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 Title: Travels through Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and part of Italy in 1798 & 1799 
 
 Author: Kiittner, Carl Gottlob, 1755-1805 
 
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 ISBN of reproduction: 978-1-926846-94-1 
 
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TRAVELS 
 
 THROUGH 
 
 DENMARK, SWEDEN, AUSTRIA, 
 
 PART OF ITALY, 
 
 1798 $ 1799, 
 
 CHARLES GOTTLOB KUTTNER 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 printed for RICHARD PHILLIPS, 71> st. Paul’s chlmick 
 
 YARD, 
 
 By Barnard df Sultzer, Water Lane, Fleet Street , 
 
 1805 . 
 
ADVERTISEMENT 
 
 OF 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 T HE Writer of the following Pages is a 
 literary Character of considerable eminence in 
 Germany, and not wholly unknown in Eng- 
 land, with which a long visit has rendered him 
 intimately acquainted. His observations are 
 obviously not the result of a superficial mind. 
 A residence in different Countries has fur- 
 nished him with an opportunity of seeing 
 objects in various points of view, and has 
 enabled him to draw more accurate conclu- 
 sions from those which fall under his observ- 
 ation. 
 
 M. Kiittner himself remarks, that this Work 
 should not be considered as a complete de- 
 scription of the Countries through which it 
 conducts the Reader; but, at the same time 
 assures us that all the observations have been 
 made on the spot or place to which they 
 relate; because he was resolved to write on 
 
iv ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 no subject but what he had himself seen. 
 This stamps his Work with' the character of 
 extraordinary accuracy and impartiality; 
 which, combined with the Author’s statistical 
 and political knowledge, and the information 
 he acquired by conversing with the most en- 
 lightened Men in the Places he visited, ren- 
 ders these Travels peculiarly interesting. 
 
 The Translator has judged it proper to dis- 
 pense with the desultory observations on Ham- 
 burgh and other well known Parts of Ger- 
 many, and has conducted the Reader at once 
 to the Author’s entrance into Denmark; a 
 Country, the present state of which is little 
 knowm to the English Reader. 
 
 London, Oct . 2G, 1804. 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 THROUGH 
 
 DENMARK, SWEDEN, AND NORWAY, 
 
 IN THE YEARS 1798 % 1799. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM KIEL TO SLESWICK. — THE EYDER. CA- 
 NAL BETWEEN HOLSTEIN. AND SLESWICK. ECKERN- 
 
 FOHRDE. SLESWICK. THE CASTLE OF* GOTTORP. 
 
 THE COUNTRY OF THE ANGLES. FLENSBURG. THE 
 
 ISLAND OF ALSEN. — SONDERBURG. — AUGUSTENBURG. 
 — APENRADE. HADERSLEV. CHRIS TIANSFELD, A MO- 
 RAVIAN SETTLEMENT. KOLDING. MIDDLEFAHRT. 
 
 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE DUCHY OF SLES- 
 WICK. ODENSE.—- NYEBORG. OBSERVATIONS ON THE 
 
 ISLAND OF FUNEN, AND THE DANISH DOMINIONS IN 
 GENERAL. — PASSAGE OF THE GREAT BELT.— *SPROE. — 
 ICE-BOATS, WHICH CARRY THE POST OVER THE BELT 
 IN WINTER. — KORSOER. 
 
 Copenhagen, June 1798. 
 
 Hi E A V I N G K ief , we soon arrived at the canal at Knox, which 
 lias, in this place, a very hue sluice. The river Eyder, which 
 forms the boundary between Holstein and Sleswick, is navigable 
 from Rendsburg to the North Sea; so that, to establish a com- 
 munication between the latter and the Baltic, nothing more was 
 necessary, than to render navigable the six miles between Rends- 
 burg and the Baltic. On account of the fall in this pm t, six 
 sluices were constructed ; and that which I saw, was equal, both 
 in neatness and convenience, to any I ever met with in England 
 and Holland. I was so fortunate as to arrive, just at the moment 
 when a large vessel was passing through, on its way to the Baltic. 
 During this operation, which was performed in about half an hour, 
 I entered into conversation w ith the captain ; from whom I learned, 
 that this canal, is capable of admitting vessels of upwards of 200 
 tons; but if they draw more than nine feet water, it is necessary to 
 lighten them. 
 
 KiiTTNER.J B 
 
2 
 
 xuttner’s travels 
 
 If we consider the vast circuit round all Sleswick and Jutland, 
 which is saved by ships navigating this canal, we should be led to 
 suppose, that this advantage is of sufficient magnitude to counter- 
 balance every other consideration. This, however, is not the 
 case; for vessels aie subject to so many delays in the passage, that, 
 though the length of the canal is only 22 German miles, they are 
 sometimes detained in it a whole month ; especially if the wind 
 happen to be contrary. A passage of 48 or 50 hours is reckoned 
 uncommonly expeditious. The toll paid at each of the six sluices 
 is four shillings ; the same is required for two bridges ; so that the 
 whole sum does not exceed 32 schillings, (about two shillings and 
 six-pence English). 
 
 On the north side of the canal is situated, the charming resi- 
 dence of the count Von Bauditz. The grounds are laid out in the 
 English style ; and the house has been lately rebuilt. The road 
 was tolerably good ; and, like most of those in the duchy of Sles- 
 wick, paved with very large stones. Though they enable one 
 to proceed with greater rapidity, than on a sandy soil ; yet, they 
 are productive of no small inconvenience to the carriage and every 
 thing within it. 
 
 Before the traveller reaches Eckemfbhrde, he enjoys a beau- 
 tiful view of the bay on which that town is situated. This tract 
 contains a great portion of wood-land ; whence it has been deno- 
 minated Sylva Danica. Eckemfbhrde is neither a handsome 
 nor a large place; but it has some trade. Close to the town is a 
 fresh-water lake; which is, however, connected with the bay. 
 Over the place where they join, is a w'ooden bridge, across w hich 
 lies the road to Sleswick. 
 
 The distance from this place to Sleswick is 14 miles. This 
 tract consists principally of moors and sand ; it contains little wood, 
 arid few inhabitants. The Schley, a long, narrow bay, which runs 
 irom the Baltic up to the town of Sleswick, affords, however,, 
 some pleasing views. 
 
 Sleswick is a charming place; greatly resemblin^the capitals of 
 thedemocratic Swiss cantons. In some parts, ithasless the appear- 
 ance of a tow n, than of groups of country-houses. It consists prin- 
 cipally of one street, about two miles and a-half in length ; in which 
 many of the houses stand detached. Almost all of them are small; 
 many having only a ground-floor; and few being more than otie 
 story high. They are built, in general, of wood ; and have a neflt, 
 clean, and pleasing appearance. The town is situated at the bot- 
 tom of the Schley ; and, when seen from the w ater, or from an 
 eminence, it makes a considerable figure ; as all the besflfbuses 
 then appear most conspicuous. These, in gener*^ belong to the 
 nobility, who come from all parts of the duchy, and from the 
 islands, to spend the winter in this place. Sleswick is the re- 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &.C. 3 
 
 sidence of the govenior of the province : but it has very little 
 trade, notwithstanding its secure and capacious harbour; because 
 there is not a sufficient depth of water at its mouth. The cathe- 
 dral, though a very old and insignificant structure, is, however, an 
 interesting object to the observer; because it contains, in some 
 measure, the history of the arts and of the progress of taste, in 
 this country, during several centuries. I scarcely ever saw au 
 edifice of this kind so much crowded with monuments; they 
 however, attest the splendour and opulence of the families which 
 are here interred. All the pillars are hung round with busts, sta- 
 tues, pictures, &c. Many families have distinct chapels, in which 
 the deceased are deposited, in immense coffins of marble, lead, 
 and copper. One of these chapels contains the remains of the 
 ancient dukes of Sleswick ; and its walls are decorated with their 
 effigies, in white marble, Several bishops are likewise interred 
 here. The large marble monument of Frederic I. of Denmark, 
 who died in 1534 , is embellished w ith a great number of statues 
 of white marble; the execution of which is by no means con- 
 temptible. I was particularly struck with an altar-piece, of ancient 
 workmanship. The figures upon it, which are almost innumerable, 
 are of wood; and represent Scripture-histories. They are richly 
 gilt all over, by which the workmanship is, in some degree, dis. 
 advantageously concealed. 
 
 The castle of Gottorp, though situated close to Sleswick, is not 
 generally considered as belonging to the town. It is a large struc- 
 ture, and was formerly the residence of the dukes: the garden is 
 terminated by a hill, which commands a delightful prospect. On 
 the eminence stands a pleasure-liouse, where was formerly the 
 celebrated globe, which w as afterwards removed to Petersburg. 
 It contains nothing worthy of notice; and is now the ordinary 
 residence of Prince Charles of Hesse-Cassel, governor of Sles- 
 wick and Holstein; and consort of the princess Louisa, daugh- 
 ter of the Danish king, Frederic V. and mother of the Crown- 
 princess. 
 
 Sonderbukg, in the island of Aesen, June 2Sd. 
 
 We left Sleswick early this morning, and ascended on foot a, 
 considerable eminence, in order to enjoy another view of the town, 
 the bay, and its islands. We then crossed a tract of the worst 
 land in the duchy ; while the contiguous country of the Angles, 
 from which the Anglo-Saxons are supposed to have derived their 
 origin, or at least their name, is equally distinguished for the ex- 
 cellent quality of its soil. extends about 18 miles each way; 
 and is bounded on the south, by the Schley; on the east, by the 
 Baltic Sea; on the north, by the Bay of Flensburg; and is sepa- 
 
 B C Z 
 
4 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 rated by the high road from Sleswick to Flensburg from the 
 interior provinces of the duchy. 
 
 Flensburg, though not the capital, is the most opulent and im- 
 portant place in this country. It is not small, and is very populous; 
 the streets, which are rather narrow 7 , swarm with inhabitants, and 
 exhibit a continual scene of bustle and activity. The houses are 
 neither so neat nor so clean as those of Slestvick; but they are 
 constructed in a more solid and durable manner. Like that town, 
 Flensburg principally consists of one very long street. The back of 
 this street looks towards the harbour; on that side, each house has 
 a small garden, separated from the water by an alley, which 
 forms an agreeable promenade. To the right is the port, with 
 the vessels, and the lively spectacle w hich they produce ; and, to 
 the left are the gardens, each of which has a door leading to this 
 alley. They all command the most delightful view of the harbour, 
 the bay, and the opposite mountainous shore. The port is very 
 good, safe, and convenient; and was full of ships when I saw' it. 
 Close to the tow n, it is narrow ; but the w hole bay, which is deno- 
 minated Flensburg Wisk, is 18 miles in length, c'd terminates at 
 Flensburg, may be considered as a harbour; for it is encom- 
 passed by hills, which shelter it from every wind ; and is of suffi- 
 cient depth for the largest vessels. 
 
 From this place, we resolved to turn aside to the island of 
 Alsen; whose capital, Sonderburg, is five miles distant from 
 Flensburg. The country through w'hich the road at first leads, 
 is neither fertile nor agreeable, till you reach the place called 
 Sundewit; where the duke of Holstein Augustenburg possesses 
 a considerable estate, and the mansion of Gravenstein. As we 
 approached the latter, the country assumed a more pleasing 
 aspect; and we found the road kept in excellent repair. Upon 
 our arrival at Gravenstein, we immediately proceeded to the 
 palace; a square building, of considerable magnitude; though one 
 of the wings has been burned down; — and the duke does not in- 
 tend to rebuild it. The grounds about the palace are fine, and 
 contain some noble and extensive woods. Art has had little share 
 in the formation of the scenery. — Nature created an English park 
 on a grand scale ; and it was thought sufficiently beautiful to be 
 left in that state. 
 
 Between Sleswick and Flensburg, I almost imagined myself in 
 Ireland. The similarity, in the appearance of the country, is so 
 striking, that one of our servants, an Italian, w ho had once been 
 in that island, could not refrain from continually repeating to 
 himself, Irlanda, Irlunda / Of the road from Gravenstein to 
 Sonderburg, tw'o miles and a-half lead through a country that is 
 extremely beautiful, and presents the most delightful views ; 
 mauy of which reminded me strongly of England. 
 
3 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SNVEDEtf r &C. 
 
 Proceeding, for a considerable distance, along a small bay, you 
 continue ascending ; and, at length, discover the island of Alsen, 
 with the town of Sonderburg, which appears to great advan- 
 tage ; and, being situated on the declivity of a hill, seems much 
 larger than it really is. To the right, you see a part of the Baltic; 
 and to the left, the streight which divides Alsen from the con- 
 tinent. Here, at the distance of four miles, you behold the 
 white towers of Augustenburg, peering above the verdant trees, 
 with which it is surrounded; and commanding a small bay, ex- 
 tended at its feet. The whole made an extremely pleasing impres- 
 sion ; and produced sensations similar to those which certain scenes 
 in Italy once excited. 
 
 We now kept descending to the narrow streight which separates 
 Alsen from the continent. Here is a ferry-boat, guided by a 
 rope fastened, on either side, to the shore; but, as we should 
 have been detained some time by the carriage, we took a small 
 boat, which lauded us in six minutes on the opposite side of the 
 streight. 
 
 Apex hade, 24th June. 
 
 We set off very early this morning from Sonderburg, in order 
 to v; jit Augustenburg, the principal residence of the duke. Here, 
 as at Gravenstein, we found a good road ; both being, probably, 
 maintained at the duke’s .e^pence. We proceeded, principally, 
 through meadow-land, to the small village of Augustenburg; at 
 the extremity of which the palace is situated. The external appear- 
 ance of the latter, its spacious court, and extensive stables, give it 
 an air of grandeur which renders it worthy of a prince. The gar- 
 den is in the French style. 
 
 We went back to Sonderburg by the same w 7 av, and hastened 
 to the ferry ; in the vicinity of which, stands an ancient castle, 
 likewise belonging to the duke; but which lias long been unin- 
 habited. Here is the burial-place of the family. 
 
 The distance from Sonderburg to Apenrade is 18 miles. Oil 
 the way to the latter place, I remarked that the habitations of the 
 country-people had, almost w ithout exception, an appearance of 
 neatness and cleanliness. They are very small and low, but are, 
 in a high degree, what particularly pleases an Englishman, aiyd 
 what he calls a snug; neat cottage. The window's are all whole, 
 not patched with paper, and kept perfectly clean : the roof is of 
 straw, very thick, and formed with the utmost accuracy and regu- 
 larity : in a word, the tout-ensemble gives an idea of warmth, 
 comfort and convenience. The people in general, in this district, 
 are particularly clever in the art of thatching, and are not excelled 
 even by the inhabitants of the country about Hamburg. Many 
 
6 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 tilings here likewise reminded me of the more improved parts of 
 Ireland. I thought I perceived a considerable difference between 
 that portion of Sleswick which belongs to the Duke of Augusten-, 
 burg and the rest* of the country* though the whole of it exceeded 
 my expectation. I M as informed that the Duke is a good master 
 to his vassals* and has relieved them from several oppressive bur- 
 thens. There are no such large farms here as in many parts of 
 Germany* nor any very opulent individuals among the peasantry. 
 Every thing is on a very small and limited scale* but they have 
 sufficient to satisfy all their wants. 
 
 Apenrade is a tolerably large* handsome* populous* and very 
 'pulent town. The houses are entirely in the Dutch style. A 
 
 i jeculiar kind of luxury strikes the eye of a stranger in this place : 
 
 , mean the paintings* M'ith which great numbers of the door-ways 
 are decorated. On some you see gardens* or architectural sub- 
 jects, strange figures* but most frequently landscapes* and* here 
 and there* views of the town and harbour of Apenrade : the town 
 contains a great number of shops* and its trade is said to be pretty 
 considerable. This* however* relates more to its domestic con- 
 sumption* than to extensive foreign commerce ; for in this respect 
 Apenrade cannot sustain any comparison with Flensburg. The 
 harbqur* indeed, is not of sufficient depth for the purposes of navi- 
 gation. It is situated at the bottom of a bay, surrounded with 
 hills of considerable height, covered with wood. These eminences* 
 which gradually grow higher as they recede from the coast, afford* 
 vith their woods* such delicious views* that I imagined I M as 
 neholding several contiguous country-seats of English gentlemen. 
 
 Middlefahrt, in the island of Fiinen , Jane 25 , 1803 . 
 
 Leaving Apenrade* we crossed some of the hills which had; 
 yesterday given me such pleasure. By ten in the morning we had 
 reached Haderslev* though above twenty miles distant from Apen- 
 rade. This is likewise a tolerable town* is situated on a bay* and 
 has some trade. The mountains continue increasing in height, 
 from this place to the frontiers of Jiitland, and the country 
 becomes more picturesque and woody* but likewise assumes a 
 "wilder appearance. It is remarkable, that all the woods consist 
 principally of beech, and that the fir which I expected chiefly ta 
 have met with in the north, is so rare* that I scarcely think I saw 
 between Eutin and Jutland* a single fir* larch* or pine* which did 
 not appear to have been planted either in a garden or near a 
 house. 
 
 Notwithstanding the roughness of the road, we proceeded with 
 great rapidity over the eighteen miles to Kolditig* the first place 
 in J iitland* making* likewise* a circuit to Christiansfeld*. or* as 
 
TH “ROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, StC. 7 
 
 our postillion called it. The Holy Town. It lies ‘at some distance 
 from the high road, nearer to Haderslev than Kolding, and in 
 neatness, beauty, and cleanliness, exceeds every town I have seen 
 for a long time. The whole place has not been built above 
 twenty years, and might be taken for a group of country-houses 
 belonging to opulent Dutch citizens. Every thing is laid out bv 
 line : before the houses, on each side of the way, is a row of 
 trees, whose verdure forms an agreeable contrast with the pale 
 yellow of the buildings. Each house is separated from those 
 next to it by a small square court or garden. The place is inha- 
 bited bv a congregation of Moravian, or, as they stile themselves. 
 Evangelical, Brethren. They built it under the protection of his 
 present Majesty, Christian VII. and it is named after him. All 
 articles manufactured here, are said to be of excellent quality, but 
 they are somewhat dearer than at other places. I was informed 
 that they have the character of being good, peaceable, and indus- 
 trious citizens. For the rest, their discipline and institutions are 
 the same as at Hermliut in Lusatia. This place is neither men- 
 tioned in Biisching, nor laid down in any of the maps which we 
 took with us. 
 
 Travellers, in general, go from Haderslev to the island of 
 Aroe, and from the latter to Assens in Fiinen, proceeding directly 
 to Odense, 'the capital of that island. This route is considerably 
 shorter and consequently cheaper than that which we chose, but 
 the Little Belt is, in this place, 19 miles over. Partly with a 
 view to avoid the sea, and partly to see something of Jutland, we 
 went through Kolding, and Snoghde, crossing the Little Belt to 
 Middlefahrt, where it is scarcely tw o miles and a half broad. 
 
 I have frequently made the observation, that it is with towns 
 and countries exactly as with persons : there is something in the 
 first look that prejudices us for or against them ; and if several 
 unpleasing circumstances successively occur, ill-humour is the 
 consequence, and-then every thing is disagreeable and disgusting. 
 This was perhaps the case on my entrance into Jutland ; it is 
 likewise possible, that there may exist between this province and 
 Sleswick that difference which is frequently found between two 
 countries bordering on eacli other and separated, like them, 
 merely by a brook. — Be this as it may, the first view of Kolding 
 produced an unfavourable impression which the post-house, very 
 different from those I had recently visited, was not calculated to 
 remove. 
 
 We had scarcely alighted, w hen we were informed of the 
 arrival of two custom-house officers, a description of men to 
 which I have a great aversion, and by whom the traveller is not 
 -molested in Hanover, Holstein and Sleswick. This is strictly the 
 commencement of Denmark; and Kolding may consequently 
 
8 
 
 XUTTNEft’s TRAVEtg 
 
 1>e considered Sts the first frontier town; The constitution and 
 form of government of theDanish States, properly so called, to 
 which Jutland belongs, varies in many respects from that of the 
 Duchies of Sleswick and Holstein; and there is likewise a con- 
 siderable difference in the currency. — We went to see an ancient 
 royal palace, situated close to the town, on a hill commanding a 
 fine prospect. The greatest part of it is now in ruins, but it 
 must once have been a place of some consequence, as it was in- 
 habited by several kings. 
 
 The distance from Kolding to Snoghoe is about 1 1 miles, 
 in which the hills, mostly covered with trees, and the bay which 
 runs up to Kolding and is here and there seen on the way to 
 Snoghoe, augment the beauty of the various prospects. The 
 latter part of this stage is particularly delightful, as the traveller 
 is separated from the island of Fiinen only by the Little Belt, 
 which here winds among a great number of promontories, that 
 are seen successively projecting, with the sea between them. — 
 You likewise now and then discover Fridericia a fortress, which 
 at this distance produces an agreeable effect. 
 
 Snoghoe is remarkable only for its ferry over the Little Belt 
 and is composed of a few' houses, among which is an inn. The 
 ferry-boat is not large, but is capable of transporting three car- 
 riages at once. The evening w as fine, the wind strong and fa- 
 vourable, and in 17 minutes we were in the island of Fiinen. 
 
 We had still time sufficient to w'alk about in the town of 
 Middlefahrt, where there is very little to be seen. The bouses, 
 in general, have only a ground-floor, and the diminutive Dutch 
 style, which commences in Holstein and continues throughout 
 Sleswick, dwindles aw’ay, in Fiinen and Seeland, into absolute 
 meanness, without possessing that cleanliness and neatness which 
 in the former countries produce such a pleasing effect. We 
 found very decent accomodations at Sber Nolsens, for here the 
 inns seldom have any sign ; but are called by the name of the 
 landlord. 
 
 Nyebouc, in the Island i,f Funen , the QGtkJune. 
 
 Before I proceed any farther, give me leave to make a few 
 general observations on the duchy of Sleswick. I scarcely know 
 a country, excepting England, in w hich travelling is more agree- 
 able. From Kiel to Jutland you meet with a continual suc- 
 cession of plains and moderate hills, and a country which, though 
 not equal to lhp finest tracts of Germany, is however, very well 
 cultivated, where the charming verdure of the corn-fields, mea- 
 dows and pastures is shaded by the darker tints of the woods and 
 groves. It is only here and there that small tracts of barren 
 heath, turf or moorland, intervene. 
 
9 
 
 THROtfGll DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 In the towns every thing exceeded my expectation. The in- 
 habitants are more conveniently lodged and better clothed, they 
 are more cleanly ; in a word, they appear to possess greater af- 
 fluence than persons of the same class in most of the small towns 
 of Germany. I almost every where fancied myself in Holland. 
 The houses are small, low, and frequently consist only of the 
 ground-floor; but they are extremely neat and have a great 
 number of windows, which are kept so clean, that, in passing, I 
 often had an opportunity of witnessing the order, cheerfulness 
 and comfort which prevail within. 
 
 Nor is this the case only in the towns; I likewise saw r a great 
 number of good houses in the country. Every one appears not 
 only to be acquainted with the conveniences and comforts of life, 
 but likewise with a species of luxury, generally found among 
 people who live near the sea, and who, by navigation and their 
 proximity 7 to sea-ports, procure things which the lower classes 
 in more inland provinces scarcely know even by name. Even 
 the smallest cottages have an appearance of cleanliness and af- 
 fluence highly agreeable to the feelings of the philanthropist. 
 
 Between Eutin and the Great Belt, that is, in the bishopric of 
 L'ubeck, in Holstein, Sleswick, and Jutland, I did not meet w ith 
 a single human creature but what had shoes and stockings. In 
 Fiinen, and only there, the shoes of the common people are 
 mostly of wood, and that island, in general, cannot sustain a com- 
 parison w ith Sleswick. I observed scarcely any beggars. 
 
 But, as, on the one hand, every individual appears to possess a 
 competence, so, on the other, no traces are to be found of opu- 
 lence, grandeur and splendour. Most of the houses in Leipzig 
 Would here pass for palaces, and the habitation of many a Ger- 
 man farmer would be taken for the residence of a nobleman. 
 Large store-houses, extensive manufactories, and magnificent 
 public buildings, are as rare as splendid equipages and smart 
 livery-servants. 
 
 The roads, if not always good, are at least tolerable. Here 
 and there we met w ith sand, but w 7 e always w ent tw'enty miles iii 
 about five hours. The extra-posts ought by right to proceed -at 
 the rate of nearly five miles an hour, and I could discover how 
 rigorously this injunction is enforced by the government, from the 
 anxiety manifested by the postillions, on their arrivial at the end 
 of each stage, to obtain a written certificate, in which the travel- 
 ler testifies his satisfaction. They were, at the same time, ex- 
 tremely civil, good-tempered and always contented w T ith what I 
 gave them. ' I likewise travelled, without opposition, with only 
 lour horses, whereas in both Upper and Lower Saxony, and also 
 in Pomerania and Silesia, I was subject to incessant vexation on 
 ths account, and w'as frequently obliged to take six. 
 kuttnerJ c 
 
10 Kuttner’s travels 
 
 I was particularly pleased with the houses of public entertain-' 
 ment. Between Eutin and the frontiers of Jutland, I was ire 
 none that was not superior to any that X am acquainted with, ire 
 the various towns between Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Leipzig, 
 Magdeburg and Brunswick. But Hass’s at Sleswick, and the 
 post-house at Apentade, are two of the best inns that I know any 
 where, though they are not so large and so splendid as the Polish 
 Hotel at Dresden, or the most celebrated houses at Frankfurt. 
 
 On the Great Belt, the 27th of June. 
 
 Leaving Middlefahrt early yesterday morning we proceeded 
 with the same horses, to Odense the capital of Fiinen, a distance 
 of 28 miles. Though we baited our horses at Gripswad, yet, 
 notwithstanding the delay we were not more than six hours ire 
 going that stage. 
 
 I had, hitherto, scarcely been under any difficulty with regard 
 to the language. In the north of Sleswick, I indeed met with 
 persons, who did not understand German, for Danish begins to 
 be spoken between Flensburg and Jutland, but I readily found 
 others with whom I was able to converse. The same was the 
 case in Jutland. At Middlefahrt nobody besides our host could 
 speak German, but his daughter understood almost every thing I 
 Said. At Gripswad, a single detached house, I for the first 
 time found not a creature that understood me. In such cases 
 you are obliged to apply to the females, and it is ten to one yore 
 obtain what you w ant. I spoke German and the landlady Danish,, 
 and yet, partly by words and partly by signs, we at length made 
 shift to comprehend each other. 
 
 At the inn at Odense we found a waiter who could speak 
 German, and immediately engaged him for a guide through the 
 town. He shewed us the cathedral, with its gilded altar and nu- 
 merous monuments; the bishop’s palace; the Grey Friars, an 
 old church, in which several kings and queens are interred, and 
 where I met with another altar of the same kind as that at Sles^ 
 wick, and which was indeed extremely handsome. You see 
 upon it an immense number of figures, about eight inches in 
 length, carved in wood in relievo, and representing circumstances 
 recorded in the Old Testament. The w hole w as very rich and- 
 well gilt. 
 
 Odense, though the capital of the island, does not contain muctr 
 that is worthy of notice. It is a place of tolerable extent, but the 
 Danish style of architecture gives it a mean appearance. The 
 houses themselves are old and not well built. The royal palace 
 where Frederic IV. expired, is unv orthy of a sovereign prince: 
 the adjacent garden would not deserve to be mentioned, were it 
 not tne only one of the kind at tins place. It is open to the 
 public, and, at least, aflords the inhabitants shade, which ismot 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 11 
 
 easily met with in the vicinity of Odense. Several attempts 
 have been made to introduce the English stile into this garden, 
 which was originally laid out in the French or Dutch taste. 
 
 Articles of leather, and particularly gloves, are made in this 
 place, to a considerable amount. The few shops which I saw. 
 Were insignificant, and destitute of elegance and taste, and very 
 few of the inhabitants whom we met were well dressed. Our 
 guide at length took us, at my request, to a tower, where 1 
 enjoyed a view of the w hole island, which is a dead flat, and at 
 the same time, remarked the injudicious situation of Odense. 
 About two miles from the town is a good harbour, which is con- 
 sidered as the port of Odense, and is used by the citizens for the 
 purposes of trade. But this distance, though small, makes a great 
 difference in. commerce, for all commodities sent thither from 
 Odense, or from the port to that place, must be re-loaded and 
 conveyed on a miserable canal to and from the town. 
 
 The stage from Odense to Nyeborg, which is 19 miles, we 
 went so rapidly, that we had more than sufficient time to take a 
 survey of the latter, which is a mean place, with an insignificant 
 fortress, and to enjoy the charming views upon the Great Belt, 
 The town was not long since burned down, and many of the 
 houses are not rebuilt, or only in part. All those who cross the 
 Great Belt at this place, are obliged, in addition to the ancient 
 toll, to pay a certain sum for the benefit of the town. Nyeborg 
 is situated on the pleasant and tolerably fer tile borders of a bay. 
 
 Fiinen is accounted the best of the Danish islands, and is 
 reported to produce considerable quantities of corn, I enter- 
 tained great doubts on this head ; but w as, however, assured at 
 Copenhagen, that this was a fact, and, among others, by a gen- 
 tleman who himself possesses considerable estates in the 
 island. 
 
 There is little to be seenfrom the high road between Middlefahrf 
 and Nyeborg, which runs quite across the country. As far as niy eye 
 could reach, the whole island appeared almost entirely level, and the 
 soil, in general, sandy. As there are neither rocks, mountains, nor 
 much wood, the whole country is susceptible of a high cultivation. 
 But the state of agriculture in this part of Denmark is not, byfar, so 
 much improved as it might be ; a great portion of the country con- 
 sists of pastures which are neither better nor worse than the hand 
 of nature has made them ; fpr by human hands they are entirely 
 neglected. As the farmer, during great part of the year, is not 
 occupied with providing fodder fpr his cattle, he has abundant 
 leisure for the cultivation of corn. He is therefore enabled to 
 raise more than he consumes, and consequently to export the 
 surplus. This, however, is no proof, that Fiinen is a rich and 
 fertile island. I should rather say, that it is a country which 
 
12 
 
 KUTTNEIt’s TRAVELS 
 
 has a very inadequate population ; the inhabitants of which pos- 
 sess more land than they want; or are able to cultivate ; so that 
 they employ themselves entirely in raising corn; w hile they neglect 
 the rest of their farms; w'hich they abandon to their cattle; with- 
 out bestowing any pains on their improvement. 
 
 I observed very few gentlemen’s seats, and it is possible I may 
 have mistaken many of them for the better sort of farm-houses. 
 Detached houses were by no means so frequent as I had been led 
 to expect; the villages were thinly scattered, and, in general, 
 small and mean. In the whole distance of 47 miles between 
 Middlefahrt and Nyeborg, the only town is Odense, which is 
 indeed the capital of the country, and one of the most considerable 
 in the Danish islands. This, however, is not saying much in its 
 favour, for, excepting Copenhagen, there is not a place in all 
 these islands, that can be compared w ith the middle class of Ger- 
 man towns, or even with Chemnitz in Saxony, or Zittau and 
 Gbrlitz in Lusatia. Eisineur, or Helsingoer, is the second tow'n 
 in the Danish islands, and a foreigner, a well-informed man, who 
 resides there, assured me, that the number of its inhabitants does 
 not exceed 5000. Odense. is larger, but not so populous, and has 
 very little trade for a place which has a sea-port at the distance of 
 less than two miles. Middlefahrt and Nyeborg are both insigni- 
 ficant towns, as are all the others that I have seen in the islands of 
 Funen and Seeland. 
 
 Such, as far as my observation goes, is my description of the,, 
 island of F linen. It is possible, that those parts which lie at a consi- 
 derable distance to the right and left of the high road, may be 
 more fertile and better cultivated than those w hich fell under, my 
 notice ; but I have reason to think that this island cannot sustain 
 a comparison with the many other tracts in Europe, and that it 
 owes its reputation for fertility and a high cultivation to the Danes, 
 who compare it with the more sterile soil of Seeland. I can, at 
 any rate, assert, that in the interior of Sweden I have seen exten- 
 sive districts, which were far more fertile and better cultivated. 
 That I do pot err much in iny general opinion on this island, may 
 be seen by the Tables of the Population contained in Thaarup’s 
 Statistical Account of Denmark. That writer states the popula- 
 tion of Denmark proper, in the year 1787, at 840,045 souls, 
 deducting 86,133 for the number of inhabitants at that time in 
 Copenhagen, which must not be considered merely as a town of 
 the Danish islands, but as the capital of the w'hoie monarchy ; 
 there remains for Jutland, Seeland, Funen and the other islands’ 
 no more than 763,912 souls, which is indeed, a very inconside- 
 rable population for such an extent of country. 
 
 It we reflect, that this kingdom has not been involved 111 a single 
 War of any duration or consequence, since 1718, we may almost 
 
13 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 affirm, that no other country in Europe has enjoyed such a peace, 
 excepting, perhaps, Sweden, which during the same period has 
 been engaged in no war, but what was very short and scarcely 
 "worthy of notice. What might not, under such circumstances, 
 be expected of a kingdom so advantageously situated for com- 
 merce, possessing such an immense extent of coast, and so many 
 harbours ? It is, however, the fact, that, with respect to popula- 
 tion, agriculture, manufactures, commerce, opulence, and every 
 kind of improvement, this country is far behind most of the 
 southern states of Europe, though the latter are, in general, less 
 extensive, and have been harrassed by almost incessant wars. If 
 it be likewise taken into consideration, that Denmark has had no 
 improvident sovereigns during this period, but that it is, on the 
 whole, better governed than many of the southern states, we 
 must w'mif, that, if the country fall short of our expectation, this 
 circumstance must be attributed to the want of energy in its 
 inhabitants, and the high northern latitude under which most of 
 the provinces of this extensive kingdom are situated. 
 
 The best portion of the Danish dominions is Sleswick and 
 Holstein, and these do not belong to Denmark proper. 
 According to Thaarup, the number of inhabitants in all N orway, 
 in the year 1?6'9, amounted only to 785,590. The same writer 
 states the population of the whole monarchy in 1785, at2,300,000; 
 aud in the year 1 7 69, he computed it, yet without mentioning 
 the data on which he grounds his calculation, at 3,390,000. 
 This small population is dispersed over nearly 190,000 square 
 miles, while Saxony, on a surface of about 17,500, contains 
 upw ards of two millions of inhabitants. 
 
 The high road throughout all Fiinen was sandy and somewhat 
 out of repair. Had we been a few weeks later, we might pro- 
 bably have been able to praise the excellence of its condition. I 
 never saw a more effective method of constructing roads, than 
 that practised in this island ; some parts were quite covered 
 with men, horses, and carts. It is not from supposition, but actual 
 enumeration, that I assure you, I saw in this one day, not less 
 than one thousand labourers, and upwards of three hundred 
 horses, in the space of about 18 miles. They were divided into 
 parties of 30 or 40, who worked close together, and were a few 
 hundred paces distant from the next group. They were not 
 merely employed in repairing the roads, but some parts of it were 
 constructed anew. In many places it was made broader, while, 
 in others, eminences were levelled and hollows filled up. 
 
 The passage over the Great Belt, without wind, is extremely 
 tedious. Six hours after our departure from Nyeborg, we were 
 nearer to the coast of Fiinen than to that of Seeland. The ebb and 
 flood, though they make the sea unpleasant, are, however, attended 
 with great advantages. The colour of the Great Belt is as 
 
14 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 beautiful as any part of the sea that I have seen on the British 
 coasts, and is, in no respect, inferior to the seas of the more genial 
 climate of Italy. 
 
 I discovered yesterday evening from the shore the island of 
 Langeland, which is 32 miles in length, and we have not yet lost 
 sight of it. As those parts which we can distinguish, are from 14 
 to 40 miles distant, it must consequently, be the more elevated 
 situations which appear like four or five different islands, while 
 the lowlands between them are not discernible. By means of 
 an excellent telescope, I observed thaj; it contains a great quantity 
 of wood ; and, from the alternation of hills and plains, it must be a 
 very pleasant and beautiful country. 
 
 When we had proceeded about two miles, we perceived the 
 little island of Sproe, and beyond it, to the right and left, the 
 island of Seeland. Behind us, I could still plainly distinguish the 
 town of Nyeborg, with an extensive tract of Fiinen op each side, 
 A large and respectable mansion to the right, is the barony of 
 Holvavn, which agreeably enlivens the scene. Near this man- 
 sion, a small river runs into the bay, and it may appear not a little, 
 singular, but not one of the sailors could tell me its name . — “ It is 
 the Aue," (i. e. the River) said they. The same had been the casein 
 Jutland, where nobody knew the name of a river w hich separates 
 that province from Sleswick, near the tow n of Kolding.---“ It is 
 the Aue,” said the postillion ; “ It is the Aue,” I was told at the 
 post-house, and I received the same answer of several other per- 
 sons. 
 
 Biisehing likewise denominates it merely the Koldinger Aue ; 
 and it appears, that many rivers in the North have no proper appel- 
 lation, but are called after some place near which thev flow. 
 
 The small island of Sproe is worthy of notice. It is about 4 
 miles in length, but not so much in breadth. It contains only a 
 single farm-house, which I can plainly distinguish at this moment. 
 It lies in the middle of the Great Belt; which in this part is 18 
 miles over; and in winter is a remarkable station for the post, 
 which regularly stops there, It is conveyed, when the Belt is 
 frozen, in what is termed an ice-boat; to which belong five men. 
 You may judge of the size of the boat, when I tell you, that these 
 five men are obliged, partly to drag, and partly to carry it, with 
 all that it contains, according as the ice, which is frequently un- 
 even, and the drifts of snow permit. If there are passengers, a 
 larger boat is taken ; but all, without exception, must assist to 
 carry. This is the rule, and it is highly necessary; if for no other 
 reason, at least for the personal safety of each individual. These 
 northern seas are never completely frozen : a great number of 
 holes are left: and which could not be crossed without the assist- 
 ance of a boat. I was very lately informed by a Russian, that it 
 is never possible to go from Petersburg!! to Cronstadt, entirely 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C, 
 
 15 
 
 on the ice ; but, that it is always necessary to take a boat upon a 
 slfcdge. In tills manner, the boat is carried or dragged along, and 
 used wherever it is found necessary. Sometimes the ice breaks 
 under the weight; the crew then drop the boat, and jump into it. 
 If it fall in a tolerably horizontal position, all is well; but, it 
 frequently sinks only at one end ; and at such times, the poor 
 fellows have a dangerous piece of business; yet, I, am informed, 
 it very seldom happens, that any person perishes; and still more 
 rarely, that the boat is lost. With this fatiguing and laborious 
 exertion, it takes the men a whole day to reach the island of 
 Sprbe; where they refresh themselves, and pass the night at the 
 farm-house ; and the next morning set out on the second stage to 
 Korsoer. The island of Sprbe belongs to a nobleman of Fiiuen, 
 who keeps a farmer upon it; but, as it is a regular post-station in 
 whiter, the king has erected a building for the accommodation of 
 passengers, whom the farmer furnishes with provisions and other 
 necessaries. 
 
 The keel of the boat is shod with iron ; and it is suspended by 
 cords, from the shoulders of the people, so low, as rather to be 
 drawn along like a sledge, than carried. If the ice be perfectly 
 level, the cords are lengthened; and then the boat is drawn entirely. 
 The reason why this sea is never, or at least, very seldom, com- 
 pletely frozen, is the current which always sets in between the two 
 islands. From Nyeborg to Knutshovel or Canute’s Cape, the 
 extreme point of Fiinen, is four miles and a half ; from the latter 
 to Sprbe the same distance; and from Sprbe to Korsoer nine 
 miles. 
 
 At this moment, Langeland appears like 12 different islands, 
 the largest of which is about seven miles distant. This really 
 produces a most delightful effect. At this distance I can per- 
 ceive that there must be several very lofty hills in the south part 
 of the island. Seeland, which we gradually discover, more distinctly 
 presents an agreeable variety of hill and dale ; is W'oody, and 
 likewise exhibits the appearance of several small islands. 
 
 Korsoer, 4 o'clock. 
 
 After a passage of nine hours, the greatest part of whifch vie 
 went m the two last, w e arrived at Korsbei . As soon as the vessel 
 had reached the shore, I hastened to the post, to order horses. 
 Since that time, during the war in the year 1800, telegraphs were 
 erected on each side of the Belt, which are employed by govern- 
 ment for various purposes. Travellers are likewise permitted to 
 make use df them; and, for a trilling consideration, they bespeak 
 
 horses, lodging, &c. on the opposite shore of the Belt. 
 
 The harbour of Korsoer, with the bay belonging to it, is ex j 
 tremely picturesque ; but the town is the meanest, most wretched. 
 
16 
 
 KUTTNE'R’s ffiAVELS 
 
 and filthy place, that I have yet seen in the Danish dominions. 
 The principal street reminded me of the most miserable villages in 
 Ireland; and the more distant parts, of certain huts which I onc’e 
 saw in Naples, between Salerno and Poestum; and which, indeed, 
 scarcely seemed to be designed for human habitations* 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM KORSOER TO COPENHAGEN. — STAGENSE. 
 
 KREBSHUUS. — NIGHT IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, IN 
 
 THIS LATITUDE. ROSKILDE. BURIAL-PLACE OF THE 
 
 DANISH KINGS. — SOIL OF SEELAND. — COPENHAGEN. 
 
 FIRES IN THAT CITY. — NEW MANNER OF BUILDING. 
 
 AMALIENBURG. BEAUTIFUL SQUARE IN THAT PART OF 
 
 THE CITY. NEW ROYAL MARKET. PALACE OF CIIRIS- 
 
 TI A NS BURG. THE EXCHANGE. BOOKSELLERS’ SHOPS 
 
 THERE. THE DOCK-YARD. NEW MANNER OF SHIP- 
 
 BUILDING. — DEARNESS OF EVERY THING AT COPEN- 
 HAGEN. POVERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT. PALACE 
 
 OF FREDERICSBERG. LAND-FORCES. THE PRINCE 
 
 ROYAL OF DENMARK. MONUMENT IN HONOUR OF 
 
 CF ISTIAN VII. TOWN-RESIDENCES OF THE ROYAL 
 
 FAMILY. — THE COLLECTION OF WORKS OF ART. PIC- 
 
 TURES. — THE TREASURY. — ROSENBURG. 
 
 Copenhagen, June and July 1798. 
 
 "VV E yesterday arrived in this metropolis, called by 'the Danes, 
 Kiobenhavn ; but, before I say any thing concerning it, I must 
 complete the account of my journey hither. 
 
 We hastened to leave the wretched town of Korsber, and pro- 
 ceeded to Slagense, a distance of nine miles. Though superior 
 to the former place, Slagense makes^a miserable appearance, 
 like all the other towns in Seeland that I have seen. The roads 
 of that island are, however, excellent. 
 
 The accommodations for travellers at Slagense being none of 
 the best, those who do not chuse to pass the night at Korsber, 
 usually proceed to Krebshuus, a detached house near Soroe, in a 
 delightful situation, which causes it to be visited, not only by tra- 1 
 Tellers, but by frequent parties of pleasure, from Copenhagen. 
 As we found this house full of , company, we were obliged that 
 night to go the whole stage, fifom Slagense to Ringstedt, about 18 
 miles. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK^ SWEDEN, &C. 17 
 
 We had never been on the road so late before; and I was glad 
 of the opportunity it afforded me of observing the phenomena 
 of a summer’s night, under this latitude, and at this season of the 
 year. The sun set about nine o’clock ; but so far to the north, 
 that his greatest distance from the horizon, namely, at midnight, 
 was very trifling. It was still so light, that even at eleven 1 could 
 distinguish colours at a considerable distance. The moon, it is 
 true, was at the full; but her influence was so confined, that the 
 point of the horizon behind which the sun was concealed, was 
 much lighter than the opposite side, where the luminary of night 
 was arrayed in her highest splendor. I cannot here use the ex- 
 pressions, east and west side, for the brilliant twilight follows the 
 sun; so that, at midnight, the north is the lightest point of the 
 whole horizon. At one o’clock, I could see to read print at the 
 window, at Ringstedt ; and at two, when we went to bed, we had 
 perfect day-light. 
 
 From Ringstedt, which is an insignificant place, we proceeded 
 on the 28th of June to Roskilde, 19 miles, in little more than three 
 hours. I had read so much concerning the -place of interment 
 of the Danish sovereigns, and their magnificent monuments at 
 Roskilde, that it was impossible not to form some idea of 
 them and of the town, which, however, was not answered, either 
 by the one or the other. Biisching must have coined his de- 
 scription of the cathedral, and what it contains, from some Dane; 
 who, probably, acquired all his ideas of grandeur, splendor, and 
 magnificence, from the specimens he had seen in the Danish 
 islands. 
 
 The church is a large, neat, brick edifice, and has a good ap- 
 pearance; but is not distinguished, either for magnificence, or a 
 beautiful style of architecture. Whoever takes pleasure in seeing 
 the coffins of kings, queens, princes, and princesses, cannot per- 
 haps obtain such satisfaction in any other place as in this; for here 
 almost every individual of the reigning family has, for many cen- 
 turies, been interred. Most of the coffins are far from handsome, 
 and are even mean; by far the greatest number having neither 
 sculpture, carving, nor any kind of durable ornament; but are merely 
 decorated with a covering of black velvet. This looks well as long 
 as it is new; but it makes a wretched appearance -after a certain 
 time, when the stuff begins to decay. Some of the persons 
 buried here, have very large, — if you please, very magnificent — 
 marble monuments; amongst which, those of Frederic V. and 
 Christian the VI. are the most remarkable : but he who, in works 
 of this kind, seeks something more than pomp, magnitude, and 
 labour; — who looks for taste, execution, expression, and general 
 effect, will find in this place but little gratification; for all these 
 monuments, excepting, perhaps, *that of Frederic V. are of very 
 
 KUTTNEIt.] D 
 
19 
 
 ku^tner^s travels 
 
 inferior merit. Some, however, produce a very good effect* and 
 are principally of white marble ; but this, either never was per* 
 fectly white, or has acquired a yellowish Oast, which is not pleasing 
 to the eye; and is less a sign of age, than of a damp, close, atmos- 
 phere. At least, I never observed this kind of yellow tinge in 
 Italy, even in monuments of much greater antiquity* I sought the 
 tomb of Saxo Grammaticus, and found that it consisted only of a 
 wooden tablet, with some bad Latin verses. 
 
 As to the town of Roskilde, it has, for several centuries, been 
 falling to decay ; and was on the decline even before the Reforma- 
 tion. It is now a place of no consequence; consisting of a few 
 houses, which are, in general, small and miserable. In the hari 
 bour, which was formerly contiguous to the town, but is now a 
 mile distant, I found one ship and some boats. The royal palace 
 is very mean, and is only visited occasionally by the Crown-Prince, 
 who comes hither on the occasion of any funeral of persons belong* 
 ing to the royal family. 
 
 The distance from Korsder to Copenhagen is 66 miles; in 
 which you do not meet with a single town, or any place that ap- 
 pears to contain 3000 inhabitants. The road is every where 
 broad, and kept in good repair : at the end of each Danish mile, 
 half mile, and quarter of a mile, is erected a post of Norwegian 
 marble, which is of a w hitish cast, intermixed with green, shew- 
 ing the distance from Copenhagen. 
 
 The soil of this island, as far as I could observe from the 
 road, is inferior to that of Fiinen ; and is not so well cultivated. 
 The number of villages and detached houses likewise appeared 
 less ; so that, comparatively, Seeland must be less populous than 
 Fiinen ; but it is unnecessary to observe, that Copenhagen and the 
 adjacent country must not be taken into the account. The country 
 seemed to be poor; and, upon the whole, I observed much more 
 sandy soil than good land. I saw very little w r ood; but it is the 
 more abundant between Copenhagen and Elsinoer. 
 
 Copenhagen, 1s< July. 
 
 This is a handsome city ; and is certainly one of the finest capitals 
 in Europe. For its present beauty, it is indebted to two 
 dreadful conflagrations; one of which occurred in 1728, and the 
 other in 1794. The former destroyed 1650 private houses, be- 
 sides churches and other public edifices; and the latter consumed 
 between 900 and 1000. No part of it excepting, perhaps, two 
 buildings, is 200 years old ; and the best portion of the city has 
 been erected w ithin the last 60 years. 
 
