Retrospect of French Literature— History. 
number of its founders. Experimental 
philosophy, natural history, medicine,. 
political economy, mathematics, _and 
mechanics, are the principal objects 
which engage the attention of its mem- 
bers. At the end of every three months 
they publish in Swedish, a volume of 
memoirs relating to these different 
branches of science. The Academy bas 
erected an observatory at its Own ex- 
pence ;. it is a beautiful edifice, and 
stands upon an eminence in the northern 
suburbs. | They enjoy considerable 
funds, for which they are indebted to 
the generosity of several opulent patriots, 
One of these, Nicolas Sahlgren,a wealthy 
merchant of Gottenburg, presented them 
with various munificent donations, that 
would have done honour to a prince, 
POETRY AND THE FINE ARTS. | 
Dahn, like the English Chaucer, the 
father of the poetry of this country, has 
composed a work, called “Swedish Li- 
berty,” a tragedy, odes, and a great num- 
ber of fugitive pieces. Hehas had many 
successors. The poem of Count De 
Creutz, entitled, “ Atis & Camilla,” -is 
an Arcadian pastoral, highly esteemed. 
The odes, epistles, pastorals, and satires 
of Count De Gisllenborg, are also spoken 
of. with -applause.. He celebrates the 
famous passage of the Belt, which ren- 
dered Charles Gustavus master of the. 
greater part of Denmark. Madame De 
Nordenflycht, the northern Sappho, 1s 
tender, plaintive, and languishing: she 
has produced an apology for the fair 
sex, in opposition to Jean Jaques Rous- 
seau. Count Oxenstierna, whose name 
alone commands respect, published 
some pieces which do honour to his ge- 
nius: his ode on the death of Gustavus 
Adolphus bas been much admired, as it 
possesses all the fire and elevation requi- 
site for such compositions! He wrote 
‘another upon “ Hope,” and two other 
poems, entitled, “ Morning,” atid The 
Storm.” Mr. Kelgren, in Ins odes 
and satires, displays taste, genius, and 
imagination. _Klewberg, Leopold, Lid- 
-ner, and Sjoberg, also occupy a distin- 
guished rank among the Swedish poets, 
The fine arts had their mise m, Swe- 
den during the reign of Charles,XI. 
Limke and Ebrenstrahl, foreigners natu- 
ralised to,the kingdom by their long re- 
sidence in it, have left some very valu- 
‘able monuments of their talents... The 
“former painted the battles of Charles 
X., which are still to be seen in the 
castle of Drottingholm ; and the latter 
“produced a picture of Charles XT., his 
Fr » 
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679 
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coronation, &c.; which are admired by 
the connoisseurs, hey Mei 
At the same time, architecture, under 
the patronage of Count N icodemus de 
Tessin, reared her august head, and edi- 
fices began to be erected after the best 
models of Rome and Florence. Of the 
artists of the last century, Lunberg, lately 
deceased, excelled in portrait painting, 
Serzel flourishes at present as a sculptor, 
and, on account of the beauties of his 
chisel, may be ranked among the’ first 
in Europe of that profession, 
ARTS AND SCIENCES, LITERATURE, &c., 
When the clouds of igriorance were 
happily dissipated in the southern ‘parts . 
of Europe, Sweden, still oppressed with ° 
the fatal effects of the union of Colmar, 
remained enveloped in ignorance, tys 
ranny, and oppression. = | 
~ ‘Phe Danish ‘yoke’ was at length 
broken, and the shame and remorse of 
Christiern proved a solace to his wound- 
ed conscience; but ‘they were 2 poor 
atonement to his subjects. quia 
” Gustavus I. ‘on ‘succeeding to the 
Swedish sceptre, was employed in’ re- 
building cities destroyed by fire, reliey- 
ing peasants beggared by tax-gatherers, 
and in the encouragement of agricul- 
ture, industry, and commerce. © 
Gustavus Adolphus was employed in 
an extensive and glorious contest. He 
evinced. a taste for literature, but the ra-- 
vages of war prevented him from bending 
his mighty and comprehensive 1aind to 
the ate ot peace. Christina possessing an 
unworthy Opinion of her subjects, deem- 
ed them unfit for mental labour; the 
learned foreigners whom She invited to 
her court, excited however the emula- 
tlonmor the Mabives. a os 
‘Charles X. sought only for the glory 
to be derived from arms; the reign of . 
Charles XJ. was longer and inore peaces 
ful, and became favourable from these cir- 
cuinstances alone to the cause of litere- 
ture. Nothing was heard during the lite 
of Charles XII. but the din of battle... 
After a war of 21 years, peace wasat 
length restored to the kingdom. "The 
‘muses then began to establish them- 
‘selves in Sweden, under the wings’ of ¢i- 
vil, political, and religious liberty, an 
‘the throne considered it ag a glory to 
protect them. 
~ Louisa-Iirica, knowing, the valie of 
“ew | ae Clee ite ee aT Ah J beh. ale 
letters, horioured those’ who cultivated 
them, with her friendship and esteem. 
a ; ‘ ter 4 
with a taste for learning, cultivated it 
avith eagerness, He Tumaclf was, an 
pie author, 
“Gustavus Il," i apis ‘by his mother 
