 
advances—pardon me for taking up a few 
Mijnutes to defcribe what, alas! has de- 
= 
Monthly Extraés. 
39 
tained me two or three hours on the 
ftretch obfervine —difh after dih is 
changed, in endlefs rotation, and handed 
round with folemn pace to each gueft : 
but fhould you happen not to iike the. 
firft difhes, which was often my cafe, it 
is a grofs breach of politenefs to alk for 
part of any other till its turn comes,” 
SEE 
POL Tit Os. 
THE moft important political pam- 
phlet. publifhed this year, is that of 
Mr. Morgan, entitled, Faéts, addrefied 
to the ferious Attention of the People of 
Great-Britain; in which he draws a com- 
parifon between the expences of the pre- 
fent and the American wai, invettigates 
the loans made by the prefent minifter, 
gives an accurate ftatement of the national 
debt, and. points out the difadvantages 
attendant on the mode of conducting 
the finking fund. The chief points en- 
deavoured-to be proved in this work, are, 
that the prefent minifter has been more 
expenfive to the nation than any of his 
predeceffors ; that, by his mode of con- 
duéting the finking. fund, the public has 
loft confiderable fums, which might have 
been faved with the  greateft eafe. 
Having received a communication on, this 
fubjeét from a correfpondent, we fhall 
refer to that for fome of the facts con+ 
tained in this work. 
ON THE NATIONAL DEBT. 
THE mof celebrated philofophers 
have prognofticated the ruin of the 
country from our national debt, and 
have, as yet, been happily difappointed = 
but the example of a neighbouring na- 
tion is a fufficient proof to us, that there 
Is a period, when, from the weight of 
debt and the want of refources, any 
exifting government may be inevitably 
deftroyed : fuch an example naturally 
alarms every true lover of his country. 
We do not feem to be at prefent in any 
great danger, yet it Is certain, that every 
year may bring us nearer to it; and 
without great wifdem, we may, like the 
French, find ourfelves, on a fudden, on 
the brink of a precipice. An impartial 
examination of the finances of the 
country muft .be therefore a thing 
much to be defireds and the critica] 
ftate of the times feems to call loudly 
for it from authority. It is not difficult, 
indeed, to make fuch a fubjeé intelli- 
gible to every one; for numbers do not 
admit of uncertainty : but, on the other 
| hand, 
J 