 Copenhagen is divided into three principal parts; the Old Town, 
 the N ew Town, and Christianshaven. As the first was, for the 
 greatest part; destroyed in 1728, and again in 1794, it is, pro- 
 
19 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 perly speaking, the newest portion of the city. The houses are 
 rebuilt in a superior manner, and the plan of the streets has been 
 altered; so that, in many places, one street now occupies the 
 space which formerly contained two. In re-constructing them, 
 a peculiar method has been introduced, which I never met with 
 before; but which, from the advantages it affords, is worthy of 
 attention. All the comer-houses, instead of forming right angles, 
 are rounded off at the turning ; and though this practice spoils the 
 form of the comer-rooms in each story ; yet, this is a trifling con- 
 sideration, when compared with the public benefit with which it 
 is attended. 
 
 The New Town and Christianshaven are, consequently, the most 
 ancient parts of the city; and these were built between the year® 
 1588 and 1647- The Seamens Quarter, which differs greatly from 
 the other portions of Copenhagen, was likewise erected during that 
 period. It contains upwards of 30 streets, all of which are laid 
 out with great regularity; the houses either consist only of a ground- 
 floor, or are but one story high. These huts are small ; but their 
 whole appearance is far from contemptible. They are inhabited 
 by the seamen belonging to the navy, and the numerous labourers 
 employed in the dock-yard. 
 
 The New Town, as I have observed, is, properly speaking, the 
 most ancient; but to this an exception is formed by a considerable 
 portion, generally called Amalienburg, (from a castle of that name, 
 which formerly stood on this spot) built during the reign of the 
 late king, between the year 1746 and 1765. In strict propriety, 
 this part should be denominated Frederic’s Town; for, besides the 
 spot on which the castle of Amalienburg and its gardens formerly 
 stood, it contains several large palaces, and a great number of 
 Other respectable buildings. This part of the city would not make 
 a despicable figure either in London or Paris, Rome or Turin, 
 Vienna or Berlin. I was particularly struck with the beauty of a 
 square, of a perfectly regular form, composed of four large edi- 
 fices, and several smaller buildings ; and opening into the same 
 number of streets. In the centre is an equestrian statue of Fre- 
 deric V, in bronze. One of the four principal edifices is inhabited 
 by the king ; another by the prince royal of Denmark ; the thud 
 by the king’s brother; and the fourth is the Academy of Naval 
 Cadets. In this quarter are likewise situated many other mag- 
 nificent structures, as, the residence of the duke of Augustenburg, 
 that of count Bernstorf, &c. All the streets round the square are 
 very fine, and contain a great number of large and remarkable 
 buildings, of which I shall only mention the hospital, the insti- 
 tution for lying-in women, Classen-house and library, and Fre- 
 deric s Church; or, as it is more commonly called, the Marble 
 Church , This part of the city appears to be appropriated to per 
 
20 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 sons of rank and property; and in like manner, the Old Town is 
 inhabited principally by shop-keepers and trades-people of every 
 description. 
 
 The newest houses in the Old Town are built of brick; and 
 most of them have three stories, besides the ground-floor. Their 
 style is neat and simple ; but many are embellished with columns 
 and pilasters, and have other claims to architectural beauty. 
 
 Another very beautiful square in Copenhagen, is the New 
 Royal Market ; which is not only the largest in this city, but one 
 of the most extensive that I have any where seen. It is almost 
 entirely composed of stately buildings, as, the Academy of Paint- 
 ing and Sculpture ; behind which is situated, the Botanic Gar- 
 den, and which was formerly a royal palace, called Charlotten- 
 burg; the theatre; the great hotel; the artillery house, &c. In 
 the centre is a marble equestrian statue of Christian V. 
 
 The theatre is small; and yet it is the only one in this com- 
 paratively extensive city. The performances are in the Danish 
 language ; but the house is not opened, excepting when the king 
 is in town. 
 
 Religion appears to be out of fashion at Copenhagen, as in most 
 other places. Magnificent churches were formerly erected, while 
 part of the inhabitants frequently wanted a roof to cover them; 
 but I here observed, that none of the churches burned down in 
 the year 1 7 { 4 , have yet been touched. This conflagration began 
 in the Holm behind the arsenal, and the cause has never yet been 
 discovered. As this calamity reduced so many families to the state 
 of houseless wanderers, the govei^Jment ordered a great number 
 of tents to be pitched in thef 'fields round Copenhagen, for the 
 reception of those who were unable to procure any other asylum. 
 A multitude of small dwellings for the poor have likewise been, 
 from time to time, erected, in the ruins of the Great Palace. 
 This beautiful and magnificent edifice, called Christiansburg, was 
 burned at an earlier period, in the same year; and nothing was 
 left standing but the bare w alls and the cellars, the vaulting of 
 which was so solid, that the fire could not penetrate. These cel- 
 lars are still inhabited by poor people. To my knowledge, I 
 never saw a more extensive, more beautiful, and more magnificent 
 palace ; indeed, I doubt, whether I ever beheld its equal. How 
 great, how sublime, even amidst its ruins! It is a regular 
 square, inclosing a court. I he length of each of the principal 
 sides, or of the body of the edifice, is 367 feet ; that of the wings 
 389 ; and the height of the former 114 . Four thousand persons 
 w ere supposed to be contained in it, when the whole court was 
 in town; but that number is, probably, somewhat exaggerated. 
 It is of brick, but the body of the building was faced wdth 
 stone; the wings, as may now be seen, were only stuccoed; blit, 
 
21 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 formerly, this must have been almost imperceptible. The walls, 
 at their base, are ten feet thick, and rest on nine or ten thousand 
 piles ; for the ground being surrounded with water, is so bad, that 
 a sure foundation could not otherwise be obtained. 
 
 The palace, like most buildings ofc this kind, consisted of high 
 and low stories or floors, and had three of each. The lowest part 
 is entirely over-arched ; and above this is the first floor. Then 
 comes a mezianino, entresol, or half-floor, which is succeeded 
 by the second story, formerly the apartments of the royal family. 
 Above, is another lofty story, and a low floor with square windows 
 terminates the building. At the top was a balustrade, that went 
 round the whole, inclosing the roof, which was of copper. 
 
 As the proportions of this edifice are well preserved, its vast 
 magnitude does not, at the first sight, strike the spectator. The 
 eye, however, obtains a standard, on observing that the first 
 story has been divided into two ; and thus, a double range of 
 dwellings is made for the poor. The windows are walled up; 
 but two smaller apertures are left in each ; one of which serves 
 for a window to the lower, and the other to the upper apartment. 
 Two stair-cases are covered, from the top to the bottom, with 
 marble, and have each 183 steps. 
 
 Christiansburg affords a striking demonstration of the difference 
 of the times, and the poverty of the present. This great and 
 magnificent edifice was built by Christian VI. who exacted no 
 aid from his subjects towards its erection. After it was burned, 
 extraordinary taxes were immediately imposed, for the purpose 
 of re-building it; but nothing) has yet been done, and many even 
 assert, that the idea is relinquished, probably because the expence 
 is thought too great for the nation to be able to defray. 
 
 hiince the conflagration, the walls of this building have suffered 
 exceedingly, from exposure to the weather. In the course of ten 
 years, if better measures be not taken than have hitherto been 
 adopted, the w hole will be one vast ruin ; and it will require 
 immense sums merely to carry away the rubbish, as the materials 
 will certainly, by that time, be unfit for any other purpose. I have 
 frequently visited this palace, and rambled through it with sensa- 
 tions of regret and pleasure. 
 
 Near Christiansburg stands the Exchange, one of the few 
 buildings remaining from the time of Christian IV. It is quite 
 in the ancient style; but is a very extensive edifice 400 feet 
 in length ; and is covered with lead. Only the first hall is appro- 
 priated to the use of the merchants: it is much frequented. The 
 other part of the basement is occupied by shops. In those of the 
 four booksellers, which are situated in this place, I had reason to 
 remark, how very little connection there is between the neighbour- 
 ing kingdoms of Denmark and Swedeik I would advise the tra- 
 
S3 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 Teller, who intends to visit the latter country, to procure any maps 
 or books relating to the language or literature ot Sweden, which 
 he may want, before his arrival at Copenhagen; for, if he expect 
 to meet with them there, he will run a great risk of being disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 Copenhagen, July 3d. 
 
 We dined yesterday with a Danish general. The whole com- 
 pany spoke nothing but English ; and that language seemed per- 
 fectly familiar to them all. On this occasion, I became acquainted, 
 among others, with captain Hohlenberg, master ship-buiider to 
 the king, and one of the most distinguished men, in that line, in 
 Denmark. 
 
 The whole Danish navy lies in the harbour of Copenhagen. 
 Though this arrangement is in many respects very convenient, 
 yet it is attended with great disadvantages, both on account of 
 danger from fire and blockades, or surprises in time of war. The 
 harbour for merchant-ships, and that for the men of w ar, are sepa- 
 rated only by wooden piles, or a kind of balustrade. Contiguous 
 to the latter are several islands, denominated Holms, upon which 
 are dock-yards, containing every thing necessary, not only for the 
 building, but likewise the equipment, of ships of war. The 
 house in which the cables are made, is said to be 900 feet in 
 length, and I really think it the longest I ever saw. The thickest 
 cables made there are 20 inches in circumference. 
 
 We w ere conducted to the model-house, which is not usually 
 shewn in other dock-yards ; on this occasion it w as observed, 
 that no foreigner is permitted to see those at Portsmouth and 
 Plymouth. A complete model of a ship of the line was shewn 
 us. I think I never saw, even in England, any thing more per- 
 fect, of more exquisite workmanship, or better calculated to> 
 afford an idea of each individual part of a ship. The whole can 
 be taken into very small pieces, scv that every thing may be seen in 
 the most distinct manner. We were told, that several men had 
 been employed nine years on this model. 
 
 Mr. Hohlenberg has invented a new method of building men of 
 w ar, which consists in decreasing the width of the stern, so asr 
 to make it much narrower than across the middle, or than the 
 ships of war of any European nation usually are. This method 
 is attended with the advantage, that the three aftermost guns on 
 each side, may be directed so as not only to fire straight forward, 
 but likewise to the right and left. I saw a 24 gun frigate of this, 
 construction, nearly ready for launching. It likewise has this 
 peculiarity, that all the knees are of iron. By the alteration, a 
 considerable space is gained in the ship, and the movement of the 
 guns greatly facilitated; for as the iron knee is much smaller than 
 
Through Denmark, Sweden^, Sic. 23 
 
 one of wood, and consequently requires less rdom, the giu^ may 
 be pointed in a more oblique direction, either to the right or left. 
 The English, however, are extremely hostile to this new method, 
 and maintain that the knees must absolutely be of wood, because 
 a shipuis so much shaken by the tiring of the guns, that every 
 part naust receive and yield to the iliock : but, if the knees are 
 of iron, instead of yielding, the^f re-act upon the body of the ship 
 with greater violence, so that it is more liable to injury, and in 
 the end, will not last so long as those with wooden knees. — 
 Time must decide who is right. 
 
 All men of war, built at this place, are of oak. Fir, which the 
 English occasionally employ, is absolutely rejected. The See- 
 land oak is held in the highest esteem. 
 
 Besides the above-mentioned frigate, a 74 gun ship was on the 
 stocks, but not on Hohlenberg’s plan. I thought this vessel very 
 heavy in wood, when compared with an English man of war of 
 the same number of guns, but the Danes obstinately refused to 
 admit the truth of this observation. I had before made the same 
 remark on the Dutch ships. 
 
 The whole naval force of Denmark consists at present of 24 
 ships of the line, the largest of which carries 84, and the smallest 
 64 guns. Only one, called Christian VII. carries 100 guns ; but 
 she is too heavy, and consequently draws too much water for 
 these northern seas, and is, on that account, never used. They 
 could not, or rather would not, tell me the number of frigates and 
 small ships, but I know that it is inconsiderable. The heaviest 
 cannon are thirty-six pounders ; the largest English ships carry 42 
 pounders, but the Danish pound is ten per cent heavier than the 
 English. 
 
 To inspect the Holms, or dock-yards, a special permission from 
 the Court is required. Our names were transmitted to the Crown- 
 Prince, and this regulation extends to all foreigners. Particular 
 precaution has been observed in this respect, since the last confla- 
 gration. 
 
 Every tiling is extremely dear in Copenhagen ; and though I 
 should spend more in the course of a year in London, yet here I 
 consider many articles as dearer, because they are so much worse. 
 When things in general are high in price, it is commonly a sign of 
 the opulence, abundance, and luxury of a country ; but at Copen- 
 hagen the rule appears to be reversed. In England and Holland, 
 most articles are dear, on account of the great demand for them ; 
 here, on the contrary, every thing is dear, because there is a 
 scarcity of every thing. A housekeeper, of the middling class, 
 informed me that the family of a citizen must live with the greatest 
 frugality not to spend more than 2000 Danish dollars (each about 
 $s. 6d, English) per annum. 
 
24 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 JEven wood is uncommonly dear, though Jutland and Norway 
 aboimd in that material. The fact is, both those countries export 
 the timber which grows in the neighbourhood of water, not only 
 to the Danish islands, but likewise to England, France, and Hol- 
 land, and consequently it is not cheap, even on the spot : while 
 the ;jmmense woods, which' are situated at a distance from the 
 sea, and from any river, are absolutely of no value. Vast quanti- 
 ties every year decay, or are felled and burned, merely for the sake 
 of the ashes, which are then employed as manure. 
 
 If the Danes, in general, be poor, the government is in the 
 same situation. It is evidently in the greatest want of money, as 
 every thing connected with it attests. It is unable to rebuild the 
 great palace, though extraordinary imposts have been levied for 
 the purpose ; Charlottenburg has been resigned to a private indi- 
 vidual ; Sophienburg sold ; the Hermitage, a small insignificant 
 building, is no longer habitable ; and Hirschholm, where 2 6 years 
 ago the whole court resided, is falling to decay. Even Frederics- 
 burg, now the principal country-residence of the royal family, and 
 where they regularly pass the summer, is in a very crazy condition ; 
 and I have remarked certain parts of it, which no English gentle- 
 man with an income of 30001. a year would suffer to remain 
 near his house. As this palace is situated near the road from 
 Roskilde to Copenhagen, we alighted and walked round it. 
 Excepting two sentinels, not a single living creature was, at first, 
 to be seen. We w ent into the great court which is enclosed by 
 this extensive building, but a deatls-like silence eyery where pre- 
 vailed. At length I discovered a servant, of whom I asked a few 
 questions, and who, to my no small astonishment, informed me, 
 that all the branches of the royal family w ere at that moment there. 
 On a second visit I found the same solitude and silence. 
 
 The gardens are in the French taste, and are neither laid out 
 in a grand style, nor kept in good order. On that side of the 
 palace towards Copenhagen, runs a walk shaded with ,trees, 
 bordered by a lofty hedge, and provided with, numerous seats, 
 commanding a noble prospect of the city. From this point Co- 
 penhagen appears really grand and magnificent. Near it you see 
 the island of Amack, the sea on each side and beyond it, and the 
 Swedish coast in the distance. 
 
 The Danish government is poor, and is, therefore, obliged to 
 be (economical. The whole revenues of the state do not quite 
 amount to seven millions of dollars ; and of this sum, tw'o thirds 
 are expended in the maintenance of the army and navy. I was 
 assured by a Danish general, that the number of the land forces 
 was not less than 60,000 men, which is an immense proportion 
 for a country containing, at the utmost, no more than 2,390,000 
 inhabitants. All these troops, it is true, are not on duty during 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 25 
 
 the whole year, and.are less prejudicial to the population, because 
 a great part of them are foreigners* The navy likewise requires 
 vast sums, but, to doit justice, it is in the finest order. 
 
 The Crown-prince, who is in reality at the head of the govern- 
 ment, exhibits an example of great frugality, spending little on his 
 establishment, and still less on his pleasures. He is extremely 
 active, and in his character predominate a certain regularity and 
 austerity, which are probably the cause that he is, upon the 
 whole, less beloved th»n, for his many excellent qualities, he 
 deserves to be. 
 
 On the way from Copenhagen to Fredericsberg is seen, in the 
 suburbs, the monument erected in 1793 by the city, in honour 
 of his present majesty, because he abolished vassalage, and some 
 time afterwards fixed the term of the duration of the slave-trade. 
 It is a large obelisk of reddish stone, and of a fine form. Around 
 the pedestal are placed four female figures, in white marble, by 
 different artists. 
 
 There are no other public works of art of any consequence : 
 you find indeed, here and there, in the churches, w hat are deno- 
 minated magnificent monuments ; for instance, those of Gulden 
 lau and Adeler, in the church of Our Lady ; but, in point of art, 
 they have little merit, and the man of taste laments such a misap- 
 plication of marble, labour, aijd money. The above church is 
 pretty, and its steeple is reckoned one of the highest in Europe. 
 The statues of the kings which I have already mentioned, are good 
 enough for public ornaments, but cannot, by any means, be 
 classed with the chef d’ oeuvres of their kind. 
 
 We likewise visited the houses in the city, inhabited by the 
 king and the crown-prince. Idle residence of the latter is a good 
 and convenient habitation for a man of rank. In the apartments 
 of his consort are some good pictures. The few that decorated 
 the apartments of the prince, consisted entirely of battles ; and I 
 remarked, that the only portrait, excepting one of the princess 
 and the busts of his sisters, was that of Charles XII. The 
 army and navy appear to be the object of his particular attention, 
 and whatever concerns them, his principal occupation. The 
 apartments in the king’s palace are tolerably large and commo- 
 dious ; they are furnished and fitted up in a respectable style ; in 
 a word, as you would expect to find the house of a man of quality, 
 who lives in a manner becoming his rank and dignity, but is not 
 fond of pomp. They are not suited to the idea of majesty ; but, 
 as I have already observed, since the destruction of Christians- 
 burg, the whole family resides in private houses. 
 
 In the collection of works of art, in this city, the objects most 
 worthy of notice are the paintings, though their number is not con- 
 siderable. I found among them some good pieces, and parti- 
 
 KUTTNER.j E 
 
26 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 cularly a few by old masters, whose works are rarely seen. I 
 remarked, for instance, two beautiful pieces by Lippi, a prede- 
 cessor of Raphael, of whose productions 1 recollect to have seen 
 very few out of Italy. I scarcely ever met with finer paintings 
 by Both than those in this collection. We were shewn a copy 
 of the Venus by’ Titian, which hangs in the Tribuna at Florence, 
 and which we were positively assured was an original. I likewise 
 saw a Holy family of remarkable beauty, by Honthorst. 
 
 Copenhagen has also its treasury, and, if you please, its armory ; 
 for that name may, without impropriety, be given to Rosenburg, 
 a castle erected by Christian IV. out of the city, but which is 
 now enclosed by it. This, is a stately edifice, and, notwithstand- 
 ing its antique, but not purely Gothic towers, possesses a certain air 
 of grandeur. Several articles of great value are preserved in this 
 place : and among the rest three silver lions, as large as life, as 
 many vessels of massive gold or silver, and a most extravagantly 
 heavy service of gold plate, off which the king eats on certain occa- 
 sions. Those who are fond of seeing old Venetian glass, may 
 here find such a collection as scarcely exists elsewhere. The fine 
 woven tapestry was manufactured in the little Danish towm of 
 Kioge, and represents occurrences in the history of Denmark. — 
 T\ie chair in which the king is crowned, is made of the horn of 
 the narwal or sword-fish, and the queen’s is of silver. The cabinet 
 of coins, which is also preserved at Rosenburg, is tolerably 
 copious and worth seeing. 
 
 1 was particularly delighted with the extensive garden conti- 
 guous to this castle ; not that it possesses extraordinary beauty, or 
 is distinguished for the taste with which it is laid out, but because 
 it is situated within the walls of a large city, and the inhabitants 
 can there enjoy the recreation of a walk, while its trees afford 
 them an agreeable shade. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 27 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 ROYAL PALACES BETWEEN COPENHAGEN AND ELSINOER. 
 
 CHARLOTTENLUND. SOPHIE N BURG. HIRSCHHOLM. 
 
 QUEEN MATILDA. THE PARK. THE OBSERVATORY. 
 
 — THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY.— THE KING’S LI- 
 BRARY. — ARTISTS. — PAINTERS. — SCULPTORS. — THE 
 MARBLE CHURCH. CL ASSESS LIBRARY. THE INSTI- 
 TUTION FOR LYING-IN WOMEN. POPULATION OF CO- 
 PENHAGEN. OF LAPLANDERS AND REINDEER. — OF 
 
 THE LANGUAGE AND DRESS OF THE INHABITANTS OF 
 COPENHAGEN. 
 
 Copenhagen, July the 5th, 1798. 
 
 It is only eight days since we arrived at this place, one of which 
 we passed entirely in the country; and yet we have seen every thing 
 worthy of notice in the city, and might have finished sooner if we 
 had pleased. 
 
 Between Copenhagen and Elsinder, and in the vicinity of the 
 latter, are situated several royal mansions, which the traveller is 
 curious to see, though few of them repay the trouble. From Co- 
 penhagen to a considerable distance northward, run three roads, 
 which at length unite in that terminating at Elsinoer. We resolved 
 to take the western, though not the most direct of the three, on 
 our way to Sweden; and to make an excursion on the eastern and 
 middlemost on Sunday'. As the eastern runs almost invariably 
 along, or very near the sea-coast, it is sufficiently interesting. The 
 country is, however, far from pleasing. It is, for the greatest part, 
 fiat and sandy ; and the few villages you meet with, wear the 
 appearance of poverty an 1 misery. They are entirely surrounded 
 by sand; the houses are, in general, without gardens, and have no 
 trees in their vicinity. The proximity of the sea, the varied 
 prospects it presents, and the numerous vessels that are constantly 
 passing and re-passing, have, however, induced many to erect 
 country-houses near it ; but, among these, I saw none of any dis- 
 tinction. 
 
 About two miles from the city is Charlottenlund, a royal man- 
 sion, which is so embosomed in wood, that it has not the least 
 prospect. The house, now inhabited by a private family, is in- 
 significant ; but the ancient wood of beech-trees, by which it is 
 
 E 2 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 £8 
 
 surrounded, is the more beautiful. We then came to a paper-mill* 
 which is considered of sufficient consequence to be laid down in 
 several maps : and soon afterwards to the country-house of the lady 
 of General Von Schimmelmann, where we found her son-in-law, 
 the Prussian Ambassador, and his family. The house itself is not 
 remarkable, but near it is an eminence which commands a view 
 of the Swedish Coast, the Island of Hween, situated not far from 
 it, and a great portion of Seeland. 
 
 We then proceeded to Sophienburg, and saw, on the way, several 
 country-seats ; but even here, the country is, in general, sandy 
 and barren. Sophienburg, formerly a royal palace, stands on an 
 eminence, close to the sea, and commands a noble prospect. 
 With a large English telescope, I saw, quite distinctly, the town of 
 Elsinoer, with the adjacent castle of Cronburg, where the un- 
 fortunate Matilda passed a whole winter, before she was sent to 
 Zell. Farther to the right I discovered Helsingburg, in Sweden ; 
 which, at this distance, appears to be situated on the same coast 
 with Elsinoer. Sweden trends to the north, in such a man- 
 ner, that the Sound does not appear open ; and the spectator 
 imagines that it is joined to Seeland. Thus, that island and the 
 Swedish coast, apparently form a bay; which, at the moment we 
 saw it, was enlivened by an immense number of ships. It is 
 computed that, upon an average, 10,000 vessels annually pass 
 through the Sound ; but, as very few are to be seen in the winter 
 season, you may reckon that, in the summer months, 100 vessels 
 sail by every twenty-four hours. But, as this depends, in a great 
 measure, on the wind, sometimes a prodigious number of them 
 may be seen at the same time ; and then they afford a spectacle 
 truly sublime. In this prospect is likewise included the Island of 
 Hvveen, which lies between Sweden and Seeland. It was ren- 
 dered celebrated by Tycho Brahe, who there passed a portion 
 -of his life; but I shall say nothing more concerning it, as it has 
 been circumstantially described by Biisching and Coxe. 
 
 Sophienburg is almost 16 miles from Copenhagen; and, at 
 that place, we took another road on our return. In a quarter of 
 an hour we reached Hirschholm, a royal palace, of very great 
 extent; which was formerly the regular residence of the court, 
 and w’here Queen Matilda passed the last summer of her stay in 
 Denmark. Since that time, it has never been visited by the court; 
 and every thing around the palace presents the appearance of 
 desertion, neglect, and decay. I, how ; ever, found the interior of 
 the building in much better condition, than its exterior afforded 
 reason to expect. It contains a great number of good apartments, 
 which either are, or might be rendered, habitable with very little 
 expence. Though not in the modem taste, yet they are fitted 
 up in a very deceut style. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. OQ 
 
 The man who shewed us the palace, was one of Matilda's do- 
 mestics : he spoke of his mistress with tenderness and emotion ; 
 and seemed to take particular pleasure in the recollection of her. 
 He told us, that a masquerade was given at the palace in town, 
 at which the queen was present. When it was over, she wa staken 
 into custody by General Von Kollerbanner, forced into a car- 
 riage, and driven to Cronburg. Her domestics were sent after 
 her; and this man, who passed the remainder of the winter at that 
 place, afterwards accompanied her to Stade on the Elbe, where 
 she was received by great numbers of the Hanoverian nobility. 
 I looked round, but in vain, to discover some traces of this prin- 
 cess. Not a portrait of any kind was to be seen in the whole 
 palace ; nor yet in the apartments of the Crown-prince. It is 
 natural to suppose that there is none in the King’s palace ; they 
 now' endeavour entirely to forget this black business ; and, among 
 those who are at all connected with the court, it is never men- 
 tioned. The murder of Struensee and Brand is regarded w'ith 
 horror, and the unfortunate fate of the amiable queen is univer- 
 sally lamented. The Crown-prince has pretty plainly expressed 
 his sentiments on this subject. As soon as he was confirmed, 
 that is, when he had attained the age of 17, and w as placed, in 
 some measure, at the head of the government, the Queen Dow- 
 ager was obliged to leave Copenhagen, and retire to Fre- 
 dericsburg, where she died in the year 1796. The Prince like- 
 wise shewed, in the sequel, a decided aversion to all those who had 
 taken part against his mother. 
 
 On our return, we soon arrived at the Park, which is nothing 
 more than an extensive forest, of about 50 square miles, contain- 
 ing scanty pasturage, separated from the wood, and a great num- 
 ber of deer. In an open part of it is situated a small edifice, 
 belonging to the King, called the Hermitage. It was formerly 
 used as a hunting-seat, where the Sovereign sometimes passed a 
 night or two ; but is not spacious enough to admit the whole 
 court. The building is in a w retched condition, and, all around 
 it naked and deserted. 
 
 We then entered a thicker part of the w ood, and there I beheld 
 a spectacle, which, alone, would have repaid me for the day’s 
 excursion. From the 24th of June, till the 2d of July, a portion 
 of this forest is the theatre of every kind of diversion ; it is fre- 
 quented, daily, by immense multitudes; and particularly on Sun- 
 days, many thousands of people there assemble. You see a 
 great number of booths, adapted to company of all descriptions. 
 In these you find eating, drinking, dancing, and a variety of 
 spectacles. These diversions, it is true, have no interest for a 
 person of refined sensibility and superior taste : they are calcu- 
 
SO kutTner’s travels 
 
 lated onlv for the multitude ; and many, merely for the lowest 
 class of the people, and the country-folks, from the adjacent 
 parts. You, however, meet with persons of education among 
 the crowd, who rejoice, because so many of their fellow-creatures 
 are delighted ; and divert themselves with the ridiculous shews. 
 1 observed many a handsome equipage, and smart livery. To a 
 stranger, this scene is particularly interesting, were it only for the 
 opportunity it affords of seeing the various dresses of the people 
 in the different parts of the island. 
 
 1 made enquiry of several, concerning the origin of this singular 
 festival, which is, besides, of such long duration; but, on this 
 subject, they were all as ignorant as myself. It is probably a very 
 ancient, and, originally, a religious custom. The goddess Her- 
 tlm resided on the island of Seeland, in the sacred forest, which 
 was visited by the people at certain seasons of the year. 
 
 We, at length, quitted the motley scene, and came to some 
 barracks, on the scite of which once stood the royal palace of 
 J agersburg; demolished during a former reign. Of the country- 
 houses, which I saw between this place and the city. Count 
 Bemstorf ’s appeared to be the most worthy of notice. 
 
 Among the acquaintances that I have mad«<jaere, is M. Biigge, 
 professor of astronomy, and overseer of the Royal Observatory. 
 He possesses a collection of astronomical, and other instruments ; 
 which, for a private person, is very considerable. He conducted 
 trs to the Observatory, the largest edifice of the kind I ever saw ; 
 and built in a style of grandeur, which forms a striking contrast 
 with the meanness and penury of the present times. It is a tower, 
 120 feet high, and 70 in diameter ; and was erected by King 
 Christian IV. for the scholars of Tycho Brahe. It is circular ; 
 and the interior forms a perfect cylinder ; between this and the 
 principal wall, runs a stair-case, by which you may ascend; 
 for it forms an angle of five and a half degrees with the horizon ; 
 and is, consequently, extremely convenient. This winding stair- 
 case ceases before you reach the top of the tower, and makes room 
 for four apartments, which belong to the Observatory. Round 
 the top is a balustrade, within which is the Observatory, properly 
 so called. It is far from large, but has a tolerable collection of 
 instruments; which, though not handsome, are said to be very 
 useful ; and possess the peculiar merit of having, with few ex- 
 ceptions, been made at Copenhagen. The quadrant is six feet 
 in length. A telescope, by Schrader, of Kiel, who is still living, 
 is 12 feet long, and of the same construction as Herschers, Here 
 is, likewise, an astronomical circle, of four feet radius, which is 
 entirely divided into 90 and 96 degrees ; so that the smallest error 
 in au observation is detected. Of the other instruments, I shall 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 31 
 
 sav nothing. From the gallery you enjoy a noble prospect over 
 the whole city of Copenhagen, the sea, great part of Seeland, 
 and the coast of Sweden. I amused myself a long time with a 
 good telescope ; by the assistance of which, I could plainly dis- 
 tinguish the windows in the houses of Landscron, though at the 
 distance of 23 miles. I followed the Swedish Coast, and found 
 that I could there discern houses at the distance of 38 and even 40 
 miles. 
 
 The Tower, on which the Observatory is situated, belongs to 
 Trinity Church ; and from it a door leads to the Library of the 
 University, which is placed between the body and the roof of the 
 Church. As far as I am enabled to judge, from a general survey, 
 it is neither very copious nor very respectable. The most re- 
 markable things it contains, are, a number of Icelandic manu- 
 scripts ; of which, those shown to me, were very neatly written. 
 If I am not mistaken, they were presented to the Library by 
 Amas Magnaeus, with the restriction, that they should never be 
 printed. Notwithstanding this, several of them have been pub- 
 lished, either with a Danish or Latin translation, or both. The 
 most considerable Icelandic work that was shewn me, has been 
 printed in three siriUll folio volumes, at the expence of Prince 
 Frederic, who is here denominated the Hereditary Prince, though 
 he is brother to his Majesty. The Latin title of that work is : 
 Historia Region Norwegicorum conscript a a Snorrio Stur/a 
 iilio, 6 sc. Havnia 1777- I cast my eye over a printed page, and 
 found not three words resembling any of the languages with which 
 I am acquainted. This library likewise contains some Runic manu- 
 scripts. 
 
 The Royal Library is, in various respects, one of the most 
 considerable in Europe. It is said to be particularly rich in 
 Greek and Roman classics, and natural history. It likewise con- 
 tains a great number of first editions ; that is, of books printed in 
 the 14th century. Among these I saw a work, which I never 
 remember to have met with elsewhere, entitled, Salemonis 
 ecclesie Constant iniensis epiglosse ex illustrissimis collecte a ac- 
 tor ibus, £)'c. without date, or the name of the place where it w as 
 printed. In this Latin work I observed a great number of old 
 German words. I likewise saw an exposition of the Gospel in 
 the Danish language, printed in the year 151.5, at Paris ; and the 
 same w ork, printed in 1518, at Leipzig. These two editions 
 prove the little encouragement which printing, at first, expe- 
 rienced in this country. The first book printed in Denmark, is 
 of the 15th century; and, I believe, of the year 1496. The 
 printer was a German, who came hither from Westphalia. If 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 32 
 
 they had continued to exercise this art in Denmark, there would 
 have been no necessity 20 years afterwards, to employ the printers 
 of Paris and Leipzig to print a popular work, like the above- 
 mentioned exposition. The art has, however, since made great 
 progress in this island, the presses of which have produced 
 works, that would do honor to any country. To these belong, 
 in particular, those very splendid works, the Flora Danica , and 
 the Rura otii , relating to the mushroom and vegetables of that 
 species. The four Evangelists, in Greek, printed at Copen- 
 hagen a few years since, in folio and quarto, is likewise a very 
 fine publication. 
 
 This library contains a great number of manuscripts. One of 
 Virgil, on parchment, is particularly beautiful. I saw here missals, 
 which, in beauty and splendour, are equal to any I ever met with 
 in England, France, or Italy. The finest, both for the hand- 
 writing and embellishments, is a French chronicle ; in which 
 the pictures are so highly finished, and so exquisitely beautiful 
 in their way, that the first artist of the present day would survey 
 them with pleasure. I was also shewn a Tranquebar bible, which 
 is used by the missionaries at that settlement; but it contains only 
 the Old Testament. 
 
 Professor Nyerup was exceedingly polite, and conducted me 
 about for several hours, with the utmost patience. He estimates 
 the number of volumes at 250,000. The whole collection w'as 
 in the greatest confusion, as it had recently received an accession 
 of 100,000 volumes, by the acquisition of the Suhmian Library. 
 If these numbers appear too high, I have stated my authority. 
 This library is situated not far from the great palace, in a build- 
 ing which is worthy of it. It has a yearly revenue of 3000 Danish 
 dollars ; which sum is applied, to the purchase of new pub- 
 lications. They seem very anxious to procure new works, as 
 soon as possible ; for I found many splendid publications, which 
 had appeared in England within the preceding twelve months. 
 
 Among the artists whom I have seen in this city, I shall men- 
 tion the following: The painter Juel was known and esteemed, 
 twenty years ago, at Geneva and in Switzerland, before he re- 
 moved to Copenhagen. He complained that he was principally 
 employed on portraits, and seldom received an order for an his- 
 torical piece. This is, alas ! the fate of almost all the historic 
 painters in Germany, and the North. His price for a head is 80 
 dollars. He is, undoubtedly, a first-rate artist; but, in portrait- 
 painting, he is excelled by Graf, of Dresden. Clornens, who, 
 20 years ago, engraved the portrait of Bonnet, by Juel, is still 
 living, and resides at Copenhagen. 
 
33 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 The painter Lorenzen has taken a great number of views in 
 Norway, which he is now publishing : they are engraved by Haas. 
 He promises mam of the beauties of that country ; what I saw 
 does not belie the assertion, and proves his good taste in the 
 selection of objects. His talents are above mediocrity; but he, 
 like most of the artists in the North, is obliged to do every thing. 
 I found him employed upon portraits, beasts, landscapes, a 
 screen for the French consul, small historical pictures, and I 
 know not what besides. Tt is to be regretted, that his views in 
 Norway are not better engraved. They cost three Danish dol- 
 lars a-piece, which is certainly too high a price. Pauensen, 
 who likewise published some views in Norway, which I have 
 seen, is dead. 
 
 -Among the sculptors, Wiedeweltis an artist of great abilities; 
 and has produced several works of considerable merit, of which 
 the monument of Frederic V. that is to be erected in the church 
 at Roskilde, is one of the greatest magnitude. It is colossal, 
 and not yet completed ; but I obtained permission to inspect the 
 model. Dasson, likewise, deserves to be mentioned ; like most of 
 the best artists who reside in this city, he studied in Italy. He 
 executed two of the statues for the monument erected by the 
 citizens in honour of his present majesty. A third is by Weiden- 
 haupt, and the other, which is attributed to Wiedewelt, is by a 
 Swede, w 7 ho executed it under the inspection of that master. 
 
 While I am speaking of the arts, I ought to take some notice of 
 the edifice, called the Marble Church. This church is not merely 
 covered with marble, like the Italian buildings, but is entirely of 
 that kind of stone, procured from Norway, and of a greyish 
 white colour. If I were to say that this structure is a prodigious 
 undertaking, I should convey a very imperfect idea; because 
 every person has a particular standard of, comparison. Being 
 struck, whenever I passed, with the huge masses of marble, 
 which are partly standing, and partly lie scattered on the ground, 
 I once measured one of the principal columns, and found it to 
 be *27 feet in circumference; and, of codrse, almost nine in dia- 
 meter. As these columns are of the Corinthian order, they must 
 be, with their pedestals, at least 90 feet in height. What could 
 induce the Danes to undertake so gigantic a work! The con- 
 sequence was, that the building was never half completed, for 
 want, 1 it is said, of a proper foundation; but I am inclined 
 to believe, for want of money. The plan is an imitation of the 
 Pantheon, but with considerable alterations. These principally 
 consist in deviating w idely from the beautiful simplicity of the 
 original. They are now beginning to work upon it, on a new 
 plan, by which the edifice will be made much smaller than was 
 originally proposed. 
 
 KUTTNEK.] 
 
 F 
 
34 
 
 kuttker’s travels 
 
 The building containing Classen’s Library is not large, but 
 displays great taste. Besides a great number of legacies to 
 various institutions, that rich and excellent officer left a large 
 collection of books, ■which is now open to the public. 
 
 The lying-in hospital at Copenhagen is reckoned onp of 
 the best schools of the obstetric art, which are any where to be 
 found. It is frequented by many young practitioners, some 
 of whom come from a great distance to study this branch of 
 their profession. Upon an average, 1000 persons are annually 
 delivered in this institution ; so that they are in continual prac- 
 tice, and have an opportunity of seeing, in a very few years, 
 every variety of cases that can possibly occur. 
 
 This institution is properly a kind ot foundling-hospital, in 
 which mothers may not only place their children, but w here they 
 may also be delivered. All pregnant women, of whatever con- 
 dition, religion, or country, are admitted, without being asked 
 any questions ; theV are even allowed to come in masks, and to 
 retain them during their residence there. This building formerly 
 had, in an aperture in the wall, a machine similar to those I have 
 seen at Milan, and in other foundling-hospitals, in which a per- 
 son may place the child, turn the machine inwards, then ring the 
 bell, and go away. This has, however been removed; and the 
 king has ordered every female who presents herself to he ad- 
 mitted, only with certain limitations as to time. Married wo- 
 men frequently apply for admittance ; and, at their departure, are 
 even at liberty to leave their children behind them. Women of 
 rank and property frequently avail themselves of this general 
 licence, because they here find better attendance, and superior 
 Conveniences, to what they could possibly enjoy in their own 
 houses; and for which they, of course, pay. The best accom- 
 modations for ladies of this description cost fifteen dollars per 
 week. There are other apartments for twelve, and others again 
 as low as eight, dollars. 
 
 The lod gings of the unmarried are separate from those of the 
 married women. In this regulation, I thought I discovered 
 that a distinction was made between the children of love and the 
 offspring oi the marriage-bed, which, in an institution of this 
 nature, appealed rather improper. I was, however, informed, 
 that this regulation was introduced, lest the single ladies, by liv- 
 ing among those who were married, might meet with some of 
 their acquaintance, and thus be discovered. The apartments for 
 twelve and fifteen dollars are handsome, and, in general, spacious 
 and convenient. At my desire, I was shewn several rooms, for 
 the reception of those who are gratuitously admitted into this 
 institution; and found them «ll clean, commodious, and com- 
 fortable. 
 
33 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 Lectures on midwifery are regularly held at this place, both 
 for male and female practitioners, but at different hours ; and 
 here all the midwives in the Danish dominions ought, by right, 
 to have studied their profession. 
 
 JThe different accounts which I collected, relative to the pre- 
 sent number of inhabitants in Copenhagen, concurred in repre- 
 senting it as exceeding SO, 000. Thaarup states it, according to 
 an actual enumeration in 1794, at 86,133. This must have been 
 shortly before the great fire, since which time the population 
 of this city has considerably decreased. By the enumeration 
 made at the close of the year 1799; it was found to amount to 
 83,618. 
 
 I endeavoured, but in vain, both at Copenhagen and Gothen- 
 burg, to procure a rein-deer’s skin, which, in houses where the 
 accommodations are bad, the traveller finds a great convenience. 
 It is an article to which the inhabitants of Denmark and the south 
 of Sweden are almost as great strangers, as to the people among 
 w hom the rein-deer are produced. A Laplander is an animal as 
 uncommon in Stockholm and Copenhagen, as in Germany; and 
 in the latter city, their country appears scarcely to be considered 
 as a part of the Danish dominions. They are, indeed, to be 
 Seen there for money ; for, by mauy, they are regarded as’ a spe- 
 cies of savages, with w hom nobody has any connection. I won- 
 der the .king does not keep rein-deer ; for we know that they can 
 live under the 55 th degree. Sir Harry Liddell, whose estates 
 are situated near Newcastle, in Northumberland, and are nearly 
 in the same latitude as Copenhagen, carried some of those ani- 
 mals to England, where they lived several years, and even pro- 
 pagated. It is true, they all perished in a severe winter; but 
 probably less on account of the cold, than other circumstances, 
 particularly as the baronet had sent back the Lapland women 
 whom he brought over w all him, and who, at brst, attended the 
 rein-deer. 
 
 If I found little inconvenience in the Danish Islands from my 
 ignorance of the language, in Copenhagen I experienced none at 
 all. In this respect, I think that city perfectly unique. It has 
 its peculiar language; and yet all the inhabitants understand that 
 ct a country, w'hich is not only at a considerable distance from 
 theirs, but even separated from it by a sea. I think that, during 
 my residence at Copenhagen, I met with no more than tw o per- 
 sons who did not understand German. It was during the reign 
 of the late king, that it came into such general use. His present 
 majesty was likewise very partial, both to the German language 
 and nation; the individuals of which are very numerous in this 
 city. It is only within these few years, that the Dane appears to 
 pride himself in having a language of his own. All the ordir 
 
30 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 nances of government, as well as the public inscriptions, kre, 
 since the same period, given in the Danish language. 
 
 The dress of the Danes differs, in no remarkable degree, from 
 that of other nations. Persons of rank and tradespeople, at Co- 
 penhagen, dress nearly in the same manner as in the ojher 
 European capitals. Some difference is, indeed, observed in tlm 
 peasantry ; but this consists rather in the colour, than in the cut 
 and fashion of their clothes. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 COUNTRY BETWEEN COPENHAGEN AND ELSINOR. — ERE- 
 
 DERICSBORG. FREDEN SBURG. ELSlNOll. CRON- 
 
 BORG. — MARIENLUST. THE SOUND. THE TOLL PAID 
 
 THERE BY VESSELS. — NUMBER OF SHIPS WHICH PASSED 
 THROUGH THE SOUND FROM 1786 TO 1797. 
 
 Elsixor, the Qth July, 1798. 
 
 T[ HE high road from Copenhagen to this town runs through 
 Hirschholm ; and the distance is 28 miles. As we had already 
 been as far as the latter place, and were desirous of seeing two 
 palaces, which before lay too far out of our road, we went this 
 day, by the way of Lyngbye, or Sans-Souci, l’redericsburg, and 
 Tredenshorg. This makes the distance 33 miles, which you are 
 obliged to travel without changing horses. This is the best 
 and most interesting tract that I have seen in the island of See- 
 hind. The soil is better, and more highly cultivated; the popu- 
 lation more considerable ; and, in a word, the general appearance 
 of the country is more pleasing than in the other portions of the 
 island. Besides the park, you see various other woods : you 
 enjoy a view of, several lakes, and, at length, of the t,ea. The 
 estates of Count Bernstorf, through which you pass, appear 
 tome to be in excellent condition; the peasantry upon them 
 ls»vc been free for these thirty years. Is ear the road stands a 
 pyramid, erected by them, to shew their gratitude to their bene- 
 factor, a member of the family of Bernstorf, who died about 
 thirty years ago. It must, however, be observed, that this mo- 
 nument was not erected till several years after Ids death; be- 
 cause it was, probably, not till then,* that they felt in its lull 
 extent, what they at ffrst regarded as no very great beudit, 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, SvC. 37 
 
 Sans-Souci is a country-seat of Prince Frederic, with a hand- 
 some garden. Soon alter we had passed it, we had some 
 charming view’s of the lake oi Arre, which is of considerable 
 extent. 
 
 Fredericsburg is in many respects, a distinguished edifice, and 
 well w orth seeing. It is the finest and rpost complete monu- 
 ment of the taste and magnificence of former periods, being 
 erected by Christian IV. who reigned between the years 1588 
 and l6l0. Though the apartments may have been somewhat 
 modernized, yet the principal paits, particularly the church, and 
 the splendid hall of the knights, have remained the same as they 
 were at the time of their construction. In general, edifices 
 built about two centuries ago, have either fallen to decay, or have 
 undergone so many alterations, in a more modern taste, that 
 very little of the original style is left. This, on the contrary, 
 is in complete preservation, and conveys a high idea of the mag- 
 nificence and Gothic pomp of those times. It consists of three 
 principal parts ; of which the chief structure, containing the 
 royal apartments, possesses so much Gothic beauty, and is of 
 such magnitude, that even the most zealous admirer of Grecian 
 architecture cannot behold it without pleasure. 
 
 Prolix descriptions of objects of this kind are always tedious ; 
 I shall, therefore, only remark of the church, and .the hall of the 
 knights, that I found in them a pomp, and a prolusion of art, of 
 which I scarcely conceived that the Danes, at that time, had any 
 idea. They frequently, indeed, employed foreign artists, and 
 from remote countries ; but those w ho erected this structure w ere 
 not Italians ; for 200 years ago, the buildings and decorations in 
 Italy were in a very different style and in a much nobler taste. 
 The figures, ornaments, and execution, have a great n semblance 
 to the altars at Sleswick and Odense, which I have air. dy 
 mentioned. 
 
 The ceiling of the Church, as well as of the Flail of the 
 Knights, consists of a great number of fields, ornamented with 
 gilt carved work and sculpture, and contain a vast quentuy of 
 •figures ; some of w'hich represent historical facts. , Vi imtcvev s 
 not gilt, is painted in natural, and, lo re and there, m veiy 
 unnatural colours. There is no end of inlaid work. The ah#, 
 of ivory and ebony, is an admirable piece of workmanship ; and 
 the figures imbossed in silver are not amiss. The paino, \ 
 the church, and in the royal apartmc nts, are not conic mptible : 0 . 1 1 
 of those which are intended to decorate the Hall of the kingm 
 very few are tolerable. There are, however, many copies of ex- 
 cellent and well-know n pieces among them. The floor of the 
 Hall is entirely of marble. The arms of all the living kinghts, 
 both of the order of die Elephant, and of Danebi og, were to 1 
 me extremely interesting. 
 
kUttner’s travels 
 
 sn 
 
 Though the whole of this palace is ancient and Gothic ; yet 
 the apartments are still habitable, and have been occasionally oc- 
 cupied during the last 22 years. With a very trifling expence, 
 they might be rendered agreeable, and even serviceable, accord- 
 ing to the ideas of the present time. .At the entrance of the 
 principal court, are placed a great number of statues, which I 
 cannot commend as beautiful specimens of the art; ; but which 
 are far superior to what I have seen of the same period, in Ger- 
 many, France, <and England. The palace is surrounded with 
 water ; on one side, it commands a view of a small lake, and a 
 village, situated on its banks, forms a very picturesque object. 
 
 From this place to FYedensburg is about four miles. Of all 
 the king of Denmark’s palaces, this has the most agreeable ap- 
 pearance, is kept in the best repair, and is the most habitable. 
 The reason probably is, because Juliana, the queen-dowager, 
 passed the last years of her life entirely at this place. The build- 
 ing is not large; the garden is laid'out in a peculiarly singular 
 style ; and more money has been expended On it, than on any 
 other belonging to the king. 
 
 As you approach Elsinbr, the sea, both the Baltic and the 
 Cattegat, which separates J inland from Sweden, gradually open* 
 to the view. You suddenly obtain an extensive prospect of the 
 Swedish coast, in which the town of Helsingburg mal.es a very 
 agreeable appearance to the eye, and promises much more than 
 it performs. You may judge of the purity and serenity of the 
 atmosphere of this climate in summer, when I tell you, that 
 long before we descended from the eminences, we saw Helsing- 
 burg so distinctly, and it seemed so near, that we could not have 
 supposed it to"fbe above two miles distant from Elsinor. We 
 were, however, Vssured, that it is more than twice that distance : 
 and this likewise agrees with all the accounts I have seen, which 
 slate the breadth of the Sound at this place to be between four 
 and five miles. 
 
