1809.) 
feems to have fome relation to the 
Greek. 
The population of Sweden is not nearly 
fo confiderable as might be expected from 
the extent of its territory. If we may be- 
lieve hiftorical monuments, that couatry 
was formerly better peopled; and the 
traces ef ancient cultivation, in diftricts 
which are now neglected, appears to jafti- 
fy this opinion. Tre detect of cultiva- 
tion may be attributed to the comparative 
fterility of the foil, owing to the feverity 
of the climate, and the great number of 
mountains and mines, as well as the fre- 
vent wars which the country has fup- 
ported, and which, during the whole of the 
feventeenth century, may be faid to have, 
been continual. From the year 1749, 
this kingdom has exhibited an inftance of 
an accurate and particular enumeration of 
hier inhabitants, and which is annually 
renewed, with the precaution of fubjoin- 
ing a report relative to every caufe which 
can influence the diminution or the pro- 
grefs of population. In 1751, there were 
in Sweden 2,229,661 fouls; in 1769, 
nearly 2,600,000 5: in 1775, the total 
number was much more confiderable ; and 
11 1781, it amounted to 2,767,000; thefe 
facts confirm the oblervation which we 
have elfewhere made, that the population 
of the north daily receives a fingular aug- 
mentation. The grand total has been 
chiefly. augmented in Finland, where the 
increafe of population hath been at: 
prodigious ; and accordingly Finland fur- 
nifhes the principal fupplies of corn, but- 
ter, butcher's meat, &c. to the reft of the 
kingdom. It is natural to fuypofe, that 
in the moft northern provinces, >the popu- 
lation is the moft inconfiderable. Ac- 
cordingly Swedifh Lapland contains net 
more than 7ooo inhabitants. It is ‘be- 
lieved that the prefent population of the 
whole kingdom exceeds 3,000,000. In 
order. neatly to exhibit the proportions of 
the numbers of the different clafles, we 
fhail lay before our readers the refults of 
the enumeration of 1784. 
Nobility. —Individuais, from the age of 
fifteen i fixty-three, men 3869, women 
2865, children 1904/5 individuals above 
and under thofe ages ; 8200, domeftics 
27,209. ; 
Burgeffes.—Individuals, from the age of 
fifteen to fixty-three, men 28.492, women 
23,563, childrenr1,068 ; individuals above 
and under thole ages, 60,500 3 domefiics, 
315868. 
Clergy.—Individuals, from the age of 
fifteen to fixty-three, men 5663, women 
#120, children 2775; individuals above 
»Montary Mage. No. 66. 
A Defeription of Modern Sweden. 
At] 
and ne thofe ages, 12,0003 domeftics 
155980. 
Public officers, including the mutlitary.— 
Individuals, from the age of fiftcen to fix- 
ty-three, men 23,3872, women 185230, 
children 882353 individuals above and be- 
a thofe ages, 48,700; domeftics 41,809. 
Peafaats. —Individuals from the age of 
Afteen: to fixty- three, MeN 320)772, wo- 
men 296, 664, children 257,213 3 indivi- 
Guals above and under thole ages, 813,5003 
domettics 195,388: 
The Swedith nobility forms three clafes, 
namely, that of the lords, comprehending 
counts or earls, and barons; that of the 
chevalters or knights, conifting of thofe 
whofe anceftors have been members of the 
fenate of the kingdom (among whom have 
been included the 300 moft ancient noble 
families of the following clafs, alfo the 
chiefs of the order of the fword, and tha 
polar fiar, and the male defcendants, when 
noble), and laftly, the clals of the ordina- 
ry nobility. In 1780, there were in Swe. | 
den fixty eight families of counts, 209 of 
barons, and, on the whole, about.2s500 
noble families, of whom 272 were natu- 
ralized foreigners. Hence we fee that the 
nobility are “almo® as numerévs in that 
country at the prefent period, as they were 
formerly in Poland, and as they flill are 
in Hungary, Venice, &c. a circumftance 
which is chiefly owing to the ariftocratic 
form of government which has almoft al- 
ways prevailed in Sweden. But it would 
be unjutt, not.to add, that the nobility of 
that kingdom generally poflefs a degree of 
information and learning which is un, 
known among the other bodies of novies 
juft mentioned. The Swedith noblemen 
are particularly diftinguifhed by their ur- 
banity, and their lace for the arts and 
fciences, which they take every opportu- 
nity of cultivating and promoting. 
The power of ae kings of Sweden has 
always been limited; in the early ages by 
reprefentatives chofen oy the heads of fa- 
milies ; and, onthe efiablifimenc of Chnif. 
tianity, by ftates general, originally com- 
poied of ‘all the clergy and nobility, to 
whom were afterwards joined many ens 
ties of towns and provinces. In the 
twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the cler- 
gy and nobility arregated to themlelves 
the exclufive right of electing a king, and 
eratified their avarice by an ‘abfolute im- 
munity from taxation. (uftavus, the 
Great, who owed his poflefficn of the 
throne to the burgefles and peafants, ma- 
naged public affairs fo dexteroufly as to 
a andientestront oie clafe seve yn right of 
ending reprefentatives to the diets. The 
sate \ fame 
