1800.] 
the Gulph of Finland fenarates it from 
Livonia. This immente territory contains 
about 13,500 fquare German miles, or 
27,000 {quare French leagues, diverfified 
by a number of lofty mountains, great 
lakes, and confiderable rivers. 
Is the vicinity of two great capitals an 
advantage or a difadvantage to this coun- 
try? Its extreme proximity to Peterfburg 
and Copenhagen, facili:ates, in time of 
peace, the difpofal of its commodities, 
and the importation of neceffary fupplies ; 
and in time of war enables it to menace 
thofe cities with fudden and formidable 
attacks. On the other hand, this danger- 
ous neichbourhood has a tendency to in- 
ipire thofe powers with a defire to diminifh 
the influence of Sweden, by enlarging their 
territories at her expence. 
In the fouthern parts of Sweden, the air 
is generally very temperate; in the nor- 
thern, the fummer is’ very hot, by reafon 
of the reflexion of the mountains, and the 
extreme length of the days’; and ~during 
winter, the cold is rigorous and dry, being 
rarely interrupted by thaws. Frequent 
winds purify the atmofphere, and its falu- 
brity, joined to the good conftitation of the 
inhabitants, enables them to protraét life 
to extreme old age. If we might attempt 
to determine with precifion the lenoth of 
the winter in fo extenfive a country, we 
fhould fay, that it commences at the middle 
of October, and terminates about the mid- 
dle of May. It has been known that on 
a Chriitmas Eve wheel-carriages have 
fill been ufed inftead of fledges, though 
on the 3d of O&tober in -another year 
there has been froft, and even {now, at the 
fame place. ‘The firft of May is common- 
ly regarded as the commencement of 
{pring. It is celebrated by the people as 
a kind of feftival, on which they endeavour 
te compenfate by merriment and good 
cheer for the dulinefs and inconvenience of 
the preceding feafon, and that even at the 
expence of their laft penny. At Stock- 
holm and Helfingfors, the tulips are al- 
ways blown at Whitfunday. On the other 
hand, in the midft of the forefts which 
are thick enough to intercept the folar rays, 
traces of fnow are to be found even in the 
middle of June. 
It is remarkable that of late years the 
fpring has fcarcely been diftinguifhable in 
the north. It has appeared to be little 
elfe than a prolongation of the. feafon 
which it might have been expeéted to fuc- 
ceed. Perfons who are unacquainted with 
northern countries, are fcarcely- able to 
conceive the difappointment which this 
cixcumftance occafioned, any .more than 
A Defcription of Modern Sweden. . 
413 
they can form an idea of the delightful and 
enlivening influence of the firft days of a 
fine {pring in thofe climates. It is an 
univerfal metamorpholis, a kind of rege- 
neration and rejuveneicence of nature and 
of man. While in the fouth plants ger- 
minate infenhbly, and the buds, flowly un- 
folding, afford to man only agreeable and 
moderate fenfations; here in the north, a 
{pectator thinks he lees the roots extending, 
and every leaf unfolding. He obferves 
with admiration, intereft, and even witha 
kind of extaly, the rapid progrefs of vege- 
tation. The longer and deeper the fleep 
of winter, the more brilliant is the refuf- 
citation which fucceeds it, and the more 
powerful 1s its influence on univerfal na- 
ture. i 
Beyond Gefle and Biorneburg, fruit- 
trees are rare. In the reft of Sweden, 
peaches and grapes are with difficulty ri- 
pened, and figs never reach maturity, un- 
lefs the tree has been preferved in a green- 
houfe during the winter. Tn a certain la- 
titude the beech ceales to grow, and a lit- 
tle farther north the oak is no longer tobe 
found. . 
The foil of Sweden produces every thing 
neceflary for the wants, and even for the 
comforts, of human life. It is, however, 
much to be wifhed that the inhabitants 
knew how to content themlelves with the 
productions of their country, and would 
abitain from foreign fuperfluities, which 
only ferve to enervate thofe who con- 
tract too much fondnefs for the ufe of 
them. The horfes and cattle are {mall, 
although the pafturage in the fouthern 
provinces, and even in Finland, is fuffici- 
ently abundant to enable the Swedes to 
furnifh other nations with thofe ufeful qua- 
drupeds. The fimall fize of the horfes is 
attributed to the cuftoms of the peafants, 
who put them too early to work, lay 
on them burdens dilproportioned to their 
firength, and even make them gallop up 
afcents, which are numerous and rugged 
in that moyatainous country. But {uch 
is the quickneis of their pace, that it is 
common for them to poft a Swedith mile 
in the hour (which is equivalent to> fix. 
Englifh miles, or two French leagues), or 
even more, though loaded with the travel- 
lers anda very confiderable quantity of 
baggage. In the laft fifty years, the 
breed of fheep in Sweden has been much 
improved by the intermixture of thofe of 
Spain and England ; but this amelioration 
has not yet fuperfeded the neceffity of im- 
porting a great quantity of foreign wool, 
‘There is abundance of game in Sweden, 
efpecially of the winged kind, fuch as. 
“moors 