 Elsinbr is looked upon as the second town in the Danish 
 Islands. Its situation is infinitely more pleasant than that of 
 Copenhagen ; audits trade is considerable, it contains a. great 
 number of wealthy merchants, who, with the consuls of so many 
 different nations that reside here, form a numerous society, hold 
 clubs, and in winter give balls, &c. The English Consul, how- 
 ever, informed me, that the number of the inhabitants scarcely 
 amounts to bOCO. On the whole, I found here a cleanliness and 
 neatness, which reminded me more of England than any place 
 I had yet seen in Denmark ; and this w as more especially the 
 case with several particular houses. 
 
 The finest object at Elsinbr is the fortress called Cronburg, 
 which is, in fact, nothing more than a royal palace, strongly 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. $9 
 
 fortified. They have, indeed, given it the appearance of a fort, 
 guarding the entrance of die Sound, and defending Ekindr. This 
 seems to me extremely ridiculous ; for the castle is built in such a 
 manner, that a few men of war would, in a short time, level it with 
 the ground, in spite of its fortifications and batteries towards the 
 sea. It is very lofty, and every where presents level surfaces, 
 which would make little resistance to bombs, or even to cannon- 
 balls. It is constructed entirely of free-stone; and is one of the 
 finest and most magnificent Gothic buildings that I have any 
 where seen. It was erected in the Kith century ; and yet the 
 ornaments, though they bear the stamp of their style and age, 
 are elegant, and by no means overloaded, as is generally the case 
 in this species of architecture. The whole is kept in good re- 
 pair, and has a more agreeable and cleanly appearance than any 
 structure of the kind that I have seen in Denmark. Besides the 
 royal apartments, which are insignificant, it contains the resi- 
 dence of the commandant, a church, a corn-magazine, and the 
 other accompaniments of a small fortress. 
 
 In one part of the castle is a platform. This and the court 
 of the castle, w hich is completely inclosed by the four sides of 
 the principal structure, were the only places where Queen Ma- 
 tilda was permitted to take the air. The walk round the castle, 
 within the fortifications, is very pleasant; but, from that indul- 
 gence she was debarred. The view from the platform is delight- 
 ful. The eye follows the Swedish coast towards the north for 
 many miles, perhaps 40 or 50 ; while, towards the south, it can 
 discern the steeples of Copenhagen. The liveliness of this scene 
 is greatly angmented by the numerous vessels which are almost 
 always lying in the Sound, waiting for a favourable wind; for the 
 wind, with which some sail in, detains those w'hich are going out, 
 and so vice versa. The toll which they pay at this place, and 
 other circumstances, likewise occasion some delay. 
 
 Among other objects, the palace of Marienlust, a new, but not. 
 a large building, belonging to the Crown-Prince, makes a very 
 good appearance. It stands on a small, steep lu:l, on the sides 
 of w hich have been made several paths in the manner of terraces. 
 The garden is denominated Hamlet’s Garden; and here that hu- 
 morous prince is said to have resided. His whole history, how- 
 ever, rests only on the veracity of Saxo Grammaticus, who has 
 given a strange account of it in his own way. 
 
 It is well known, that vessels passing between the Baltic Sea 
 and German Ocean, sail neither through the Great nor Little 
 Belt, but through the Sound, and pay a toll at Cronburg, 
 The English Consul estimated the amount of this toll, during 
 late years, upon an average, at 200,000/, sterling per anuu,n. 
 Out of this sum, the king of Denmark maintains all the light- 
 
40 
 
 KUTTN Ell’s TRAVELS 
 
 houses on the coasts, as high as the Skaw, the northernmost point 
 of Jutland, and down agaia as far as Copenhagen; and even 
 some on the Swedish coast. A certain duty is, indeed, paid 
 besides, for this purpose ; but it is very trifling, and does not, 
 by far, reimburse the government for the expence. The English, 
 French, Dutch, and Swedes, pay one per cent, and all other na- 
 tions one .and a quarter. This tax is not , o great, as at first 
 sight it appears to be. It is levied neither upon the estimated 
 value of the goods, nor the selling price, nor the prime cost, but 
 upon the price which each article fetched several centuries since ; 
 so that the quesliou is not, what the captain or merchant gave 
 for a ton of flax, pitch, corn, &c. but he pays one per cent, upon 
 the value at which those commodities have been fixed from time 
 immemorial. Some goods, however, are charged according to 
 their real value. 
 
 Buschiug, in his geography, has given, in treating of Eisinbr, the 
 number of ships which passed through the Sound between the 
 years 1768 and 1785. I shall subjoin a continuation of his state- 
 ment to the present time, with which I was favored by one of the 
 consuls. 
 
 Ip the year 1736, 
 
 
 Vessels, 
 
 9008 
 
 1787, 
 
 - 
 
 9747 
 
 1788, 
 
 - 
 
 9224 
 
 1789, 
 
 - 
 
 8847 
 
 1790, 
 
 - 
 
 9738 
 
 1791, 
 
 
 - 10,453 
 
 1792, 
 
 - 
 
 - 12,114 
 
 1793, 
 
 - 
 
 9926 
 
 1794, 
 
 - 
 
 - 10,510 
 
 1795, 
 
 - 
 
 7953 
 
 1796, 
 
 - 
 
 - 12,113 
 
 1797, 
 
 - 
 
 9723 
 
 On a comparison of these twelve years with the fifteen pf 
 which Buschiug has given a list, it will be found, that the 
 number of ships passing through the Sound has greatly in- 
 creased, notwithstanding the canal between Holstein and Sles- 
 wick takes off a considerable number of the vessels sailing from 
 the North Sea to the Baltic, or in a contrary direction.' 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, SCO. 
 
 41 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 PASSAGE OF THU SOUND. — HELSINGBl'RG. — M ANNER OF 
 TRAVELLING POST IN SWEDEN. THE SYSTEM OPPRES- 
 SIVE TO THE. PEASANTRY. SCARCITY OF SPECIE. 
 
 RAM LOS A. II ALMSTADT. 
 
 IIelsingborg and IIalmstadt, the 8th and 9th July, 1798. 
 
 E crossed the Sound, with a strong breeze, in thirty-five 
 minutes, but remained half an bom' longer on the w ater, before 
 we reached the pier which forms the harbour of Helsingburg. 
 Fhis is an insignificant place, which procures from ELsinbr most 
 of the foreign commodities it consumes, and where we should not 
 remain the rest of the day, were it not for the various arrange- 
 ments and preparations which a journey through Sweden abso- 
 lutely requires. 
 
 Hitherto we had travelled in the manner which, with more 
 or less variation, is customary in all the civilized countries of 
 Europe. Here, however, this method ceases. In Sweden there 
 are no postillions ; and the peasants w ho furnish the horses, are 
 not used to drive a large carriage. Every pair of horses is gene- 
 rally accompanied by a peasant, who suffers the stranger to do 
 with them exactly as he pleases. He gives himself no farther 
 concern, excepting to look for a spot about the carriage where he 
 may fix himself, and thus be carried along ; or, at farthest, he 
 rides one of the foremost horses, but not without great reluc- 
 tance. At Helsingburg the traveller is, therefore, obliged to 
 provide himself with a driver for the whole journey; and he like- 
 wise serves for an interpreter, as far as his know ledge extends. 
 
 In Sweden there are neither post-masters nor post-horses ; but 
 the government has adopted such regulations, that I know n<5 
 country in Europe, where you may travel extra-post, in every di- 
 rection, so well as in this. The whole southern part of the king- 
 dom, that is, the portion south of Upsal, is intersected by innu- 
 merable roads; and all are so well supplied with horses, that you 
 proceed without impediment, if you observe the necessary pre- 
 cautions. The whole country is divided into stations, to each of 
 which is attached a certain number of horses, which the peasants 
 KUTTNER.J G 
 
4 <2 
 
 KUTTN Eli's TRAVEL’S. 
 
 inhabiting the district are obliged to furnish. At every station 
 a person is appointed, who is called llallkarl, and is either a 
 peasant, or the master of a public-house, whose business it is to 
 bespeak and collect the horses that are required. But, as the 
 peasants w ho furnish them frequently live at the distance of four 
 or five miles from the station, the traveller would make but little 
 progress if he had to \vait at each till the horses were assem- 
 bled. He therefore writes, every evening, a billet, on which he 
 mentions the stages he intends to go the follow ing day ; at the 
 same time, stating at what hour he expects to arrive. This billet 
 is sent from stage to stage by extra-post, that is, by peasants who 
 are called messengers, and who receive nothing for their trouble, 
 but are merely paid for their horses, at the rate of post-horses. 
 In this manner, the billet is conveyed to the different llallkarl V, 
 each of whom forw ards it by a fresh messenger, and provides the 
 horses for his stage against the appointed hour. 
 
 This system of posting appears to me one of the most grievous 
 burthens by which the Swedish peasants are oppressed. Let' it 
 be ever so inconvenient and prejudicial to their interest, as it is 
 in particular at certain seasons of the year, they are obliged, 
 when called upon, to leave their fields, perhaps in the midst of 
 harvest and to hasten with their horses to the station, which is 
 probably at the distance of two miles or more from the spot 
 where they happen to be. They are, besides, required gratui T 
 tously to maintain all the roads, which are in excellent condition, 
 and are not even paid for the labour of their horses. For post- 
 ing, the price of each horse is eight Swedish schillings (about six- 
 pence sterling) for each mile, which is equal to nearly seven 
 Fnglish. At the same time, their cattle are driyen unmercifully ; 
 for as they do not drive themselves, the coachman keeps them 
 almost always in full trot or gallop. The peasant seldom makes 
 any remonstrance, probably because he know s that it w ould be of 
 no avail. 
 
 An article, of which it is highly necessary to provide a stock, 
 is specie, as a traveller may sometimes not come to a place dur- 
 ing a whole day, where he is able to procure any. In fact, there 
 is scarcely any coin in circulation, either here at Helsingburg, or 
 in the adjacent country, or indeed in the whole kingdom. As I 
 had heard so much on this subject, I applied betimes to our 
 host, who is an opulent man, and keeps a good house. He told 
 me he had not three schillings (a schilling is about three far- 
 things) in the w orld, but that lie would send out to the shops. I 
 gave him a two-dollar bill, at which he laughed, and said, it 
 would scarcely be possible to scrape together such a sum in all 
 Helsingburg. I requested him at least to try, and with much 
 trouble and difficulty he, at length, procured me change for one 
 
43 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, See. 
 
 dollar, in upwards of 100 pieces of copper of different kinds, but 
 with a loss of 19 per cent. I imagined this was an error, but 
 was soon informed that it was periectiv ;; Jit. Whoever wants 
 copper must put up with this loss; but as the natives seek to 
 avoid it as nfjuch as possible, they keep little or no specie, but 
 transact all their business with paper. Their smallest notes are 
 of twelve schillings (nine-pence sterling) ; so that I have known 
 instances when travellers, for want of change, have been obliged 
 to leave large notes behind them, at places where they had two 
 or three schillings onlv to pav. 
 
 We went this afternoon to Ramlbsa, a place about three 
 miles frow Helsingburg, celebrated for its mineral waters, and 
 much frequented by people of rank. The spot is highly ro- 
 mantic; but I saw no building, excepting a miserable house, or 
 rather a hail constructed of wood, where tea, coffee, and le- 
 monade, are served. Lpon paying twelve schillings, you are 
 admitted, and obtain a right to refreshments. The number of 
 persons of all classes, whom I saw there, was vc-rv great. The 
 common people thronged round the house, or clambered upon 
 the rails by which it is surrounded, to see the fine folks in and 
 before the place. For' my part, I cannot conceive whence all 
 the genteel company can come, who drive to this place in splen- 
 did equipages, with two, four, and six horses. Our host in- 
 forms us that they come, partly, from the neighbouring gentle- 
 men’s seats, and that there were also many strangers from dif- 
 ferent parts of the kingdom, particularly Stockholm ; but he 
 could not tell where they all find lodgings, for very few reside at 
 Helsingburg ; and as to the gentlemen’s seats, I could scarcely, 
 discover, from the eminences near the town, which command a 
 pretty extensive view, a single creditable house, in all the adjacent 
 country, as far as my eye could reach. 
 
 A small work, in French, intended to serve as a guide to the 
 Swedish mines, was brought to us by a woman for sale. For 
 this purpose it is extremely useful ; and I recommend it to all 
 travellers, because it contains the Swedish post-map, which I 
 had such difficulty to procure at Copenhagen: — the title is, 
 Grtide da Vogagenr au.v Carricres el Mines de Suede, par M. 
 d ’ Kngestrom. 
 
 Halmstadt, which was the termination of our first day’s jour- 
 nev, is called, bv Biisching, a pleasant and well-built staple 
 town. This, however, we could not discover, nor the conve- 
 nient residence of the governor, which has not a very inviting 
 appearance. The place is, notwithstanding, superior to most of 
 the small towns in the Danish Islands that I have seen. 
 
44 
 
 KUTTNER’S, TRAVELS 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 COUNTRY BETWEEN HELSINGBURG AND GOTHENBURG.*-* 
 
 SWEDISH HORSES. EXCELLENT CONDITION OF THE 
 
 ROADS. GOTHENBURG. — POPULATION. — SU « I RES. 
 
 ADJACENT COUNTRY. EAST INDIA TRADE. HERRING 
 
 FISHERY. TROLHATTA. NEW CANAL. YVKNNERS- 
 
 BURG, LIDKOPING. K1NN E-KULLE. SWEDISH 
 
 INNS. 
 
 Gothenburg, theWth July, 1798 . 
 
 JP HE country between Helsingburg and Gothenburg, is, I am 
 informed, one of the worst tracts in the south of Sweden. I 
 indeed found it barren, sandy, extremely thin of inhabitants, and 
 badly cultivated. I, however, observed many a piece of good 
 land which was not, on that account, in a higher state of cultiva- 
 tion. 4 Nature, it is true, has clothed them with herbage, but has 
 received no assistance from human industry. I observed scarcely 
 any thing all the way but single detached cottages ; and if you 
 come to what is denominated a village, it consists only of a few 
 huts, with scarcely any of those accompaniments v. liich, in other 
 countries, belong to the habitation of'the farmer.. Here vou see • 
 neither stables, barns, nor gardens, that give the farm-house the 
 appearance of comfort and respectability, to which the Swedish 
 cultivator is an utter stranger. The only building is a small 
 wooden cottage, which commonly comprises the stable and the 
 barn under the same roof ; and- frequently not a single tree is to 
 be seen around it. A egetables are equally scarce. Indeed the 
 Swedish peasant is not partial to them ; he eats a great quantity 
 of animal food and hard rye-bread, but in the more northern 
 provinces oat-bread and likewise potatoes, though he long hesi- 
 tated to make use of the latter, as has been almost universally 
 the case in countries where that excellent root has been intro- 
 duced. 
 
 The towns through which we passed, were six in number, 
 exclusive of Helsingburg, and Gothenburg. Hahnstadt, War- 
 berg, and Kongsbacka, appeared to be the best among them. 
 
THRQUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &.C. 45 
 
 having & considerable number of good houses, partly of wood 
 and partly of brick, broad streets and a tolerably clean appear- 
 ance. All of them without exception have no walls, and they 
 cover a considerable extent of ground ; for between the houses 
 is generally a vacant space for a small yard, a garden, or something 
 of that kind. -They are consequently healthy, and this mode of 
 building is attended with great advantages in tires, in a country 
 where most of the houses are entirely of wood. They are com- 
 monly painted red or sometimes dark yellow. Engelholm, 
 Laholm, and Falkenb'erg, are very insignificant. Warburg has a 
 fort or castle situated on a loftv rock, which projects into the sea. 
 
 1 met with a similar edifice at Hahnstadt, which is used as a place 
 of confinement and where the prisoners begged at the windows, 
 as they do in Italy. 
 
 With regard to the general aspect of the country, this district 
 of Sweden is rather level than mountainous; the traveller con- 
 stantly sees hills hr the vicinity, and passes over several, but they 
 are not high. Such a country forms upon the whole a tolerably 
 agreeable picture ; we now and then traversed spots which were 
 extremely beautiful, being overgrown with brush-wood and 
 broken by the var.ed forms of naked rocks and verdant hills. I 
 was more particularly pleased with the country about Kongsbaekn, 
 where the soil is better cultivated and the houses of the country- 
 people appear, beyond comparison, more clean, neat, and com- 
 fortable, than in the rest of this tract of 150 miles. The country- 
 folks were every where decently clothed ; but I liere and»there 
 observed people who went barefooted ; a circumstance’ which 
 very rarely occurred in the Danish dominions. 
 
 White bread is an article I have not yet seep in Sweden, at 
 least I have met with none that answers our ideas of that term. 
 Here at Gothenburg I gave great offence at a table to which I 
 was invited, because I imagined that the bread I was eating was 
 a mixture of wheat and rye. 1 was informed that it was made 
 entirely of w heat, but I can neither praise its colour nor its taste. 
 Besides this bread, another kind, which is more palatable, may be 
 had. It is made only of rye, in cakes about a quarter of an inch 
 thick. It resembles the English sea-biscuit, and requires excellent 
 teeth to break, as well as to chew it. In Scotland and the A orch 
 of Ireland, 1 every where met with cakes of the same kind, only 
 with this (iiui rence* that they are of eats. When I once spent a 
 whole month in the ebuntv of Londonderry, I took a great liking 
 to these oat-cakes, till I discovered that they heated my blond 
 and produced small red spelts on the skin. To the Swedish, on 
 the contrary, I never was able to accustom myself; and from the 
 beginning to the end of our journey m that country The want of 
 good bread was our greatest cause ot complaint. 
 
46 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 It was about midnight when we arrived at Gothenburg. The 
 night was delightful and perfectly serene, and in this case it 
 affords real pleasure to travel in these latitudes. — Upon the whole, 
 I was amused on the road by man v things, which are very 
 different in ,this country from any I had yet met with in other 
 European states. W e were particularly diverted by the lively 
 and comic scene which generally ensued, upon our arrival at any 
 place. Represent to yourself, for example, a single detached 
 hut, perhaps at some distance from the high road, in a deseft, 
 uninhabited country, where nothing was farther from your thoughts 
 than a post-station. The coachman stops in the middle of the 
 road, and sets up a loud shout, without your knowing the cause. 
 The door of the hut, situated probably sev eral hundred paces 
 from the high road, immediately opens, 'the peasants, the Hull- 
 karl and his family sally forth, and hasten to bring the horses, 
 which are already in waiting. My companion and I alight to 
 stretch our legs; the servants who ride behiud do the same; the 
 coachman and the Hailkarl are as busy as possible in harness- 
 ing the horses, whieh are attended by three peasants, and we bring 
 with us the same number. There are consequently twelve men 
 and the same number of horses, who are running against each 
 other, shouting, quarrelling, cursing, kicking and neighiifg. It 
 how ever rarely happens, that tills number does not receive a con- 
 siderable augmentation. The Hailkarl has children, a w ife, or 
 some acquaintance with him, who w ould have no objection to a 
 glass pf brandy. One or another of the peasants has brought with 
 him a boy, or some good friend, who, just at that moment, had 
 nothing else to do. All these run out to see the strangers; and if 
 there are any country-people in tiie adjacent fields, they likewise 
 hurry to the spot. Thus you frequently hear five languages at 
 once, in a place that is not larger than the space occupied by a 
 moderate house, and where, two minutes before, not a human 
 creature was to be seen. My companion and myself generally 
 speak English ; but I am obliged to address the coachman in 
 German, and to make frequent pauses, while he storms and curses 
 at the poor peasants in his native language. Our Italian, who is 
 in the mean time extremely officious and w ho in fact understands 
 no language at all, for his own he has partly forgotten, speaks in 
 four different languages in a breath, because, unfortunately, it sel- 
 dom happens that any one comprehends his meaning; he therefore 
 attempts successively Italian, German, English, and French. I 
 am certain the Swedish peasants understand noue of these lan- 
 guages, and yet he generally obtains wba the wants. — If the station 
 is in a village or its neighbourhood, the peasants are always ac- 
 companied by a great number of spectators. In towns they are 
 still more numerous, because very few travellers visit this couu- 
 
47 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 try, and probably many are allured by the beauty of the carriage, 
 which kind of vehicle they very seldom have an opportunity of seeing. 
 
 The Swedish horses are uncommonly small, and many of them 
 have the appearance of half-grow n colts. Though these animals 
 are so diminutive and badly fed, yet they possess considerable 
 strength, and never ^vnnt w lllm guess. They always ascend a hill 
 at full trot, and sometimes in a gallop. They never receive food 
 or water by the way, and no person ever alights, excepting to 
 open one of the numerous gates which are met with on the roads, 
 and which are erected by the peasants to prevent their cattle from 
 getting out of the pastures iuto the corn-fields. On such occasions 
 the carriage never stops, but one of the peasants jumps down with 
 great dexterity, opens the gate, runs a little distance by the side, 
 and then leaps again upon the box, even if the horses are going 
 at full gallop. 
 
 I had frequently heard of the excellence of the Swedish roads, 
 and had been assured by many travellers that, upon the w hole, they 
 were better than those of England. This I heard like many other 
 things, but without giving credit to the account • I have, however, 
 found it to be strictly true. The southern part of Sweden is 
 intersected by these roads in every direction. If you look at the 
 post-map, at certain places and roads which run from it in ten 
 different directions, you would suppose it to be the country about 
 Pekin in China, or at least that round London. From Upsal, a 
 small town which neither has any trade nor a numerous population, 
 run nine high-roads; and between Stockholm and Dalecarlia, a 
 tract of less than 70 miles in extent, there are twelve roads, which 
 partly run parallel with, and partly intersect eacli other. Beyond 
 the 6lst degree the roads are, indeed, not so numerous, but some 
 of them run throughout the whole country. Thus, for instance, 
 that from Stockholm to Tornea runs all round the gulf of Both- 
 nia, through the whole of Finland, and is continued to Peters- 
 burg. This road is regularly supplied with post-horses in every 
 part, even in the Russian dominions. The principal of these roads 
 were constructed by the command of Charles XL and their 
 Humber has since been considerably increased. They are repair- 
 ed regularly twice in the year, exclusive of the amendments that 
 must be occasionally made, when auy part has received damage, 
 and which must be made good by' the peasant who lives nearest to it. 
 
 Gothenburg is the second town in Sweden, and as such I was 
 certainly disappointed in my expectations. Since the fire in 1758, 
 many of the houses have been rebuilt with brick, but the greatest 
 part are still of wood. These wooden houses have however a very 
 pleasing, clean, and neat appearance, being mostly fresh painted, 
 and sDme of them are large and spacious buildings. 1 hose of 
 
48 -kuttner’s travels 
 
 brick form a medium between the English and Dutch manner of 
 building, but approach the nearest to the former. The Swedes 
 dre very unwilling to renounce their wooden habitations, because 
 they are accustomed to them and find them w armer than those of 
 stone, which is an important object in this latitude. The ex- 
 pence is likewise a principal consideration, those of wood being 
 by far the cheapest. 
 
 The square, on both sides of the river Ham, would do credit 
 to any town. The river itself is considerable, but in the town it 
 appears like a laVge, broad canal, bordered on each side by a pub- 
 lic street or quay, composed of large, handsome houses. Here 
 are situated the Exchange add the very extensive building belong- 
 ing to the East-Iudia. Company, which has three directors, who 
 reside here .—/ill the other streets are likewise respectable, and the 
 houses have an external t appearance of cleanliness which pro- 
 mises a corresponding neatness within. Besides the great canal 
 or river Ham, several smaller streams run through part of the 
 town. The former is deep enough for large merchantmen, so 
 that they can unload w ithin the walls. 
 
 The town itself, which is inclosed by fortifications, is small, and 
 does not contain above 1200 souls, but the suburbs are of con- 
 siderable extent, the houses being much scattered in different 
 directions. But towards the harbor, the suburbs look like a 
 distinct place, and afford at a distance a very pleasing view'. In 
 the to vn and suburbs together Mr. Chalmers, one of the di- 
 rectors of the East-India Company, reckons upwards of 22,000 
 inhabitants; but Mr. John Hall, an opulent merchant residing 
 here, estimates the number at only 20,000. The truth is, that it 
 is not accurately known, for the population of the place has in- 
 creased of late years and is still increasing. 
 
 The works found the town accord very little with our present 
 ideas of fortification, and are not kept in the best repair. They 
 command an extremely interesting and romantic prospect. Go- 
 thenburg is' situated in a plain, w hich is almost entirely surrounded 
 with naked rocks. There rocks project in two places into the 
 town, and form eminences from which you enjoy a fine view, 
 particularly of the port, the Gotha-elf or river, and the island of 
 Hisingen. The latter is of considerable extent; its west side is 
 composed almost entirely of naked rocks, and it protects the town 
 from the fury of the North Sea and the violence of the west 
 winds, which are most common, and give the trees, exactly as in 
 Ireland, an inclination to the east, sometimes stripping them also 
 of part of their leaves. 
 
 r lhe level country round Gothenburg is tolerably well culti- 
 vated, but the large tract of plain, situated on egch side of the 
 river Gotha, is partly swampy and partly quite inundated. This 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 43 
 
 is, at least, the case at present and during a great portion of the 
 year. £ have been told that great quantities of wheat are raised in 
 these parts ; but I have not yet been able to discover a single 
 field of that kind of grain, and must confess that I am strongly 
 inclined to doubt the truth of my information. 
 
 I saw scarcely any fruit-trees. On the way from Helsingburg 
 to this place, I observed only two small orchards, though I always 
 looked out attentively for fruit-trees. When I made enquiries on 
 this subject at Gothenburg, I was assured ; that apples, pears and 
 cherries arrive here at maturity. I know very well that great 
 quantities of apples are produced farther up the country, between 
 Gothenburg and Stockholm; but I should imagine, that the vio-' 
 lent w r est winds, on these coasts of the N orth Sea, cannot be very 
 favourable to fruits in general. In the Exchange I once saw 
 two women with cherries, each of whom had a pewter measure 
 containing about a quart. Mr. Chalmers enquired the price of 
 one of them, who asked tw elve schillings (about niue pence 
 English) for the measure. Some which I ate in a family and 
 which were brought from their country-seat, looked well, but 
 ■were watery and insipid. Nevertheless, the present is an uncom- 
 monly dry summer ; every thing is three weeks or a month earlier 
 than usual ; and for five weeks there has been no rain, excepting 
 a little yesterday and to-day. 
 
 W e dined and supped yesterday at a great house. The furni- 
 ture and decorations were good, and nearly on a par with houses 
 of persons of the second rank in England. Allien we went out of 
 the drawing-room into the dining-room, the mistress of the house 
 placed herself at the table ; but the men, instead of sitting down, 
 w ent to a small side-table, where they took a piece of cake, or 
 hard bread and butter, and a glass of spirits. The conversation 
 w as in English or French, both of w hich languages were under- 
 stood by all the company. 
 
 I mentioned above, that bricks are reluctantly employed for 
 building by the inhabitants of this place. Stone is never used for 
 that purpose. Here, with the sagacity of a traveller, I might 
 arraign the want of taste of the Swedes, who give the preference 
 to brick, and still more to w ood, while they have the finest stone 
 lying before their doors. This would, however, be a very super- 
 ficial observation ; for all the inhabitants of towns are not desti- 
 tute of taste, as they sometimes at the first view appear to be to 
 those who are unacquainted with the motives of things. r fhe 
 stone, of which I saw 7 whole hills in the town, is principally gra- 
 nite of the hardest species ; and even the other kinds of stone 
 which are found intermixed with it, are so extremely hard that 
 the labour of working them would be much more expensive then 
 
 KUTTNER.] fr 
 
50 . 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 brick. Even the posts of the windows and doors arc very sel- 
 dom of stone. 
 
 The East-India commerce, which never was very important, 
 nor employed a large capital, is continually decreasing, because 
 the English have almost entirely monopolized that branch of trade. 
 On the other hand the town has of late years obtained great pro- 
 fits from the Herring-fishery, which thrives exceedingly, and is 
 in part the cause of the augmented population. But the Swedish 
 herrings are not to be compared to the Dutch, and in my 
 opinion even those of Prussia are preferable to them. 
 
 I am just returned from viewing the harbour, and have enjoyed 
 a. spectacle which is inexpressibly beautiful in its kind. As soon 
 as you leave the gate of the town you enter the suburbs, the 
 houses in the lower parts of which appear to belong to opulent 
 people. They are entirely of wood, but being constantly kept 
 fresh-painted, they have a neat and clean appearance, which quite 
 delighted me. On the level ground they form regular streets, 
 but as you quit these and ascend higher, they become smaller and 
 meaner, and at length dwindle away into detached cottages, .sur- 
 rounded by rocks, on which they are likewise constructed. I 
 ascended the highest, and found myself so completely encompassed 
 with naked rocks, that I could only perceive between them scanty 
 patches of herbage which rather resembled moss than grass. This 
 whole- tract, from the summits of these rocks to the banks of the 
 river Gotha, must once have been a soil perfectly sterile, com- 
 posed either of naked rocks or covered with sand. But human 
 industry has converted it into a garden. Wherever the situation 
 admits of it, you observe between the naked rocks, kitchen-gar- 
 dens, fruit and other trees, pastures and potatoe-grounds. 
 
 L While I had this charming view before and partly on one side 
 ojf me, I perceived on the other the city, which appears highly ro- 
 mantic behind three craggy rocks, a part of it being cov ered by that 
 in, the middle. This, however, is only a very small part of the 
 grand picture. You command a view of almost the whole island 
 of Hisingcn, which on this side has a great number of villages 
 and houses, and the eye follows the windings of the Gotha, to its 
 mouth ; beyond that you discover many other small islands, be- 
 tween which the sea, that is, the Cattegat or Skager Back is dis- 
 cernible. in the Gotha, which is here very broad, a great num- 
 ber of ships were lying both near me and at a distance. The 
 whole view appears to me to possess the romantic traits of a 
 Swiss prospect, combining with all the beauties of the latter tin' 
 peculiar effect which navigation alone can produce. The 
 suburbs, which ought to be considered as a distinct place, are 
 inhabited by merchants, trades-people, artisans, seafaring men 
 a ml iV ir familks. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 51 
 
 / / 
 
 Trolhatta, 13 July. 
 
 We left Gothenburg yesterday morning early, and travelled 
 upwards of 50 miles through a country infinitely more beautiful 
 than any I had yet seen in this kingdom. We now and then 
 came to tracts which w ould not have been unworthy of Switzer- 
 land itself. It is likewise better cultivated than any part between 
 Helsingburg and Gothenburg, that is, where the soil is suscepti- 
 ble of cultivation ; for a great portion of it consists of hard and 
 naked granite, which no industry could ever render productive. 
 This road runs the w'hole way near the river Gotha, which you 
 frequently see, and which forms charming views. — The ancient 
 fortress of Bohus, together with the small town of the same 
 name lying below it, has a noble situation and makes a good 
 appearance. The villages were also more respectable than those 
 we had before passed through ; and I now for the first time dis- 
 covered woods of pines, none of which trees I had seen for a 
 long time, though I had fully expected to meet with them under 
 this latitude. 
 
 I have spent four hours in surveying the works of Trolhatta. 
 You probably know that . all the w'orks, which for upwards of 
 a century have been going forward here, have been relin- 
 quished and declared unserviceable. I shall therefore only take 
 notice of the new , w orks, particularly, as the old ones are very 
 circumstantially described in Coxe’s Travels. 
 
 Near the village of Trolhatta the navigation of the river Gotha 
 is interrupted by several falls. A little lower down there is 
 another called Flottberg’s fall. After repeated attempts to ren- 
 der the passage of these falls and among the islands practicable for 
 shipping, it w r as resolved to abandon the design altogether, and 
 to construct a canal, by means of which vessels may leave the river 
 at Trolhiitta, and, after a course of about a mile and three quar- 
 ters, return into it again. The whole of this canal, excepting two 
 small portions, is cut through the solid rock, which is partly com- 
 posed of sand-stone, but principally consists of grey or red 
 
 granite. 
 
 The height from the uppermost fall, till below Flottberg’s 
 fall, is 112 feet. From the beginning to nearly the end of the 
 canal, the w'ater is level with the upper part of the river above 
 the falls | and the ships descend the w hole depth of 112 feet, at a 
 place where eight sluices, each upw ards of 13 feet m height, 
 have been constructed close together. The length of the sluices 
 is 120, and their breadth 22 feet, so that they admit vessels of 
 J50 tons ; the greatest depth of the canal, where it has been cut 
 through a rock of considerable height, is 72 feet, and its depth 
 of water 10 eet. To have given it a greater depth, so as u* 
 
 h 
 
 n 
 
52 
 
 ktuttner’s travels 
 
 admit larger vessels, would have been unnecessary, because there 
 are parts of the river between this place and Gothenburg which 
 are not more than ten feet in depth. 
 
 It might appear extraordinary to an Englishman, that the only 
 obstacle which so long opposed the navigation of this river, was 
 the want of a canal less than two miles in length; and indeed in 
 England this difficulty. would soon have been overcome. But it 
 should be considered, in the first place, that the Swedes are not 
 such a rich, highly civilized, enterprising and mechanical nation 
 as the English ; and in the second, that the ground here is such 
 as is seldom found in the vicinity of a great river. The whole 
 adjacent country is an immense solid mass of rock, and for the 
 most part of the hardest kind, namely, granite. 
 
 Eight hundred men are daily employed at this place ; with the 
 exception of about 60, they are all soldiers, and receive eight 
 schillings (about sixpence) each for the day’s work. It is not 
 quite five years since the works were commenced, and in two years 
 they expect to open the canal. It is entirely a private under- 
 taking and was begun by a single individual. All the works pre- 
 viously carried on here were at the expence of the government. 
 Mr. Chalmers of Gothenburg knew that many people considered 
 it only as a means of making a fortune and that the management 
 alone cost great sums. He went to Stockholm as he himself in- 
 formed me, settled aU the necessary preliminaries with the 
 government, fixed the tolls which the canal should have a right 
 to demand, and a general standard, according to which the pro- 
 prietors of the land, or rathe r of the naked rocks, should be indem- 
 nified ; together with many other points of a similar nature. 
 Upon this lie immediately opened a subscription in shares, as is cus- 
 tomary in England, and in a short time received subscriptions 
 for 765,000 rix-dollars, or about 115,000/. sterling. Theses 
 shares are transferable. It is, however, supposed that the canal 
 will not require an expenditure of more than 45,000 /. which 
 will again force a smile from an Englishman. 
 
 Thus this canal avoids the tour falls ofTrolhatta as they are 
 denominated. Two Swedish miles below Trolhatta the Gotha 
 forms another fall, but this has long been remedied by means 
 of the Edit Sluice, which I yesterday saw. This is far from 
 handsome, and in my opinion was originally ill constructed. It 
 is very much out of repair, and the w ater forced its way through 
 all the seams in the wall. This sluice belongs to the town of 
 Gothenburg, but will he transferred to the new company, by 
 which it will soon be thoroughly repaired. 
 
 I he result of what I have seen is, that this canal is by no 
 means equal to those of the kind in England, particularly the 
 ■Duke of Bridgewater’s, the great canal near Halifax, which 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &.C. 5*. 
 
 goes out of Lancashire into Yorkshire, and the cat of the Mull 
 of Cantyre in Scotland. On the other hand the canal of TroIhUtta 
 has an air of grandeur that none of the English canals possesses , 
 which it derives principally from its deep bed of granite and the 
 height of the gates of the sluices, some of which are said to bt> 
 26 feet. 
 
 Of the rocky islands situated in the river, nearTrolhatta, two are 
 inhabited ; but rwo or three are quite inaccessible. One of them 
 is overgrown with trees which have never been touched by human 
 hands. A dog which attempted to swim across the river at some 
 distance above, being carried away by the rapidity of the current, 
 w as cast upon this island. He there lived several days, but not 
 . having the courage to plunge again into the impetuous torrent, he 
 perished of hunger. 
 
 Lidkupirz, 1 6th Juh;. 
 
 We left Trolhatta in the afternoon of the 14lh, and pro- 
 ceeded to Wennersburg, a distance of about ten miles. This 
 way leads through a country w hich is not only beautiful, but I 
 may say romantic, to the Ronnom-bridge, beneath which the 
 Gotha forms a tine fall. The river is here so contracted by rocks, 
 that its breadth does not exceed fifty feet. The adjacent coun- 
 try is extremely picturesque, and I regretted that 1 had not time, 
 to take some views of it. We alighted, contemplated the pro- 
 spect below and above the bridge, and from a small eminence 
 from which you have the most charming view of the windings 
 of the river. I have not yet informed you, that the falls of Troi- 
 hiitta are beautifully picturesque, and perfectly resemble the- 
 scenery of Switzerland; and I may say the same of the country 
 around this spot. To add to its charms, the Gotha is of a beau- 
 tiful sea-green colour which forms an agreeable contrast with the- 
 white foam of the water-falls. 
 
 At the Ronnom-bridge we quitted the high-road, to see the 
 Gustav us sluice which Mr. Coxe calls the Tessin sluice. In 
 order to avoid the fall under the bridge, a canal was carried 
 westw ard from Wennersburg from the lake YYemier, which still 
 forms the regular communication. Charles IX. blew up the 
 rocks about this place to procure a situation for the sluice, which 
 was afterwards constructed. Being only eighteen feet in breadth, 
 and consequently not admitting ships of any burthen, the late. 
 King Gustavus III. ordered another to be built o* brick, w hich 
 is very beautiful. It is properly composed of two parts, the 
 height of which I cannot give because I am. unwilling to quote 
 uncertain authority. 
 
 We arrived at Wennersburg, where I walked about the town, 
 and. likewise took a view of the lake. The town is situated 
 
54 
 
 KUTTN Ell’s TRAVELS 
 
 between the above-mentioned canal and -the river Gotha, and lias 
 a considerable trade. Next to Gothenburg, it is the handsomest 
 town that I have yet seen in Sweden, being composed of good 
 houses, almost all of which are of wood. The Castle is of stone, 
 and i s an extensive building of simple but elegant construction. 
 The market-place is large and the streets broad. 
 
 YV hile we were at Gothenburg, we had been advised in the 
 most earnest manner, not to travel through Sweden without seeing 
 Kinne-kulle, one of the most delightful views in the w'orld. The 
 person by whom it was most praised has travelled much and re- 
 sided ten years in Asia. The engineers at Trolhatta likewise 
 informed us that we should not repent this excursion, though to 
 perform it with convenience it makes a difference to us of at 
 least three days, and a circuit of about 140 miles. A cir- 
 cumstance which completely decided us was, that our coachman 
 fell sick and we were obliged to w’ait for his recovery. In the 
 mean time we resolved to make this excursion w ith only one 
 servant and a Swedish coachman, w'ho understands nothing but 
 his native language. 
 
 I had indeed already made considerable progress in the 
 Sw edish language, and could ask for almost every thing I want. 
 Our journey to Kinne-kulle required something more, but on'this 
 ]head I was perfectly easy, because I had been assured that at 
 Lidkbping I should find some one who understood either French 
 or German. Immediately on my arrival I made enquiry for a 
 person who could speak some other language besides Swedish > 
 and mentioned those which 1 understand ; but to all my questions 
 I received no answer but lute an Sveske , “ nothing but 
 Swedish.’ 7 At this moment a youth of 16 or 17 entered the house 
 and the landlady asked him w hether lie understood any foreign lan- 
 guage. He belonged to the school of Lackd, containing, by his ac- 
 count, tw r o hundred boys and established in an ancient structure 
 situated on an island in the lake Wenner. This young man was spend- 
 ing the holidays with his relations at this place, and I at length dis- 
 covered that he understood Latin, which he spoke with 
 great difficulty. As this how'ever was better than no language at 
 all, I gave him an invitation to accompany us, which he cheerfully 
 accepted. He confirmed all the extraordinary things I had heard 
 of Kinne-kulle, and reckoned the prospect among the seven won- 
 ders of Sweden. 
 
 This w as not the onl y time, that, after a period of several years, 
 I was obliged to converse in Latin. At a mean village, where 
 we stopped some time to change horses, I took a survey of the 
 wretched huts, among which I observed one that was in some 
 respects distinguished from the rest. While I was viewing it, a 
 man came out of the house, w ho, though meanly dressed, had the' 
 air of being cither the parson or the schoolmaster of the parish. 
 
53 
 
 T II 11 0 U G II DENMARK, SWEDEN', 8c C. 
 
 It was the former, I addressed him in Latin, but he shook his head 
 and said something in Swedish that 1 did not understand. Our 
 conversation was very short, I however found out that he was 
 the minister of the place, and that he very politely invited us 
 into his house to take some refreshment. Cognoscitls Coffee 
 was all the Latin that I could bring out of him. I was touched 
 with this trait of hospitality amidst the evident poverty of his 
 situation. I thanked him inSwedish; and left him, to look at some 
 wind-mills, situated between AV ennersburg and Lidkoping, and 
 which are more wretched, mean and awkward, tha nany thing of 
 the kind I ever beheld. 
 
 Our ride to the mountain of Kinne-kulle turned out exactly as 
 I expected. The mountain is not by far two thousand feet 
 above the surface of the lake, and on the land side is so overgrown 
 with fir-trees, as to intercept the prospect of the adjacent country, 
 so that this boasted view consists only of that part of the lake 
 
 enner and its shores, which you discover. The lake is from 
 100 to 120 miles in length, and from 60 to 70 in breadth. But 
 you know that whatever is grand ana beautiful, possesses those 
 qualities only in as far as it is adapted to the organs of our senses. 
 The most enchanting view, which is removed from 50 to 40 miles 
 from me, vanishes into nothing, and the expanse of the lake which 
 is much greater, appeared only like the open sea which I have 
 so often beheld. It contains indeed a great number of islands, 
 but they were at such a distance from us as to make an insignifi- 
 cant figure. I perceived the peninsula which projects many 
 miles from the north shore of the lake between the towns of 
 Amal and Carlstadt exactly opposite to me for kinne-kulle ka little 
 to the left of the high road from Lidkoping, to Stockholm, but 
 this was likewise at too great a distance. The most interesting 
 object was the peninsula, which likewise projects a considerable 
 distance into the lake between Wennersburg and Lidkoping, and li- 
 near the spectator. At the extremity of it is situated an island 
 in which is the royal palace of Lackb, appropriated to the pur- 
 poses of the school above-mentioned. 
 
 As I know that the mountains of Vfermeland are very lolly, 
 I expected that they would probably reach to the north shore of 
 the lake, but either this is not the case, or on account of the 
 great distance their height vanishes, for I perceived but indistinct- 
 ly a shore that was not very folly. r I he country around Kinne- 
 kulle is very fertile, and the tract which! that day beheld was the best 
 cultivated and the most populous of any I have yet seen in Sweden. 
 The cottages of the country-people were likewise superior to 
 those I had before met with; many had small orchards in 
 which the cherries began to assume their color, the grass was 
 luxuriant, and corn in abundance. Near the mountain are situ- 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 ,9(1 
 
 ated mjyiy gentlemen’s seats, some of which have a very pleasing 
 appearance. Probably this fertility -and high cultivation cause 
 the Swedes to bestow such extravagant encomiums on the beau- 
 ties, of the prospect. 
 
 Lidkoping is situated bn the navigable river Lida, which divides 
 it into the old and new town. — In all the Swedish itins, the 
 first thing that is brought us, is an enormous bottle of brandy 
 with some hard rye-bread, or rather cake. The liquor is in gene- 
 ral doubly distilled, and the strongest of the kind that I ever drank. 
 
 The soup is always the last dish that is placed on the table. Tea 
 is not uncommon in these houses, and it is better than I have met 
 with in any other part of the Continent. — To the honor of the 
 few Swedish inns that I have ^et visited, I must state that 
 the barbarous custom of smothering vou under a thick feather- 
 bed seems to be unknown in them. The people here are also 
 strangers to another custom, very common in Germany, that of 
 putting travellers in sheets whieh have before been used. The 
 Swedish inns are nevertheless very mubh decried, and probably, 
 in our long course through this country, we shall find not without 
 justice. In all that I have yet seen, the apartments were 
 strewed with the young shoots of fir, pine or larch trees. Porce- 
 lain is in general use, and that is more than you find in France ; 
 silver utensils are common, and the plates and dishes are Stafford- 
 shire ware. A man has Scarcely ever existed who has created 
 such 'an extensive branch of trade for his country as Wedgwood, 
 who improved this ware, and brought it into general use at the 
 tables both ofthe rich and poor, from one end of Europe to the other. 
 Jt is one of the greatest things that one man ever accomplished. 
 
 Wen-.versburc, 1 7 i ! t , Jirfy . 
 
 We did not leave Lidkciping till seven o’clock this morning, 
 and-yet we arrived at this place before three, though the distance 
 is about forty miles. In any other country we should have proceeded 
 immediately, but not so in Sweden. Besides being always 
 obliged to bespeak horses, if you wish not to be detained, the- 
 rnns are likewise a principal consideration ; and of these there arc 
 very few. At most stations there is none at all ; the greatest 
 part of them consisting of nothing more than the cottage ofthe 
 Hallkarl, whose business it is, as I have already mentioned, to 
 provide the horses ; and this cottage is sometimes composed of 
 a single small room, in which the man and his whole family live 
 and sleep. Mr. Coxe, indeed, informs us that he frequently slept 
 in these cottages, and mostly found an apartment for the recep- 
 tion of guests, or at least a bed ; but in the majority it would 
 in vain to look either for the one or the other. 
 
57 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 1 have just returned from a walk on the shore of the lake Wen- 
 lrer, and the cliffs on its banks. I was astonished to observe so 
 few ships, as so many extensive provinces lie contiguous to this 
 lake; and all vessels must pass by Wennersburg, because there is 
 no other way for goods but down the Gotha, through Gothenburg, 
 to the sea. But the passage of vessels in these parts appears to 
 be periodical, or dependent on particular periods, in which 
 certain commodities are collected in this or the other place from 
 whole districts. Thus for instance, at the present time, agents 
 are employed in buying up all the iron in W ermeland that is to 
 be sent to England, and when it is all collected together, it is 
 shipped off in great quantities at once. 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 TOUR IN NORWAY . 
 
 V DDE WALL A. — STROM STADT. — THE SWINSUND. — FREbE* 
 
 R1CSH ALL. MOS. — SCHUTS JQRYD.- — CHRISTIANIA. 
 
 CHARMING, FERTILE, AND CULTIVATED COUNTRY 
 
 ROUND THAT CITY. OUS. KONGSWINGER. — THE 
 
 ROADS O? NORWAY. — MAGNOR. 
 
 Christiania, in Norway, July HAth, 1798 . 
 
 We left Wennersburg on the 18th, and that day travelled 
 about eighty miles to Stromstadt. Near Wennersburg the road 
 crosses a canal, cut from the lake, on which is situated the Gus- 
 tavus-sluice, and which, a little lower down, joins the Gotha : by 
 means of it vessels avoid the fall formed by that river at the bridge 
 of Ronnom. 
 
 After proceeding fourteen miles from this place, we came to 
 Udde walla, a considerable town, with a harbour. This harbour 
 communicates with several bays, formed by the different islands 
 lying before Uddewalla. The whole tract is, in the highest de- 
 gree, picturesque and romantic. The hills and islands are paitly 
 naked rocks, partly overgrown with trees ; and the sea winds m 
 such a singular manner between the rocks and round the islands, 
 that it has the appearance of several small lakes. From this place 
 to the Norwegian frontiers I fcuni the couutry more agreeabk 
 KUTTNER.j * 
 
KUTTNEE*S teavees 
 
 58 - 
 
 than any part of Sweden I had vet traversed. From Uddewalla 
 to Stromstadt we were continually near the sea, so that we fre- 
 quently had a view of small arms, winding their picturesque 
 course through the country, and w hich we frequently found in 
 places w here, from the map, we had no expectation of meeting 
 with them. The road led mostly up and down hill, over and be- 
 tween romantic rocks of remarkable figure. This tract, not- 
 withstanding its wildness, is more populous and cultivated than 
 many others where the ground is more level, and the soil more 
 fertile. 
 
 Stromstadt, though situated on the sea, and having a harbour, 
 is a small, insignificant town. Inclosed among rocks almost en- 
 tirely bare, its situation is the more remarkable. The traveller 
 imagines that he is entering a completely desert country, in which 
 he expects to find not a single human habitation, and, to his asto- 
 nishment, in the midst of it he meets with a town. 
 
 From Stromstadt w e returned a considerable part of the way 
 we had gone the preceding evening. On this account a more 
 direct road has been made, so that the traveller has no occasion 
 to go to that town, excepting he intends to sleep there. The 
 country now becomes more mountainous, and the road in many 
 places so steep, that, though we all alighted, the six horses could 
 with difficulty draw the carriage. In these parts grows a vast 
 quantity of fir-trees, of which 1 had the day before observedjfseve- 
 ral w oods. 
 
 We had reached the summit of a very lofty mountain, when I 
 beheld below the Swunsund, a lake which has the appearance 
 of a river, winding a great distance into the country, and form- 
 ing, at this place, the boundary between Sweden and Norway. 
 This scene has an air of grandeur, and resembles no other pro- 
 spect in Europe that 1 have seen. It reminded me of views in 
 remote regions, given in Cook’s Voyages and others. 
 
 With infinite labour and difficulty our carriage was brought 
 down the steep declivity, when it was ferried over in a boat of no 
 great magnitude. The horses were transported in another, and. 
 we were conveyed in a very small boat by one of the most charm- 
 ing girls I have seen a long time. During the passage I again 
 made the observation which has so often before been made by 
 others, that the fair sex understand every compliment paid to 
 them, be it in whatever language it may. I told her in my bro- 
 ken Swedish how handsome I thought her, on which she blushed 
 and smiled. 
 
 On the Norwegian side of the Swinsund rises a mountain 
 equal 'y steep with that on the Swedish side, which we had de- 
 scended. We enjoyed delightful view s, proceeded over moun- 
 tains of marble through a very wild country, and arrived at Helle, 
 
THROUGH DENMARK , SWEDEN, &c. 5$ 
 
 wliere our Swedish horses were changed for Norwegian. I enquired 
 for the house ot the HaU-karl, (lor here, as in Sweden, there are no 
 post-houses), where we were received by a female, who appeared 
 to be a peasant of the lower class. She, however, conducted us 
 into an apartment, in winch we found all that a traveller can rea- 
 sonably desire, and where I should have had no objection to pass 
 the night, had not Fredericshali been the place of our destina- 
 tion. In a word, we found a very decent inn in a small village, 
 where I expected only to meet w ith a wretched hut. 
 
 Fredericshali is situated on the Swinsund, at the place where 
 the river Tistedal falls into it. To arrive at the town, you descend 
 a lofty mountain, whence the place and adjacent country form a 
 fine view r . This, however, is nothing m comparison to what I 
 afterwards saw. Fredericshali is a straggling place, situated at 
 the foot of the mountain, on whose summit stands the celebrated 
 fortress, which is properly called Fredericstein. The town itself 
 is quite open, neat, and clean, and contains a great number of 
 good houses. 
 
 \ ou may easily suppose w e wished to see the spot where 
 Charles XII. fell. YY e were informed that for this purpose the 
 special permission of the governor is required, and that, strictly, 
 all foreigners are prohibited from seeing this fortress. This spot, 
 nevertheless, is not situated in the fortress itself, but only between 
 it and another fort which comnjapds an eminence. We went to 
 lieutenant-colonel Yon Hof, who received us w ith the utmost 
 politeness, though w T e had no letters of recommendation. A ser- 
 vant conducted us to the summit, w here, close to the gate of 
 the fortress, one of the most magnificent prospects I have any 
 where beheld opened to the view. The capacious harbour, with 
 its numerous indentations and bays, formed by several islands, 
 combines all the romantic cast of a Swiss view, with the pecu- 
 liar character of a marine prospect, — a port, ships, Sec. We then 
 walked about the port a considerable time, and I had some diffi- 
 culty to part from a scene, which combines such variety with 
 such grandeur and loveliness. To judge from the number of 
 ships which I saw' here, the trade of the tow n would bg supposed 
 more extensive than it really is. A large sugar bake-house on 
 the shore makes a distinguished figure. The place where the 
 Swedish warrior was shot affords a charming view ; as does also 
 a small eminence situated near it. From this spot you discover 
 on the side opposite to the harbour a fine fertile valley, watered 
 by the river Tistedal, whose banks are extremely lively, and here 
 you likewise perceive a part of the town which w inds so far round 
 die foot of the mountain. 
 
 On the spot where Charles XII. fell, formerly stood pompous 
 trophies, with inscriptions ; but they have been demolished. No- 
 
 i 2 
 
Co KUTTNERS TRAVELS 
 
 thing is now to be seen there but a wooden cross painted white, 
 on which you read — The Siege , December \\th , 1718. .That 
 the Swedish monarch was killed by a musket-shot from the 1 ram- 
 part, I have not the smallest doubt ; for, in my opinion, the 
 nearest part of it is scarcely six hundred feet in a direct line from 
 the spot. 
 
 On the 20th we went upwards of ten Norwegian, or about 
 seventy English, miles, by way of Mos to Schutsjoryd. Mos is 
 a small place which I had never heard mentioned, and of which 
 I knew nothing more, than that a town of that name is laid down 
 on the map between Fredericshall and Christiania. On my ar- 
 rival there I observed a number of very neat, and at the same 
 time respectable houses, and such a general appearance of opu- 
 lence, that I was surprised. At the end of the town we came to 
 a part so picturesque and romantic, that 1 alighted, and could not 
 refrain from admiring the extraordinary mixture of houses, naked 
 rocks, sawing-mills, an iron-foundry, and a small stream which 
 precipitates itself in rude cascades down the rocks, and turns a 
 great number of mills. The scene w as enlivened both by Art 
 and Nature ; and below, at a considerable distance, I perceived 
 the masts of ships, for Mos is situated oil a bay called Christia- 
 niafiord, w'h’ch extends to the town whence it derives its appel- 
 lation. These bays are very numerous, and impart an inexpres- 
 sible charm to the w hole country. 
 
 Schutsjoryd is a single detached house. Between Frederics- 
 hall and that place the road is the most mountainous I ever tra- 
 velled. The whole tract from Swinsund to Christiania is incom- 
 parably beautiful, romantic, and picturesque, and confirms what 
 I have so often heard asserted, — that Nomay is the Switzerland 
 of the North. The woods are so numerous, that we w T ere seldom 
 out* of them for any length of time, and constantly had several in 
 view. They are almost entirely composed of fir-trees, which 
 constitute the wealth of this country. The timber is cut in saw- 
 ing-mills, and exported principally to England. 
 
 Tw enty-four miles brought us to Christiania, — this northern 
 paradise, — th is heavenly region, which I could never have ex- 
 pected to tmd under the 60th degree of north latitude ; and 
 no description of which I should have believed, if it were ex- 
 pressed with such energy, -and painted with such glowing colours, 
 as I wish myself able to employ. 
 
 About four miles before you reach Christiania, you descend a 
 lofty mountain, from which you enjoy one of the most delightful 
 view s that I am acquainted with in Europe. It is grand, expan- 
 sive, and sublime; but not rude as you might perhaps expect. In 
 the fore-ground are naked rocks, and in the distance lofty moun- 
 tains covered with wood. At your feet lies extended' a rich;- 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 6t 
 
 fertile, well-cultivated country, together with a city of considera- 
 ble magnitude, which' appears to be larger than it actually is, 
 and the most picturesque harbour that can be imagined. I for- 
 got that I was under the sixtieth degree, and imagined myself 
 transported to the most favoured region of Europe. I scarcely 
 know any where a view which comprises such a variety of ob- 
 jects and scenery. The rocks that were near me, and partly 
 inclosed the bay, brought to ray recollection the savage rudeness 
 of the Alps ; while mountains of a different description proved 
 that this country rather belonged to the milder districts of the 
 canton of Bern. The upper part of the Christiania-Fiord would 
 have reminded me of the most beautiful of the lakes of Switzer- 
 land, if the three-masted ships had not convinced me that I 
 was near the sea-coast. At the same time, this extensive dis- 
 trict is so interspersed wth detached houses, all of which have 
 such a neat, pleasing, and Comfortable appearance, that you 
 imagine yourself transported into fairy-land. The verdure here 
 is of the most charming tint; the plants and trees of the most 
 luxuriant growth, and in every quarter smiles opulence and ease. 
 I have since ascended this mountain, and have viewed the coun- 
 try adjacent to the town on every side, and always with increased 
 delight. In short, I cannot tell you how beautiful every object 
 . around Christiania appears ; and I never was more in want of 
 w ords, though my mind overflows with ideas. 
 
 Christiania is the capital of Norway, but has not more than 
 10,000 inhabitants. It covers a considerable extent of ground,’ 
 the streets being spacious, and the houses not lofty. It is situated 
 at the extremity of a bay, which runs almost sixty miles up 
 the country, and contains a great number of islands, small and 
 great, all of which are full of mountains and rocks, and rise from 
 the water in the most beautiful and romantic forms. The pro- 
 spect from the ramparts of the fortress which, though not in a 
 lofty situation, commands a view of the charming circumjaceut 
 country, is particularly beautiful. 
 
 The view from the country-house of Mr. Chamberlain Anker, 
 about four miles from this city, is truly magnificent ; and not 
 less beautiful, in its kind, is that from “the splendid mansion of his 
 brother, about sixteen miles from this place. These two bro- 
 thers live in this remote corner of the world in the style of Eng- 
 lish lords, and in all the splendour of the most polished metro- 
 polis. The first time we waited upon the chamberlain, we w ere 
 conducted through a long suite of superb rooms, partly decorated 
 with good tapestry, and partly with paintings and engravings. He 
 likewise has a copious and a good library, English philosophical 
 instruments, and a cabinet of natural history. It was not with- 
 out an uncommon sensation that I saw at his house, here in Nor- 
 
(5S KUTTJS ER’s TRAVELS 
 
 way, a large Quercino, a Guido, a very beautiful Conca, and several 
 pictures by other great masters. Sir. Anker has travelled over the 
 greatest part of Europe ; and, besides his native language, he 
 speaks English, German, French, and Italian, very fluently. His 
 property, which is estimated at considerably more than a million 
 of Danish dollars, consists of lands, one hundred and two sawing- 
 mills, and thirty-eight vessels. In these he exports his deals and 
 timber to every part of Europe, and the commodities which are 
 brought back are disposed of by his agents. His brother is said 
 to possess a clear revenue of 35,000 dollars, besides being fur- 
 nished by his estates with all that his large establishment con- 
 sumes. His stable contains above thirty horses, and his house is 
 large and magnificently furnished. 
 
 These two brothers are by no means the only opulent per- 
 sons in this province. A Mr. Rosenkrantz, who is said to 
 be worth 1,000,000 of dollars, and many very rich merchants, 
 likewise reside in this place. The Norwegians, however, do not 
 acquire their riches by places under government; for even the 
 custom-house officers are principally from Denmark. 
 
 Last Sunday the Chamberlain Anker had an assembly, which 
 he gives every week on that day, together with a ball, About 
 eighty or ninety persons might be present ; of these there were 
 very few who did not understand, at least, another language be- 
 sides that of their native country. Many could speak two, and 
 others three. German is not common ; French is more general ; 
 but English is most frequently spoken. Yet the government 
 has done nothing towards the improvement of this country ; but, 
 on the contrary, endeavours to prevent it. Mr. Anker has made 
 every possible exertion to procure his country a university, but 
 in vain. Christiania has, however, a gymnasium and a bank. 
 
 In this whole kingdom there is not a single- bookseller’s shop; 
 all literary works are ordered ‘from Copenhagen and Hamburgh. 
 It contains four printing-houses, namely, in the principal towns, 
 Christiania, Bergen, Drontheim, and Christiansand. Between 
 these places there is very little communication, and their interests, 
 like their occupations, are perfectly distinct. A post-road has 
 been constructed between Christiania and Drontheim ; but to 
 the two other towns you cannot travel by land, for there is no 
 high road on the whole western, and part of the southern coast ; 
 nor is it perhaps possible to make any. This coast is so full of 
 gulfs, bays, creeks, and inlets, all of which penetrate so far into 
 the country, and wind in so many different directions, that it 
 would be very difficult to form any road. In many parts a jour- 
 ney by land is entirely out of the question. 
 
 The post is on the same footing in Norway as in Sweden; — I 
 took the greatest pains, but in vain, to ascertain the height of the 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 65 
 
 Norwegian mountains. The only person who could give me 
 any information on this subject was Mr. Anker, but I am certain 
 that he b greatly mistaken. He told me the highest mountains 
 tvere 2200 feet above the sea. I cannot, however, help think- 
 ing that some of those, w hich I have myself seen, must be consi- 
 derably higher. From all that I can collect, the Norwegian 
 mountains are not by far so lofty as they have been described. 
 Some are constantly covered with snow ; but this is rather a con- 
 sequence of their northern latitude than of their height. The 
 Douvre Fiel and some others of the same range are said to be 
 the loftiest, and next to them those near Rdraas. The climate is 
 uncommonly mild for this high latitude. All kinds of vegetables 
 thrive well, and even peaches come to maturity in the open air. 
 The cherries were very good, and far superior to those which I 
 ate at Gothenburg. 
 
 Fresh butter cannot be procured here any more than in Swe- 
 den. There is none to be had for many miles round Christiania. 
 The country-people consume their milk themselves, and the 
 butter which they make, they put by for their own use in winter. 
 The fact is, the Norwegian farmers have no great stock of cattle, 
 because they do not cultivate land sufficient to raise hay enough 
 to support them during the winter ; that is, for seven or eight 
 months of the year. They have abundance of pasturage in sum- 
 mer, but if they have a good stock of cattle, they are obliged to 
 kill them in winter, or to take them to market ; and the next 
 summer, they have not money sufficient to make fresh purchases. 
 Our host told me that he received his butter from a distance of 
 above 140 miles, and that only at stated periods, so that the 
 butter is consequently stale before it is sent off. The greatest 
 part of the country round Christiania belongs to the citizens of 
 that capital, who -themselves consume a considerable portion of 
 their productions. Farther in the country, the peasant chuses 
 rather to employ himself in felling trees, which he sells to the 
 sawing-mills^ than to be at the trouble of cultivating the ground, 
 and thus to procure a subsistence. — On this occasion, I must ob- 
 serve, that in Norway I have found very fine white bread ; an ar- 
 ticle of luxury which I never yet met with in Sweden. 
 
 The flesh of the rein-deer is very generally eaten in this place in 
 winter. It is brought from Rdraas, where persons who possess 
 a great number of those animals reside. On the contrary, the 
 Elk is there a perfect stranger. Though peculiar to the northern 
 part of Norway, they have however become so rare, that a strict 
 prohibition has been issued against killing them, with a view to 
 preserve the breed, because it is a large and fine animal. Its 
 flesh is far preferred to that of the rein-deer. 
 
64 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 The Norwegian horses are excellent, and uncommonly swiff. 
 I was particularly st.uck with the great size of those belonging to 
 the Messrs. Ankers. They perfectly resemble the large breed of 
 Holster.' or Flanders. The common kind are not so large ; they 
 however, far exceed, both in size and quality, those in that part 
 of Sweden through which I have yet travelled. 
 
 Magnor, ire Norway, on the frontier o/Wi’.imr/LANn, July 26, 1798. 
 
 Three days ago I had no idea that I should so soon reach again 
 the frontiers of Norway. We had suffered ourselves to be per- 
 suaded to adopt a more extensive plan, and were actually half 
 resolved to see this country as far as Drontheim; we, therefore*, 
 entered it towards the south and were on the road to Kongs- 
 burg, when an unpleasant accident brought us back to Christi- 
 ania. Another circumstance likewise contributed to induce us to 
 ItAve N orw ay. I have not yet informed you that we had deter- 
 mined to vis.t Lapland, by the way of Tornea, and to proceed 
 round the gulf of Bothnia, througSi Finland to Petersburg. This 
 idea originated with my companion, w ho dislikes the sea as much 
 as myself, on being informed at Pyrmont by the Swedish Ad- 
 miral W ### that the whole of this immense distance is regularly 
 supplied with post-horses. The novelty of the thing likewise had 
 attractions for me. From that time I procured information rela- 
 tive to this subject wherever I had an opportunity. These ac- 
 counts varied much, but they all agreed in representing the de- 
 sign as practicable. T, however, remained undecided till we 
 came to Gothenburg, where Mr. Flail chanced to say, that in a 
 few weeks he expected letters from Petersburg, to which city 
 his son was gone by way of Tornea. On farther enquiry I found 
 that this journey was nothing new, and that it has been performed 
 t>y a great number, both of Swedes and Russians. With respect 
 to the distance, if you reckon from Gothenburg, it is about 
 2300 miles, but I am told that it may be travelled in less than a 
 month. We shall not indeed enjoy a sight of the sun at mid- 
 night, and it is probable, I hear, that we may have some frost 
 and snow in the latitude of Tornea. It is, notwithstanding, our 
 intention to go a day’s journey farther to the north, that we may 
 at least be able to say we have seen something of that district. 
 
 We, therefore, Jeft Christiania early yesterday morning, and 
 went about 70 miles to Ous, a single detached house, at the 
 neatness, elegance, and cleanliness of whifh we were not a little 
 surprized. This inn has, besides, such a charming situation on 
 the large river Glomme, that in the evening I reluctantly quitted 
 the window where I beheld a magnificent Swiss landscape, the 
 beautiful river, a lofty mountain to the right, and another to the 
 left, thick forests, and the rising moon that appears to vie with 
 
Through Denmark, Sweden, 8cc* 61 
 
 the brilliancy of the sky, which, in this latitude, continues during 
 the whole night. * 
 
 The country, through which we this day travelled, was more 
 beautiful, and likewise more fertile and better cultivated than 
 that part which lies between Christiania and the Sw edish fron- 
 tiers. In a w r ord, the w hole tract of upwards of 200 miles, over 
 ■which I have travelled, justly entitles Norway to the appellation 
 of the Switzerland of the North . 
 
 I could not forbear remarking the great number of rivers in 
 this district. In the 70 miles which we travelled yesterday, we 
 crossed five rivers, the smallest of which is equal to the Mulda or 
 Necker, at their mouths ; they are, indeed, not very deep, and 
 on account of their numerous falls they are not navigable. The 
 Glomme, in general, appears to be as broad as the Elbe at 
 Dresden, but in some places, it is far broaden In the part 
 where we first crossed it, and where the rocks on each side some- 
 what contract the channel, its breadth is computed to be 400 
 paces. — Only two of these rivers are provided with wooden 
 bridges; over all the others we were obliged to pas| in boats, 
 or rather rafts, being nothing more than a number of timbers 
 fastened together, between which the water appeared as soon as 
 the coach was placed upon the machine. The first of these rafts 
 which I saw, filled me with such apprehension, that I looked 
 round for a boat. I found one, but there was no person to row, 
 as all hands were employed with the wherry. I therefore deter- 
 mined to row myself, and my companion offered to assist me. 
 I w as just pushing off from the shore, w hen our coachman, leav- 
 ing the horses and carriage, jumped into our boat. This was a 
 fortunate circumstance, for I soon discovered, that we were in- 
 adequate to the enterprizc, and when we reached the middle of 
 the river, the current was so impetuous that we were hurried ra- 
 pidly along, and it required my utmost exertion^, together with 
 all the strength and experience of our coachman, to arrive at the 
 opposite shore, though considerably below the place we intended. 
 Had it not been for the assistance of our coachman, we should 
 have been carried aw'ay by the rapidity of the torrent, till some 
 fall would have precipitated us among the rocks, and terminated 
 our exertions tog. -.her with our lives. 
 
 Leaving Ous, we proceeded in the forenoon of the £6th of 
 July to Kongswinger. During the whole way we were in the vi- 
 cinity of the Glomme, which, notwithstanding its breadth and ra- 
 pidity, winds in an extraordinary manner. We, however, did not 
 cross it till we arrived at Kongswinger, after making a circuit of 
 upwards of seven miles. In England you cross the Thames, per- 
 haps four or five times in one day ; but in this country, where 
 there are no bridges, or where the ferries are in bad condition 
 
 KUTTNEP..] K 
 
66 kuttner’s travels 
 
 you avoid passing over the rivers., and the roads are constructed 
 accordingly. 
 
 Kongswinger is a small, frontier fortress, on the summit of a 
 hill. The place of the same name situated below it is insigni- 
 ficant and quite defenceless. In any other country the fortress' 
 would not have claimed any notice, but we "were in Norway, and 
 thus it became an object of the traveller’s attention. r I he view 
 from it is well worth seeing. 
 
 This place was interesting to us on another account. I shall 
 never forget the good old General Von Beillardt. We waited 
 upon him to obtain permission to see the fortress. I delivered 
 him a general recommendation which Mr. Anker had given us, 
 and which was to serve for all Norway. He received us with 
 the politeness peculiar .to an old soldier, conducted us over the 
 whole fortress, and afterwards to his own habitation. Here, 
 though we informed him that we had ordered dinner at the inn, 
 he insisted on our partaking of a cold collation. This did not sa- 
 tisfy his hospitality, but as lie knew the Swedish inns, at which we 
 should have to stop, afforded very indifferent accommodation, he 
 ordered a quantity of different kinds of provision to be packed 
 up, and sent his servant after us with it. The general spoke 
 German and French, and forty or fifty years ago had been in Sax- 
 ony, which country he still recollects w ith great pleasure. 
 
 If we poor travellers knew, how often natives laugh at our sage 
 observations, it would certainly bumble us. Not far from Kongs- 
 W'inger .is a hill, or rather a mountain, higher than that on which 
 the fortress is situated. Concerning this eminence, Mr. Coxe 
 remarks, that from it an enemy might command the fortress. 
 When We came to that part of the fort from which this mountain 
 is seen, the general pointed it out to us, and at the same time re- 
 peated with a laugh, the observation of Mr. Coxe, which he, 
 however, has not himself read. “ In winter’’, said he, “ the 
 climate is such as to render a siege impracticable ; in summer, a 
 coup de main can never be attempted, because, during four 
 months, we have no night ; but supposing an enemy should re- 
 solve to erect a batterv on* that mountain, it is so difficult of ac- 
 cess, that it would be impossible to transport heavy cannon to 
 such a situation, and a battery of small cannon would very soon 
 be destroyed by the governor with his twenty-four pounders.** 
 
 The inn at Kongswinger would do honour to any city, even in 
 the most polished countries of Europe ; and excepting the large 
 towns, I never found its equal in all Italy. In the afternoon we 
 crossed the impetuous Glomme in a boat, w hile the wherry was 
 obliged to make two voyages with the carriage and six horses. 
 This business took so much time, that we had walked upwards of 
 three miles before they overtook us. The same evening wo 
 
THROUGH DENMARK; SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 reached Magnor, a small village close to the Swedish fron- 
 tiers. 
 
 The roads of Norway are not so good as the Swedish ; those 
 between Christiania and Wermeland are worse than those on the 
 other side from Christiania. We, however, proceeded a great 
 distance every day, and I rather wondered, that in this unfre- 
 quented corner of the world, the roads should be so good, than 
 that they were not better. 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Travels through the Provinces of Wermeland , No rige, and 
 Sodermannland , to Stockholm . 
 
 FORT EDA — CHARACTER OF THE SWEDISH LAKES — 
 PRASTBOL — CARLSTADT — CHR1ST1NEHAM — N ATI- 
 
 9 
 
 ON AL DRESS OF THE PEASANTRY, AND BEAUTY OF THE 
 
 FEMALE SEX IN WERMELAND (EREBRO ARBOGA 
 
 KINGSOR — ESKILSTUNA — MANUFACTURES OF IRON AND 
 STEEL MARIEFRED. 
 
 Stockholm, August 2, 1798. 
 
 X ARRIVED here yesterday ; but before I say any thing con- 
 cerning this city, I must first describe my journey through the 
 charming provinces of Wermeland, Norige, and Sodermannland, 
 and I shall be the more particular, as 1 do not recollect to have 
 met with much relating to them in any travels. Mr. Coxe, in- 
 deed, came from Norway, by the same road as we, but his at- 
 tention is so entirely occupied with mines, canals, and statistical 
 details, that he takes very little notice of the beauties which na- 
 ture presents. 
 
 On leaving Magnor, in Norway, we proceeded about six miles, 
 when we arrived at the Swedish frontier. You may judge how 
 much this pass is frequented, from the circumstance that the key 
 of the gate which forms the barrier was lost, and they were 
 obliged to break it open with an axe. W hen we came to the first 
 Swedish station, and the book w as brought me in which travellers 
 are obliged to write their names, I found, that though it was the 
 27th day of the month, we were but the third party which passed 
 this way in that time. The road was partly overgrown with short 
 grass, but was perfectly even and in good condition. Near the 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 <58 
 
 custom-house, situated close to the small, but romantic river 
 Wrang, is a bridge, which together with the river and the cir- 
 cumjacent rocks, forms a very pleasing view. 
 
 From Morast we came to the village of Eda ; on an eminence 
 in the vicinity, is situated a fort, which, though laid down in the 
 map, by the name of Eda Fort, is quite gone to decay. From 
 this eminence, we saw a charming lake, which in the map of 
 Wermeland is denominated By see. We were not far from it 
 throughout its whole length, and saw it from different hills in va- 
 rious points of view, which were all equally picturesque. The 
 Swedish lakes in general, and even the smallest of them, have a 
 peculiar kind of beauty, which 1 have found in no others. This 
 they derive from the numerous indentations of their shores, and 
 the many peninsulas or promontories, w hich project far into the 
 water, and produce an incessant variety in their appearance. — 
 These promontories frequently look like islands ; and as they are 
 either mountainous, rocky, or covered with trees, they are 
 equally romantic and picturesque. What abundance of employ- 
 ment would here have been for a landscape-painter, but 1 never 
 yet heard of views in Wermeland. 
 
 We had scarcely passed this lake, when w'e arrived at another 
 of still greater beauty and extent, which, in the broadest part, is 
 called Glafs Fjolen. We enjoyed for many hours, the varied 
 prospects it presents. During this whole time, the road went in- 
 cessantly up and down hill, and in this respect was extremely fa- 
 tiguing. The mountains are all abundantly covered with tir-woods, 
 between which the naked rocks here and there tower aloft. 
 There are likewise now and then gentle declivities, with small vil- 
 lages in charming situations. This would be the proper district 
 for country-houses, but I did not observe a single one. Generally 
 speaking, there are not many in Sweden, and the most moun- 
 tainous part of Wermeland is probably too rude and savage to in- 
 duce any one to fix his residence there, as other things are re- 
 quired for this purpose besides fine prospects. Before I reached 
 the country bordering on the lake Wermelen, I saw very little of 
 any kind of grain, and the whole of this fine tract is almost desti- 
 tute of inhabitants. In the first 50 miles of this day’s journey, I 
 think I did not discover a single fruit-tree, 
 
 With respect to the lakes I must still observe that some of 
 them run almost throughout the whole extent of the province of 
 Wermeland, from north to south, and that their breadth is by no 
 means proportionate to their length. Glafs Fjolen, the second 
 to which we came, is, for example, upwards of forty miles in 
 length, but is m no part four in breadth ; and the same is the case 
 with all the rest. The curvatures and indentations of the land 
 are such, that you never see much more than six miles at oqce. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, "See. 
 
 In Consequence of this, all the objects appear in such a manner, 
 that the eye can embrace and dwell upon them; whereas, on the 
 contrary, I coiild never look at the lake of Wenner with pleasure 
 five minutes together. An immense expanse of water, at the 
 end of whjch, the shore either disappears entirely, or appears like 
 a fine cloud, has nothing intrinsically beautiful ; whereas, a lake 
 of no great breadth varies every hour, and is constantly present- 
 ing new objects. 
 
 The third lake, at which we arrived the same day, was that of 
 Wermelen, the northern part of which resembles the two points 
 of a pair of scissars. I had then no particular map of that pro- 
 vince, and could not explain the extraordinary appearances pre- 
 sented by that magnificent lake. We had it at first before us; 
 then above 'an hour to the right ; afterwards, for about six miles, 
 to the left ; and at last we were obliged to cross it; in a part 
 where it is not more than a mile in breadth. We were transported, 
 together with our carriage, on a low raft, on which I could not 
 always stand dry?shod. 
 
 W e saw, the same day, two smaller lakes ; and six miles be- 
 yond Prastbol we entered a more level, cultivated, and populous 
 country. Near Prastbol I found extensive fields of rye, and the 
 harvest had actually commenced. 
 
 Betw een Magnor and Carlstadt there is not a single good inn. 
 I had been informed that only two, of which that at Prast- 
 bol was one, were at all tolerable. To the latter I sent forward 
 an express to order a repast to be prepared for us. Judge of 
 our astonishment, when we found nothing but cold bacon, bran- 
 dy, and dried beef-bones, from which we, with great difficulty, 
 cut the flesh, or rather sinews, that it was afterwards impossible to 
 eat. I shall never forget the sensations, the mixture of ill-humour 
 and compassion, with which this house inspired me. We had rea- 
 son to be dissatisfied, as 1 had sent a written order by a messenger 
 express ; but the good folks never conceived that w'e could wish 
 for any thing more than cold bacon and beef-bones dried in the 
 air. For what was wanting in our repast, they had endeavoured 
 to make amends in another manner. Both the apartments were 
 strewed w ith fresh pine-branches, which were likewise piled in 
 all the corners up to the ceiling. The rooms being shut, were 
 so filled with the exhalation of the newly-cut wood, that upon 
 first entering it almost stopped our breath. We hastened to the 
 window s, but found that this house w as one of those in which 
 the windows are nailed up, not only to secure them against 
 storms and other accidents, but likewise to save wood in winter. 
 In short, in both rooms not a single window could be opened. I 
 was therefore obliged, though much against my inclination, to 
 order at least the bed-chamber to be cleaned out. At length I 
 
TO kuttneb’s travels 
 
 with difficulty prevailed on them to remove the pine-wood tbaf 
 was piled up in the corners, and to sweep the floor, covered with 
 the shoots of the same. In the whole village there was neither 
 tea nor coffee, but some sugar. We had tea ourselves, and cups 
 and saucers were borrowed at another house. But the next 
 morning, when every thing was ready for breakfast, it was found 
 that the sugar which they expected to obtain in some of the. 
 neighbouring houses was consumed. In the whole village there 
 were only four eggs, and those we had sent for the preceding 
 night. 
 
 On the 28th of July we arrived again at some small lakes, 
 and passed through an agreeable, but more level country. Most 
 of the lakes of Wermeland terminate in rivers w hich fall into the 
 lake Wenner; and some of these lakes may be considered as 
 rivers which, in certain parts, are bounded by higher land than 
 that through which they before flowed. Thus all the losv land is 
 overflowed in its full extent, and forms a lake. The rivers with 
 which this is more particularly the case, are the By, the Noors,. 
 and the Clara. 
 
 The latter divides near Carlstadt into two branches, inclosing 
 an extensive island, of which the town occupies a small Space. 
 Carlstadt is a pretty place, though like all the others it is built of 
 wood. I saw a great number of fine spacious buildings, with an 
 appearance of cheerfulness and cleanliness which produces an 
 agreeable effect. It is the see of a bishop, who is at the same 
 time rector of Christine!) am, though he constantly resides at. 
 Carlstadt. Thus you see the system of pluralities prevails in other 
 countries, besides England. 
 
 We travelled the same afternoon to Christineham, a neat 
 tow n, at the extremity of the lake Wenner, The whole way 
 we had, repeatedly, charming views of the numerous inlets of the 
 lake Wenner, which winds in a remarkable manner into the coun- 
 try, and appears like a number of small lakes, adding, in a high 
 degree, to the beauty of the scenery. 
 
 Christineham is a small town, containing scarcely any but good 
 houses, the extreme neatness and cleanly appearance of w hich 
 demonstrate that the inhabitants in general are in easy circum- 
 stances. Most of tiiem are concerned in commission-business, 
 because all the commodities going from this side of the country 
 to the lake Wenner must pass through the place. 
 
 On the 2dth of July we w ent from Christineham to Oerebro, 
 the capital of Norige. The provinces of Norige, Westmann- 
 land, Sbdermanrtland, and Upland, are the richest, most fertile, 
 and best-cultivated of any in Sweden. About Carlstadt I began, 
 in fact, to perceive a great difference between that part of Werme- 
 Jarid and the former ; every thing was much superior to what I 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 71 
 
 had found on the other side of Sweden which I hadktraversed, 
 between Helsingburg and Norway. Even in the wii^t parts of 
 \\ ermeland I met with better houses., and the country-people 
 were more decently clothed. 
 
 In W ermeland the peasantry have a national dress, which has 
 a very pleasing appearance. The coat, which is long, and has 
 several folds behind, is of a dark brown, approaching to black. 
 The cuffs, and likewise the collar, are of a violet or purple co- 
 lour. The men seem to me to be more active and lively than on 
 the other side of Sweden; they likewise have a better figure, and 
 are handsomer upon the whole. I was particularly struck with 
 the beauty of the females. They were not only well-grown and 
 had a good complexion, but likewise much more delicate fea- 
 tures than you oh serve in the country-people, or any of the la- 
 bouring classes in other countries. What heightens their beauty 
 in an extraordinary degree, and gives their w hole figure a cleanly 
 appearance, is the national head-dress ; — a white handkerchief, 
 which they throw over their head in such a manner as to protect 
 themselves from the sun, covering part of the face, and failing in 
 large folds behind. The females of the lower classes at Bologna 
 cover their heads in the same manner, but with a larger handker- 
 chief, and less elegance, than the Swedish women. It should be 
 observed, that I am speaking only of the country-people, and of 
 the lower classes in the towns ; for the higher orders every where 
 dress the same as persons of the same rank in the other countries 
 of Europe. 
 
 Though I thought the females of Wermeland particularly beau- 
 tiful, I cannot say they were exclusively so ; for, in all the pro- 
 vinces between Wermeland and Stockholm, I met with a great 
 number of charming faces : so that I consider this middle part 
 of Sweden as the land of beauty. Between Helsingborg, Nor- 
 way, and the southern shores of the lake of Wenner, the w omen 
 were the reverse ; so that I wondered how travellers could 
 praise the beauty of the sex in Sweden. 
 
 This middle district it is that may be regarded as the favoured 
 land. Here, twice as many inhabitants live upon one square 
 mile, as between Helsingburg and Gothenburg. It produces grain 
 in abundance, even wheat not excepted ; and likewise some 
 fruits. The inhabitants are better clothed and better lodged ; in 
 a w’ord, they are in every respect more comfortable than those on 
 the other side of the kingdom. They were every where busy 
 with the rye-harvest, which w as partly over. 
 
 It might naturally be expected that the inns on this road should 
 likewise be better ; but this is by no means the case. The apart- 
 ments are good enough, but the fare is always scanty ; and you 
 must either dispense entirely w ith wine, or the landlord send 1 ? 
 
KUTTN Eli’s TRAVELS 
 
 *i<Z 
 
 out for i^-, if .there is any dealer in that article in the place. T 
 did not* indeed, dispatch a messenger from Curlstadt to Chris- 
 tinehani, because I imagined that on this road, particularly in 
 the towns, it would be. unnecessary to bespeak a supper. We 
 were, however, so scantiiv provided, that the to lowing day I sent 
 an express to Kongsor, where we intended to stop lor the night. 
 This precaution was, however, of no avail. We found three 
 apartments ready, it is true; but scarcely any thing to eat, and 
 no wine. What most distresses us is the want of bread, as we 
 cannot accustom ourselves to the hard cakes ; and even the mise- 
 rable rye-bread cannot always be procured. 
 
 Oerebro is a very large town, that is, in the manner of Swedish' 
 towns, all of which occupy a great extent of ground ; most of 
 the houses having a court, or even a garden, by the side of them. 
 This place is, next to Gothenburg, the largest and liveliest I have 
 yt*t seen in Sweden, and has a considerable trade. From Oere- 
 bro to Stockholm the navigation is not interrupted, for vessels 
 may go from this place, across the lake Heclmar, into the canal 
 of Arboga, likewise called Carls-graf, or Charles’s Canal, and 
 thence to Kongsor and Stockholm, or into the sea. As therefore 
 the lake Wenner communicates with the sea near Gothenborg, 
 by means of the canal of Tro’hatta, nothing more is required, in 
 order to sail from the Baltic into the North Sea, right across all 
 Sweden, than to establish a communication between Oerebro 
 and Christineham. This, ho\ve\er, is an undertaking which 
 Sweden will not be able to accomplish in a century. In a direct 
 line, the distance is nearly 140 miles. A canal of this kind is, 
 besides, rendered impracticable in this country, as the ground is 
 principally composed of granite; and even in the most cultivated 
 tracts, a multitude of these naked masses of rock appear project- 
 ing above the earth. 
 
 Before I arrived at Oerebro, I made enquiry concerning the 
 manufactures of tire-arms, cloth, and tapestry, mentioned by Mr. 
 Coxe, as existing at that place. No person knew any thing of 
 them. I then asked a very intelligent merchant at Christineham, 
 who informed me there was no such thing at Oerebro. I en- 
 quired in the town itself, and received for answer, that not one 
 of those manufactures w'as carried on in the place: yet Mr. 
 Coxe was himself on the spot! This, however, proves nothing 
 more, than that he probably copied our countryman Biisching, 
 who likewise makes mention of manufactures of fire-arms and 
 tapestry. Biisching, we know', never travelled, but derived his 
 information from other works ; and in this manner one w riter 
 continues to copy from another, and to perpetuate error. 
 
 The ancient royal palace, in which the governor of the pro- 
 vince resides, contains nothing worthy of notice; but its exterior 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDES', &C. 
 
 75 
 
 possesses a certain dignity, and an appearance of antique gran- 
 deur. It stands on a small island, and is surrounded with ditches, 
 in which I saw an immense multitude of carp, as at Chantilly and 
 Fontainbleau. 
 
 Between Christineham and Oerebro, or rather between Alorp 
 and Starbjorboda, is an iron-mine belonging to a Baron Von 
 Fock. To me this mine appeared unworthy of attention; but 
 this Mas not the case with a charming country-house, situated 
 close to it, on a small lake, whose banks are abundantly covered 
 M'ith wood, and command delicious views. Since my arrival 
 in Sweden I had seen nothing of the kind, so that this object gave 
 me particular pleasure. The bouse and grounds are new; the 
 latter in the English style, but which, on account of the nature of 
 the country, differs exceedingly from what we are accustomed to 
 see. 
 
 V e soon afterwards came to a furnace, which, at that time, 
 was quite unemployed, and appears to be almost relinquished ; 
 for of the numerous huts around it, nine-tenths were empty. 
 The multitude of these huts, however, prove that it must have 
 beeri a considerable work. The people of the country call it 
 Mylhytta. 
 
 Between Oerebro and Arboga we met with nothing remarka- 
 ble, excepting an immense number of carts and horses waiting 
 for the king, his attendants, and all their baggage. His majesty 
 had spent part of the summer at the baths of Medewi, and was 
 returning to Stockholm. We observed the same at all the sue- 
 eeeding stations, without mentioning the carts which followed 
 and passed us at full gallop. I never saw such a collection of 
 wretched boxes, trunks, chests, &c. as passed us on that day. 
 
 Arboga seemed to me to be a most insignificant town, though 
 the Ulvison is navigable to that place, and, by means of the canal 
 of Arboga, communicates with the lake Hielmar, as well as that 
 of Malar, that is with Stockholm and the sea. At some dis- 
 tance from the town we crossed the canal, over a draw-bridge, 
 die inscription on which says, that this canal was commenced 
 bv Charles XI. and completed by Charles XII. in the year 
 1699 - 
 
 Here an accident occurred, which, if I had not witnessed it, 
 I should scarcely have been able to believe. The horses with 
 which we came from the last station were extremely weak, and 
 I had already observed, that they could scarcely draw us up the 
 smallest hill, for this stage is almost entirely level. It was still 
 worse in descending, because then two horses are obliged to 
 hold back the whole weight of the carriage. A draw-bridge, 
 von know, is always the highest in the middle. Notwithstanding 
 the shortness of the descent, the horses were overpowered, and 
 
 KUTTNER.] 
 
74 
 
 kuttner’s TRAVELS 
 
 the carriage ran against the post on the left side of the bridge, 
 and left no. room on that side for the fourth horse. You must 
 know, that out of the six horses which draw our carriage, four 
 run a-breast. This poor animal was pushed over the chains, 
 which are fastened round the edge of the bridge instead of rails, 
 and dropped out of all ths harness, so that he fell without the least 
 impediment into the canal. This passed in a moment, and with- 
 out either myself or my companion seeing any thing of the matter. 
 We felt that the carriage had run against the post, and that one of 
 the shaft-horses had fallen, on which I jumped out of the carriage 
 on the opposite side. The first thing I saw was a horse swim- 
 ming from under the bridge towards an open sluice, where he 
 must have perished. The people drove him back, on which he 
 swam under the bridge again ; and having reached the shore a 
 little below, shook himself, and began grazing very quietly. It 
 is incomprehensible to me how the animal could get loose with- 
 out hanging in some part of the harness. While they were put- 
 ting things to rights I measured the breadth of the canal, which 
 I found to be twenty-three feet, and the depth to the surface of 
 the water eleven feet. This canal, about fourteen miles in length, 
 joins the lake HiClmar, and the river Ulvison, which is navigable 
 between Arboga and the lake Malar. 
 
 W e reached Kongsbr early enough to take a long walk at the 
 western extremity of the lake M iilar. 7’he village of Kongsbr has 
 a highly romantic situation on its shore, standing principally on 
 naked rocks, between which you here and there perceive a patch 
 of cultivated land. 
 
 From Kongsbr we proceeded on the S 1st of July to Eskilstuna, 
 a town celebrated for its manufactures, which are considered of 
 such importance, that it was particularly recommended to us not 
 to omit seeing them. It is not far out of the road, and I am glad 
 I have seen the place, as it has given me a tolerably correct idea 
 of the stgte of the Swedish manufactures. 
 
 Charles XI. turned his attention to the improvement of this 
 place, with which another, called Gustavusstadt, was united. The 
 whole was declared a free-town, that is, the artisans were in a 
 certain degree released from the restraints of the chartered com- 
 panies. Every journeyman who has w orked upwards of three 
 years may set up for himself without being liable to molestation 
 or being obliged to pay for that liberty. The whole place is, in- 
 deed, full of work-shops, and most articles that can be made of 
 iron are manufactured here. Notwithstanding, the establishment 
 is altogether insignificant, and I really believe that the annual pro- 
 duce of Walker’s manufactory at Rotherham amounts to twice as 
 much as the collective produce of all the artisans of Eskilstuna. 
 A merchant of the place who conducted us about and spoke 
 
75 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK; SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 French, informed me, that, in the whole, there might be about 
 60 masters, who kept a greater or smaller number of journeymen 
 and apprentices ; but that a master who had twelve of both, was 
 thought to be in a capital w'ay. The work is not divided ; so 
 that each learns to do every thing, even though he may not per- 
 fect himself in all the branches of his art. The consequence of 
 this mode of proceeding is, the work is coarse and dear. I en- 
 quired in different shops, the price of various articles, and found 
 that English commodities of the same kind are better, or at least 
 neater and cheaper. They have grinding-mills at this place; but, 
 for what reason I know not, they are very little used, and that 
 operation is in general performed by the hand. I w as shewn a 
 needle-maker, w'ho has divided the work among his children and 
 two other persons ; but the Swedish needles are clumsy, and in- 
 deed more so than in any other country that I have seen. 
 
 I was taken to a very expert workman in steel, a man who 
 possesses both great talents and industry. In his house I saw a 
 great number of very neat and tasteful productions ; steel buttons 
 with portraits or landscapes ; ornamental works, and even etch- 
 ings on iron, from which he takes impressions like copper-plates. 
 He, however, told me, he was a loser by them, as the people of 
 Sweden could only afford to pay for articles that are perfectly 
 plain, and of prime necessity ; and I can easily believe him. This 
 man likewise shewed me scissars, knives, &c. inlaid with gold, re- 
 sembling those of Carlsbad, but much superior and better finished. 
 These are matters of fancy, and people of taste will always prefer 
 the simplicity and high polish of the English manufactures. I 
 asked the price of the common articles, and found them to be 
 dearer than those of England. 
 
 We were then conducted to the river w hich joins the lake of 
 Hielmar with that of Malar. Like most of the Swedish ri- 
 vers, it is full of rocks, has a rapid current, and contains several 
 falls. It has however been found to be navigable for small boats, 
 and one of the principal mannfacturers actually conveys his goods 
 by water. On tins river are situated two mills for grinding 
 iron or steel, and several stamping-mills, in which I observed 
 nothing that differed from those of other countries. In short, 
 for Sweden, this is a very important place ; but if you compare it 
 with the English manufactories of iron and steel, it is scarcely 
 worth mentioning. 
 
 For the rest, these people possess that spirit of freedom and 
 independence, which is generally found in manufacturing towns. 
 On the assassination of Gustavus III. such was the indignation of 
 part of the inhabitants of this place, that they talked of inarching 
 to Stockholm, to revenge the death of their sovereign ; and the 
 duke of Sudermania is said to have been on the point of sending 
 
 L 2 
 
76 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 troops to keep them in awe.- A nobleman could not, for a con- 
 siderable time, make his appearance in the town, without being 
 insulted ; and a man, whose name caused him to be mistaken for 
 another person, narrowly escaped with his life. 
 
 After a delay of four hours at Eskilstuna, we proceeded to 
 Mariefred; this town is situated in a charming country, in a cor- 
 ner formed by the lake Malar, one of the most picturesque and 
 romantic lakes 1 ever beheld. 
 
 The delightful situation induced the Swedish sovereigns some 
 centuries ago to erect a palace, which, considering the times in 
 which it was built, is a beautiful structure. Though it does not 
 accord with our present ideas of pomp, elegance, and convenience, 
 yet it has an air of grandeur, and its round towers and pointed 
 cupolas remind the spectator of the views of Constantinople. 
 Some of the apartments are still habitable, and are occasionally 
 visited by the Swedish monarchs. This palace contains a great 
 number of portraits, not only of persons of the blood-royal of 
 Sweden, but of all Europe, and likewise of many other great and 
 celebrated men ; but most of them are wretched performances. 
 I was much pleased with finding the portraits of some peasants, 
 who, as it seems, are deputed on the birth of a prince, and stand 
 as sponsors at his christening. — Tw o of the apartments which have 
 been left without alteration, are remarkable in the Swedish an- 
 nals. In one of them, which is still in tolerable condition, and 
 decorated in the manner of those times, Eric XIV. confined his 
 brother J ohn, whom he afterwards set at liberty. For this the 
 latter deposed him and treated him with savage inhumanity. He 
 was confined in the same castle, but in a gloomy dungeon, which 
 is still shewn. 
 
 Having seen every thing remarkable at Mariefred, we pro- 
 ceeded on the 1st of August by way of Sbder-Telje to Stock- 
 holm. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 77 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 TOPOGRAPHY OF STOCKHOLM. —THE CITY. — THE RITTER- 
 HOLM. — NORDERMALM. — ADMIRALTY-HOLM. — CASTLE- 
 HOLM. — BECKHOLM. — LANGHOLM. — RACKN INGSHOLM. 
 
 KONGS-HOLM. LADUGARDSLAND. SODERMALM. 
 
 FARTHER PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE CITY AND 
 
 KONGSHOLM. CARLBERG. THE ROYAL PALACE. 
 
 COLLECTION OF PICTURES. THE MUSEUM. THE OB- 
 
 SERVATORY. — LAPLANDERS. — THE PARK. — DROTNING- 
 HOLM. THE KING AND ROYAL FAMILY. — MANUFAC- 
 
 TORY OF CAPTAIN A PELQUIST. — ON SWEDISH MANU- 
 FACTURES IN GENERAL. 
 
 Stockholm, August 5th , 1795. 
 
 During the first three days of my residence in this place, I 
 strolled about so much that I have already seen every part of 
 this great metropolis. 
 
 Stockholm is situated on the northern and southern shore of 
 the lake Malar, and likewise comprises a number of islands lying 
 between them. The greatest part of the town stands upon the 
 continent ; that part on the southern shore being called Soder- 
 malm, and that on the northern Nordermalm. These two large 
 portions of Stockholm are by Biisching denominated suburbs ; 
 though for what reason I know not. The ancient town may ori- 
 ginally have been composed only of the island which is still dis- 
 tinguished by the appellation of the City, but these now tonn a 
 very small portion of the whole. 
 
 I. On this island, or the Ctiy, is situated the beautiful resi- 
 dence of the sovereign, called the New Palace, the church of St. 
 Nicholas, or the great church, the bank, the corn-market, the 
 spacious custom-house, and a great number of other elegant 
 buildings. It has also a handsome and spacious quay ; and though, 
 towards the west it is bounded by the lake of Malar, yet it is, 
 strictly speaking, a sea-port. The palace occupies a great por- 
 tion of this island, and commands a view of every part of Stock- 
 holm. At the same time, it towers far above all the other build- 
 ings of the city, and is visible on every side. The City is con- 
 nected by means of bridges with the Ritterholm towards, the west, 
 with the Nordermalm towards the north, aud with the Sbder- 
 
78 kuttner’s travels 
 
 malm towards the south, and all these parts of the town lie so 
 close together, that it can scarcely be perceived that they are se- 
 parated by water from each other. Thus for example, on the 
 north side of the palace there is a tine large square, which, though 
 it appears to be contiguous to that edifice, is, nevertheless, situ- 
 ated in the Nordermalm ; close to this island, and westward of 
 it lies a smaller, called the Ritterholm. 
 
 II. The Ritterholm contains anextensive square, near which 
 is the church of Ritterholm, which makes a good appearance, 
 and where is the burial-place of the royal family. Here likewise 
 are situated, the edifice in which the nobility assemble as one of 
 the states of the kingdom, and the town-house in which are two 
 halls,, one appropriated to the meetings of the citizens, and the 
 other to those of the peasants at the diets. In this island are 
 also the old palace, with the chamber of models, the regalia, and 
 the academy of fine arts. 
 
 I ought not to omit the island of the Holy Ghost, which lies 
 between the City, the Nordermalm, and the Ritterholm ; but it 
 is so small, and is situated so close to the City, that it is not, in 
 general, considered as a distinct, island. Here are the king’s 
 stables, which are an extensive and splendid structure. In the 
 City and the Ritterholm are likewise the great Swedish school ; a 
 German, a Finlandish, and a French church ; a synagogue ; tire 
 Academy of Sciences, with its library and other collections ; the 
 Mint, and the College of Mines, with a fine cabinet of natural 
 productions. 
 
 III. The Nordermalm begins with the great square, already 
 mentioned, in which the palace of the princess Sophia of Swe- 
 den makes a distinguished figure, as does also the opera-house on 
 the opposite side, with the following rather singular inscription : 
 “ Musis Suecicb Gustavus III.” In the middle of this square, 
 on a pedestal of finely polished granite, stands the gigantic eques- 
 trian statue of Gustavus II. It is of bronze gilt ; the King is in 
 armour, and the figure appears very stiff. Not far from this 
 place is a magnificent edifice called the Club, where some of the 
 nobility and foreign ministers assemble. 
 
 From this square a street conducts to a quay, near which 
 stands the Stepholm church. Between the square, the quav, 
 and that of the City, is the port of Stockholm, where all the large 
 vessels lie. The small vessels which navigate the lakes of Malar 
 and Hielmar, lie westward of the town and the Ritterholm. Be- 
 tween the City and the Sijdermalm are draw-bridges, which per- 
 mit vessels to pass out of the fresh into the sea-water, which, 
 however, is not very salt. 
 
 The Nordermalm also contains the ancient arsenal , which is 
 now converted into a theatre, where Swedish plays are performed ; 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 79 
 
 the royal gardens ; the surveyor’s office, where are found maps 
 of almost every part of Sweden ; the great orphan-house, and 
 that maintained at the expence of the freemasons ; the work- 
 house on the Sabbath mountain ; the churches o c St. Clare, St. 
 J ames and Adolphus Frederic ; the observatory ; the exhibition 
 of models of the patriotic society ; the institution for the recep- 
 tion of the widows of citizens ; the lying-in hospital ; Drotning- 
 house, and the mineral waters of Nordermalm. From the Step- 
 holm church abridge conducts to the Admiralty-holm. 
 
 IV. The Admiralty-holm, or island of the Admiralty, is princi- 
 pally composted of naked, romantic rocks, and contains the naval 
 arsenal, which strangers cannot, without considerable difficulty, 
 obtain permission to inspect. 
 
 V. The Castle-holm is thus denominated, because a small fort 
 or castle, constructed on a naked, rock, is situated upon it. This 
 is .almost the only buiiding on the island. 
 
 VI. Beckholm has still fewer inhabitants than the preced- 
 ing. 
 
 VII. Langholm, or the Long Island, belongs to the city, but 
 only a small part of it is inhabited. 
 
 VIII. Rackningsholm is an island of no importance what- 
 ever. 
 
 IX. Kongsholm, or the king’s island, is situated to the north 
 of the two preceding. Only the small portion which lies nearest 
 to the Nordermalm is built upon. The greatest part consists of 
 gardens or desert rocks. It contains a church, a glass-house, the 
 royal hospital, and two mills, which command views so delight- 
 ful and so unique, that no traveller should leave Stockholm with- 
 out seeing, at least, one of them The buildings on a part of this 
 island, though belonging to the city, have rather the appearance of 
 a village. Most of the houses are of wood, and badly constructed; 
 they are frequently separated by gardens, naked rocks, wind- 
 mills, &c. 
 
 X. Ladugards-land or lands border on the northern part of the 
 .Nordermalm, and likewise belong to the capital; but the re- 
 motest part is not much better than a wretched, filthy, unpaved 
 village. I, notwithstanding, found here some agreeable views 
 and picturesque parts; for Stockholm possesses the property of 
 combining the picturesque and romantic with the pomp and 
 beauty of a metropolis. 
 
 In this part is situated the Hummel-garden belonging to the 
 king, together with another, which likewise lies within the town, 
 and is called the king’s garden. The latter is an agreeable place 
 for walking ; and at certain seasons is much frequented for that 
 purpose. The Hummel-garden would scarcely be worthy of 
 notice, were it not situated within a city. It contains alleys and 
 
kOtTN E ll's TRAVELS 
 
 to 
 
 green-plots, that are not in the best order ; but, on that very ac- 
 count, have a certain rural and unusual appearance which pleased 
 me. In this portion of the town strangers are likewise shewn the 
 church, which is not worth seeing ; Fredericshof, containing the 
 arsenal and collection of artificial curiosities; the artillery-house; 
 the laboratory, and the docks. 
 
 XI. Hitherto I have only conducted you to those parts of this 
 metropolis which lie to the north, east, and west, of the City, 
 properly so called. There still remains a large and important 
 portion of Stockholm, situated south of the City, and denominated 
 Sddermalm, which is of much greater consequence than the 
 King’s-island, or Ladugards-lands. In this part, which is con- 
 tiguous to the City, are a great number of good stone buildings ;• 
 but they dwindle away, the farther you proceed, till you arrive 
 at a village, bounded with gardens and an uncultivated coun- 
 try. Here you see the Iron-house, which is an immense maga- 
 zine of the principal production of Sweden. The quantity of 
 bars of iron, the bustle of the people who are incessantly em- 
 ployed, the continual clanking of the metal, and the black, gloomy 
 appearance of the whole, produced a singular impression upon 
 me ; and I always stopped whenever I went past the place. 
 Here likewise are the docks belonging to this portion of the 
 city, the senate-house, the Greek and Roman Catholic cha- 
 pels, the churches of St. Mary and St. Catharine, with their schools 
 and work-houses ; the hospital, the mad-house, and the house 
 of correction. Many parts of the Sodermahn command beau- 
 tiful views, of which I shall only mention that from the steeple 
 of St. Catharine. The Sbdermalm is situated in the province of 
 Sodermannland, and the Nordermalm in Upland. 
 
 XII. Many also account the island of Little Hessingen, which 
 is almost entirely uninhabited, a part of Stockholm. It "must be 
 distinguished from another called Great Hessingen. 
 
 XIII. Lastly ; Beckholm, an island of no consequence what- 
 ever, is likewise added, by some, to Stockholm. 
 
 I scarcely know how to give you an idea of this extraordinary city, 
 it is so different from all that I have ever seen before. I never met 
 with greater extremes in one place. Those who maintain that 
 Stockholm is beautiful, and a magnificent city, are perfectly right ; 
 for' the royal palace and the stables, the square in the Norder- 
 malm, the beautiful quays, especially that in the City, contiguous 
 to the -palace, many of the buildings in the Ritterholm, and 
 several statues of an imposing appearance, fully justify that ap- 
 pellation. It is, however, not the less true, that a great portion 
 of Stockholm is composed of mean houses, constructed of wood, 
 arid even of miserable huts, inhabited by persons in the most 
 indigent circumrtances. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 81 
 
 The City, as it is called, consists in a great measure, of hand- 
 some stone-buildings. Many parts, it is true, are not equal to 
 bthers ; but, upon the whole, it is not inferior to other capitals ; 
 and the same may be said of the greatest part of the Ritterholm. 
 If you go from the City and the Ritterholm, to the Sbdermalm 
 and Nordermalm, you, at first, meet in every direction w'ith 
 handsome, regular streets. Proceed no farther, and Stockholm 
 will appear like any other metropolis ; bdt the farther you go, 
 the more you find the number of good houses diminish, till they, 
 at length, dwindle away into cottages. You then arrive at im- 
 mense, naked rocks of granite, between which you meet with 
 gardens, wind-mills, tobacco-plantations, and wretched huts, all 
 of which belong to the town, and are situated within the inclosure 
 by which it is surrounded. 
 
 In these parts of the town I have met with situations, in 
 which I imagined myself among the Alps, where I saw nothing 
 but a few miserable, wooden huts, scattered among the wildest 
 and most romantic rocks, which conceal the other part of the 
 city so completely, that you imagine yourself in an uninhabited 
 country. If, however, you ascend to the summit of one of these 
 rocks, you enjoy the most romantic, and at the same time the 
 most magnificent, views of a splendid metropolis ; in a word, you 
 survey, with one look, palaces,* churches, islands, lakes, harbours 
 crowded with vessels, intermingled with naked rocks, and all the 
 rudeness of alpine scenery. This it is that renders Stockholm 
 perhaps unique in its way. I never beheld from one point of 
 view any thing so beautiful, so magnificent, and so sublime,^ nor 
 yet any thing so mean, so rude, and so wild, within the circum- 
 ference of a metropolis. 
 
 The Royal Palace, situated in what is called the City, is one 
 of the most extensive, splendid, and regular buildings of the kind, 
 I ever saw. During the reign of Charles XI. it was commenced 
 upon the plan of a M. Tessin, which, however, w'as not strictly 
 Followed. The turbulent reign of Charles XI t. and a variety of 
 other circumstances delayed the removal of the royal family iuto 
 it till the middle of the last century, and it was not till the reign of 
 the late king that it was completed. It is a regular square, in- 
 closing an extensive court, and having a high terrace on the side 
 towards the sea. Besides the apartments of the king, the queen, 
 the queen dowager, and the dukes of Sudermania and East Goth- 
 land, it contains a very neat chapel, the hall of the States, a gal- 
 lery of paintings, the museum, and the king’s library. The apart- 
 ments are well contrived, and, if kept in good condition, they 
 would be handsome. In their present state, they exhibit an ex- 
 traordinary mixture of pomp and meanness. Even the frames of 
 almost all the windows are worse than I would suiter to be in the 
 
 KUTTNER.] M 
 
kOtTN fill’s fRAVEtS 
 
 worst rooms of my house. The late king was always in want’ 
 of money, and during the regency many of these apartments ap- 
 pear to have been entirely neglected. 
 
 The Gallery of Paintings would be of little importance in Italy ; 
 but it would be in vain to expect any choice collection of art in 
 this northern latitude, and in a country so depressed by poverty ; 
 so that the spectator ought rather to wonder at finding so much 
 than that he does not meet with more. It is not my intention to 
 assert, that it does not contain several good pictures, but it is not 
 a royal collection. 
 
 The Museum is of far greater value ; I am indeed astonished, 
 when I consider that the articles it contains were collected only 
 by Gustavus III. It is, strictly speaking, a collection of antiques 
 which has been denominated the Museum, probably after that in 
 the Vatican. The antique statues, vases, and large chandeliers are 
 arranged with taste, in a saloon which combines simplicity with 
 beauty. In a smaller apartment behind the former,’ are the busts, 
 the smaller statues and bas-reliefs. Among the statues there are 
 not only many good ones, but some which would attract notice in 
 any collection ; among the rest, a Minerva, with an extremely 
 beautiful head, several of the Muses, and a Priestess. But what 
 deserv es particular attention, is an Endymion, in the finest style, 
 and of very great value. It is a figure somewhat larger than life, 
 lying asleep, and quite naked. One foot and a small part of the 
 face are new. 
 
 The palace stands just high enough to overlook the greatest 
 part of the city, the islands and adjacent country. It is a view at 
 Once magnificent and sublime. The lofty terrace affords both 
 a delightful prospect and an agreeable promenade. The garden 
 belonging to the palace is likewise very pleasant. It is situated 
 on an eminence, which, though lower than many of the circum- 
 jacent buildings, is considerably more elevated than the quay. In 
 this part of the quay, close to the water-side, is to be placed the 
 colossal statue of Gustavus III. the pedestal of which, of very 
 fine granite, is already erected. 
 
 The chapel belonging to the palace is pretty, but in no wise 
 Remarkable. — The hall in which the King assembles the States, 
 w hen he wishes to address them as a body 7 , is spacious, and of a 
 handsome figure. All the architectural embellishments, though 
 in a good taste, are only of wood. In a building of this kind, 
 and in a country where so many beautiful species of stone abound, 
 this circumstance is rather striking. As the States are now sel- 
 dom convened at Stockholm, this hall is only used for public fes- 
 tivities. 
 
 Gustavus Vasa w 7 as the founder of the Royal Library, which has 
 not been much augmented in the two last centuries ; for it now 
 
83 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 Comprehends scarcely 30,000 volumes, and contains nothing of 
 much consequence. 
 
 Stockholm likewise possesses an Observatory. It is situated on 
 a bare and desart hill in the Nordermalm, which is by far the 
 most lofty of any in that part of the city, and overlooks all the 
 others. Here is consequently a fine field for observation, but it 
 is unfortunately unprovided with instruments. Professor Ni- 
 cander, the astronomer and inspector, informed me that the ob- 
 servatory w'as founded by the Royal Society of Sciences, and is 
 indebted for its existence to a few private persons, but princi- 
 pally to the celebrated Linnaeus. A sufficient sum was collected 
 to erect a house for the professor, and above it an apartment for 
 making observations ; so that it neither possesses any funds, nor 
 has any allowance from the King. The professor has a few in- 
 struments of his own, and the rest are intended to be procured 
 with the voluntary contributions of the friends of astronomy. 
 
 At the summer residence of the English ambassador, about 
 four miles from Stockholm, I met with an Englishman who 
 spent the whole of the last winter in Lapland, and proceeded as 
 far as the 70th degree. He informed me, that no Laplanders 
 were to be met with to the south of Tomea, though several of 
 the provinces are denominated Lapmarks; that the real Nomadic 
 Laplanders remove in summer to Norway, reside principally in 
 the vicinity of the sea, and that I might probably go two hun- 
 dred miles beyond Tomea, without meeting with a single family. 
 In summer they are occupied in fishing on the sea coast, in laying 
 up provision for winter, catching seals, preparing skins, andvjn 
 collecting various articles with which, at the latter end of the 
 summer, they return to Sweden, having first paid the King of 
 Denmark his tribute, which they never fail to discharge. Those 
 articles which they do not want for their own use, they convey in 
 winter on sledges to Tornea, w here they barter them for house- 
 hold furniture, iron, and other commodities, 
 
 Stockholm, August 7. 
 
 Almost the ' whole of this day has been occupied with an ex- 
 cursion to Drotningholm (or the Queens island), the most mag- 
 nificent palace which the Kings of Sw'eden possess. It is situ- 
 ated on an island, the proper name of which, is Loftip ; but it 
 is more frequently denominated after the edifice. The country 
 between the metropolis and Drotningholm is extremely pictu- 
 resque and romantic, but in the highest degree wild, bearing few 
 marks of cultivation, and still less of inhabitants. It would in- 
 deed be difficult to render the smallest portion of these islands 
 and district applicable to the purposes of agriculture ; for they 
 are principally composed of vast rocks, between w hich only the 
 fir finds such a scanty nourishment, that I observed n\any 
 
84 KUTTNEH’S TRAVELS 
 
 trees completely parched up and killed by the dryness of the 
 season. 
 
 I expected to see in Drotninghohn the most splendid palace in 
 Sweden, but not to find there the elegance, the taste, the lux- 
 ury and the magnificence of Versailles. At an immense expence 
 the late King collected here furniture, tapestry, gold, silver, por- 
 celain, bronzes, statues, pictures, clocks, jewels, and decora- 
 tions of every kind from the most elegant and superb manufac- 
 tories of Europe. Such is the air of gaiety which at the same 
 time prevails, and such the imposing appearance of the whole, 
 that 1 never saw the country-residence of any sovereign, the inte- 
 rior of which deserves to be compared with Drotningholm. The 
 same taste, cleanliness, and neatness, which are so conspicuous in 
 the principal structure, are likewise displayed in the inferior build- 
 ings, which are very numerous, and have the appearance of being 
 prepared for some grand festival. In a word, every thing an- 
 nounces the residence of a King, and, though on a very reduced 
 scale, reminds me of the splendor of the court of Versailles, when 
 I visited it in the years 1787 and 1788. 
 
 The King, who has a good figure and an open countenance, is 
 uncommonly grave, for a person of his age ; it is even said, that 
 lie has never been seen to laugh. I once had an opportunity of 
 observing him for about a quarter of an hour, during which time 
 he sat beside the Queen, without moving or uttering a word. I 
 have been informed by persons intimately acquainted with the 
 court, teat he entertains a very lngli idea of his dignity, and that 
 he is extremely solicitous to avoid every thing derogatory to his 
 rank. 'I hough his youth invites to familiarity, yet he knows how 
 to keep every one at a proper distance by a certain coldness and 
 gravity. Even the intimate friends of his early life, who in their 
 former playfellow sometimes forget the sovereign, are said to 
 have experienced a severe reprimand, whenever they have per- 
 mitted themselves the slightest infringement of that reverence 
 which is due to their Prince. I his sense ot his dignity may pro- 
 bably be the reason why he is always surrounded with the splen- 
 dor and formality or a court; whereas many young princes of the 
 present day are not very fond of the one, and gladly dispense 
 with the other. 
 
 The reserved disposition of the King was manifested in his 
 early years, during the regency. He concealed his sentiments 
 ie!ati\e to the proceeding's of the liegcnt; hut when he had as- 
 sumed the government, he very soon shewed the resolution he 
 had adopted. He has relinquished most of the measures of the 
 Ho 1 e ot Sudermania, in order to prosecute those of his father, 
 and the nation appears to be satisfied with his conduct; but ra- 
 ther, I conceive, because it is contrary to that of the Regent, than 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 85 
 
 /On any other account. The young Monarch is said to dread 
 nothing so much as the idea that any person possesses or seeks to 
 obtain an influence over him. The very suspicion is sufficient to 
 terrify him, and to induce him to break off' all intercourse with 
 the individual. 
 
 The principal object of his attention appears to be the finan- 
 ces, which he certainly found in a wretched situation. His fa- 
 ther M as fond of expence, and engaged in many undertakings, far 
 beyond the ability of a country so poor as Sweden. His many 
 journies, the purchases he made, the opera-house, the immense 
 sums expended on Drotningholm and Haga, and on the construc- 
 tion of high-roads, and lastly the injudicious and extremely unfor- 
 tunate war with Russia, exhausted the exchequer, and involved 
 the country in debt. The duke of Sudermania appears to have 
 been utterly incapable of restoring the deranged finances. 
 
 For several years the expences both of the royal family and of 
 the government in general have been on the increase, and yet 
 the poor Swedes are not in a condition to pay more taxes, for the 
 country appears to me to be entirely exhausted. They have not 
 been able, for a considerable time, to open any new channels of 
 trade, and have even lost some which they formerly possessed. — ■ 
 The M ar w r ith France is highly prejudicial to this country ; its 
 trade is cramped, its manufactures decline, and its mines are ne- 
 glected. Economy is therefore the highest virtue which a King of 
 Sweden can exercise ; and this his present Majesty possesses, 
 without, however, relinquishing his ideas of royal dignity, and a 
 certain degree of splendor. 
 
 But. to return to Drotningholm. — The library displays great 
 elegance and taste; and the binding of the books, uhich for a 
 private collection are very numerous, is extremely rich and beau- 
 tiful. The collection of natural and artificial curiosities is ar- 
 ranged in a most pleasing manner, but M'e had not time to ex- 
 amine it very minutely. 
 
 The decorations of the royal apartments are rather tan'dry, and 
 many of the pictures bear the stamp of the French school esta- 
 blished by Boucher and Co. It may, in general, be objected 
 to a great part of the embellishments of this palace, that they 
 are not sufficiently manly, and appear more suited to the dress- 
 ing-room of a lady than the residence of a King. We inspected 
 every part of the building, though the family now resides 
 here : indeed, so little ceremony Mas observed, that u-e Mere 
 shewn into an anti-chamber, from which, to mv great astonish- 
 ment, I perceived the royal family at dinner. The company was 
 in a gallery, open toM'ards the antichamber, in which a numerous 
 ban<jl of music M as playing. 
 
$5 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 On our return from Drotningholm, I visited the Mechanical 
 Manufactory, as it is denominated, of Captain i\pelquist, of 
 which I had heard a great deal ; but which is nothing more than 
 a manufactory of many articles' resembling the common wares 
 made at Birmingham, Sheffield, Rotherham, and London. 
 
 With regard to manufactures the Swedes are still very far be- 
 hind ; Sweden will long continue to send her iron to England, 
 and to import the hardware of that country. The government 
 gives them every encouragement, but the country wants two 
 things, which no government can command, great capitals, 
 and a people possessing the requisite industry. In all the shops 
 which I have seen, and I have been in a great number, I have 
 met with foreign commodities of every kind ; and most of the 
 articles in the houses of the opulent and the great are of foreign 
 manufacture. Native productions are in general coarse, clumsy, 
 and far from cheap. The prohibition of foreign commodities is 
 of little use ; means are found to introduce them, and certain 
 merchants know how to carry on this branch of trade in such a 
 manner, as to render it a monopoly : the purchaser nevertheless 
 finds but little choice in the shops, and is obliged to pay high 
 prices, on account of the risks to which this contraband trade is 
 exposed. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 Population of Stockholm. — the opera-house. — - 
 
 SWEDISH THEATRE. FREDKRICSHOF. — HAG A. CL- 
 
 RICIISTHAL. ARTISTS OF STOCKHOLM. ACADEMY OF 
 
 ARTS. — COLOSSAL STATUE OF GUSTAVUS HI. — CHURCH 
 OF ST. CLAIR. 
 
 Stockholm, August 11. 
 
 I N many Statistical Tables, the population of Copenhagen is 
 stated to exceed that of Stockholm. The contrary lam, how- 
 ever, persuaded is the case. From the nature of its situation 
 Stockholm is very extensive, so that it is generally computed to 
 he upwards of twenty miles in circumference. Including the 
 J ews, it is said to contain about 92,000 inhabitants, which is not 
 a great number for a place of such extent, and yet, perhaps, 
 rather exceeds the truth. 
 
 One of the principal structures of this city is the Opera-house, 
 where not Italian, but Swedish operas are performed. The 
 late king was very fond of this amusement, which he himself 
 laboured to promote. He wrote, or at least furnished the 
 greatest part of the materials for, an opera, called Gustavus Vasa, 
 which filled the Swedes with astonishment, and of w hich oue of 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, & 0 . 87 
 
 ifty acquaintances at this place told me more than I wished to 
 hear. This structure stands in the square in the Nordermalm, 
 opposite the residence of the princess of Sweden, which is of 
 tmiform size and architecture. These two edifices give the 
 square, which is open on one side, and commands a view of the 
 whole palace, a magnificent appearance. The opera-house i# 
 not large, but is very beautiful within, and has four tiers of 
 boxes. 
 
 In this building there is likewise a suite of elegant apartments, 
 constructed by Gustavus III. for his own use, where he very 
 frequently supped with a select party. They are quite in the 
 French style, display great taste, and contain some large pictures 
 by Dupre, representing scenes at Rome, during the king’s 
 travels. These apartments are in much better condition than 
 any in the palace. They were the king’s favorite retreat, where 
 he spent much time in his literary occupations, and lived in some 
 measure like a private man. Adjoining to his w riting-room is a 
 small cabinet, which 1 should rather have taken for the boudoir 
 of a Parisian elegante, than the apartment of a man and a mon- 
 arch; but Gustavus III. was a complete Frenchman: in all 
 
 that I see, and every thing that I hear concerning him, I recog- 
 nise the Frenchman. We were shewn the place in the theatre 
 where he received his mortal w ound. He w as carried into the 
 above-mentioned cabinet ; where, the same evening, he after- 
 wards received several of the foreign ministers. He was then 
 conveyed to the palace where he died. 
 
 Besides the opera-house, this city contains another theatre, 
 which is open in summer. You may easily suppose that I was. 
 not a frequent visitor, because my knowledge of the Swedish 
 language is too imperfect to enable me to follow the progress of 
 a play. I, however, went to see a comedy, the plot of which 
 I perfectly comprehended. The softness of the pronunciation 
 employed on the stage, and which differs considerably from that 
 in common use, caused many expressions to sound very much 
 like English. The words: Gif mig eder arm , minbror , pro- 
 nounced by one of the actresses, approached very nearly indeed 
 to the English : — Give me your arm, my brother. The decora- 
 tions w'ere very pretty, and the performers, as far as I could judge, 
 excellent. 
 
 Among the remarkable objects of this city, you may be sure, 
 I have not omitted to see the Fredericshof, or the collection of 
 artifical curiosities and armor ; Mr. Coxe gives the history of all 
 the persons to whom the articles belonged, which are preserved 
 in this place, and enters into a prolix disquisition on the death of 
 Charles XII. I have likewise seen the hat through which the 
 ball penetrated; the gloves and sword-belt, stained with his 
 
SB 
 
 kuttner’s TRAVELS 
 
 blood; have felt the weight of his clumsy sword and handled tW 
 coarse, cloth of his unornamented uniform. The Swedes are 
 virtuosi of a particular kind ; they are fond of preserving the 
 clothes in which any person of note has been killed. This taste, 
 I believe, is peculiar to this nation, for I do not recollect to have 
 met with any thing of the kind in any other country. I never 
 heard in France, that the clothes of Henry IV. were preserved, 
 or that the English kept those in which so many of their kings 
 and princes were murdered. The collection at this place has 
 been considerably increased by the death of the late king; every 
 part of the domino is here deposited, and even the shirt which 
 he wore when he was assassinated by Ankerstrom. In the outer 
 Waistcoat you may perceive very plainly, besides the large hole 
 of a pistol ball, several smaller ones near it, which must have 
 been made by small pieces of iron, that formed a part of the 
 charge. They have, likewise, consigned to everlasting celebrity 
 the uniform in which the duke of Sudermania was wounded in 
 the last war with Russia. I never saw a larger collection of* 
 colors taken from enemies than at this place. Among others, 
 those taken from the combined Saxon and Polish armies, by 
 Charles XII. are particularly numerous. 
 
 At a small distance from Stockholm, in the vicinity of the 
 Nordermalm, is situated Haga, a palace erected by the late king. 
 Considered as an English mansion, it surpasses every thing I have 
 seen in Sweden, and even in England would be surveyed with 
 pleasure. Genuine good taste prevails in this place, and, what is 
 still more, nature has done a great deal in its behalf. The ad- 
 jacent country is wild, like all the vicinity of Stockholm, and the 
 rocks, rearing their naked heads above the verdure, produce a 
 fine effect. The house is small, for Gustavus built it for a 
 retreat, where he could live far from his family and the society 
 of the great. The apartments display great elegance and taste. 
 
 I however discover the Frenchman in many things, especially in 
 the furniture and decorations. The roof of the house commands 
 a view that is remarkable and perfectly unique. You perceive 
 the highest parts, and some of the largest objects in Stockholm; 
 all the rest is concealed by naked rocks which tower above the 
 nearest trees, and the verdure of the pleasure-grounds. The 
 other buildings at Ilaga are either small, or not yet finished. 
 
 About three miles beyond Haga is Ulrichsthal, the residence 
 of the queen-dowager. It does not appear to be remarkable ex- 
 cepting on account of its fine situation, and little pains seein to 
 be bestowed on keeping it in repair. 
 
 A gentleman of Stockholm who accompanied us to Haga, 
 informed me, when we entered a certain room, that the conspi- 
 rators had designed to assassinate the king in that palac.e, a con- 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. $9 
 
 siderable time before he was killed . The man on whom the lot 
 fell went round the house in the evening, with a musket, and 
 observed the king seated at a table, employed in writing. The 
 villain took aim at his sovereign, but could not muster sufficient 
 resolution to fire. When Ankerstrbm, who was implicated in 
 the conspiracy, received this intelligence, he indignantly declared, 
 that hp would undertake the business. The second part of the 
 anecdote I had from another person, who added, it might justly 
 be said of Ankerstrbm, that he sacrificed himself. 
 
 As soon as Gustavus III, had breathed his last, every thing 
 assumed a different form. His will w as set aside, and his friends 
 were either neglected or persecuted. Regencies are generally 
 disliked, and this appears to have been more particularly the case 
 with that which succeeded the death of the late king of Sweden. 
 His present majesty ascended the throne, and adopted all the 
 measures of his father. 
 
 Stockholm contains a greater number of artists than a stranger 
 would expect to find in such a city. — Mr. Pasch, director of the 
 academy, and knight of the order of Gustavus Vasa, is little more 
 than a portrait-painter; as such, he possesses merit, but not of 
 the first degree. M. Dupres, a foreigner, but settled at Stock- 
 holm, is an historical painter, some of whose pieces, as I have 
 already mentioned, decorate the apartments which Gustavus III. 
 fitted up for himself at the Opera-house. These appear to have 
 almost exceeded his powers. The artist, indeed, was not left to 
 his own discretion ; the king furnished him with the subjects, 
 which represent scenes during his travels in Italy. The great 
 number of figures, which he did not understand how to group 
 with judgment, produce some confusion; and the modem dress 
 has a bad effect in works of art, though the painter pos- 
 sessed the advantage of contrasting the ordinary European dress 
 with the costume of Sweden, and occasionally with the Romish 
 ecclesiastical habit. — M.von Breda appears to have the most 
 business, and he justly deserves it, on account of the tasteful and 
 spirited manner in which he paints portraits. He resided many 
 years in England, and particularly selected as his model Sir 
 Joshua Reynolds, whose manner he has very successfully fol- 
 lowed. His portraits, which he treats as much as possible in an 
 historical manner, are exquisitely coloured, and of the most pleas^ 
 jug kind. Italians, indeed, would say that he has too much of 
 the modern English school, that is, that he is toq solicitous to 
 produce what is termed effect.— Mariller has for several years 
 been almost entirelv employed on decorations for the different 
 roval palaces. I have seen some of his productions at 
 Haga, which are extremely beautiful and evince great taste, - t* 
 
 KCTTNCR.J e 
 
go jkuttner’s travels 
 
 Sergell, a pupil of the French artist Archeveque, who resided 
 many years in Sweden, is now the best sculptor in this country. 
 I have seen some excellent productions of his chisel, and it is he 
 who furnished the model of the colossal statue of GustavusIII. 
 which is to be cast by Captain Apelquist. 
 
 At the Academy of Painting and Arts, I found a collection of 
 casts of the Grecian chef d’ oeuvres, but it was not very numer- 
 ous. T however recollect institutions of the same kind in Italy, 
 where I have not seen more. In that country it is true, they 
 may more easily dispense with them, because they have the 
 originals nearer at hand. 
 
 I have seen Sergell’s statue of Gustavus III. The figure 
 is standing, and in the national dress introduced by the king, 
 but which now is not often seen. It is, as you know', much 
 more picturesque than ours, but has not the dignity of the 
 ancient Roman costume : with the exception of the scarf, this 
 dress has no folds ; and all smooth drapery in sculpture produces 
 a disagreeable effect. It appears absolutely to require either 
 nakedness, or drapery with large folds, and to know ho medium 
 between the two. The statues of the Duke of Cumberland ill 
 London, of General Seydlitz, at Berlin, and even that of the 
 hussar Ziethen, prove this assertion. The statue of Frederic 
 n. at Stettin, receives the principal part of its dignity and effect 
 from the mantle, which is thrown over a portion of the figure, 
 and breaks the stiffness of the modern uniform. — This statue, 
 which is to be of bronze, and fifteen feet in height, will stand on 
 the quay below the palace, where a vast pedestal of granite has 
 already been erected for it. The situation is well chosen, the 
 granite fine, and the polish admirable. 
 
 Among the charming views which are to be found within this 
 city, 1 have not yet mentioned that affordfed by the steeple of 
 the church of St. Clare, and which 1 particularly advise the 
 traveller not to omit seeing. In the church itself, I found a 
 very beautiful altar-piece, representing the Taking of Christ from 
 the Cross, beneath which was the following inscription : — Jon. 
 Hoffman, inv. et fee. Roma 1766. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 91 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 UPSAL. TUMULI AT GAMLA UPsALA. OESTERBY — 
 
 DANEMORA. LoFSTA. — THE FALL OF THE DALELFy 
 
 NEAR ELFKARLEBY. — GEFFLE. — FAHLUN. — AVESTADT. 
 
 — SAL A. — GRAN. — ECKIIOLMSUND. 
 
 Upsal, 12th August, 1798. 
 
 We left Stockholm at seven this morning, and reached 
 this place before three. — Upsal is the handsomest and neatest of 
 all the Swedish towns of the middling class, and, to compare 
 small things with large, reminds me of Oxford. Its most mag- 
 nificent building, though only of brick, is the cathedral churchy 
 but the beauty of the inside far exceeds that of the exterior. 
 In my opinion it is the finest church I have seen during the last 
 four years. It perfectly coincides with my ideas of a temple, 
 combining magnitude, dignity and simplicity. It is an ancient 
 structure, but has been altered and adapted to the modern taste, 
 though without any unnecessary or paltry decorations. Every 
 thing is in its proper place, and all its parts are grand and noble. 
 Such a cleanliness reigns throughout, as I have no where met 
 with but in some English churches, and in St. Peters at Rome. 
 The interior is in the purest Gothic style, and the long row of 
 white massive columns, afford from the end opposite the altar 
 a view truly sublime. At that distance, the altar likewise makes 
 a very fine appearance ; but on approaching, you perceive that 
 it is only painted wood : this large and high altar on one side, 
 and the organ, which is also of great magnitude, on the other, 
 are the only objects in the church which are ornamented, and 
 are perfectly calculate^ to heighten the simplicity of the rest of 
 tfoe structure. 
 
 On the sides of the church are a great number of monu- 
 ments, of which only one is particularly distinguished as a pro- 
 duction of the arts. This is the monument of the Archbishop 
 Menander, of variegated Italian and white Carrara marble, 
 which displays great magnificence and taste. It was executed 
 at Rome by the directions of his son, M. Von FredenheinT, wha 
 is now intendant-general of the king. The archbishop died in 
 1786. The great Linnaeus has nothing but a common flat 
 grave stone, placed over him by his sou, who is also dead. This 
 church is likewise the burial-place of Gustavus Vasa, whose 
 monument is very old and mean. Memorials of departed great- 
 ness or worth are left, by every generation, to be erected by pos- 
 terity, who at length take up the matter, but mostly out of mere 
 vamt}’. Thus the great statue of the aboverinentioned monarch 
 
 N 2 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 was not erected in the Ritterhohn till two hundred yeafs aftetf 
 his death, and it is only a few years since the memory of Gus* 
 tavus Adolphus was honoured with one. The disciples and friends 
 of Linnaeus have lately decreed him a monument which l saw at 
 Stockholm, and which is to be erected in a new edifice in this 
 town, of which I shall speak presently. It is of Swedish por- 
 phyry, and the inscription is of cast metal letters. 
 
 We were shewn the treasure belonging to the church, consist- 
 ing of a great quantity of gold, silver, precious stones, &c. but 
 nothing in comparison to what I have seen in many catholic 
 churches. My attention was particularly attracted by the cup 
 which a Swedish general carried oft from Prague, when that city 
 was taken by the Swedes during the Thirty Years War. It is rich 
 and beautiful in its kind, but it would not have interested me so 
 much, had it not been the same which the enemies of Gus- 
 tavus 111. accused that monarch of having given to the Pope. 
 
 In die same apartment is kept the statue of the god Thur. It 
 is, as far as I could discover, a clumsy, mutilated figure of oak. 
 *1 he left arm is wanting ; the right, as in all the early statues of 
 anciern. nations, lias been attached, but the hand of this is defi- 
 cient. The thighs just commence, and are broken off short be- 
 low the hips ; the beard is a large, shapeless mass of wretched 
 workmanship. A friend of mine in Saxony had requested me to 
 examine this statue with particular attention, because, from an 
 engraving which he has seen, he is led to believe, that it w^as not 
 intended for the god Thur, but' for a figure of Christ. The his- 
 torical data which w e have relative to this statue, are very doubt- 
 ful, and such an error may be possible. The lower part of the 
 face and beard certainly have something of the Nazarene cha- 
 racter. 
 
 The library of the university is said to contain 52,000 volumes. 
 The apartments are good and clean, but have nothing remark- 
 able ; die work which principally attracted my notice was the 
 ’ Codex urgenteus of Ulphelas,- containing the four Evangelists in 
 the Gothic language. You know how much has been written 
 on this subject, some maintaining, that the language is Gothic, 
 while others contend, that it is Frankish. Be this as it may, all 
 writers agree that it is one of the most ancient manuscripts in 
 the world, and probably of the fourth century. It is a middle- 
 sized quarto volume, the paper of which has a purple cast. The 
 letters are handsome and regular, and many of them resemble 
 the Greek capitals. 
 
 In one of the apartments of the library is a large box, on 
 which stands another of smaller dimensions. Both of them are 
 secured with strong chains and locks. These are presents made 
 by the late King to the University, with the injunction that they 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 9$ 
 
 should not be opened for fifty years. Here is a field for the con- 
 jectures of the curious. They will probably be found to con- 
 tain a history of his own time, with various documents, let' 
 ters, &c. 
 
 .From the library we went to the Botanic garden, namely, the 
 old one, formed by Linnaeus, which will probably long retain its 
 rights, for, as I was informed, there is little hope of the com- 
 pletion of the new one, which is intended to be established in the 
 garden of the King’s palace. It is neither large nor valuable, but 
 it was interesting to me on account of its founder. The collec- 
 tion of foreign plants is said to be important, but that of living 
 animals consists of a few Indian goats, a porcupine, an ape, and 
 a hare. I know not whether my face indicated an approaching 
 smile, but I was immediately conducted into another apartment, 
 in which there were two foreign birds ! In the collection of ser- 
 pents and fishes, I, however, saw many things which attracted 
 my notice. 
 
 The collection of the celebrated Thunberg, the present pro- 
 fessor of Botany and Natural History, who published the details 
 of his nine years travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, is much 
 more important. He was not in town himself, but Dr. Ullin 
 very politely shewed us his collection. Thunberg resides in tfie 
 house which once belonged to Linnaeus. It is small and mean ; 
 his really beautiful collection is so crowded and confused, that it 
 reflects disgrace on the government and the university in parti- 
 cular, as he has had the generosity to bequeath it to the latter. 
 The son of Linnaeus applied his father’s collection to a very dif- 
 ferent purpose ; he sold it to an Englishman. 
 
 I was particularly interested with various articles from Japan, 
 where Thunberg resided a considerable time. 1 believe he was 
 surgeon to a Dutch vessel. I saw with pleasure a male and fe- 
 male rein-deer stuffed ; and likewise, the small Lapland bear, 
 which is no bigger than a large spaniel : he, however, some- 
 times attacks cows, which he dispatches and devours. I had 
 never before seen antelopes or gazelles of the size of our largest 
 deer ; they were from the Cape of Good Hope. Those belong- 
 ing to the late Duchess of Portland, which I saw at Bulstrode, 
 were, like all the others that I have met with, small. 
 
 The royal palace at Upsal is situated on an eminence near the 
 town. It is every thing but handsome, and resembles a capa- 
 cious prison. Adjoining it is a garden, w hich is kept in excellent 
 order, and has some agreeable walks. Gustavus III. presented it to 
 the university, and it is in future to be the botanic garden, when the 
 other will be given up. In this garden the late King directed 
 an extensive building to be erected with a handsome facade, with 
 eight stone columns. Here are intended to be the hall fqr bota- 
 
kuttner’k travels 
 
 94 
 
 nical lectures, and the apartments of the professor ; the remainder 
 will be appropriated to foreign plants, if the undertaking should 
 ever be completed ; of which, as I have already observed, little 
 hope is now entertained. In this edifice the monument of Lin- 
 naeus is to be erected- It is eleven years since this building was 
 commenced, and it is still very far from being finished. The pa- 
 face is empty, excepting a few rooms, which are kept for the oc- 
 casional accommodation of his majesty. 
 
 Oesterby, August 13. 
 
 We left Upsal about one o’clock, and in half an hour arrived 
 at Gamla Upsala, or Old Upsal, where I stopped to examine 
 some tumuli, similar to those which are found in so many coun- 
 tries of Europe and Asia, and are considered as the original 
 monuments erected to princes and great men. These are indeed 
 so regular, both in their formation and position, that they can 
 scarcely be supposed to be the effect of chance. I must, however, 
 observe, that in this country I have met with many hills which 
 bear more or less resemblance to those that 1 have found in dif- 
 ferent parts, though they are not quite so regular, and all of which 
 probably were not the work of human hands. 
 
 The country, for twenty miles after we left Upsal, is the most 
 abundant in corn of any I have seen in Sweden. Every foot of 
 land, excepting the naked rock, is in tillage. The country after- 
 wards grows wilder, the rocks, which are granite gradually become 
 more frequent, and the woods of fir more extensive. We then 
 arrived at the lake of Dannemora, which is rendered extremely 
 beautiful by its numerous small islands, which are principally co- 
 vered with trees. 
 
 Having proceeded for some time along this lake, we arrived 
 at Oesterby, a place remarkable for its large furnaces. Mrs. 
 Peil, the proprietor of the whole, received us with the politeness 
 of a woman of quality, shewed us the furnaces herself, and then 
 conducted us through her extensive domain. She lives here in 
 the rural grandeur of a princess, has a noble and spacious house, 
 stables with sixty horses, twelve carriages of different kinds, gar- 
 dens, hot-houses and pleasure-grounds. Every thing bears the 
 appearance of taste and splendor, which are generally the conse- 
 quences of great opulence. The iron-mines here are what 
 estates and lands are to the great and the wealthy in other coun- 
 tries. They are superintended by the nobility, to whom they 
 principally belong. 
 
 Oi the extent of the works at this place you may form some 
 conception, if I repeat w hat Mrs. Peil told me. She fixed the 
 number of her labourers with their families at eight hundred. 
 These do not live in detached huts or in villages, but reside i » 
 
"THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 95 
 
 houses, all of which belong to this lady. They are built in re- 
 gular rows, and each house contains two families. Each of these 
 double houses stands at a certain distance from the tw r o next, 
 but so as to form a street, each side of which is lined with 
 trees, forming an alley in the middle. It is impossible to describe 
 the pecvdiarly pleasing appearance of these rural streets, which are 
 situated at some distance from the mansion of the proprietor. 
 The houses are all of such a class, that they would not be a dis- 
 credit to a town, and extraordinary cleanliness prevails through- 
 out. Some of the buildings belonging to the works were covered 
 with iron-plates, and part of the mansion with copper ; a luxury 
 which I have frequently observed in Sweden, and in which the 
 inhabitants indulged probably in those times when that metal was 
 proportionably of little value. I must still observe, that Mrs. 
 Peil told me, that her labourers were the descendants of Hugue- 
 nots, or as she denominated them W alloons, that is, French 
 protestants, who settled here upwards of a century ago. Twenty 
 or thirty years since they understood a little French, but they now 
 possess no knowledge of that language, and Swedish is their mo- 
 ther tongue. 
 
 Dannemora is the most celebrated iron-mine in Sweden. — 
 This, as well as that at Fahlun, is totally different from any I 
 have seen in other countries. Instead of having a descent similar 
 to those of the mines of Germany and other parts, the aperture 
 of the principal shaft at Dannemora is about as large as the most 
 extensive market-place of any German city, and affords the very 
 interesting spectacle of a great number of people at work in the 
 different parts in open day-light ; so that the spectator at the top 
 may overlook at once all the various operations of the la- 
 bourers. 
 
 This mine was commenced in the year 1527. The Ore yields 
 70 to 75 per cent, and some even from 80 to 90. The total 
 number of shafts is 97 ; but only 23 are now in use. The mine 
 yields annually 150,000 skipponds (about 18,000 tons) of iron, 
 which is the best, and consequently the dearest, in Sweden. The 
 greatest part of it is exported to England. The number of horses 
 employed in the works is 144. The labourers in the pits amount to 
 487, but the total number of persons of both sexes, employed at this 
 place, is 1579- There are no furnaces near the mine, but the dif- 
 ferent proprietors, most of whom reside in the neighbourhood, 
 convey the ore to their estates, where it is melted and hammered : 
 after which, it is transported a considerable way by land, and then 
 by water through Gefhe to Stockholm, See. As the places where 
 the ore is drawn up, appeared extremely dangerous, I enquired 
 whether accidents did not frequently occur, and was informed, 
 that in the course of a year three lives were lost on an average, 
 
90 kuttner’s travels 
 
 but that during the present, five persons had already pe- 
 rished. 
 
 Geffle, August 15. 
 
 Leaving Oesterby, we proceeded about 20 miles to Lbfsta, a 
 noble mansion belonging to the Baron de Geer. Compared with 
 the residence of many English gentlemen, this place would make 
 an inconsiderable figure, though celebrated by the natives as one 
 of the largest and most magnificent country-seats in Sweden. It 
 is certainly very extensive, and comprises a great mass of build- 
 ings, but the principal structure has nothing very remarkable. 1 
 3aw some family-portraits by Van Dyk, but I very much doubt, 
 whether all or even any of them are genuine. The library is a 
 very good collection, and contains a great number of drawings, en- 
 gravings, and expensive works on natural history, machines, tra- 
 vels, cCc. I likewise found there the scarce work of Count Mar- 
 sigli concerning the Danube. 
 
 On the way from Lbfsta to Geffle, we came to one of the 
 grandest scenes of nature that I ever beheld, the fall of the 
 Dalelf near Elfcarleby. Of all the waterfalls of Italy, Swe- 
 den, Norway and Ireland, none bears so much resemblance to 
 that of the Rhine near Schafi hausen. Comparisons are generally 
 unjust, for there are scarcely two things in nature which resemble 
 each other in all their parts. Many prefer the Swedish fall ; 
 others consider thtit of the Rhine as more picturesque, and others 
 again give a decided preference to the latter. I shall therefore 
 content myself with saying, that the fall of the Rhine is not dis- 
 honoured by a comparison with the Swedish. The Dalelf, which 
 signifies the river of Dalecarlia, has not by far so much water, 
 but it covers a greater space, and produces a grand effect; 
 being divided by an insulated rock, it forms two falls by the side 
 of each other. A little lower down there is a third, which is 
 smaller. All the three may be seen at once from several points ; 
 but the two larger are so near, that both of them may be brought 
 into one view . The rocks are, as usual, of granite and over- 
 grown with fir, pine or larch-trees. The violence w ith which 
 the water precipitates itself from rock to rock is inconceivable; 
 and the figures ot the rocks are such, that the w'ater between 
 them forms an object highly picturesque. The current below 
 the cataracts is continually interrupted by rocks, till it receives 
 the tribute of the third fall. The river then becomes deeper, is 
 compressed into a narrower channel, and again forms a kind of 
 fall by the impetuosity with which it rushes between the stir- 
 rounding rocks. 
 
 At this spot a wooden bridge, between three and four hundred 
 bn t in length, has been erected over the river. I was informed 
 teat the areh’tect is a peasant, who can neither read, write, noj 
 
97 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C 
 
 draw. At the first sight, this bridge presents nothing very strik- 
 ing ; but when you reflect that the pillars which support it stand 
 in the midst of an impetuous torrent, and that the water breaks 
 against each of them with the utmost violence, you are at a loss 
 which to admire the most, the bold design of the architect, or 
 his caprice in selecting this spot for a bridge, while the river is 
 perfectly placid a little lower down ; but there, indeed, a bridge 
 would be less convenient. 
 
 The Dalelf, though one of the largest rivers in Sweden; is un- 
 navigable. It is remarkable that this kingdom, which is of greater 
 extent than Germany, has not a single navigable river worth 
 mentioning. The Gotha itself, after leaving the lake Wenner, is 
 not navigable for a considerable distance ; and even where it is 
 navigable for a short space, it has so little depth as to admit only 
 vessels of moderate size. 
 
 We arrived in good time at Geffle, which by many is reckoned 
 the fifth, and by others the sixth, town in Sweden. Like most of 
 the other Swedish towns, I thought it an insignificant place, though 
 it is a sea-port, and one of those which are said to have the most 
 extensive trade. It does not contain six thousand inhabitants. 
 
 August nth . — Fahlun is the capital of Dalecarlia, and the 
 northernmost point of our travels in Sweden. The whole country 
 between Upsal and Geffle is rather level than hilly, and continues 
 so till you reach the province of Dalecarlia, w hich is extremely 
 mountainous : at first, how ever, the eminences are not very ele- 
 vated, but become more lofty as you proceed. Fahlun is entirely 
 encompassed with mountains. 
 
 On the whole way from Stockholm to this place, I have seen a 
 great number of lakes ; but I am now so accustomed to them, 
 that even the most beautiful have no longer any charms for 
 me. The w'oods consist entirely of fir. 
 
 On leaving Geffle I found the country at first thinly inhabited ; 
 but on approaching Fahlun, it assumes a wilder aspect, and 
 the population increases. I frequently saw a kind of wooden 
 machines which 1 had before observed in other parts of Sweden, 
 but which are much more numerous in this province. The month 
 of August is often rainy in Sweden, and the people are obliged 
 to get their harvest in wet. As they cut down the corn, they 
 hang it upon the bars of a kind of frame, either placed horizon- 
 tally, or of a pyramidal form. 
 
 It w as the Dalecarlians who protected Gustavus Vasa, and 
 w ho seated him on the throne. Their attachment to the reigning 
 house has continued without abatement ; so that Gustavus III. 
 when he found himself deserted by his nobility, repaired to this 
 province, the inhabitants of w hich promised him their strenuoiu 
 
 JvI'ttn er.J e 
 
98 kuttner’s travels 
 
 support. It was they,, too, who formed the resolution of aven- 
 ging his death. 
 
 We passed five hours in viewing the mines of this place. 
 The copper-mine is probably the most ancient in Europe : the 
 exact period when it was commenced is not known; hut the 
 earliest grants relative to it are of the 14th century. Here truly 
 reigns the abomiuatign of desolation. What accumulated 
 mountains of stone, on which for ages, not a single blade of 
 grass will appear! In what eternal smoke the whole country is 
 enveloped ! what a uoise from nearly two hundred engines and 
 their apparatus ! This picture of desolation begins as you leave 
 Fahlun, on the southwest, and extends without interruption to a 
 great distance around. The stones extracted for centuries from 
 the mines are piled up into so many barren mountains, that 
 strangers are obliged to have a guide, lest they should lose their 
 way in the multitude of roads which run like streets between 
 them. 
 
 The principal opening of this mine, like that at Dannemora, 
 is of very great extent, but none of the laborers are here ex-, 
 posed to view. You would scarely credit that I have been to 
 the depth of l60 fathoms, without descending a single ladder. 
 The descent to the bottom of the great open pit, is by means 
 ■of wooden stairs. Here you proceed a short distance on leVel 
 ground till you arrive at a house which stands contiguous to the 
 rock, and is properly the entrance of the mine. Tire guide is 
 provided with several bundles of splinters which he lights one 
 after the other. You now continue to descend by wooden steps, 
 which are, indeed, neither very well made, nor kept in good re- 
 pair. The horses, however, are conducted by the same way 
 into the mine, and where a horse can go, it cannot be very diffi- 
 cult lor a man to walk. The passages form a labyrinth of streets, 
 winch tire mostly hewn out of the rock, though they are here 
 and there constructed of wood, and some few are formed of 
 brick. Between twenty and thirty horses are employed in the 
 mine, and these animals see the light of day only once a year, 
 namely at Christmas, when the subterraneous labors are suspend- 
 ed for a time. We came to many shafts, which, though per- 
 pendicular, yet conducted to the outside of the mine; it is 
 through these shafts, and not by the way we went, that the ore is 
 conveyed. 
 
 Though we descended to a considerable depth, yet the copper 
 is entirely exhausted in all the passages which we traversed; and 
 with the exception of one or two, the ore is found only in the 
 lowest shafts. r i he part of the mountain containing the ore, was 
 originally of the figure of an inverted cone. The nearer the 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 99 
 
 Works approach the end of the cone, the narrower of course the 
 region impregnated with the metal becomes, and the lower they 
 must be sunk. In consequence, the expences increase every 
 year ; and many imagine, that id less than twenty years, the mine 
 must be relinquished, probably before the ore is entirely ex- 
 hausted, because the profits will be too inconsiderable to defray 
 the charge of working. It is remarkable, that no traces of this 
 metal have been discovered in any other part of the country. — 
 In the year 1650, when the produce of this mine was at the 
 highest, it yielded about 2500 tons ; but at present, the annual 
 produce falls short of 500 tons. 
 
 All the ore extracted at Fahlun is melted in about 70 fur- 
 naces, of winch 60 are situated in the town, and the others 
 m the neighbourhood. The ore contains, on an average, no 
 more than two per cent. The number of miners is 800, but I 
 could not learn that of the laborers employed at the furnaces. 
 The whole concern is divided into 2500 shares, the proprietors 
 of which are dispersed through the kingdom, but many of them 
 reside at Fahlun. The latter have their ow n furnaces, but the 
 others agree for the smelting of their share of the ore at a stipu- 
 lated price. The King receives one eighth of the produce. 
 
 At this place there is likewise a vitriol-manufactory, where 
 both green and blue vitriol are made. I also, saw here, 
 what I had never met with before, a great quantity of 
 old iron of every kind, which is sprinkled with vitriol water. The 
 acid gradually dissolves and consumes the particles of iron, till it 
 at length disappear-,, and the whole mass is converted into 
 copper. 
 
 The population of Fahlun is said to amount to 6000 persons, 
 and the place is situated in the latitude of 60° 40'. As the fur- 
 naces are at work night and day, the town is enveloped in con- 
 tinual smoke, w hich is seen at a considerable distance on every 
 side. Every thing is destroyed by it, and the copper with which 
 the two churches are covered, is obliged to be renewed every 
 thirty or forty years, in consequence of its injurious operation. 
 
 August 18. — We left Fahlun early this morning, aud fchc he* 
 Avestadt before four o’clock. On leaving Fahlun, the country 
 assumes an appearance of extraordinary beauty. A great por- 
 tion of the tract betw een that town and Avestadt, in my opinion, 
 surpasses any in Sw'eden m richness, magnificence and fertility. 
 It is, indeed, move wild than the celebrated provinces of Norige, 
 Westmannlaiid and Sodermannland ; but it is on that account 
 more picturesque, and contains more pasturage, mountains, and 
 wood, and in cultivation it equals any in Sweden. It has an 
 infinity of charming views, to which u multitude of small ShsCcs, 
 
 o 2 
 
100 kuttker’s travels 
 
 and the majestic Dalelf, which we repeatedly crossed, not a 
 little contribute. 
 
 Avestadt has an agreeable situation, and is a lively place on 
 account of its copper-works. That metal is not only refined 
 here, but is wrought into a variety of articles, into sheets, pots, 
 stills, &c. Copper nails are likewise cast for ship-building. 
 
 August iy th . — It is 28 miles from Avestadt to Sala, where 
 we arrived before noon. The country between the two places 
 is pleasing and woody ; the hills are low, and it is neither so 
 rich and beautiful, nor so interesting and populous, as that be- 
 tween Avestadt and Tallinn. 
 
 Sala is a small place, and contains nothing worthy of notice. 
 About two miles from the town is situated the most ancient 
 silver-mine in Sweden, but its produce is very inconsiderable. 
 
 August 20. — Gran is 35 miles distant from Stockhdlm. On 
 the way to that place we made a circuit of three miles to see 
 Eckholmsund, a mansion which formerly belonged to the King, 
 but has been purchased by a Scotchman of the name of Seaton. 
 We found two large edifices, between which the centre building 
 is wanting. One of these the proprietor is fitting up for himself, 
 but the other has been retained by the King for his reception, 
 when he occasionally visits this quarter. The neighbourhood of 
 an arm of the lake Malar, numerous trees and romantic rocks 
 render the situation very fine, and the whole has a good deal of 
 what Brown denominates capability. It is, however, not much 
 indebted to art excepting for a few old plantations of trees. 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 ABY. SODER TELJE. N YKOPING. — FINSPANGE. NOE- 
 
 KOPING. LINKOP1NG. BOXHOLM. EKESIO. LEN 
 
 HOF DA. BUBBETORP. — CARLSCRONA ; THE NEW DOCKS, 
 
 MAGAZINES, &C. — RONNEBY. — CHRISTI ANSTADT. — 
 YSTADT. 
 
 Carlscrona, August 29 . 
 
 W E left Stockholm on the 23d, on which day we went but 
 about 50 miles, to the village of Aby. Till we reached Sdder 
 Telje, an insignificant place, the road was the same as we had 
 
 gone on our way from Norway to Stockholm. 
 
 I was again struck with the extreme wildness and romantic ap- 
 peal ance of the country which surrounds Stockholm on every side. 
 In general, every thing assumes a milder aspect as you approach a 
 capital, but here it is the very reverse. Whether this is the rea- 
 son why sp few of those country-seats of the opulent and the great 
 are to be met with in the vicinity of Stockholm, which generally 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 10[ 
 
 enliven and embellish the neighbourhood of a metropolis, I will 
 not undertake to decide. The principal cause is the general want 
 of that wealth possessed by the higher classes in more southern 
 countries. The tract between Stockholm and Aby, was for the 
 greatest part woody, mountainous, full of rocks, and thinly inha- 
 bited. 
 
 At noon of the 24th we arrived at Nykoping, one of the prin- 
 cipal towns of Sweden, with a harbor, and situated on a river of 
 the same name ; I was much delighted with the cheerful, and in 
 part, romantic appearance of Nykoping. The view of naked 
 and romantic rocks afforded by so many Swedish towns, gives 
 them a peculiar character which I have not met with in any other 
 country. I here ascended a bare and very lofty rock which lies 
 almost within the town. On the opposite side, towards the har- 
 bor, I saw the ruins of what was formerly a very strong castle, 
 and the residence of the kings of Sudermania. 
 
 Between W reta and Krokek, before we arrived at Norkdping, 
 we came to Finspange, an iron-manufactory belonging to the 
 Count de Geer, where camion and most of the coarser articles 
 of iron are cast and made. The residence of the proprietor is a 
 handsome structure. This nobleman appears to be an amateur 
 and a patron of the arts. Having once discovered some talents 
 in a young peasant, he took him under his protection, and I believe, 
 maintained him during his residence abroad. . His name is 
 Hdhrberg; he is now one of the best painters in Sweden, and 
 is principally employed by the Count, with whom he resides. I 
 saw three altar-pieces by him, in three different churches, at 
 Norkdping: two of them were presented by the Count. I found 
 in all of them grandeur of composition, boldness and spirit; but 
 his colouring is not the most pleasing, and his heads are deficient 
 in dignity. It likewise appears to me that he does not perfectly 
 understand the art of grouping his figures. 
 
 Norkdping is the fourth town in Sweden. Many consider 
 it as the third, and give it the preference to Abo. My host, a 
 tradesman, of whom I enquired the population of this place, 
 mentioned the round number of 20,000 souls. The truth, how- 
 ever is, that the highest computation does not make them exceed 
 1 2,000, and I am confident that the present population is consi- 
 derably below that number. 
 
 I never saw r a town more advantageously situated for manu- 
 factures and commerce than Norkdping. The river Motala, one 
 of the largest in Sweden, divides it into tw r o parts, is navigable in 
 the town for very large vessels and discharges itself at a little 
 distance into the Bay of Braviken, formed by a part of the 
 Baltic. But what gives it a peculiar advantage is, that the 
 Motala, which is very broad, precipitates itself over rocks in the 
 
102 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 midst of the town, and forms at least a dozen waterfalls. On 
 these, innumerable water-mills might be erected with little labor 
 and expence. This advantage has not been improved as it might ; 
 yet when I looked down the river from many parts of the town, 
 I discovered a great number of mills, most of which, however, 
 were not at work. 
 
 I had already observed in many different places, that the ma- 
 nufactures of this kingdom arc far from flourishing ; but here in 
 the principal manufacturing town, every thing appeared to be 
 entirely at a stand. I wished to see the manufacture of fire- 
 arms, but was informed that it had been relinquished for some 
 time, and in its stead a manufacture of English leather had been 
 established. I therefore went to see the latter, where I was told 
 that leather was made in the English manner, but was informed 
 that it was not at work, and the same was the case with a cele- 
 brated manufacture of nails. My host boasted much that a ma- 
 nufacture of oil, which they w-ere formerly obliged to procure 
 from Holland, had lately been established. I went to sec it and 
 found a common stamping-mill, in which they were stamping 
 lint-seed or rape-seed imported from Riga. I enquired for the 
 cylinders, but W'as informed that they were kept a profound 
 secret, which no person w r as permitted to see. The houses 
 for sugar-baking appear to be in the most thriving condition. 
 
 The most considerable manufactory atNorkbping, is one of brass, 
 which is said to have formerly employed three hundred persons. 
 Here a great number of articles were made of that metal, but 
 particularly brass-wire. I was shewn an extensive building, 
 that contained at least twenty machines for that purpose, all 
 of which might be worked by water, but not one of them was 
 in use. In another building I saw the machines for making 
 plates, but all the cylinders were taken away, and the general 
 appearance announced, that they had not for a long time been 
 employed. In a word, thimbles were the only article on which 
 any person w'as at w ork, and another building contained a quantity 
 of brass prepared for melting. 
 
 1 bis decline and inactivity in the manufactures of this place 
 was solely ascribed to the war and the risk attending exporta- 
 tion. 1 am, however, firmly persuaded, that there must exist 
 other causes, which probably more or less depress all the Swe- 
 dish manufactures; as there is a want of sufficient skill and a 
 proper division of labor ; a want of industry and invention ; and 
 lastly a want of capital. The war and the risk attending ex- 
 portation may certainly be co-operating causes, but that I am 
 justified in assigning others, you may perceive from this cir- 
 cumstance, that the articles of Swedish manufacture are in 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN; 8CC. 103 
 
 raw materials in abundance, has coals cheap, and besides contains 
 rivers that save the expence of steam-engines, to which the 
 English are so frequently obliged to have recourse, on account 
 of the want of falling water. 
 
 But I found the strongest confirmation of my opinion in the 
 town of N orkopiiig itself. We were conducted to a cabinet- 
 maker, who manufactures a variety of elegant articles of furni- 
 ture. I found there writing-desks, bureaus, 8cc. of very beautiful 
 workmanship : but when I minutely examined the metal locks 
 and embellishments, I imagined that I discovered in them the 
 character of English workmanship. On enquiry I found that 
 the fine metal-work was from Birmingham. And yet Nor- 
 kdping is the first manufacturing town in Sweden, situated in 
 a copper country where all these articles are made, which 
 possesses peculiar advantages with regard to water and fuel, and 
 where workmen’s wages are much lower than in England. I 
 leave you to make the application yourself, and to judge w hether 
 the war is the principal cause why these manufactures are at a 
 stand. 
 
 Among the various articles of glass which I saw at the same 
 place, I found much English glass, which is the dearest in 
 Europe ; and yet Sweden has glass-manufactures of her own. 
 
 Great quantities of woollen cloth are made at Norkdping, 
 but the wool for the finer cloths is imported from Germany and 
 Spain. English cloth is prohibited; it is however smuggled 
 over, and, notwithstanding all the risks to which this mode is 
 liable, it is sold at a lower price than the native manufacturer 
 can afford to take for articles of the same quality. 
 
 Linkoping, at which place w e arrived on the 2.3 th, is one of 
 the superior towns of the third class, and has a very large and 
 handsome cathedral. 
 
 On the 26th, we went from Linkoping, by way of Boxholm 
 to Ekesid. Boxholm is an iron mine situated in a romantic 
 country, where the falls of the river, together with the works 
 constructed on its banks, produce an effect highly picturesque. 
 Between Linkoping and Ekesid, a distance of 70 miles, we 
 met w ith not a single town, and I cannot say much in commen- 
 dation of the latter. The only apartment provided for us at 
 the inn was so wretched, that we sought and procured a lodging 
 at a private house. On the 27th we arrived at Lenhofda, and 
 and on the evening of the 28th at Carlscrona. 
 
 The tract of country between Linkoping and Carlscrona, a 
 tract of above 260 miles, is wild, mountainous, full of naked 
 rocks, and so covered with woods that only a very small portion 
 is in cultivation. There are very few villages, and those are 
 small and thinly inhabited. The w oods arc principally composed 
 
104 
 
 KUTTN Ell’s TRAVELS 
 
 of fir intermixed with some birch and a few other trees. Great 
 part of the way we were continually on the ascent or descent, 
 without, however, seeing any very lofty mountains. 
 
 However dreary such a country may appear to the eyes of 
 the politician, to the painter and the lover of nature it is ex- 
 quisitely beautiful. The continual alternation of hill and dale, 
 of forests and romantic rocks, of furious torrents and meandering 
 streams, together with the numerous lakes, render this country 
 highly agreeable to the traveller. 
 
 As we approached the province of Blenkingen, the country gra- 
 dually became more tame, and the firs and pines made place for 
 other trees. The rocks were still very numerous ; they did not 
 indeed,- consist of such vast shapeless masses as before, but were 
 broken into such romantic forms that I could not forbear lamenting 
 the want of an opportunity to take view s of some of them. These 
 picturesque masses of rock extend, as I afterwards found, beyond 
 Carlscrona, till they at length terminate in a level and sandy 
 country which continues to Ystadt. 
 
 The country on each side of Carlscrona is one of the most 
 picturesque tracts that I know : its woods are composed of alder, 
 beech, but principally of oak, w r hich is entirely devoted to the 
 use of the navy. Such is the economy employed in the use of 
 this kind of w ? ood, that all the timber consumed by the navy 
 is not the produce of Sweden, but part of it is imported from 
 Germany. 1 have, notwithstanding, occasionally seen extensive 
 forests of oak in the western parts of Sw r eden, but you know 
 timber is only valuable when it grows near the spot where it is 
 used, or where there is the convenience of water-carriage. 
 
 About seven miles before we arrived at Carlscrona we came 
 to an extremely neat mansion, called Bubbetorp, which belongs 
 to a native of Sweden who resides there. 
 
 We spent the greatest part of the Cyth in surveying whatever 
 is remarkable at Carlscrona.— This place is, you know, the 
 great and the only port for Swedish men of war ; the w-orks, of 
 which, during many years, so much has been said, principally 
 consist of the old and new docks, of which the former are de-i 
 scribed by Coxe and Biisch. 
 
 Though the idea of hewing out of the rock a place for the 
 reception and repair of ships was bold and grand, yet it is far 
 surpassed by that of the tiew T docks. The greatest part of the 
 latter as yet exist only on paper, though Coxe spoke of them 
 nineteen years ago. N ot more than a tenth part is yet completed, 
 but three twentieths are so nearly finished, that they will be 
 speedily ready for use. 
 
 According to the proposed plan, there are to be twenty recep-r 
 tacles for the same number of ships of the line, where they are to 
 
105 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 be kept dry and under cover. If this plan were executed in a 
 manner similar to that adopted at Venice, the difficulty and expence 
 would not be very great. Here, on the contrary, the ships run 
 immediately from the sea into these docks, it was, therefore, 
 necessary to erect vast works against the violence of the sea, to 
 construct a solid foundation for the walls and dams, as well as 
 for the spot on which the ships are to stand, and to provide the 
 whole with gates, about forty-eight feet in breadth and almost 
 thirty in height. The ground was quite uneven, partly covered 
 by the sea, partly very low, and partly presenting high hills of 
 granite. It was necessary to remove the latter, to till up the 
 former, and to prepare the ground. The projector conceived 
 the bold idea of filling up the deep parts by covering the bottom 
 w ith flat stones and cementing them with puzzolana, and this 
 idea was executed with complete success. 
 
 The figure of the new docks is a semicircle, which is divided 
 from the centre to the circumference into four parts. In each 
 of these divisions are receptacles for five vessels, separated from 
 one another, and which can either be laid under water or kept 
 dry. Each has a distinct gate, and a detached edifice with a 
 copper roof. The walls, or rather the vast dams, nearly forty 
 feet thick, are of hewn granite, filled up in the middle with 
 earth. The four principal divisions have each one common 
 entrance for the five ships which they contain. 
 
 Of all the four divisions only one has been completed since 
 the year 1761, and in this only, two out of the five docks are 
 ready for use. Nothing has yet been done towards the other 
 divisions, except excluding the water. The ground is partly 
 granite and partly a peculiar kind of marie, which is excellently 
 adapted to the use of sculptors for modelling. M. Saddling, 
 who is the director of the works, informed me that the difference 
 iu the expence of working the one or the other, was so trifling 
 as to be scarcely perceptible at the end of the year. The 
 former is blasted, and is immediately serviceable on the spot 
 for the construction of walls, while the latter must be dug up 
 and carried away. 
 
 Two hundred labourers are daily employed here during six 
 months in the year. They each receive only a schilling and a half 
 (about 2 IdO P er day, and a loaf which costs the king about three 
 half-pence more. The reason why these labourers receive such 
 low wages, is, because they are all laijd-soldiers, that is such who 
 do not in general appear in uniform, but are exercised at certain 
 times. Each of them has a hut and a small piece of land which 
 is given them by the crown* 
 
 As docks are constructed for no more than twenty ships of 
 the line, you perceive, from that circumstance, that this must h > 
 
 KUTTNER.] T 
 
]06 Kuf tner’s travels 
 
 the extent of the naval force of Sweden. At the present mo- 
 ment the efficient force is considerably below that number. 
 They have in all only 19 ships of the line ; most of these were 
 in the last war with Russia, in which some of them received 
 great damage, so that if only the serviceable vessels were to be 
 reckoned, the number would be considerably reduced. The 
 largest Swedish ships of the line are only of 74 guns ; of these, 
 they have no more than five, and the remaining fourteen are of 
 64 ; that is, such as the English never place in a line of battle, 
 but when obliged by necessity. 
 
 The number of frigates and small ships of war I was un- 
 able to learn. Part of them lie at Stockholm, and part at 
 Gothenburg ; those whom I asked appeared unwilling to satisfy 
 my curiosity on the subject. I then made enquiry, for what in 
 England is called the Navy List, and which is there printed 
 every month, and instead of which, a kind of calendar, that ap- 
 pears here annually, was given me. I there found the names of 
 the officers ; but the number of ships, their names and rates, 
 were prudently omitted. Mr. Coxe states the total number of 
 Swedish ships of the line at 28 ; this was very probably correct 
 at the time, for Gustavus III. was anxiously intent on the aug- 
 mentation of his navy. The inexperience of his men in the ma- 
 nagement of two fire-ships, near Wiborg, destroyed a great part 
 of his vessels, which were consumed ; and he was obliged to set 
 fire to others, to prevent their falling into the hands of the Rus- 
 sians. In thfe present war w ith Fiance, nothing can be expect- 
 ed of Sweden. Besides the insignificance of her fleet, such is 
 the state of her finances, that she W'ould scarcely be able to 
 equip and to man the few f vessels she actually possesses. There 
 are not w anting persons who even assert that Sweden has not, 
 for the last 80 years, been in a condition to man her fleet en- 
 tirely herself. There is a deficiency both of money and men. 
 This country contains fifty thousand square miles more than Ger- 
 many ; and her population does not exceed, at the utmost, 
 2,700,000 souls. 
 
 I once remarked, that the Dutch ships are much more bulky 
 than those of the same rate in the English navy. I had occasion 
 to make the same observation with regard to the Swedish, in 
 which the difference is still more striking. On this subject I 
 have been very positively contradicted, both in Sweden and Den- 
 mark ; but rny eyes must deceive me very much if a Swedish 64 
 gun ship is not as bulky and heavy as an English vessel of 74. 
 
 In the hull of Swedish ships of war, large iron nails are used 
 for purposes in which only wood or copper are employed by the 
 English. I had an opportunity of seeing very plainly the reason 
 why the former metal is rejected. Some of the timbers, at cer- 
 
THROUGH DENMARK; SWEDEN, &c. 107 
 
 tain distances, are occasionally taken out of the sides of the ships 
 in the dock, to ventilate the whole of the hull. On this occa- 
 sion, I saw several of those iron nails extracted ; they were all 
 rusty, and must consequently corrode the wood in which they are 
 fastened. 
 
 We were introduced to Admiral Chapman, a venerable old 
 man of 77, whose name is well known in the history of naval 
 architecture. He possesses all his faculties in full vigour ; and 
 has just made a trial on a large scale, of an invention, to which 
 he has for some time devoted his thoughts, and which consists of 
 an improved method of making cables. — The old Admiral speaks 
 English very well. He accompanied us to Captain Bilang, of 
 the navy. The latter is a native of Finland, and one of the best 
 artificers in ivory that- 1 am acquainted with. He executes land- 
 scapes, figures, ships, in a word, every thing in ivory. Every 
 part is well designed, and completely finished ; but, upon the whole, 
 his performances want taste. Many are of the diminutive and la- 
 borious workmanship of the sixteenth century, and remind me 
 of a thousand things contained in the cabinets of artificial cu- 
 riosities, which I can never see without lamenting the loss of 
 time, and the waste of talent. M. Bilang’s works w ill bear 
 viewing with a microscope ; but for what purpose does an artist 
 produce performances which are too fine to be discerned by the 
 naked eye ? This man executes whole pictures, and landscapes 
 with buildings, water, ships, men, and animals. 
 
 We saw the arsenal, where M. Trettier shewed us the same 
 politeness that we experienced from all the officers with whom 
 we here became acquainted.— What most interested me in this 
 place, was a very large manuscript map of the Islands before 
 Carlscrona, of which there cannot be less than one hundred. 
 These, together with the shallows, preclude the possibility of 
 any hostile attack. There is only one way by which ships of war 
 can enter, namely, between the Islands of Aspb and T urkd, on 
 which are situated the batteries of Kongsholm and Brotningskiar, 
 by whose guns the passage is completely commanded. There 
 w as formerly another entrance, which has been blocked up, by 
 sinking some frigates. There is still another entrance for small 
 vessels. 
 
 Carlscrona itself is situated on an island, or, it may be said, 
 on several ; if some detached parts, erected on very small islands, 
 be included in the town. It is pretty extensive, and contains 
 many good houses ; but a great part of it was burned down 
 about eight years since, and many of the ruins still remain. 
 The new town-house is a very handsome structure; and the 
 same might be said of the German church, which is not yet 
 finished, if the cupola, covered with copper, were not so low. 
 
108 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 in consequence of which, this edifice, when not seen at a dis- 
 tance, has but a mean appearance. 
 
 That part of the town in which the King's docks and the 
 buildings belonging to the Admiralty are situated, is separated 
 from the rest of the place by a lofty stone wall. This wall- is 
 remarkable for having been erected by the Russian prisoners, 
 taken by Charles XII. The intention of this w'all was, to . se- 
 cure the buildings and the harbour against any fire that might 
 break out in the other part of the town. It has since been de- 
 clared of no use ; and Admiral Chapman, while he commanded 
 the port, ordered the upper part to be taken down, and other 
 buildings to be erected with the materials. 
 
 1 have not yet spoken of the present harbour and docks for 
 the men of war. It was formerly difficult to obtain a sight of 
 them, but now they cannot be view ed without special permission 
 from the King. While we were at Stockholm, we had applied 
 to the English minister, through whom we hoped to obtain this 
 permission ; but he appeared so extremely unwilling, and said so 
 much concerning the possibility of a refusal, that we at length 
 resolved not to run the risk. I was not particularly desirous of 
 seeing the magazines, and the other requisites of a dock-yard ; 
 but I certainly had some curiosity to survey the docks, which are 
 hewn out of the rocks. In order to give us a view of the har- 
 bour from without, and an idea of its extent. Admiral Chap- 
 man’s son took us to Stubholm ; an edifice with a small tower, 
 on an island, connected by means of a bridge with the town. 
 This was one of the most interesting scenes I saw at Carlscrona; 
 for here I surveyed, not only great part of the harbour, but like- 
 wise the road, inclosed by the numerous islands of which I have 
 already spoken. I likewise saw very distinctly, both the en- 
 trances and the two fortresses of Kongsholm and Drotningski’ar. 
 
 M. Tornquist calculated the population of Carlscrona at from 
 fifteen to eighteen thousand souls ; but from what I know of 
 Carlscrona, and the manner in which the Swedish towns are 
 built, I cannot believe that it contains more than twelve thou- 
 sand inhabitants. 
 
 Ystabt, September 2. 
 
 In our. way from Carlscrona, we passed through Carlshain and 
 Christianstadt, and yesterday evening arrived at this place. Be- 
 tween Carlscrona and Carlsham is situated a village, which exhi- 
 bits greater opulence and activity, than many of the Sw'edish 
 towns which I have seen. This is Ronneby, which is seated on 
 a river, and appears to be perfectly calculated for manufactures ; 
 and has a harbour w ith a considerable trade. Its situation is ex- 
 tremely picturesque ; and at one extremity of the place the river 
 forms a fall, or rather several falls, which, with the adjacent 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &LC* 109 
 
 houses, huts, and water-mills, form one of the most beautiful 
 views I ever saw. 
 
 Christianstadt appeared to me to be a wretched, disagreeable 
 place, and very different from the many descriptions I had read 
 of' it. I found here none of those good houses I am ac- 
 customed to see in the towns of Sweden, nor a shadow of that 
 opulence, which manufactures generally diffuse. It is, however, 
 the capital of a province, and the seat of the governor. 
 
 Ystadt is one of the middling towns of Sweden, and did not 
 appear to be quite so bad as it had been represented. The har- 
 bour, if it at all deserves that name, is nothing more than an 
 open bay, into which runs a mole, constructed of w'ood and 
 stone. Within it were lying eight or nine vessels, which, as far 
 as I could observe, were laden only with wood. As to com- 
 merce, Ystadt certainly has none ; the retail shops may prQbably 
 supply the place, and the adjacent villages. Part of the inha- 
 bitants are employed in agriculture, and principally in the culti- 
 vation of corn ; for in my w r alks in the neighbourhood of the 
 place, I could discover nothing but stubble, some tobacco, and 
 very little grass land. 
 
 The adjacent country has some gentle eminences ; but, upon 
 the whole, is rather level. A kind of sea-weed, that collects 
 on the coast, on which it is washed by the waves, becomes 
 putrid, and diffuses a horrible stench, which renders walking 
 on the sea shore extremely disagreeable. 
 
 Ystadt is not a post-station, but the government keeps two 
 yachts for the accommodation of travellers. The passage, how- 
 ever, is so little frequented, that the days of departure are not 
 fixed, and you are- almost entirely in the power of the post- 
 master. According to the King’s regulations, one yacht ought 
 to be constantly at this place, and another at Stralsund ; but one 
 of them has been bespoken above a fortnight, for the Duke of 
 Sudermania, and he has not yet set off. 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 PASSAGE FROM YSTADT TO STRALSUND. — THE ISLANDS OF 
 
 EUGEN AND HIDDENSEE. STRALSUND. POPULATION OF 
 
 SWEDISH POMERANIA. GREIFSW ALD. ANKLAM. UC- 
 
 KERMUNDE. — STETTIN. PYRITZ. SORTIN’. — NEUDAMM. 
 
 CUSTRIN. FRANKFURT ON THE ODER.— r-ziBICH EN. 
 
 CROSSEN. NAUMBURG ON THE BOBER. SAGAN. 
 
 BUNZLAU. LAUBAN, AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRY. 
 
 Lauban, in Silesia, Sept. 8 , 1798 . 
 
 o N the evening of the 7th, we set sail in one of the yachts 
 stationed by the Swedish government at Ystadt for the convey- 
 
] 10 
 
 KUTTNEU'S TRAVELS 
 
 ance of passengers, and arrived at Stralsund at one in the after- 
 noon of the 8th, having gone eight} -five miles in nineteen hours. 
 During the last eight, we constantly had sight of land, for at 
 day-break the island of Riigen appeared in view. As we ap- 
 prouched the mouth of the Oder, it was gradually concealed by 
 another, named Hiddensee. Having coasted along the latter, for 
 some horn s, ve again drew near the coast of R’ligen, between 
 which, and the opposite shore of Swedish Pomerania, we were 
 obliged to luff up am mg the remainder of the time. The nar- 
 rowest part of the Straight, between Riigen and the Continent, 
 is not above two miles over. 
 
 What shall I say of Stralsund ? And yet I cannot omit no- 
 ticing a town which is commonly computed to contain twelve or 
 thirteen thousand inhabitants, which passes for the capital of 
 Swedish Pomerania, and has a trade which is far from contemp- 
 tible. Towards the sea, this town makes a very good appear- 
 ance ; it has several large churches, two of which may even be 
 called handsome. In the streets, which are not kept in the most 
 cleanly condition, there are a great number of good houses, 
 among which the residence of the Governor is particularly dis- 
 tinguished. The harbour contained more vessels than I have 
 been lately accustomed to see in any of the ports of Sweden and 
 Denmark, excepting those of Stockholm, Copenhagen, and 
 Gothenburg. 
 
 M. Hulten, professor of mathematics and astronomy, at 
 Greifswald, in the Calendar for Swedish Pomerania and Riigen, 
 for 1798, states their total population in 1796 at 109,066 souls. 
 Of these, 30,770 reside in the towns of Pomerania; 1437 at 
 Bergen ; 95 1 at Garz ; 52,085 in the country and villages of 
 Pomerania ; 21,244 in the country and villages of Riigen ; and 
 2579 men, women, and children, belonging to the soldiers in 
 garrison ; by which the Professor undoubtedly means at Stralsund. 
 The population of the last-mentioned town, exclusive of the 
 garrison, he fixes at 10,907 ; that of Greifswalde, at 5463 ; of 
 Wolgast at 3496 ; and of Barth at 3145. 
 
 Stralsund has, you know, ever been a fortified town. During 
 the last reign, tfie works were repaired and greatly improved, 
 particularly towards the sea, so that it is now considered as a 
 very strong place. I understand blit little of fortifications, though 
 I have seen a great number, most of which were constructed by 
 Vauban ; but I think that on the land-side Stralsund is far infe- 
 rior in strength to many other fortified towns, and that it would 
 not be able to hold out long against a siege, conducted in the 
 modern manner. The town-house of Stralsund is a singular, 
 beautilul. Gothic ecdice, in a peculiar and very extraordinary 
 style- 
 
 Swedish Pomerania is, on the whole, superior to what the 
 
Ill 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN’, SvC 
 
 traveller would expect ; the soil is not very bad, and far 
 less sandy than other provinces in the same latitude. The 
 villages make a very good appearance, and possibly the impres- 
 sion might be more favourable, because I have been for some 
 time accustomed to those of Sweden. 
 
 We arrived in the forenoon of the 9th, at Greifswald, a very 
 pretty and pleasing town. The churches, the principal buildings 
 belonging to the university, and a great number of private houses, 
 are respectable edifices, and the whole produces an agreeable ef- 
 fect. The university appears to be the least important part of 
 the town ; and I am told that the number of students is consi- 
 derably below one hundred. It seems, however, not to be neg- 
 lected by the government ; and among other things, I found a 
 tolerable observatory, the exterior of which, at least, looks re- 
 markably well. Ships can come up as far as the town, between 
 which and the harbour I perceived a considerable number, of 
 various sizes. Close to the town are salt-works, which are said 
 to be very productive, though the buildings in which the salt is 
 prepared are but small. 
 
 We arrived the same evening at Anklam, the first Prussian 
 town, close to the frontiers. In this place you perceive great 
 bustle and activity ; and I there saw a greater number of ships 
 than I found in any of the harbours of the middling towns of 
 Sweden : and the whole presents a much more pleasing aspect 
 than many other small towns in the Prussian dominions. 
 
 We left Anklam on the 10th ; and had scarcely proceeded ten 
 miles before the increasing sands reminded us in what province 
 we were. This road constantly runs along in the vicinity of the 
 sea, or rather of that branch of it called the Frische Had, 
 though the traveller seldom obtains a sight of the water. At 
 noon we reached Uckermiinde ; a pleasing town, with a port, 
 and some trade. We then passed through extensive woods, 
 principally of fir, and a sandy country, and arrived at the village 
 of Falkenwalde, where we passed the night. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 11th, we proceeded to Stettin; 
 a very handsome, and, what is very rare in this country, a very 
 lively place. It contains a great number of- very elegant hoi: -ay, 
 and some that, in many towns, would be denominated palaces. 
 The Oder runs through the town, and forms the port, which, 
 like that of Magdeburg, is beautifully picturesque. The i iver 
 is here tolerably deep, and vessels, which the harbour of Stml- 
 sund is capable of admitting, can proceed as high as this place. 
 
 The country round Stettin is charming ; and the loft, shore 
 which borders the Oder on one side, affords delightful views. 
 We received no small gratification from a walk we took to 
 a fort, which, with some other works, covers the town. In the 
 
112 
 
 IvUTT NEKS TRAVELS 
 
 river, which now widens and now contracts its current, are seve- 
 ral islands, both above and below the town, which increase the 
 charms of the prospect. In a word, Stettin and its vicinity, its 
 commerce, the air of cheerfulness and vivacity which every where 
 prevail, contribute to render it worthy of more attention than 
 our plan would permit us to bestow. 
 
 Stettin contains a fine square ; in which is a pedestrian statue 
 of Frederic II. in a modern uniform. The workmanship is ex- 
 quisite ; (I believe by Schadow) and the artist has judiciously 
 broken the stiffness of the dress, by a mantle thrown behind. 
 The population of Stettin, including the suburbs and other 
 structures belonging to the town, is computed at £2,000 ; in 
 which number the military, consisting of about 5000 persons, 
 are comprehended. 
 
 Leaving Stettin on the 12th, we proceeded to Pyritz, twenty- 
 three miles ; and thence to Soktin, fourteen miles. Soktin is 
 an insignificant place, situated on a small lake. 
 
 The distance from Soktin to Neudamm is fourteen miles ; 
 and from the latter place to Ciistrin, nine miles. The situation 
 of this fortress is remarkable, and rather uncommon. The bed 
 of the Oder is so flat, and the adjacent country so low 7 , that the 
 river here extends itself in such a manner as to assume the form 
 of a small lake, on which Ciistrin appears to float. I know not 
 that I ever saw a more sandy tract than that to the north and south 
 of Frankfurt on the Oder. If your carriage be heavy, the 
 wheels sink a foot deep in the sand ; the horses proceed at a slow 
 pace, and are obliged to stop every ten minutes, to recover their 
 strength, and to take breath. 
 
 Frankfurt on the Oder, though a town of considerable im- 
 portance, on account of its commerce, and its fairs, has nothing 
 very attractive for a stranger, who seeks to fiiake no acquaintance 
 with the inhabitants, among whom are said to be many interest- 
 ing persons. We walked about the streets, and were much 
 pleased at the sight of many large and respectable edifices, and 
 the view of the river from the bridge. In honour of Kleist, 
 whom I still consider as one of our first-rate poets, I went to 
 see the simple monument erected to his memory by the Free- 
 masons ; and with similar sensations I beheld the place where 
 the generous Prince of Brunswick perished in the attempt to res- 
 cue a fellow-creature from a watery grave. The spot is distin- 
 guished by a beautiful monument of white marble. 1 was after- 
 wards conducted to a church, w here the humane act is comme- 
 morated by a painting. It is from the pencil of Rode ; who 
 forgot that, though the persons represented are common people, 
 there was no necessity to describe them as coarse, rude, and 
 ill-favoured, and that the figure of the Prince wanted no such 
 
113 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 contrast. Without the corpse of the latter, it would resemble a 
 peasant-scene by some artist of the Flemish school. For the 
 rest. Rode s disagreeable grey-green colouring appears to me to 
 be more striking in this picture than in many other of his produc- 
 tions which I have seen. 
 
 After rambling about two hours in Frankfurt, we again set off", 
 and had to cross another dreary desart of sand, so that we were 
 seven or eight hours in reaching Zibichen, a wretched village, 
 about fourteen miles from Frankfurt. We then proceeded 
 about the same distance to Crossen, where, though we had 
 eight horses, we arrived late at night. 
 
 From Crossen we went, on the 15th, to Naumburg on the 
 -Bober, the road still leading through a sandy country, which ex- 
 tends a considerable way into Silesia. The face of the country, 
 however, gradually improves, the villages have a better appear- 
 ance, and the population increases ; in a word, many things an- 
 nounce to the traveller that he is no longer in the margravate of 
 Brandenburg. 
 
 Naumburg is a small town, agreeably situated on an eminence. 
 At its foot lies Christianstadt, a place with a much more pleasing 
 appearance, and separated from the former only by the Bober, 
 which here forms the boundary between Silesia and Lower 
 Lusatia. 
 
 Though we, this day, travelled but twenty-eight miles, yet it 
 was night before we reached Sagan, a pretty town, which, with 
 the whole lordship, belonged to the Duke of Courland (since 
 dead). We went out the next morning to view the town, and 
 some of the churches, of which two are very large; and richly 
 ornamented. We were desirous to inspect the ducal palace, an 
 extensive and stately edifice, but were informed, that the Duke 
 had strictly forbidden it to be shewn. 
 
 The distance from Sagan to Bunzlau is twenty-eight miles. 
 Bunzlau is the most lively, the most agreeable, and the most po- 
 pulous, of the smaller Silesian towns that I have yet seen. The 
 number of the inhabitants exceeds 4000. The trade in cloth, 
 earthen- ware, and other articles, procures them an independ- 
 ence, which appears in various ways. 
 
 An execrable road conduct from Bunzlau to Lauban, a dis- 
 tance of nineteen miles ; but yet the country is not only inter- 
 esting, but at times even picturesque. As you approach Lauban, 
 every thing shews that you are entering the land oi industry. 
 The view of the town from this side is charming, and I might 
 almost say grand. 
 
 That tract of Silesia, between Crossen and lauban, is, on the 
 whole, an agreeable, tolerably populous, and well cultivated coun- 
 try. The villages are in general superior to those of Branden- 
 
 KUTTNER.] <? 
 
114 
 
 KUTTN Elt’tS TRAVELS 
 
 burg, and in all the small towns through which I have passed, 
 there appears a certain degree of independence and ease. Ta 
 judge of Silesia in general, from the sixty or seventy miles through 
 which I liaye travelled, would lead to a very erroneous opinion 
 of that country. This tract, though superior to many of the 
 south-eastern parts, cannot however be compared* either for soil, 
 cultivation, or industry, with those provinces that are situated be-r 
 tween Upper Lusatia, Bohemia, Glatz, and Breslau. The soil 
 of that part which I have traversed is too sandy to afford a suffi- 
 cient remuneration for the toil of the husbandman ; and the peo- 
 ple, who are principally Catholics, seem to possess neither the 
 vivacity, the activity, nor the industry, which distinguish the in- 
 habitants of those parts, situated in the vicinity of the Giant- 
 mountains. 
 
 A great part of the 17 th, and the whole of the 18th, I spent 
 in surveying Lauban, and the adjacent country. The latter ex- 
 ceeded my expectations, though they w ere pretty high. What 
 lovely vallies, filled with houses, trees, and inhabitants ! ft re- 
 sembles some portions of the Erzgebirge, in Saxony ; but in the 
 latter, the forms of the country are not so pleasing, the fore- 
 ground is not so mild, so fertile, and so full of trees ; and the 
 distant mountains are not so lofty. The houses stand detached, 
 each being surrounded by its little meadow, kitchen-garden, and 
 orchard ; so that the villages, which are actually large, occupy a 
 vast extent of ground. The Queis, a small, but lively stream, 
 winds through t)ie vallies, and animates the landscape. Here 
 you hear the shuttle of the weaver, whose linen is conveyed to 
 the remotest parts of the earth ; there the clothier is hanging his 
 work on the tenters ; and yonder the brilliant white of the bleach- 
 ing-ground forms a striking contrast with the fresh verdure of 
 the trees and the turf. 
 
 1 am likewise delighted with the town itself. Lauban is very 
 clean, principally constructed of stone, contains a great number 
 of large and respectable houses, and, what is still more, it is not 
 so dead as most of the Silesian towns of the middling class. It 
 is remarkable enough, that very few persons have any idea of the 
 number of inhabitants in the town in w hich they themselves re-; 
 side. Busching fixes the population of Lauban at 8000 souls; 
 but this is evidently over-rated. I made enquiry on this head, of 
 several intelligent men, one of whom mentioned 4000 ; another 
 between 4 and 5000 ; and a third gave a different statement. At 
 length a magistrate of the place, who assured me that his official 
 situation afforded him the means of being correct, stated it to be 
 5,600 ; and this number corresponds with the observations which 
 I had myself an opportunity of making. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 EXCURSION TO MEFFERSDORF. — MARKLISSA. — SCHWERTA. 
 
 WIEGANDSTHAL, MEFFERSDORF. — TAFELFICHTE. 
 
 FRIEDLAND IN BOHEMIA. — REIBERSDORF. — ZITTAU. — 
 THE OYWIN. — HERRNHUTH. — THE BRETHREN’S HOUSE. 
 
 * — THE sisters’ HOUSE. THE SYNOD OF THE UNITY. — • 
 
 LANDSKRONE. — GORLITZ. — NATHE. — THE MOUNTAINS 
 OF KONIGSHAYN. — MANUFACTURES OF UPPER LUSATIA. 
 
 Lauban, September 27 . 
 
 \\ j 
 
 WE hired a light carriage at Lauban, and, taking with us 
 only one servant, set off on the 1 8th for Meffersdorf, about four- 
 teen miles distant. I was particularly struck with the town of 
 Marklissa, which appears to be crowded with inhabitants. Be- 
 fore every second house is displayed a sign, denoting some 
 tradesman or artisan. The district round this little town is one 
 of the most populous in the Elector of Saxony’s dominions. 
 Farther on we came to the village of Schwerta, than which no- 
 thing can be imagined more picturesque and more poetical. It 
 is situated on the declivity of a narrow' romantic valley, through 
 which meanders a small stream, that forms numerous cascades. 
 
 As I am fond of walking, I frequently avail myself of some 
 pretext for entering the cottages of the country-people, that I 
 may have an opportunity of seeing their interior, as well as the 
 manners of their inhabitants. Having arrived at a place where 
 two roads meet, and the carriage being at a considerable distance 
 behind me, I was at a loss which to take, and therefore stepped 
 into the nearest house to enquire. Immediately on opening the 
 door, a great number of instruments caught my eye. It was 
 the humble habitation of one of those mechanics, whom almost 
 all mountainous countries produce, and w ; ho are, in general, 
 their own instructors. The man possessed a certain polish ; his 
 exterior was that of a peasant, and every thing I saw in his cot- 
 tage exactly corresponded with his station. I was afterwards in- 
 formed, that besides this man, there were two other mechanics 
 in the same village, who displayed great ingenuity. I likewise 
 saw at the mansion of M. Von Gersdorf, a large closet, full of 
 instruments made at Sclnverta, which belongs to him. 
 
 During the last half hour we passed through a thick wood, and 
 as soon as w e had cleared it, our eyes were struck w ith an en- 
 chanting view, which I shall content myself with mentioning, 
 without attempting to describe it. It is, however, one of the 
 
 Q 2 
 
Ill) 
 
 KU'lTNER’s travels 
 
 most splendid and magnificent I ever beheld. It is sublime, and 
 yet so mild, that it forcibly reminded me of the more happy 
 plains of Geneva and Lombardy southward of the Alps. Here 
 lies the village of Wiegandsthal, and the Castle of Meffersdort, 
 and a hamlet, the remotest houses of which border on the first 
 acclivity of the Tafelfichte. These form the fore-ground of the 
 rich, lovely, and sublime picture. M. Von Gersdorf, the pro- 
 prietor of these places, is a gentleman of extensive knowledge ; 
 who appears to live in the enjoyment of genuine philosophic 
 tranquillity, and devotes his attention to the arts and sciences. 
 His collection of physical and mathematical instruments is very 
 valuable ; and his cabinet of minerals is said to be one of the most 
 select of any possessed by private individuals in Germany. 
 
 The Tafelfichte is productive to its very summit, and is covered 
 with grass and trees. In many, even of the highest parts, it is 
 swampy ; this is likewise the case with the mountains of Ireland 
 and Wales. Before we reached the top we came to a stone, 
 which 'is the boundary of Lusatia, Silesia, and Bohemia. When 
 you have arrived at the summit, the view is by no means so ex- 
 tensive as you were led to expect, because the mountain is not 
 pointed at the top, but broad and flat. Box-trees grow upon it 
 to a considerable height. Its elevation above the surface of the 
 sea is, according to M. Von Gersdorf, 3545 Paris feet; so that 
 it is not so high as the Fichtelberg, near Wiesenthal, on the fron- 
 tiers of Saxony and Bohemia, whose height, according to the 
 same authority, is 3731 feet. 
 
 We had not proceeded two miles from Meffersdorf when we 
 arrived at the frontiers of Bohemia, and entered the small town 
 of Neustadt, where I immediately perceived that we were nei- 
 ther in Lusatia nor Silesia. Its filth and poverty formed a striking 
 contrast with the towns and villages of Lusatia, where the poorest 
 cottage presents an appearance ot cleanliness, which attests the 
 comfortable situation of its inhabitants. 
 
 We next arrived at Friedland, a small town, somewhat 
 superior to the preceding, and on an eminence in the vicinity of 
 which is situated the stately mansion of the Count of Clamm 
 Gallas. Its architecture is in the style of the middle ages ; and 
 it is crowned with a lofty tower, which, as well as the chivalrous 
 appearance of the whole structure, produces a good effect. This 
 ancient and lofty castle, having, however, been found inconve- 
 nient, a modern mansion has been erected just below it. The 
 view from the highest part is fine, and rather striking ; for, on 
 one side, the decbvity of the hill is almost perpendicular. Du- 
 
 ring the first half of the Thirty Years’ War 
 stein possessed this lordship ; and in ',634 
 of the house of Gallas. 
 
 , lee cel bra ted Wallen- 
 it became the property 
 
117 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &0, 
 
 Having proceeded four miles farther, we again entered Upper 
 Lusatia, and soon arrived at Reibersdorf, the principal residence 
 of Count Einsiedel. The mansion, erected by the present 
 Count, is large, and in a good style ; and the interior is elegant 
 and convenient. It contains a valuable library ; but I was disap- 
 pointed of seeing the treasures of art preserved here, because 
 the family was not at Reibersdorf. 
 
 Reibersdorf is about four miles from Zittau. Gbrlitz, Bu- 
 dissin, and Zittau, in Lusatia, and Chemnitz, Freyberg, Naum- 
 burg, and Plauen, in Saxony, are the best, the most important 
 and pleasant towns in the Elector of Saxony's dominions, ex- 
 cepting Dresden and Leipzig. In its architecture, Zittau most 
 resembles the latter. A great number of large and stately edi- 
 fices seem rather to announce the residence of a Prince, than a 
 manufacturing town. Many of the houses, however, which were 
 burned during the Seven Years’ War, still lie in ruins, and in that 
 state they will long remain, because the town is rather thin of in- 
 habitants. The principal church is not completed, and yet con- 
 siderable sums have been already expended in repairs, because 
 the steeple is so badly constructed that it sinks, and carries the 
 body of the church along with it. 
 
 Zittau, in regard to its trade and manufactures, is one of the 
 most important towns in the Saxon dominions. Its situation, on 
 the frontiers of Bohemia, promote a considerable trade with that 
 country,* and its linen manufactures are equal in produce, to 
 those of any other town in Upper Lusatia. Since I was at 
 Zittau, a neat and commodious theatre has been erected there. 
 Some of the wealthy inhabitants subscribed for shares ; the re- 
 quisite number of subscribers was soon completed, and a conve- 
 nient situation was purchased for the edifice. The country 
 round Zittau is uncommonly beautiful, and affords delightful 
 views. 
 
 On the 20th w T e made an excursion to the Oywin, a work 
 partly of art, and still more of nature, at which I was asto- 
 nished. It is an insulated, and almost perpendicular crag, a con- 
 siderable way up whose side is situated a modern church, and 
 whose summit is crowned with the ruins of a very ancient con- 
 vent. Close to the foot of the mountain is the habitation of the 
 schoolmaster, who likew ise holds the appointment of Cicerone 
 of the place, which his w ife told me was the most profitable part 
 of his office. From this house, a flight of fine stone steps, 
 partly placed there, and partly hewn out of the natural rock, con- 
 duct to a small church, where a clergyman, who resides at the 
 distance of four miles, officiates. One side of this church is 
 hewn out of the rock. We continued ascending by steps to a 
 door, which cuts off all access to the upper part of the moun- 
 
115 
 
 KuTTNEIt‘s travels 
 
 tain, so that not even a dog can get up or down. The ruins of 
 the convent, as well as of the ancient castle which is said to have 
 existed prior fo it, are extremely beautiful. The church, which 
 is partly constructed of square stones, and partly hewn out of the 
 rock, is likewise very handsome. The village, and the scenery 
 ■round the Oywin, are highly romantic. 
 
 We left Zittau early on the morning of the 22 d, and went td 
 Herrnhuth, which is situated on the high road to Lcibau, being 
 about seven miles distant from that place, and nine from Zittau. 
 I had time, after our arrival, to pay several visits ; after which I 
 went to the evening-meeting, which consisted of a long lecture 
 out of the Old Testament. The language appeared to me to be 
 so perspicuous and intelligible, and at the same time so manly 
 and so pure, that I was at a loss to conjecture what translation it 
 could be, till the minister came to a passage, which, I was sure, 
 was not to be found in the Old Testament. I was afterwards in- 
 formed, that what I had heard was not a translation, but only an 
 extract, in which every thing objectionable and obscene, every 
 thing that does not correspond with our manners, ideas, and 
 principles, has been omitted. I shall say nothing concerning the 
 attractions of the divine worship of the Herrnhuthers, nor of the 
 dignified simplicity which pervades it, because those things are 
 so universally known. 
 
 On the 23d we surveyed all that strangers generally see at thi» 
 place, and I must confess that every thing fell short of my expect- 
 ations. It was probably my own fault. But we Saxons have 
 been accustomed, from our childhood, to hear so much concern- 
 ing Herrnhuth, and the productions of its inhabitants, that we 
 form extravagant ideas, which it is impossible for them to answer. 
 Herrnhuth is not a handsome place, nor has it that air of extreme 
 neatness and cleanliness which we are accustomed to expect, from 
 every thing connected with the sect, aud for which Christiansfeld, 
 in Sleswick, is particularly distinguished. Most of the buildings 
 are small and insignificant. The houses of several persons of 
 rank, and some of the tradesmen, are, however, very neat. The 
 residences of Count Reuss, and of the lord of the manor, are 
 large and elegant. The place is small, and is said not to contain 
 more than 2000 inhabitants ; but it is gradually increasing. 
 
 The Brethren’s House, that is, the house inhabited by the 
 unmarried men, and where they all work for the general benefit 
 of the society, has a mean appearance, both internally and ex- 
 ternally. 1 hey have their common dormitory and refectory ; but 
 there are tables at different prices, which each is at liberty to 
 chuse, according to his taste and abilities. Most of them are 
 artisans ; and the excellence of their work consists in a certain 
 neatness, finish, and durability. But as the articles made here 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. Il9 
 
 are on the whole better than those manufactured in other places, 
 they are necessarily dearer. 
 
 In the sisters’ house every thing appeared to me to be on a 
 better footing and a more extensive scale. The exterior is more 
 respectable, the accommodations are superior, and the whole 
 has a neater and more pleasing appearance. This is the habi- 
 tation of the unmarried sisters who are subject to regulation* 
 perfectly similar to those of the brethren. 
 
 What made the most impression on me was the burying- 
 grouud, which is situated on an eminence, commanding the finest 
 prospect of any in the vicinity of Herrnhuth. It forms an ex- 
 tensive square, inclosed by a hedge, and intersected by alleys; 
 over each grave is placed a flat stone recording the name and 
 native country of the deceased, together with the year in which 
 he went home , or, as it is more frequently expressed,/?// asleep. 
 The graves in the principal line, nearly in the centre of this 
 ground, were particularly interesting to me ; they contain persons 
 from every country in Europe, and I might almost say from 
 every part of the world. On the most elevated point of this 
 burying-ground a kind of pavilion or small wooden tower has 
 been erected, the view from which is extremely beautiful. 
 
 Do you know, that the directors of all the congregations of 
 the Evangelical Brethren in the world, reside in a village, two 
 miles from this place ? It is called Berthelsdorf, and is by right 
 the birth-place of the congregation, for it was there that Count 
 Zinzendorf collected the first Moravian brethren. These di- 
 rectors are called the Unity’s Elders’ Conference, which is 
 generally composed of from twelve to fourteen persons, who 
 never have any fixed place of residence. These govern the 
 whole fraternity with unlimited power during a certain number 
 of years, at the end of which a synod, composed of deputies 
 from the congregations in every part of the world, is held, and a 
 new Elders' Conference appointed. The members of this 
 conference constantly remain together, and thq affairs of the 
 Unity occupy their whole attention. In this Conference the 
 German nation appears to possess the same preponderance as 
 the Italian in the college of Cardinals; indeed, I am informed 
 that all the members of the present are Germans. 
 
 We left Herrnhuth, in the afternoon of the 23d, and after 
 ascending the Landskrone, the view from which is exquisitely, 
 delightful, we proceeded to Gorlitz. The scenery around this 
 place is not without its beauties, but it is far inferior to that 
 in the neighbourhood of Lauban and Zittau, and the place itself 
 has not the cheerful appearance of the latter. We here saw 
 and heard the celebrated organ, which, next to that of Harlem, 
 is certainly the finest that I know of in Europe. At the house 
 
ISO KUTTNERS TRAVEtS 
 
 of M. Nalhe, an able artist, we saw some good drawings, which 
 were interesting - to me because they represented remarkable 
 scenes and views of these parts. 
 
 After dinner we went to Konigshayn, a village about four 
 miles from Gorlitz, where we procured a guide to accompany 
 us to the mountains called after the name of the village. These 
 mountains are compoised of vast masses of granite, on one of 
 which has been erected a lofty column of the same kind of stone 
 to the memory of M. von Schachmann. This gentleman, the 
 last of his name, was the proprietor of Konigshayn, which now 
 belongs to his widow, by whom the castle, though not inhabited 
 by her, is kept in tolerable repair. I procured admittance into 
 this edifice, because I was desirous to obtain a sight of Bach’s 
 celebrated drawing, known by the inscription of K*yw tv 
 which was in such request, that the artist was himself obliged 
 to make several copies of it that may in fact be considered as 
 so many originals. For one of these he received 300 rix dollars. 
 It was probably this circumstance that induced Madam von 
 Schachmann to give a far greater sum for her drawing, which 
 is said to have been the first of that subject executed by Bach. 
 
 No doubt can be entertained concerning the origin and sin- 
 gular appearance of the masses of granite on these mountains. 
 They are the last remnants of mountains still more lofty, the 
 wholq of which have been destroyed excepting these harder masses 
 that have long withstood the ravages of time. But a great part 
 even of these must have been destroyed, as is obvious from the 
 fragments of the same kind of stone which lie scattered around. 
 
 On the road from Gorlitz to Konigshayn is situated the once 
 celebrated Holy Sepulchre. Since the original has been de- 
 clared a production of later times, the copy cannot be particularly 
 interesting. It is no doubt, an exact representation of that 
 which was shewn in Palestine, in the 16th century. The figures, 
 the decorations, in a word, every thing belonging to it is desti- 
 tute of taste and bears the impression of the worst style of the 
 middle ages. 
 
 The country between Gorlitz and Lauban is not so fruitful 
 and pleasing as those parts of Upper Lusatia which lie nearer 
 the Giant-mountains. You alternately meet with fir-woods, 
 sand, and corn-fields, and the population though considerable, 
 is inferior to that of the more mountainous districts. 
 
 There are few tracts in Germany which afford a greater 
 variety of more interesting objects, within the compass of an 
 excursion of six or seven days than that we have just traversed. 
 Here you find scenery always beautiful and sometimes sublime, 
 an abundant population, opulence, fertility, a highly cultivated 
 country, three or four handsome towns, several charming geu- 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 1*1 
 
 tl omen’s seats, and an industrious and ingenious race of in- 
 habitants. 
 
 The linen manufactures of Lusatia are on the decline, and 
 they have sustained considerable injury from the present war. 
 Great quantities of their commodities were formerly exported 
 to Spam and South America. The general use of cotton-stuffs 
 which have in many instances usurped the place of linens, has not 
 a little contributed to this decay. The cloth-manufactures are 
 another branch of industry which has long been successfully 
 cultivated in Lusatia, and especially at Gdrlitz. Within the last 
 ten years considerable improvements have been made, particu- 
 larly in the quality of the articles, both by the increased attention 
 to the breed of sheep and the importation of Spanish rams. 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 Tour from lauban among the giant-mountains 
 
 OF SILESIA, — GRETFFENBERG. GEE I FFENSTEIN. — • 
 
 HIRSCHBERG. WARMBRUNN. — M. PRELl’s VITRIOL- 
 
 WORKS.' THE FALLS OF ZACKEN AND KUCHEL. THE 
 
 NEW BAUDE. THE SNOW-PITS, THE GREAT WHEEL. 
 
 SCHREIBERSHAU. STONDORF. SEYDORF. STEIN- 
 
 BEIFEN. KAHLS MODEL OF THE GIANT-MOUNTAINS. 
 
 BUCHWALD. SCH M TED E BERG. LANDS IIUT. THE 
 
 CONVENT OF GRISSAU. ADERSBACH. WALDENBURG. 
 
 FURSTEN STEIN. — SCHWEI DNITZ. — THE ZOBTENBERG. 
 
 Breslau, 2>d October . 
 
 From Lauban we proceeded to Greiffenberg, (nine miles) 
 through a very interesting country, which continues the same 
 as far as Hirschberg, a distance of nineteen miles, or becomes 
 still more interesting on account of its increased population. 
 
 On the whole way I saw a great number of large, populous 
 villages ; the country was highly cultivated, and I every where 
 perceived traces of industry. For the first stage the road was 
 bad, but it improves as you proceed, 
 
 Greiffenberg is a small, but lively and agreeable town, full of 
 bustle and activity. Its inhabitants are principally employed iu 
 the manufacture of linen. The castle of Greiffenstein, about two 
 
 miles to the right of the road leading to Hirschberg, has a grand 
 and romantic situation on a hill, which, though not very high. 
 
 commands a charming prospect. 4 
 
 Hirschberg has a peculiar situation, such as I have not seen 
 any where else. Being surrounded by a great number of hills, 
 its vicinity presents a variety of prospects which give a distinct 
 character to each particular walk. All the adjacent country is 
 kuttnerJ. a 
 
122 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 extremely populous, but the town itself is said not to contain 
 7000 souls. It is the residence of many wealthy tradesmen, 
 and is considered as the first commercial town in Silesia, after 
 Breslau. It contains among other things, a large sugar-refinery, 
 in which thirty-eight persons are constantly employed; 
 
 We left Hirschberg on the 27th, and proceeded to Schreibers- 
 hau, a village about ten miles distant. Four miles from 
 Hirschberg you come to Warmbrunn, a small place in which 
 the principal residence of Count Schafgotsch is situated.-- 
 Almost the whole of this part of the country belongs to this 
 nobleman, whose domains extend half way to Schmiedeberg, and 
 on the other side to Meffersdorf and the Saxon frontiers. \Y arm- 
 brunn has for some years been celebrated on account of its 
 warm spring which is said to afford great relief in paralytic cases. 
 
 1 was informed that during the summer there were never less 
 than 400 strangers at this place. Its situation and the adjacent 
 country are truly charming. At the .extremity of the village of 
 Schreibershau are M. Prell’s vitriol-works, which are on many 
 accounts worthy of notice. I am informed , that this was the 
 first establishment of the kind in the Prussian dominions, and 
 that it has still but one rival. The annual produce of this ma- 
 nufactory is about 300 tons. 
 
 , Immediately after our arrival at Schreibershau, we hired a 
 guide to conduct us to the falls of the Zacken and Kuchel. 
 These are two small streams, each of which forms a charming 
 fall, w hich to persons who have never visited Switzerland must be 
 very interesting ; but they cannot be compared to those of that 
 country. The country in which they are situated is uncom- 
 monly w ild and romantic, as are all the hills and vailies betw een 
 Schreibershau and the lofty mountains behind that place. The 
 fall of the Kuchel is scarcely Jj)0 feet in height, and according 
 to M. von. Ger.-dorf that of the Zacken is not much more. 
 
 We returned the same night to Schreibershau. At day-break of 
 the 28th we set off, and in a little more than two hours arrived 
 at the new Baade, as it is denominated. This is the name 
 given to the houses situated on the loftiest summits of the 
 Giant-mom - tains, where strangers are received, but where no 
 other refreshment is prepared for them, than bread, butter and 
 milk. The house of which I am speaking must be at least 
 3500 feet above the level of the sea, and nothing but grass 
 grows at this elevation. In less than an hour we had ascended 
 the summit of the mountain ; and crossing the naked rocks called 
 Blue Stones, we arrived at the Snow-Pits. They are thus 
 named because the snow lies in them the greatest part of the 
 year, though we found none at all ; but they are more particu- 
 larly remarkable, because they are composed of nearly perpeiv. 
 
125 
 
 Through Hen mark, save den, &c. 
 
 dicular rocks, from which project detached crags in the form 
 of lofty steeples. On one side they resemble the half of a crater, 
 but yet it is conte nded that it cannot be an extinguished volcano. 
 We then ascended the Gie tt Wheel as it is called; this is one 
 of the loftiest points of the Giant-mountains, being, according to 
 M. von. Gersdorf, 4661 feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 From this point, we returned a part of the way, and then 
 crossed the Bohemian frontiers, to arrive at the source of the 
 Elbe, which here consists of some small rills, that descend 
 from the heights, collect here and there in small ponds, and then 
 precipitate themselves into vast abysses, called the Precipice^ of 
 the Elbe. From the brink of the first of these, the collected 
 waters fall to the depth of two hundred feet down almost per- 
 pendicular rocks, and this is called the Full of the Elbe. It is 
 very picturesque ; but the descent, if you wish to view it from 
 below, is extremely difficult, and requires the assistance of your 
 hands as well as feet. We returned, after an absence of about 
 eight hours, to Schreibershau, and immediately proceeded to 
 Hirschbergr. 
 
 I cannot omit to take some notice of the interesting village 
 of Schreibershau. Its situation is very picturesque, on the de- 
 clivity of a hill; the upper part is divided into two smaller 
 places, which however are distinguished by different names. Its 
 inhabitants, like almost all those who subsist by agriculture, are 
 full of activity and ingenuity. The cottages bespeak the po- 
 verty of their owners, many of whom are nevertheless very in- 
 telligent persons, and exercise arts which you are accustomed to 
 meet with only in towns. The catalogue of all the articles 
 made here would be too long; I shall therefore content myself with 
 mentioning the glass-wares, various kinds of musical and other 
 instruments, and innumerable articles of wood. Many of these 
 mountain-artisans are their own instructors; children learn of 
 the father ; and others acquire their talents by observing their 
 neighbour. 
 
 We left Hirschberg early on the 29th, and proceeded through 
 Stondorf, and Steinseifen to Schmiedeberg, a distance of about 
 14 miles. The whole tract lies among the mountains and at 
 the foot of the loftiest of the Giant Mountains. We first came 
 to Stondorf the residence of a Couht Reuss ; the gardens be- 
 longing to this nobleman are very wild, but on that account the 
 more romantic ; and from many points command the most de- 
 lightful views. 
 
 An execrable road then conducted us to Seydorf ; whence we 
 continued our route to Steinseifen, to gratify our curiosity by 
 inspecting the model of the Giant-Mountains executed by a 
 countryman named K^hl. It is composed only of clay and wood, 
 
H4 KuTTNERS TRAVELS 
 
 and is kept in a wretched wooden shed, in which I could not 
 Stand erect. It is a pity that the man employed materials so 
 coarse and impossible to be moved ; for the plan is well-executed, 
 and is said to be extremely correct. It represents only a small 
 portion of the Giant-mountains ; the Schneekoppe is situated 
 nearly in the middle, and it comprehends several German miles 
 on each side. The artist is dead, but his son inherits his father s 
 ingenuity, and makes all kinds of animals of wood, which are 
 all bought up by a tradesman of the place, who transports them 
 to Frankfurt. The village contains a great number of artificers 
 in iron, whose productions obtain a considerable sale. 
 
 Between Steinseifen and Scbmiedeberg is situated Buehwald, 
 one of the seats of Count Reden ; the grounds belonging to 
 which are very fine. Schmiedeberg is a most agreeable, open 
 town, with a great number of good houses, many of whose 
 inhabitants are very opulent; its total population amounts to 
 about S5 00 persons. 
 
 Land shut, at which place we arrived on the 30th, cannot sus- 
 tain a comparison with Hirschberg and Schmiedeberg. It 
 however contains many good houses, and exhibits the appearance 
 of opulence and industry, the characteristics of all the Silesian 
 towns situated among the Giant-Mountains. The number of its 
 inhabitants is about 3000. 
 
 Leaving Landshut early on the 1st of October, we proceeded 
 to Grissau, a large Cistercian convent, with a mitred abbot, 
 which is really worthy of notice. A few years since a beginning 
 w as made to rebuild it, on a plan of such grandeur as in these 
 times, which are not very favorable to convents, not a little 
 surprised me. The architecture, w hich in this kind of buildings 
 in Germany is yet ratber barbarous, is not destitute of beauty 
 and elegance. The church is loaded w ith a profusion of orna- 
 ments, and calculated for the multitude, on which they never 
 fail to produce an effect. The convent possesses several towns 
 and a great number of villages, so that its revenues are very great. 
 
 We then arrived at the small towm of Schbnberg, about nine 
 miles from Landshut, and in another hour readied Adersbach in 
 Bohemia. Adersbach is a mean village, but it is visited by 
 great numbers of strangers for the purpose of inspecting the 
 remarkable rocks situated in its vicinity. I never met with any 
 thing that can be compared to these rocks ; they consist of vast 
 masses which without any preparation rise from the middle of 
 a perfectly level, verdant meadow ; and some of which are said 
 to be 200 feet in height. They are so numerous as to form a 
 labyrinth, in which a stranger might easily lose himself. Each 
 appears to exist independently of the rest, and forms an isolated 
 column, commonly perpendicular on every side; and some of 
 
THROUGH DENMARK SWEDEN, &C» F2> 
 
 these masses are of greater magnitude than the largest church- 
 steeples. I perceived here no marks of that desolation which 
 generally surround rocks of a similar kind ; many of them rise 
 trom the verdant turf like artificial columns, whose architect,, 
 after completing his work, carefully removed the rubbish pro- 
 duced during their erection. 
 
 At Friedland we again entered Silesia, and arrived at Walden- 
 burg, which has recently become a flourishing place, and take 3 
 a considerable share in the linen-manufactures of Silesia. I was 
 surprized to find here a great number of large and handsome 
 buildings, and an elegant new church in a good style. The 
 situation of this pretty and cleanly town is extremely agreeable. 
 
 We left Walden burg on the 3d, and proceeded to Schweid- 
 nitz. In ear the road between those two places is situated the 
 mansion of Furstenstein, belonging to Count Hoberg. Its ex- 
 terior has an air of grandeur ; and the iuterior, though not mag- 
 nificent, is famished and decorated with elegance and taste. I 
 was particularly pleased with the selection of engravings with 
 which four of the apartments are richly ornamented. One con- 
 tains nothing but views in Switzerland; another English engrav- 
 ings of English subjects ; and a third, views in France and Italy. 
 In a cabinet w ere hung twelve oil-paintings by Reinhard, all re- 
 presenting scenes among the Giant-Mountains. In all these 
 pictures the points of view are admirably chosen, but the colour- 
 ing is not good. The situation of Furstentein is grand, and on one. 
 side extremely wild. An ancient castle, as it is called, but which 
 betrays its modern construction, rises from the summit of a steep 
 jock, and, rearing its head above a black forest of fir-trees, appears 
 to great advantage from the house. The proprietor is one of 
 those Silesian nobles, who spend the greatest part of their time 
 on their estates, and who, instead of sinking their importance in 
 capitals, or acting subordinate parts at court, live in a style of 
 grandeur not unlike the English nobility during the summer. 
 
 We were now leaving the Giant-Mountains and the country 
 became more level at every step. After passing through the 
 small town of Freyburg we arrived at Schweidnitz, a place ce- 
 lebrated for the sieges it has sustained. This town contains many 
 large and handsome houses, but it has not that cleanliness, 
 cheerfulness, and air of independence, which are the result only 
 of trade and manufactures. It is true that Schweidnitz is not 
 totally without trade, and that all kinds of leather, particularly 
 Cordovan* are manufactured there. Nor is its population incon- 
 siderable ; for as far back as 1788, the number of its inhabitants 
 was 8983, of whom 2865 belonged to the garrison. 
 
 About four miles beyond Schweidnitz, we passed close at the 
 foot of the Zobtenberg, the last of those grand and sublime 
 
125 RuTTN Ell’S TRAVELS 
 
 scenes to which I had recently been accustomed. If it be recolV 
 lected that the country in which this mountain stands is quite 
 level on three sides, and only a little elevated on the other, it 
 must be admitted that the height of 2224 Paris feet above the 
 level of the sea, assigned to it, is immense. Hence the ex- 
 traordinary effect which this mountain produces on eveiy side : 
 it appears like a huge giant, because there is nothing near it 
 that can sustain any comparison. The country now gradually 
 dwindled into one extensive plain, here and there intersected by 
 little eminences ; and such is the nature of the district all round 
 Breslau. 
 
 LETTER XIV r . 
 
 BRESLAU. — GARVE. — GENERAL SURVEY OF THE CITY.— 
 MODEL OF THE GIANT MOUNTAINS. EXTENT, AND PO- 
 PULATION OF SILESIA. PRODUCTIONS. INHABITANTS. 
 
 —FRANKENSTEIN. TOWN AND FORTRESS OF S1LBER- 
 
 BERG. GLATZ. — N AC HOD. J AROMIRZ. THE FORTRESS 
 
 OF PLESS OR JOSEPHS-STADT. — KONIGlNGRATZ. — CHLU- 
 METZ, THE MANSION OF COUNT KINSKY. — KOLlN. 
 
 Kolin, Oct. 10 , 1798 . 
 
 We arrived at Breslau early on the 3d, and one of my first 
 visits was to our friend Garve. The servant, who is probably, 
 not accustomed to see strangers in the company of his master, 
 seemed at a loss whether he should announce me or not. I 
 observed his perplexity, and informed him that I was an old 
 acquaintance of his master, to whom I sent in my name. Though 
 tolerably aware what a melancholy scene I had to expect, yet I was 
 nevertheless shocked, when, as the door opened, Garve exclaimed, 
 — “ You behold a miserable mortal.” He was in bed, which he 
 had not been able to leave for some time. I had not seen him for 
 upwards of twenty years, and you may easily conceive what an al- 
 teration I found in him. I called to his remembrance the more 
 agreeable days of former times, of his residence at Leipzig, and the 
 friends whoiq he still has in that city ; and after the. first moments, 
 during which be appeared to be greatly agitated, he recovered 
 that cheerfulness and tranquillity of mind which had never de- 
 serted him amidst the cruel sufferings with which he has been 
 afflicted. The conversation soon became lively, and I found 
 that he still takes the warmest interest in all that relates to 
 human society, that he keeps pace with his contemporaries, and 
 is well informed on every subject that has yet excited curiosity 
 in the extensive empire of science. My Northern tour interested 
 him much, and he asked a great number of questions, not like one. 
 
157 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C: 
 
 who impatiently wishes for the hour of his dissolution, but like 
 a vigorous traveller, who is anxious to collect the observations 
 of others, in order to avail himself of them in his own journev. 
 We conversed a considerable time on various subjects, and I 
 left him with inexpressible sorrow. Garve is one of the few 
 whom I denominate philosophers of life ; like Socrates, he has 
 called down philosophy from heaven, and by its aid has improved 
 society. Quitting the barren heights of metaphysical subtleties, 
 he applied philosophy to the purposes of social life. X shall 
 never see him again * ! 
 
 The exterior of Breslau appeared to me as disagreeable as 
 the smaller tow ns of Silesia weie pleasing. It is a dirty, old and 
 dull town, in which even the large and elegant structures are 
 obscured with smoke and dirt. The public squares are spacious, 
 .and the streets are tolerably wide, which is absolutely necessary 
 as the houses are three, four and five stories high, exclusive of 
 the ground-door. The palace of the Hatzfeld family would 
 make a distinguished figure in any of the capitals of Europe, 
 and some of the other buildings are very respectable. Manv 
 of the Catholic churches are handsome, but they are crow ded 
 with altars, pictures, gold and paltry decorations. The Cathedral 
 which is a large, splendid edifice, contains a great number of 
 monuments, few of w hich, as productions of art, are worthy of 
 notice. Among the statues and public works in the streets and 
 square, there is little remarkable, excepting the monument erected 
 by the family of Tauenziehn, to the memory of a deceased count 
 of that name, who was governor of Breslau, and commanded 
 during the siege in 1760, In the Chamber of War and Domains, 
 we were shewn a wooden model of the Giant-Mountains, by 
 Kahl, who received for it 600 rix-dollars. The workmanship 
 is far better, and execute d with much more taste, than the original 
 which his son shewed us at Sleinseifen. By the latest enume- 
 ration, Breslau was found to contain about 60,000 inhabitants. 
 
 On the morning of the 4th, we left Breslau, and, passing through 
 ponislau and Jordansmuhle, arrived at Nimpsch. The country, 
 compared with that we had recently traversed, was by no means 
 interesting, being mostly level, but tolerably well cultivated. We 
 are again approaching more magnificent scenes, and the lofty 
 mountains which separate GlaU from Silesia, already appear in 
 the distance. 
 
 Biischhig computes the extent of Prussian Silesia and the 
 county of Glatz at 642, but Zdllner, probably from later and 
 better information, fixes it at 685 geographical square miles, 
 pitching estimates the population in 1755 at 1,162,355, and in 
 
 ^ parye expired a few weeks afterwards, on the 1st of December, 1793. 
 
KUTTNERS TRAVEL* 
 
 1774 at 1 ,372, 754* Zollner states it from actual enumeration! 
 in the year 1791 to have been 1,747,065; and from a subse- 
 quent enumeration which I have seen, Silesia in the year 1799 
 contained 1, 884/14*2 persons, exclusive of the military. This is 
 truly an astonishing increase in the space of 44 years, which 
 moreover include the period of the Seven Years’ War. 
 
 With respect to the variety of its productions, and the diversity 
 of its scenery, Silesia is a very remarkable country; in the 
 north of Germany there is no province of like extent that is equal 
 to it in this point. Its inhabitants are not less interesting, and are 
 distinguished by their superiority over others under the same 
 latitude. The native of Silesia, at least in those parts which I 
 have visited, appears to me to possess greater vivacity than those 
 of any other country between that Duchy and the North Sea; 
 an imagination which continually impels him, and an activity 
 which tends to the improvement of his social condition. He 
 loves society, and holds in the highest estimation those arts and 
 sciences, whose operation and influence are particularly directed 
 to civil and social life. 
 
 We left Nimpsch on the morning of the 6th. Both at that 
 place and at Frankenstein, an insignificant town about nine miles 
 distant from the former, 1 found large and stately mansions, both 
 of which are in ruins, but they have a fine situation and, notwith- 
 standing the ravages of time, an imposing appearance. I went 
 through that at Frankenstein, which commands a magnificent 
 prospect of the mountains of Glatz, the town of Silberherg, and 
 the fortress of the same name on the brow of a hill above it. 
 This fortress, which is partly hewn out of the rock, and has a com- 
 munication with the town by means of a covered way, is said to 
 be extremely interesting. From its great elevation, the climate 
 is uncommonly cold and severe. 
 
 As we approached the small town of Wartha, the mountains 
 of Glatz presented themselves in all their gnyjdeur. Beyond that 
 place they are piled one upon the other, and continue increasing 
 in magnitude and height till at length, nine miles beyond Glatz, 
 they terminate in vast perpendicular steeps which seem to pre- 
 clude any farther progress. The scenery around Wartha is ro- 
 mantic and picturesque. The Hermitage near the town is re- 
 markably pretty, and is not, as in many places, a mere ornament, 
 hut is actually inhabited. The town itself is insignificant, hut 
 appears to derive considerable advantage from the pilgrimages 
 that are made to it. In the church are suspended a vast quantity 
 of votive offerings. The inhabitants of all this district are zealous 
 Catholics, so that I imagined myself to be in Bohemia or Moravia 
 rather than in the dominions of a Protestant sovereign. 
 
 Glatz is situated on a mountain, the upper part of which is 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 129 
 
 occupied by the citadel, so that it stands considerably higher than 
 the town itself. I walked through the streets in all directions, 
 and found them mostly narrow, and, as may be naturally supposed 
 from the site of the place, constantly going up and down hill. 
 It contains some good houses, among which the edifice formerly 
 belonging to the Jesuits is very extensive. It is now employed 
 by government for various purposes, and some of the most 
 respectable inhabitants in the town have taken a part of it for 
 clubs, assemblies, and balls. 
 
 The citadel of Glatz appears to me to be one of the strongest 
 places I ever saw, great additions and improvements having been 
 made within these few years in the fortifications ; but what par- 
 ticularly pleased me was the view of the adjacent country which 
 one of the towers of the fortress commands. The district of 
 Glatz is populous and well-cultivated. The town contains about 
 8600 inhabitants including the garrison ; and the population of 
 the whole country is estimated at 75,000 persons. 
 
 W e left Glatz early on the 8th, and crossed or passed between 
 the mountains, which at a distance appear inaccessible. The 
 whole country is beautiful and interesting. Our journey this 
 day was only 27 miles, so that we arrived in good time at Nachod 
 the first place in Bohemia, which, together with the lordship, 
 belongs to the Duke of Courland. The castle, formerly the 
 property of the Prince Piccolomini, has a bold situation on a 
 considerable eminence above the town, which is a mean place. 
 
 On the 9 th we proceeded from Nachod to Jaromirz and 
 passed the night at Kbnigingratz. Though this is the great 
 road from Breslau to Prague, I found it upon the whole very 
 much out of repair till we reached Kolin. Jaromirz and Nachod 
 are both Bohemian towns; for you must know that in this 
 country the towns are divided into Bohemian and German, and 
 it is not a little remarkable, that, in these places the respective 
 languages are so exclusively spoken, that the inhabitants of one 
 understand not a word of the language of the other. 
 
 We had left behind us the lofty heights of the Giant-Mountains, 
 and all those to which we came after leaving Nachod were 
 proportionably low, though the road continually goes up and 
 downhill. The country is not so beautiful as before, but gra- 
 dually assumes the character of the interior of Bohemia. Still, 
 however, it is very agreeable, and the views from the castle of 
 Count Ferdinand Kinsky of Chlumetz, are truly charming. 
 
 Near Jaromirz is situated the fortress of Pless, or as it is also 
 called Josephs-stadt, and which can certainly be intended only 
 agaiust a hostile attack on the part of Prussia. It is a new 
 fortress and was not completed till the year 1791* 
 
 Kbnigingratz, nine miles from Jaromirz, is the capital of the 
 
 kUttner.] ' s 
 
130 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 circle and the only town of any importance that I have seen 
 between Breslau and Prague. It has a spacious handsome 
 market-place with piazzas and many very elegant buildings. I he 
 fortifications of this place have been gieutly enlarged and im- 
 proved within the last twenty years. Persons who understand 
 the subject assert that it may be considered as impregnable, not 
 so much on account of its works and forts, as its extensive inun- 
 dations, the impossibility of draining them oft and the excessive 
 difficulty of working in the soil of that country. I am even 
 informed that unprejudiced engineers declare it to be as strong as 
 Luxemburg ; but the town has by these means been rendered 
 unhealthy. 
 
 The mansion of Count Kuisky of Chlumetz, is of singular 
 architecture, being composed' of a rotunda with four square 
 wings, so that the circular building in the middle forms a large 
 hall out of which four doors conduct to the four wings, each of 
 which has its respective stair-case. The interior is not remark- 
 able, and the family, when at this place, resides in a smaller 
 building situated below the former. 
 
 From Chlumetz there is a direct road to Prague, but being, 
 like that we had already travelled, very bad, we resolved to go by 
 the way of Koiin. 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 PRAGUE. — GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. PALACES. 
 
 CHURCHES. — THE CATHEDRAL. THE TEIN CHURCH.- 
 
 TYCHO BRAHE. THE OBSERVATORY. THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE UNIVERSITY. THE PRffiMONSTKATEKSIAN 
 
 CONVENT. POPULATION OF PRAGUE. BOHM1SCH- 
 
 BROT. DEUTSCH-BROT. ZNAYM. VIEW OF TIIF 
 
 MOUNTAINS OF STYRIA. APPROACH TO VIENNA.. 
 
 THE KAHLENBLRG. 
 
 Vienna, Oct. 19. 
 
 We arrived on the l ith of October at Prague. This is 
 indeed a fine city, and perhaps next to Berlin and Vienna the 
 handsomest in Germany, for I am inclined, though others may 
 perhaps not be of my opinion, to give it the preference to Dres- 
 den. You must not, it is true, criticise the large edifices of 
 Prague, by the rigid rules of architecture; but their general 
 appearance has an air of grandeur, which, though in some in- 
 
 stances derived entirely from their magnitude, yet produces an 
 impression that causes you to forget their individual defects. 
 
 The private houses, which may with equal propriety be deno- 
 minated palaces, that I have this time surveyed with particular 
 
13! 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 attention, are those of the Princes of Lichtenstein, Lobkow itz, 
 Kinsky, Mansfeld, and Kaunitz; Counts Czemin, Martinitz, 
 Klamin, Kolowrat, Nostiz, Waldstein, and several others whose 
 names I do not recollect ; the residences of General Thun and 
 the Grand Duke of T uscany, the archi-episcopal palace, and 
 some of the offices of government. , The lofty situation, the 
 ancient Florentine style, and the rustic grandeur, combine to give 
 the palace of the Prince of Sch'varzeuberg a striking appearance, 
 which reminds me of the fifteenth and sixteenth century in Italy. 
 The Archduke Charles, whose regular residence is at Prague, 
 does not live in the imperial palace, but has two large houses, 
 bequeathed him by his aunt, the Duchess of Saxe-Teschen, and 
 which are now so connected as to form but one habitation. 
 
 Our lacquey is a great admirer of churches ; and as it was of 
 little consequence how long we remained at Prague, we follow ed 
 him into all those into which he chose to conduct us. I have seen 
 from twelve to fifteen, most of which are beautiful in their way; 
 and in this respect I consider Prague as the first city in Germany, 
 as I prefer it even to Vienna. Externally, they do not appear to 
 advantage; but the interior of many exhibits a grand and elegant 
 style. The Cathedral is particularly deserving of notice. It is 
 a fine Gothic building and would be a magnificent monument 
 if the whole were entire. In the Tein Church I saw the mo- 
 numentof Tycho Brahe, which is nothing more than the figure 
 of a knight of rude sculpture on a tomb-stone. There are many 
 monuments in the same church and in various others, that deserve 
 a minute examination, and some of them contain good pictures. 
 In Prague, upon the whole, there is much to interest the lover 
 of the arts. 
 
 Among the public edifices, those which belonged to the 
 Jesuits are worthy of particular attention. They are distin- 
 guished by a style of grandeur w hich I have observed in almost 
 all the structures that belonged to that Ol der. Their three col- 
 leges in Prague, would, if contiguous, almost form a small town ; 
 that in the old town alone comprising seven spacious courts. 
 Joseph II. founded in it a seminary for 600 young divines with 
 their teachers, servants, &e. Here, likewise, is the Observatory, 
 the great library, and the cabinet of natural productions. The 
 Obseryatory does not stand in a good situation and has a limited 
 horizon. I saw not many instruments of value or importance. 
 The library occupies a considerable part of the former College, 
 and is one of the most copious and valuable in Europe. 1 w as 
 assured that according to a correct list it contains 130,000 
 volumes, and that 3000 gulden are annually expended in increasing 
 it. Here I saw a great number of the latest publications of all 
 countries and all religious. I was likewise astonished at- the 
 
132 
 
 KUTTNEIt’s TRAVELS 
 
 numerous expensive works with plates; I found not only the mos 
 important and celebrated works in archaeology, natural history, 
 anatomy, &c. but also those, for which the last ten years have 
 been particularly distinguished, namely, the different picturesque 
 travels, views of India, and the splendid works published in 
 England. A great portion of this library is composed of what 
 was formerly the Kinsky collection. That part which is called 
 the national library, containing about 7000 Bohemian books and 
 tracts, is perfectly unique in its kind. We concluded our amuse- 
 ment with a book of sorcery, taken some years since from a man 
 who was put into prison ; and the magistrates, after mature con- 
 sideration and expressing the utmost abhorrence, sentenced the 
 book to be burned. Some person who possessed more good 
 sense, (I believe the then librarian), conceiving that a book of this 
 description tended to display the spirit of the times, contrived 
 that the affair should be referred to Vienna, whither the book 
 was likewise sent. It afforded Joseph II. much diversion; he 
 kept it for some time, occasionally shewed it in company, and 
 afterwards presented it to the library at Prague. It is a large 
 quarto volume, executed with inconceivable labor. Every thing 
 is circumstantially described in the German language, and the 
 phantoms are drawn and coloured. The letters are almost all 
 Roman, very well written, and the Hebrew ones are particularly 
 beautiful. I looked into it here and there, and found the language 
 rude, ungrammatical, and even barbarous. — The man to whom 
 it belonged was suffered to escape. 
 
 The Praemonstratensian convent is on many accounts worth 
 seeing. Its church decorated with beautiful paintings and the 
 most celebrated organ in Bohemia, its considerable cabinet of 
 coins, and its library composed of 50,000 volumes, which are 
 kept in splendid book-cases, in an elegant hall, besides other 
 circumstances, combine to render it the most remarkable convent 
 in Prague and perhaps in the whole Empire. However unworthy 
 of attention the book-cases of a library may in general be, yet 
 these are distinguished in a particular manner for their luxury, 
 and are said to have cost 80,000 florins. They were made for 
 the convent of Bruck, but after its suppression w ? ere removed 
 to this place. 
 
 In the house of the recently deceased Count Hartiz, I surveyed 
 a select collection in all the departments of natural history and 
 various instruments, particularly for electricity. The Count 
 was the imperial ambassador at the court of Dresden, at the 
 time of the celebrated congress of Pillnitz, and is said to have 
 had a considerable share in the transactions of that period. 
 
 The population of this city, the general air of opulence which 
 prevails, the liveliness resulting from both, together with the 
 
133 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, 8CC. 
 
 gaiety of the inhabitants, render Prague an agreeable place to 
 a stranger for a few days ; but for a longer residence, Vienna is 
 certainly to be preferred. In the year 1798 it contained 71,500 
 inhabitants, including 9000 Jews; but the place was then without 
 garrison, which has since amounted to 8000 men, so that the 
 total population may be computed at about 80,000 persons. 
 
 We left Prague on the 14th, and in less than four hoars 
 arrived at Bbhmisch-Brot, 23 miles, where we passed the night. 
 On the 15th, we went 57 miles to Deutsch-Brot, where we 
 found miserable accommodations. We then proceeded to 
 Iglau, a handsome town in Moravia, and thence toZnaym. Ou 
 leaving the latter place, the views of the distant country continually 
 become more interesting, and at length grand and magnificent. 
 .As often as you come to an eminence you behold a range of 
 mountains whose remote distance and indeterminate extent, 
 announce a chain too lofty to exist in the country in which yon 
 imagine you see it. These are the high mountains which form 
 the boundaries of Austria and Styria, and which the traveller has 
 in sight almost all the way to Vienna ; but they appear to the 
 best advantage about fifty or sixty miles before he reaches that 
 metropolis. 
 
 As you approach Vienna, the mountains near the Danube con- 
 ceal those in the distance. About nine miles from that city yon 
 enter a charming country ; here one eminence, in w hich I recog- 
 nized the Kahlenberg, is particularly distinguished. No traveller 
 who goes to Vienna, omits seeing it ; but I am far from thinking 
 that it deserves the pompous panegyrics bestowed on it by some of 
 my predecessors. On the north side, of which I now had a v iew, 
 it appears to infinitely greater advantage. 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 VIENNA. DORN BACII. — BELVEDERE. SCHONBRUNN. — - 
 
 the university. THE institution called the 
 
 THERESIAN UM. THE SCHOOL OF SURGERY. THE 
 
 INSTITUTION FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 Vienna, November 1798 . 
 
 Strangers who arrive at Vienna in autumn, and intend to 
 pass the winter in that metropolis, should, during the first days, 
 forget the city, and employ every moment of favourable weather 
 in seeing the adjacent country, and the principal country-seats in 
 its vicinity. Winter strips them of their charms ; and nature here 
 does not recover her perfect beauty till rather late in the spring. 
 We have accordingly spent most of the time, since our arrival 
 
134 KUTTNER'S TRAVELS 
 
 here, in visiting places which I formerly saw at a more agreeable 
 season of the year. 
 
 I have been, among other places, at Dornbach, the residence 
 of Field-Marshal Laser. The house is in one of the happiest 
 situations I . ever met with ; and has this peculiarity, that the view, 
 on one side, is as limited, wild, and romantic, as it is open, 
 grand, and rich, on the other; where between wood-covered 
 mountains the eve sees far beyond Vienna, and, pursuing the 
 course of the Danube, discovers in the distance the city of Pres- 
 burg. The house itself commands a most magnificent view of 
 Vienna, which appears in a valley between two mountains, of 
 which one is entirely clothed with wood, and the other is princi- 
 pally composed of naked rocks. As these mountains intercept 
 the view, so that, in the back ground, the eye discovers nothing 
 but the city : it is not diverted by any other object : and Vienna 
 forms a spectacle truly magnificent and picturesque. 
 
 Another charming view of the city is that from the palace of 
 Belvedere, once the summer residence of Prince Eugene, but 
 now containing the imperial collections of paintings. The latter 
 commonly occupy so much of the visitor’s attention, as to prevent 
 his enjoying the rich, sublime, and extremely beautiful views 
 which this edifice commands. From its elevate d situation, its 
 terraces, and the excellent order in which the walks are kept, 
 they are always dry, and the place besides possesses the advantage 
 of a pure air. 
 
 At Schbnbrunn, the Emperor’s principal summer-residence, 
 about four miles from the city, I admired the fine collection of 
 foreign plants, and particularly their large size. Instead of rear- 
 ing them from seed, Joseph If. procured the trees and plants 
 themselves, which makes a great difference in their grow th ; and 
 I must acknowledge, that I have no where seen any thing of the 
 kind that can be compared to it. In the palace we found the 
 same simplicity that prevails in all that belongs to the reigning 
 family of the house of Austria. It contains many noble and ele- 
 gant apartments, but yet tl ey do not bespeak the chief summer- 
 residence of the Emperor of Germany. t 
 
 I shall now proceed to my observations on different objects in 
 the city ; which we had time to inspect before the commencement 
 of winter. 
 
 The building commonly called the University, is one of the most 
 distinguished in Vienna ; and was erected during the reign of 
 Francis I. It would be a great embellishment to the city, if it 
 stood in a part where it could be seen to better advantage. It 
 contains the observatory, several lecture-rooms, and a large hall, 
 that is employed for public meetings. The latter is very spaci- 
 ous ; it occupies two stories, and is ornamented with a painted 
 
155 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN', &C. 
 
 veiling, and a number of statues. The library belonging to the 
 University is said to be pretty considerable ; but it is not much 
 frequented, because that of the Emperor, which is constantly 
 open to the public, is not only much more copious and complete, 
 but is much more convenient for use. The extensive collection of 
 objects in natural history is not comprehended in the great build- 
 ing ot the University, but is placed in another, not far distant, 
 that formerly belonged to the Jesuits. It is well arranged, and 
 lias sufficient room, which is a great advantage to collections of 
 this kind. In the year 179$ the University of Vienna made 
 thirty-two doctors of physic, twenty-six of laws, five of philo- 
 sophy, and not one of divinity. 
 
 The Theresiauum is an academical institution ; w hich in splen- 
 dour and magnitude exceeds every thing of the kind that I am ac- 
 quainted with. It was originally a summer-palace and garden of 
 Charles VI. who died there. His daughter converted it into a 
 seminary for the children of the nobility ; it was suppressed by 
 Joseph II. and re-established two years ago by the present Em- 
 peror. Many travellers have already found fault with the nature 
 and plan of this institution, and have regarded the Theresianuia 
 as a seminary of aristocracy ; and by many enlightened and pa- 
 triotic inhabitants of V ienna, it is viewed in the same light. 
 The pupils are here separated, from infancy, from the rest of die 
 world, that tliev may receive an education which, at every step, 
 announces to them that they are beings of a higher order. On 
 viewing the interior of the institution, the spectator is astonished 
 at the elegant and extensive apartments of the abbot or prelate, 
 who has the inspection of the whole ; the vast and splendid halls 
 in which the pupils dine, play at billiards, receive company, and 
 occasionally give bails ; the stables, which contain forty-six horses, 
 and room for a greater number ; the large riding-school, the spa- 
 cious garden, the copious library, and the magnificent lecture- 
 rooms. These young gentlemen daily have six dishes for dinner. 
 Many of them will, probably, in the course of their future lives, 
 be obliged to put up w ith less, and will here lay the foundation 
 of discontent with their circumstances and situations, that will 
 embitter the remainder of their days. Many a future officer will 
 here make a bad preparation for the want and the hardships which 
 are so often inseparable from a military life. The principal ob- 
 ject of this institution is, to afford, .gratuitously, board, lodging, 
 and instruction, to the children of poverty ; but no provision is 
 made for their clothing, and various other articles, which their 
 friends are obliged to find. It is not, however, exclusively intended 
 for the poor, but likewise for a respectable public academical in- 
 stitution for the rich, who, consequently, are expected to pay for 
 those advantages which the others enjoy free of expence. The 
 
136 
 
 IvUTTNERS TRAVELS 
 
 total number of pupils is at present 1Q2 but that of the persons 
 belonging to the institution amounts to 400 ; so that there are 
 £08 persons, to educate, instruct, and attend, 192 children. The 
 latter are admitted at the age of six, or even five years, and they 
 remain till they have finished their studies, that is till their 18th 
 or 1 9 th year, according to their respective capacities and progress. 
 The Theresianum is not a military institution, each youth being 
 there educated for the situation for which he is intended. The 
 pupils in general are never left by themselves, they are at all times 
 obliged to conduct themselves like gentlemen, and are never suf- 
 fered to indulge, free from restraint, in those childish spOrts and 
 innocent diversions which constitute the delight of boyhood. In 
 all the corridors, I observed attendants, and they appear to be 
 w atched in the strictest manner. This indeed is a method of pre- 
 venting the extravagancies which boys in the English schools 
 sometimes commit ; but it is the liberty they enjoy that gives the 
 latter that independence and firmness of character, which distin- 
 guish the English nation, and which it is impossible that persons 
 educated in this place should possess. 
 
 The school of surgery is the first institution of the kind that I 
 am acquainted with in Europe ; and the edifice belonging to it is 
 one of the handsomest buildings in Vienna. 
 
 The same attention continues to be paid to the maintenance of 
 the institution for the deaf and dumb. I once saw that at Paris, 
 during the life-time of the Abbe de l’Epee, and I know not w he- 
 ther, upon the whole, they may not have made greater progress 
 in certain points at Vienna. They take more pains here to teach 
 the pupils to speak. Their pronunciation has something ex- 
 tremelv disgusting to the ear. They certainly acquit themselves 
 better than those I heard speak at Paris ; but even those who are 
 most perfect, are not ahvays intelligible to me, and excite the 
 most disagreeable sensations. Tone is to them' exactly what co- 
 lour is to the blind, they have no idea of it ; none of them has 
 in his pronunciation what is called modulation, and the last 
 word of a period has the same tone as the first. lie learns to 
 pause for a longer or a shorter time, at the different stops, but 
 not to distinguish them by the inflection of his tone, or by raising 
 or lowering his voice. The pupils are taught reading, writing, ac- 
 counts, drawing, 8cc. and I am likewise informed, that most of 
 them learn to speak as much as is necessary to make themselves 
 understood in the manufactories and workshops in which they are 
 afterwards employed. Ip the manufacture of porcelain, in par- 
 ticular, they are very useful. — The charges of the institution are 
 defrayed by the Emperor. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN; &C. 
 
 137 
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 ■POPULATION OF VIENNA. — STATISTIC AL FACTS RELATIVE 
 TO THE AUSTRIAN DOMINIONS. CHARITABLE INSTI- 
 TUTIONS AT VIENNA. INSTITUTION FOR THE PREVEN- 
 TION OF FIRES. ANECDOTE OF JOSEPH II.— MARIA 
 
 THERESA. REFORMS OF JOSEPH II. — BARON VON 
 
 QUARIN. — LEOPOLD II. — THE PRESENT EMPEROR AND 
 EMPRESS. 
 
 Vienna, December 1798. 
 
 Nothing has hitherto been more uncertain than the po- 
 pulation of Vieuna, according to the statements of different au- 
 thors. If you ask the question of a native of the city, he gene- 
 rally mentions the round number of 300,000. Most state- 
 ments, however, agree in representing it to be about 270,000 ; 
 though some writers maintain, and endeavour to prove, that the 
 city cannot contain much more than 200,000 persons. From 
 different data which I have myself collected, I know that the 
 number must be much greater. In order to obtain some deci- 
 sive information on the subject, I endeavoured to procure the 
 results of the actual enumerations made by government for a con- 
 siderable number of years. These I received from a person of 
 consequence ; and I find that in the year 1794 Vienna contained 
 221,775 natives, and 11,090 foreigners; making a total of 
 232,865 persons. Notwithstanding all my exertions, I was un- 
 able to procure the amount of the subsequent years ; but the 
 latest Picture of Vienna states the number in 1795 to be 231,105. 
 The above calculations do not include the garrison, the number 
 of which is extremely variable. In my preceding visit, in the 
 summer of 1794, it did iui amount to 1000 men; in time 
 of peace its number is commonly estimated at 10,000 ; but if 
 the large number of 30,000 be assigned for the wives, children, 
 servants, Stc.of all the persons composing it, the total popula- 
 tion for the year 1795 will be 261,105. 13y the enumeration of 
 
 1796 the number of houses in the city was found to be 1397, 
 and in the suburbs 5102; making together 6,499* The morta- 
 lity in Vienna exceeds that of any other place in Europe, that I 
 am acquainted with. It is commonly reckoned that one out of 
 twenty dies annually ; but I have reason to think that the pro 
 portion of deaths is stnl greater. 
 
 The following data concerning the Austrian dominions in ge 
 neral, I obtained from different statesmen and persons connected 
 with the government. The present population of the whole mc- 
 .KUTTNER.] T 
 
138 
 
 KUTTN Eft’s TRAVELS 
 
 narchy, including the newly-acquired provinces, is estimated at 
 twenty-three millions. The loss and gain of territory sustained 
 during the war has not much diminished the number of its sub- 
 jects, and those who admit a loss, calculate it, at the highest, at 
 600,000 persons. The Venetian States added 1,800,000; and 
 Dalmatia 200,000 souls. 
 
 The number of inhabitants in Gallicia is augmented by up- 
 wards of half a million since its subjection to the Austrian 
 sceptre. In 1776 that country contained 2,580,796 souls; in 
 1780 their number was 2,797,1 19 ; and it is now said to exceed 
 3,200,000. Notwithstanding this increase, Austria has, during 
 that period, been engaged in three wars, two of which have 
 been very' destructive ; and towards which Gallicia, like the other 
 provinces', was obliged to furnish its quota. 
 
 I shall not enter into a description of the many large and ele- 
 gant buildings in Vienna, devoted to the- reception and treatment 
 of fhe poor, the sick, lying-in-women, foundlings, lunatics, 8cc. 
 The following particulars, extracted from the latest Picture of 
 this metropolis, will serve to give some idea of the extent of 
 those institutions. — In December, 1795, the General Infirmary 
 contained 1 130 patients. In the course of the year following, 
 
 1 1,860 persons were admitted, and out of these 12,990 patients, 
 1910 died. — Leopold II. divided the suburbs into eight circuits ; 
 in each of which he appointed a physician, surgeon, and mid- 
 wife, with salaries, to relieve those who are unable to pay for 
 medical assistance. In 1795 this institution relieved 19,820 pa- 
 tients, of whom 464 died, and 623 w ere removed to the General 
 Infirmary. In 1796 a similar regulation was introduced into the 
 city itself. — In December 1795, there remained in the Lying- 
 in and Foundling Hospital 95 women ; and in the following year 
 1904 were admitted. Of these united numbers 111 died; con- 
 sequently, 1 in 18, which is not much more than the ordinary 
 proportion of the mortality for all Vienna. In December, 1795, 
 eighteen children remained in this institution; and 1849 were 
 bom there in 1796. In the Lunatic Hospital, there remained, 
 in December, 1795, 26 1 lunatics; of whom 156 were men, 
 and 105 women. In the following year 190 persons were ad- 
 mitted, and i 22 dismissed. Besides the above, there are three 
 other hospitals, and one for Jews, exclusive of the extensive mi- 
 htary hospital for the soldiers. The Jewish Hospital was 
 eret ted in 1?QS ; it is indisputably the most cleanly, and that in 
 which the patients receive the best attendance. 
 
 I he institutions tor the prevention of fires are an honour to 
 the police of this city. Instances illustrative of the effects of 
 any institution on the public opinion are frequently more satis- 
 factory that: the most circumstantial descriptions. Being once in 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 13Q 
 
 ■a "house in the Carinthian-street, which is very narrow, a great 
 noise was suddenly raised in the street, about seven in the even- 
 ing. “ \\ hat’s the matter exclaimed the strangers who were 
 sn the company. “ Only a lire,’’ replied the natives, with the 
 utmost composure. We were soon informed that it was in the 
 fourth house from us ; but there was not an individual in the 
 family but what manifested the same indifference as if it had been 
 several miles off, I likewise learned, that there exists not an 
 instance of a house having been burned down in the city ; and 
 that even if a fire breaks out in an upper story, the inhabitants 
 never think of removing the effects from those below it. In 
 cases of fire, whether in the city or suburbs, the present Em- 
 peror, like his uncle Joseph, always repairs to the spot, and for 
 this purpose a horse is kept ready-saddled both night and day. 
 
 On the above occasion, a general in the imperial service le- 
 lated the following anecdote of Joseph’s courage, or, as some 
 may call it, temerity. During a great fire at Semlin, that prince 
 was present, and was directing the operations for extinguishing it, 
 A stranger came and informed an officer, who now holds the 
 rank of general, that the next house to that in which the fire 
 raged with the greatest violence, and opposite to which Joseph 
 had placed himself, was the dwelling of an Armenian merchant, 
 who dealt largely in smuggled gun-powder, and that at the mo- 
 ment he had in his house fifty-two casks of that combustible. 
 The officer instantly acquainted the emperor with this intelli- 
 gence, and solicited his majesty to retire- Joseph, with great 
 composure, enquired from whom he had received the informa- 
 tion ; and upon the confirmation of the report, he ordered the 
 affair to be investigated, without stirring from the spot during 
 the whole time. The officer, instead of fifty-two casks, found 
 five tons of powder ; the Emperor gave directions for their re- 
 moval, and was, with difficulty, prevailed upon to quit the spot. 
 
 If any prince has proved what powerful effects may be pro- 
 duced by a sovereign on his subjects, and particularly the inha- 
 bitants of the metropolis, it is Joseph II. Many of his reforms 
 were of such a nature, that their effects could not be perceived 
 till after his death- tLe gave the public mind a bias, in which it 
 continued long after his decease ; and probably that prince would 
 himself be filled with astonishment at many things, could he 
 again re-visit Vienna. 
 
 During the last years of the life of the empress Maria Theresa, 
 many wise ordinances, and many wholesome alterations were 
 made. Respecting the government of that princess, very erro- 
 neous ideas prevail in the North of Germany ; and her rigid prin- 
 ciples in matters of religion have been severely censured. This 
 cause ma\ probably have retarded the progress of information 
 
 t 2 
 
140 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 afnong the people ; but those are grossly mistaken who consider 
 her as a woman that suffered herself to be ruled by monks and 
 priests. She well knew how to maintain her authority over 
 these classes of men, notwithstanding the reverence she paid 
 them ; and some one has very justly described her conduct, by 
 saying, “ that she kissed the feet of the priests, in order to tie 
 their hands.” Much, however, yet remained to be done, that 
 could not be expected of a person already advanced in years. 
 The customs and prejudices of early life impose upon us a thou- 
 sand shackles, which our youthful successors sometimes suddenly 
 shake off. She was, besides, well aware that her subjects were 
 not ripe for many innovations, and this point her successor fre- 
 quently overlooked. 
 
 Joseph advanced with rapid strides in his reformation of reli- 
 gion. To many things the people must become accustomed by 
 degrees ; otherwise it only irritates and drives them into open op- 
 position. Such was the case with his ordinance, relative to bu- 
 rials, which was calculated for frigid philosophers, but not for 
 the multitude. The prohibition of interment in coffins occa- 
 sioned so many disturbances, that in 1786 he was obliged to re- 
 peal it. A remarkable letter of his on this subject is preserved, 
 in which he says, “ that he adopted this measure from the best 
 motives, in order to restrain the extravagant luxury frequently 
 displayed at funerals ; to render the expence of interment less 
 oppressive to the poor ; and to provide a partial remedy for the 
 scarcity and dearness of wood, particularly at Vienna. But as 
 it had given his subjects offence, and they manifested greater dis- 
 content with that edict than any others he had issued, he would 
 repeal it.” On the same principle he, doubtless, tolerated many 
 religious customs and institutions, which to a Protestant, who has 
 never lived among Catholics, must appear very striking. 
 
 J oseph likewise introduced many improvements and alterations 
 of a civil nature, from which Vienna still derives great advan- 
 tage. The general embellishment of the town, that excellent 
 institution, the school of surgery, the newly-erected hospitals for 
 the poor and the sick, together with the improvements made in 
 those already established, and many other things of a similar na- 
 ture, still remain as monuments of his political abilitiy. 
 
 During his last illness, Joseph, having been a considerable 
 time under the hands of his physicians, who had always given 
 him hopes of his recovery, sent for Baron von Quarin. This 
 celebrated physician is reported to be infallible in his decisions 
 on life and death ; at least it is pretended, that no person can 
 recollect an instance in which he was ever mistaken in his opi- 
 nions on this subject. “ A private person,” said the Monarch 
 on his arrival, “ may be ready to die at any time ; but for an 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 141 
 
 emperor some preparation is necessary. I expect you to ac- 
 quaint me with your opinion of my situation.” Quarin, after a 
 long and thorough examination, told him, without reserve, that 
 he could not possibly recover. Joseph thanked him for his can- 
 dour ; and asked him how long he thought he might still live. 
 The physician replied, that persons in his situation might be 
 snatched away between one day and another, but that he could 
 scarcely survive a fortnight at the utmost. The emperor shook 
 hands with him, and, after repeating his thanks, he dismissed him. 
 When he afterwards felt his dissolution approaching, he sent the 
 physician a patent, by which he was created a Baron, and a pre- 
 sent of 10,000 gulden (upwards of 1000/.) together with a note 
 in his own hand-writing, expressive of his gratitude for the sin- 
 cerity and candour with which he had treated him. The mo- 
 narch then awaited his death with that fortitude and composure 
 by which his mother and his grandfather Charles VI. had been 
 distinguished. 
 
 Previous to his decease, he went through all the ceremonies 
 of the catholic religion, and received extreme unction. I en- 
 quired whether he had done this merely for the sake of example 
 and decorum, or out of internal conviction ; and his physician 
 confirmed what I had frequently heard before, namely, that Jo- 
 seph II. was a Catholic Christian, and not a Deist. Baron Quarin 
 denies that the emperor had exhausted his constitution by ex- 
 cesses, as was at first reported ; and asserts, that a fall from 
 his horse was the cause that principally contributed to his death. 
 
 Of the decisive tone in which Baron von Quarin speaks, in 
 certain cases, I myself witnessed some time since a striking in- 
 stance, during the illness of the young arch-duchess, lately de- 
 ceased. Being sent for, he went to see her, and immediately 
 declared that he had been called too late. In the mean time the 
 other physicians continued to attend her ; and as frequent enqui- 
 ries were made in company concerning her health, a report was 
 propagated that she was better. Nevertheless, Quarin, where- 
 ever he went, said, without reserve, “ She must die.” As I was 
 frequently in his company, I was not a little struck with his re- 
 peated expression of “ She must die.” About ten days after he 
 bad pronounced this opinion, she expired. 
 
 J oseph died in 1790, and left many designs unfinished. Much 
 that he had done was merely by way of experiment, and could 
 only be completed and brought to maturity by a man like himself. 
 
 Leopold was totally incapable of overlooking the vast extent 
 of the Austrian monarchy. He came with a little mind from the 
 government of a little country ; and with feeble hand annulled 
 the projects and regulations of his predecessor, whose spirit he 
 was unabje to comprehend. He was an excellent Grand Duke 
 
144 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 of Tuscany ; and that country is indebted to him for many things, 
 by which it is distinguished from the other Italian States. In the 
 wide-extended rule of the Austrian monarchy, on whose throne 
 fate had placed him at the most unfavourable period, he soon 
 lost all the celebrity he had before acquired. It was he, how- 
 ever, who granted to the Hungarians the celebrated edict rela- 
 tive to religion, which even goes farther than that of hi3 prede- 
 cessor, and removes all the distinctions which existed in Hun- 
 gary on account of the difference of religious opinions. It was 
 a great idea, and worthy of a citizen of the world ; but perhaps 
 this edict is one of the measures of Leopold’s administmtion, 
 with which the present government is not perfectly satisfied. 
 
 The reigning monarch treads, on the whole, in Joseph’s foot- 
 steps, whom he appears in various respects to have taken for his 
 model. He was, in some measure, the pupil of J oseph ; and 
 was more intimately acquainted with his principles and projects 
 than his father Leopold. But since his accession to the govern- 
 ment, the times have greatly altered, and the spirit of the cabinet 
 of Vienna has been obliged to change with them. 
 
 I have already mentioned the simplicity that prevails in every 
 thing belonging to the reigning famijy of Austria. It was first 
 introduced by Joseph II. who carried it to that degree in which 
 it is retained by the present emperor. Francis II. is not of opi- 
 nion that the imperial dignity consists in being surrounded with 
 chamberlains, life-guards, and attendants. He scarcely ever ap- 
 pears in public, but alone with the empress. I was once stand- 
 ing on the rampart, reading an inscription on a house, when 
 a man in a grey surtout passed by with a female very simply 
 dressed. I did not observe them, when my companion, a fo- 
 reigner, asked : “ Who can they be ? Every person that meets 
 them takes off his hat.” I followed them, and found that it was 
 the emperor and empress. It is impossible to return the salu- 
 tations he receives with greater politeness ; and as every one who 
 knows him takes off his hat, I have seen him proceed more than 
 ten paces together on the rampart bare-headed. When he goes 
 to the theatre in the city, no notice whatever is taken of him ; 
 but he lately appeared at one of the smaller theatres in the sub- 
 urbs, and the audience clapped. I looked round ; all remained 
 seated, and the clapping continued. At length I observed a man, 
 very simply dressed, and a female, who were making low bows. 
 Some of the audience conceiving that the clapping lasted too 
 long, because it hindered the performance, hissed, and the house 
 was soon quiet. One party intended no offence, and the other 
 was not obstinate. “ What a difference,” said I to my neighbour, 
 “ between Vienna and London !” There this opposition would 
 excite such a ferment in the house, that tranquillity would not be 
 
145 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 restored perhaps for a quarter of an hour. The clappers would 
 continue with the greater violence, because they were desired to 
 be silent, and the hissing would become louder in the same pro- 
 portion. The galleries would resound with the cries of Throw 
 him oi cr > throw him over ! the hissing would be considered 
 as an affront to the Royal Family ; orange-peel would fly about 
 :n all directions ; and a roar of Silence ! would thunder amid the 
 cry of Throzo him over ! 
 
 The princes of the house of Austria have been in general 
 cherished by their people, and the present sovereign is beloved by 
 them in a very high degree. His extreme simplicity, his affable 
 demeanour, his unostentatious appearance on ordinary occasions, 
 the confidence with which he walks, unattended, among his peo- 
 ple, the facility with which every one can obtain access to his 
 person, his benevolence in admitting his subjects to a participa- 
 tion in all his gardens, and even in his palaces, his excellent mo- 
 ral character, and conjugal virtues, his decided aversion to capital 
 punishments,* his great frugality in all that relates to himself and 
 his household, are qualities which cannot fail to produce an effect 
 on a people possessing such a high degree of good-nature as the 
 Austrians. He is extremely beloved ; and his enemies are those 
 of his people. The enmity of the inhabitants of Vienna to the 
 French, and even to the Prussians, is very great. 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 CHARACTER OF THE INHABITANTS OF VIENNA. — OF THE 
 FAIR-SEX. — LUXURY OF VIENNA. — HOUSES OF THE NO- 
 BILITY. LUXURY OF THE TABLE. — COMPARISON WITH 
 
 OTHER PLACES. — THE INHABITANTS OF VIENNA NOT 
 ADDICTED TO DRINKING. — OBSERVATIONS ON THE GE- 
 NERAL CHARACTER OF WHOLE NATIONS. 
 
 Vienna, April 1799. 
 
 SlNCERITY, gaiety, and good-humour, mingled with a cer- 
 tain degree of narrow prejudice and rudeness, appear to me to 
 be the characteristics of the inhabitants of Vienna. The love of 
 pleasure and the enjoyments of sense seems to be greater 
 among the middle and lower classes than in any other place ; and 
 they are equally distinguished for their attachment to the reigning 
 family, and their ready submission to the measures of the go- 
 vernment. 
 
 * I am informed, that not a single criminal has been executed during his 
 rei'in. It is not by any means my intention to vindicate this disinclination 
 to capital punislunents, as a principle, but I merely mention it as a historical 
 fact. 
 
144 ' 
 
 KUTTNERS travels 
 
 The females of the middling ranks are, in my opinion, much 
 more agreeable company than the men ; their manners are more 
 easy, and their address more engaging. In society they have 
 more of what is called conversation than their husbands and bro- 
 thers. They are lively, agreeable, unaffected, and entertaining. 
 Besides French, which is spoken by almost all women of educa- 
 tion, many understand English, and some speak that language 
 with great accuracy. Among the men it is likewise cultivated ; 
 and some families of rank possess considerable libraries of Eng- 
 lish books. The large, handsome shop of Degen, the book- 
 seller, proves that English works are in great request. 
 
 Music is likewise much cultivated by both sexes ; and there 
 are female performers, both vocal and instrumental, who, if they 
 were of the profession, would be placed in the highest rank. It 
 may, I think, be with justice asserted, that the females of 
 Vienna are not exceeded in beauty by any in Europe. Their fea- 
 tures are perhaps less expressive, but most of them have a fair 
 and fresh. complexion, a handsome bosom, and a good figure. 
 Some, even of the younger part, have the same fault as the fe- 
 males of Hamburgh, but in a less degree ; I mean, that they 
 are too corpulent. 
 
 The luxury of Vienna is very great, when compared with that 
 of some other European capitals. It is not equal indeed to the 
 luxury of London, but far exceeds that of Rome or Naples, Berlin, 
 Copenhagen, Stockholm, &c. The number of families that spend 
 annually 100,000 gulden* and upwards, is very considerable. 
 There are many whose income amounts to 200,000 and up- 
 wards.; till you at length come to the Princes of Schwarzenberg, 
 Esterhazy and Lichtenstein. The yearly revenues of the latter 
 are stated by many to be 900,000 gulden, and by some they are 
 rated still higher. From 100,000 downwards you find an unin- 
 terrupted progression ; and even in the low est classes there are 
 few individuals whose circumstances are completely wretched. 
 It is, indeed, a peculiar characteristic of this city, that with all 
 its wealth, luxury, and magnificence, you meet with none of 
 that disgraceful penury which is displayed in such odious forms 
 at London and Paris, and still more at Rome, Genoa, and Ve- 
 nice. At Vienna the luxury of the great, the opulence of the 
 second class, and the easy circumstances of the middling ranks, 
 enable the lowest orders to obtain a tolerable subsistence. 
 
 Every country has its peculiar kind of luxury and ways of ex- 
 pending money. The Englishman lives in the country in all the 
 splendour of an independent prince, and spends vast sums in 
 Loises, dogs, and every thing connected with the sports of the 
 
 * A gulden is about two shillings sterling. 
 
145 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 chace and the turf ; wliile his establishment in town is compara- 
 tively very small. On the contrary, the most distinguished fami- 
 lies at Vienna maintain very expensive houses and establishments 
 in the metropolis ; and many a nobleman possesses mansions both 
 at Prague and Vienna, which in London w'ould be sufficient for 
 half a dozen dukes. 
 
 One of the greatest articles of luxury at Vienna is indisputably 
 the table ; and it is the more important as it extends to the lower 
 orders of the people. Without attempting to deny that the in- 
 habitants of Vienna go to a great expence in this particular, 
 I am convinced that the matter has been unreasonably exagger- 
 ated, that great injustice has been done them by those who have 
 stigmatized them with the character of epicures and gluttons. 
 I really think that at Vienna the higher classes are not greater 
 eaters than persons of the same rank in other towns. — In Eng- 
 land and Ireland, and here and there in Germany, I have sat 
 from two to three hours at dinner ; at Vienna, never more than 
 an hour and a half, and seldom so long. The usual time of din- 
 ner in the great houses is about half past three, or a quarter of 
 an hour later, and the company generally rise from table before 
 live. — The wine is not placed on the table during dinner : in 
 some of the first houses I found only Austrian and Hungarian, 
 and very few foreign, wines. 
 
 I however believe that a proportionably greater quantity of 
 animal food is consumed at Vienna than in London. “ Then, 
 you will exclaim, the matter is clear enough. What immoderate 
 appetites must the inhabitants of Vienna have to devour more 
 animal food than the English, who are universally reckoned to 
 consume a greater quantity than any other nation in the world !” — 
 The conclusion is by no means just, however appearances may 
 be on your side. If 250,000 Viennese consume more animal 
 food than 250,000 Londoners, it does not follow that any one 
 of the former eats a greater, or even so great a quantity as many 
 of the latter. A single view of the wretchedness which appears 
 in London by the side of the greatest opulence, will explain the 
 matter at once. At Vienna there is little of this indigence ; and, 
 as I have already observed, 1 know no capital where there is less. 
 The number of inhabitants of Vienna, who have not at least one 
 meal of animal food in a day, is very small indeed; but in Lon- 
 don there are thousands who frequently can neither purchase 
 butcher s meat nor any thing else. If, therefore, more animal 
 food is consumed at Vienna than by the same number of persons 
 in London,, it is not because the inhabitants of the former me* 
 topolis are individually greater eaters, but because in the latter 
 there are many, very many, who eat none at all. 
 
 Whatever may be the proportion in eating between the inha- 
 KUTTNER.] u 
 
146 
 
 kuttnek’s travels 
 
 bitants of Vienna and other places, so much is certain, that they 
 do not drink in the same degree that they eat. This observation 
 likewise applies to the lower classes. In an opulent place, 
 where w ine may be had for less than twelve kreuzers (about 5d.) 
 a bottle, it might be supposed that the common people would 
 be frequently intoxicated, as in Switzerland, Alsace, and in other 
 wine-countries ; but I can assure you, that a drunken man is a 
 rare phenomenon at Vienna. 
 
 Permit me to close my observations on Vienna with a few 
 words on the character of whole nations as it is commonly deli- 
 neated in other countries. The observations I have made in the 
 countries themselves, through which I have travelled, as well as 
 on individuals from countries I never visited, in general belie the 
 characters of those nations commonly ascribed to them in books 
 and in conversation. Thus, for example, in the Spaniards with 
 whom I have been acquainted, I never could find the gravity and 
 stiffness by which that nation is generally supposed to be distin- 
 guished. In the Frenchman, I have seldom discovered that 
 winning amiableness of disposition, and the high degree of po- 
 liteness and delicacy inseparable from it, which are so universally 
 ascribed to him. I never observed that in his own country the 
 Englishman was that melancholy, reserved, and gloomy being, 
 for which he is proverbial. The German is by no means the 
 drunkard, or the clownish, uncivilized brute, that in many coun- 
 tries he is still described to be. In the same manner I have 
 found many things at Vienna very different from the opinion 
 commonly entertained of them in other parts. Am I to suppose 
 that all the individuals with whom I w as acquainted, were ex- 
 ceptions, and that the observations of so many years are false ? 
 or may it not rather be asserted, that the characters of whole 
 nations, as delineated in early works, from which probably they 
 have got into every one’s mouth, are incorrect? It is much easier 
 to collect ideas of men and things from books than from real 
 life ; and it is inconceivable how ideas once adopted continue to 
 be propagated for successive ages. 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 WIENLRISCH NEUSTADT.- 1 THE MURZTHAL. — POPIJ L ATI ON 
 
 OF STYR1A, C ARINT11 1 A, AND CARMOLA. GRATZ. — 
 
 LEOBEN. — GARDEN IN WHICH THE PEACE BETWEEN 
 
 AUSTRIA AND FRANCE WAS CONCLUDED. ATROCITIES 
 
 OF THE FRENCH. — INHABITANTS OF STYRI A. — KLAGEN- 
 FURT. — OF WENS AND IDIOTS. 
 
 klagenfurt, May 2. 
 
 rip ’ J 
 
 1 HE road from Vienna to Bruck at first traverses an extensive 
 
 and well-cultivated plain^ to the yi^ht of which the traveller con.- 
 
147 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 Stantly has in sight the mountains, which commence a short dis- 
 tance from Vienna, and at length join the lofty ranges that divide 
 Austria and Styria. They form a striking contrast with the 
 charming, fertile plain ; and are embellished by a great number 
 of villages, situated at their foot. 
 
 Wienerisch Neustadt, about twenty-eight miles from Vienna, 
 is a very pretty, small place, containing about five thousand in- 
 habitants. I know' of no provincial town in Germany whose ex- 
 terior promises so much. Its general cleanliness, a great number 
 of handsome houses, a large market-place, a spacious castle, 
 and various other objects excite the attention of the traveller. 
 
 At Miirzzuschlag commences the celebrated valley known by 
 the name of the Miirzthal, w hich is nearly thirty miles in length. 
 It has its name from the river Miirz, by which it is traversed,^ 
 and is celebrated for its beauty, and the opulence of the inhabi- 
 tants. For my part, I cannot see why this valley should be pre- 
 ferred to many others that I observed between JBruck and Gratz. 
 The whole valley, or rather all the vallies between those two 
 places, a distance of above thirty-two miles, appeared to me to 
 equal, if not to exceed it, in beauty. The whole tract from 
 Wienerisch Neustadt is a charming country; and, considering 
 its length, 1 know of none in Europe that can bear a comparison, 
 with it. 
 
 In some Statistical Tables the population of Gratz is stated at 
 forty thousand souls ; but this number is evidently exaggerated. 
 1 was informed on the spot that it contained from thirty-two to 
 35,000 inhabitants ; and even this number, at least the last, 
 appears to me to be too high. An annual enumeration takes 
 place, but the results are never suffered to be generally known. 
 It is still more difficult to procure statements of the population of 
 whole provinces. I, however, procured one of Styria, Carin- 
 thia, and Carniola, according to the enumeration of the year 1793. 
 
 Inhabitants Total 
 
 (-Circle of Gratz .... 296,424^ 
 
 j Judenburg . . 98,545 i 
 
 Styria J Prug, or Bruck . 73,156 S- 829,229 
 
 j — - — Marburg . . . 186,099 j 
 
 k Zilly .... 17 5,005 J 
 
 Carinthia {“ . ; . }”$} 
 
 r Leibach . . . 147,247 'I 
 
 Carniola < Neustadtl . . 154,222 > 419*41 1 
 
 ^ Adelsberg . . 11 7,942 J 
 
 v 2 
 
 1,546,024. 
 
148 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 The ancient and original town of Griitz, which is enclosed by 
 walls, ditched, and some fortified works, is very small ; but the 
 suburbs are large, and are still increasing. They lie scattered 
 around, resembling distant villages, being intermingled with 
 gardens and vineyards. Not far from the town are actually si- 
 tuated some handsome villages, and the intermediate space is oc- 
 cupied by country-houses, large and small farm-houses, and 
 detached cottages, so that the whole forms a highly-pleasing and 
 animated scene, and not only occupies a plain of about eighteen 
 square miles, but likewise incroaches upon the neighbouring hills. 
 The latter are of moderate height, and are all partly covered 
 with wood, and partly occupied by fields, vineyards, and mea- 
 dows, up to their very summits. The citadel, w hich affords the 
 best view of this charming prospect, is situated within the town, 
 on a very steep hill, which may be about six or seven hundred 
 feet above the level of the river. As a fortified place, it is said 
 to have once possessed considerable strength, but it is now en- 
 tirely neglected, so that two years ago, on the approach of the 
 French, the government resolved to make no resistance at this 
 place. — Gratz is not the handsome town, which, from the de- 
 scriptions of others, I expected to find, though it contains a num- 
 ber of good houses, almost all of which are of stone. Among 
 these are the residences of the Counts Saurau, Loibel, Werm- 
 brand, the arsenal, the house of the States, and some other edi- 
 fices. The house in which Buonaparte resided, and which is 
 shew n as a curiosity, is likewise very spacious ; the castle, for- 
 merly the residence of the Dukes of Styria, is now the dwelling 
 of the governor, and the seat of the Regency. The Assembly- 
 Room and the Theatre, which are both under one roof, form an 
 extensive building. Gratz likewise contains the Mausoleum, 
 in which Ferdinand II. and his consort are interred. The archi- 
 tecture of this edifice is not in the best style, and internally it is 
 richly ornamented with sculpture. This place is the see of a 
 bishop, who commonly resides there eight months in the year. 
 The present prelate is said to distribute among the poor a full 
 third of his revenues, amounting from twenty-six to twenty-eight 
 thousand gulden. 
 
 Leoben is a small town, with some tolerably good houses, and 
 a handsome square or market-place. I here went to see the 
 garden in which two years since the peace was concluded between 
 Austria and France. It belongs to a Mr. Von Eckenwald ; is 
 agreeably situated, and the house commands a magnificent pro- 
 spect. A single room occupies the whole upper part of this 
 house ; and it was in this apartment that the Generals Meerveld, 
 Buonaparte, and the Marquis St. Gallo daily met, to treat about 
 ihe terms, Buonaparte resided about two miles from the town. 
 
149 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 pt Goss, formerly a Benedictine convent, but suppressed, and 
 given to the new Bishop of Leoben, appointed by Joseph If. 
 for his residence. In memory of the peace the proprietor has 
 erected, in the middle of the garden, a monument of variegated 
 marble, on which stands a Genius of white marble, holding an 
 olive-branch of metal gilt in his right hand, and a trumpet in his 
 left. Each of the four sides contains an inscription. 
 
 The post-master of Leoben, of whom I asked several ques- 
 tions concerning the French, complained bitterly of them, and 
 calculated the loss they had occasioned him in 19 days in horses, 
 hay, oats, &c. at 4000 gulden. Three females died under 
 the hands of their brutal ravishers ; and it is not a little extra- 
 ordinary, that the priest refused them the rites of Christian bu- 
 rial, and they were interred by the public executioner. — I never 
 heard so much of this species of atrocity as at this place. 1 was 
 told of a woman who escaped with her life, though she had been 
 abused by thirty men ; a violence which human nature could 
 scarcely be thought capable of supporting. Weary of their op- 
 pressions and enormities, the peasants collected and murdered all 
 the French wherever they were able to overpower them. They 
 then plundered and buried them on the spot. Many were thrown 
 into the river Miir, and not less than 200 dead bodies are said 
 to have been carried away by its waves. 
 
 At Bruck, Gratz, Judenburg, and in other places in Styria, 
 1 have frequently turned the conversation to the period of which 
 I am writing ; and I have every where observed that the people 
 were extremely dissatisfied with the government for having for- 
 bidden the country-people to make any opposition to the French ; 
 indeed this is the only complaint against the government that I 
 have heard in this country. Some of the men still spoke of it 
 with indignant warmth ; and confidently maintained that very few 
 of the French would have escaped out of the country if the 
 people, a hardy race of mountaineers, had been suffered to de- 
 fend themselves. It is two years since these events occurred, and 
 they are still the subject of general conversation. I am highly 
 diverted by the different statements of the numbers of the 
 enemy. In one place I was told that they had forty thousand 
 men ; and at Judenburg the French forces were stated at eighty 
 thousand. It is, however, well known, that Buonaparte s army 
 was at that time very small ; and I am still of opinion, that be- 
 tween Bruck and Vienna it might have been totally annihilated, 
 if the imperial cabinet had not thought proper to agree to the 
 preliminaries of Leoben, and afterwards to the treaty of Campo 
 Formio. It is clear that, while they were at Gratz, they lived 
 eutirely at the expence of the inhabitants. Almost every one 
 
150 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 speaks well of Buonaparte himself ; but a general in chief, like 
 a sovereign, needs to do very little to render himself beloved* 
 In the execution of his orders he never appears in person, and 
 when he does show himself, it frequently is in the character of 
 the avenger of the injured citizen against the violence of the sol- 
 diery- — He speaks German, and well enough to render himself 
 intelligible to the inn-keepers of Upper Styria, as several of 
 them informed me. 
 
 The race of inhabitants in the whole province of Upper 
 Styria appears to me to be short and uncommonly robust. This 
 peculiarity is very striking in the females, who are uncommonly 
 short and broad, and greatly resemble the Welsh, particu^ 
 larly those of the most mountainous parts of North Wales. 
 As it was Sunday, I had an opportunity of seeing great 
 numbers of them, but among all the females I could not 
 discover a single handsome face ; and m this respect they dif- 
 fer much from the Welsh, who at any rate have full cheeks 
 and a ruddy complexion. The expression of the counte- 
 nances of the Styrians is nothing less than intelligent, and their 
 faces are mostly of a brown yellow, and what the English call 
 weather-beaten. The colour of their clothes is in general brown ; 
 and their hats are so large that it cannot be the sun that gives 
 them such a complexion. A more devout people I never saw. 
 J met some hundreds of them, almost all of whom walked with 
 folded hands, and their beads on their sleeves. The men in ge- 
 neral had their hats under their arms, ancfcseemed as they passed 
 to be constantly engaged in prayer. Wherever there was a 
 niche containing an image of Christ, or the Blessed Virgin, or of 
 some saint, and they are pretty numerous, I found several per- 
 sons kneeling and praying. On all sides I continually heard the 
 salutation “ Blessed be Jesus Christ!” to which the invariable 
 reply was — u To all eternity.” If you would salute these peo- 
 ple, you must do it in* their own way ; for if you wish them a 
 good morning, a good day, or a good evening, they make you no 
 answer. They are unused to salutations, and, being embarrassed 
 how to answer them, they give no reply at all. 
 
 From Bruck to Judenburg yon travel on one of the principal 
 high roads of Austria, all of which are well constructed ; but 
 this is not in very good repair till you reach the coniines of Ca- 
 riiithia. Early on the morning of the 29th we left Judenburg, 
 and continued ascending till we arrived at Unzmarkt, along the 
 charming banks of the Mur, which even here is not a contemp- 
 tible river. About au hour after we had left Unzmarkt, we 
 reached the highest point of the high road, from Upper Styria to 
 Carinthia, where we found every thing still clothed in the garb 
 
151 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, SCC. 
 
 of winter. The road now descends rapidly, and you arrive on 
 the frontiers ot Carinthia, where you find a milder climate, a 
 luxuriant vegetation, and charming scenery. 
 
 Friesach is a small town ; which, together with a considerable 
 district ot this part of Carinthia, belongs to the bishoprick of 
 Salzburg. At the distance of fourteen miles is situated St. 
 V eit, a pretty town, with handsome houses, and a fine spacious 
 market-place. In the latter is a large and elegant monument, de- 
 corated with a great number of figures, and, as the Latin inscrip- 
 tion says, erected in memory of the plague of 1715. Here is 
 likewise a fine fountain ; the water falls into a basin of a good 
 form, hewn out of a single block of white marble, and which, 
 according to Biisching, is five fathoms in circumference ; and 1 
 believe him to be correct. It is said to be a Roman antiquity. 
 
 About half way between St. Veit and Klagenfurt you pass 
 over a swampy tract, called the Saaler Moos. If this was the 
 site of the ancient Tiburnia, as some have asserted, it was cer- 
 tainly superior to that of Klagenfurt. Biisching says that on this 
 plain are still to be seen ruins of an ancient town ; as far as my 
 eye could reach, I could not, however, discover the slightest 
 traces of any, nor had those of whom I enquired ever heard, 
 even by tradition, of their existence. 
 
 Klagenfurt is a large and a pleasing tow n, though it cannot be 
 called handsome. It contains many large buildings and spacious 
 squares, but it has much that gives it rather a mean appearance. 
 iNext to Vienna and Gr’atz it is one of the principal places in the 
 circle of Austria ; and is the residence of the Princes of Por- 
 z ia and Rosenberg, and a great number of Counts and inferior 
 nobility. The streets are spacious, and intersect each other at 
 right angles ; and the public monuments, statues, and fountains, 
 are of large dimensions. When surveyed at a distance these serve 
 to give the place an appearance of dignity and importance, but 
 on a more minute examination you find very little that does ho- 
 nour to the arts. What appears to me the most ludicrous is 
 an enormous statue of Maria Theresa, in a very rich and stiff 
 dress, with Fame hovering over her. As both are of lead it was 
 rather a difficult task to make the latter support herself in the air 
 on her non-elastic pinions. It would have been indecorous for 
 Fame to set her foot on the empress’s shoulder, and, in that case, 
 die would not have hovered, a point on which the artist was par- 
 ticularly intent. He therefore threw over the goddess a large 
 leaden mantle, the extremity of which rests on the back of the 
 princess ! — The best and largest edifice in Klagenfurt is the pa- 
 lace, part of which is inhabited by the governor, and the re- 
 mainder is appropriated to the different departments of the Re- 
 gency, The town is surrounded with walls and a ditch, but 
 
I $2 Xti TTNER’s TRAVELS 
 
 they are of such a nature that it cannot be considered as a mili- 
 tary post. 
 
 Some writer has done the town of Brack, in Styria, the ho- 
 nour to consider it as the principal residence of persons with 
 wens. I cannot say that I saw more there than in other places ; 
 but wens are, alas ! an evil which appears to extend over the 
 whole province of Styria and Carinthia. You sometimes meet 
 likewise with Cretins or Idiots. Of these there are of course 
 different gradations ; but I have not seen such brutal or rather 
 vegetating creatures as you find in the Valais in Switzerland. In 
 other respects they very nearly resemble the latter. I observed 
 the greatest number of these wretched objects between Brack 
 and Gratz ; but I w r as told that this must not be taken as a crite- 
 rion for the whole country, because their relations are accus- 
 tomed to send them out to beg on the high roads. — In Carinthia 
 and Styria, in Switzerland, in the duchy of Aosta, and some 
 parts of the Appenines, I have invariably observed that the fe- 
 males have the largest wens. A wen which has attained to a cer- 
 tain size appears to be intimately connected with idiotcy. The 
 idiots in general have wens ; and a person who has a veiy large 
 one is commonly, in a certain degree, an idiot. I have fre- 
 quently sent you my observations on this melancholy phenome- 
 non, and given it as my opinion, that, among the various causes 
 assigned for it, the water contributes to produce wens more than 
 any other. The people of this country agree with me. In al- 
 most every part where weus are frequent, I have found the w ater 
 turbid, of a whitish colour ; occasioned by a species of fine 
 earth, which when left to stand settles to the bottom, and feels 
 like a kind of slime. My system, however, is rather shaken by 
 my having found, in my last journey, a great number of people 
 with wens in places where the water appeared to be perfectly 
 Iunpid and transparent. It is possible, and out of tenderness to 
 my system, I am ready to believe, that they were not natives of 
 those parts, especially as I am informed that they are so frequently 
 sent by their relatives to the high-roads. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 153 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 KIR SCHTHEUER.— DESCRIPTION OF THE LOIBEL AND THE 
 ROAD OVER IT. — INHABITANTS OF CARNIOLA. — LAY- 
 
 BACH. IDRI A. — OU1C K SILVER-MINE. --THE PEAR-TREE 
 
 WOOD. SUBTERRANEOUS CAVERNS. GROTTO AND 
 
 castle of lueg. — triest. — the harbour. — the 
 
 MOLE. — THE GROTTO OF CORGNALE. 
 
 Triest, May 28. 
 
 W'hen we left Klagenfurt, early on the 3d, the weather 
 was sharp and unfavourable. We proceeded the first stage, 
 through a pleasant and tolerably level valley, in which only a 
 small part of the way went up and down hill. As we descended 
 from a steep declivity into the valley, on which Kirschtheuer is 
 situated, I had an opportunity of admiring the grand style in 
 which the Austrian roads over the mountains are constructed. 
 
 Soon after we had left Kirschtheuer we began to ascend again, 
 and it was four hours' and a half before we reached the highest 
 summit, without ever coming to any plain, though here and 
 there we w ent down hill. The distance between Kirschtheuer and 
 Krainburg* being eighteen miles, is called the pass of the Loibel, 
 which must not be considered as a single mountain, but as a long 
 range of mountains, rising one above the other, and round which 
 the traveller keeps continually winding, till he at length arrives at 
 two pyramids, which mark the highest point, and form the boun- 
 dary between Carinthia and Camiola. 
 
 Considered as a high-road, this pass is certainly the loftiest of 
 the kind that I have seen in Europe. It is longer and higher 
 than the Bochetta, leading from Piedmont, beyond Novi, into 
 the territories of Genoa ; considerably higher than Penman- 
 mawr in North Wales ; higher than the road over the Appenines, 
 near Bologna, Tolentino, or Macerata ; and so much higher 
 than those of Switzerland that the latter appear trifling in compa- 
 rison to it. If we consider the extreme steepness of most of 
 the heights of the Loibel, it is impossible to forbear admiring 
 the genius of him who first conceived the grand idea of carrying 
 a road for heavy carriages across these acclivities. It is con- 
 structed with a solidity that places it in the rank of the greatest 
 works of antiquity ; being, on one side, principally hew n out of 
 the rock, and supported by strong walls on the other. Towards 
 the precipice it is provided partly with railing and partly with 
 KUTTNER.] X 
 
154 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 walls. During the last hour and a half the mountain was so 
 steep, that 1 frequently discovered with astonishment the direc- 
 tion of the road we had to go, by means of the wooden posts in 
 the almost perpendicular rocks that towered high above my head. 
 
 Four hours and a half after we had left Kirschtheuer, we at 
 length reached the highest point of this road, distinguished by 
 two large stone pyramids. The descent from the summit of the 
 Loibel to Neum'arktl occupied two hours and a half, so that the 
 whole pass took us seven hours and a half. NeumUrktl is situ- 
 ated among the mountains which we were now gradually leaving. 
 We soon afterwards arrived at a charming plain, surrounded at 
 some distance by mountains, and in which Krainburg has an 
 agreeable situation on the banks of tire Save. 
 
 On the road from Krainburg to Laybach we constantly re- 
 mained in the vicinity of the Save, which embellishes the charming, 
 fertile, and well-cultivated plain, through which the road leads, 
 ft is surrounded by low hills, behind which others more lofty 
 rear their heads ; and to the south you still discover the summits 
 of the snow-clad mountains. This tract between Krainburg and 
 Laybach I consider as one of the finest I have seen since my de- 
 parture from Vienna. 
 
 The houses of the country-people are very small, and fre- 
 quently of wood ; the windows not two feet square, and many 
 even appeared to me to occupy scarcely one square foot. They 
 have no chimnies, so that the smoke finds its way out of the 
 House where it can. I observed some few' with a story above the 
 ground-floor ; and in these a large aperture was left as a vent for 
 the smoke. The people themselves differ considerably from 
 those of Upper Styria. They are of a finer growth, taller, and 
 have a better complexion and more delicate features. 
 
 Laybach is a very pretty place ; and contains a great number 
 of large elegant structures, among which are several public 
 buildings. Some of the churches, especially in the interior, are 
 in a far better taste than is usually found in Germany. I was 
 particularly pleased with the interior of the cathedral, which 
 bears a considerable resemblance to that of St. Peter’s, at Rome. 
 It is entirely painted in fresco, and though not in a first-rate 
 style, yet every thing indicates its vicinity to the frontiers of Italy. 
 The public schools are in a large handsome, building, appro- 
 priated to that purpose. The Jesuits’ convent at Laybach is 
 converted into assembly-rooms. The palace, situated on an 
 eminence close to the town, is visited only on account of the 
 prospect it commands, as it is now nothing more than barracks 
 for recruits. Its situation is, however, romantic ; and the view 
 from the lawn is charmipg. The river Laybach runs through the 
 town ; and though navigable, yet the use that is made of it is 
 
155 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 Very inconsiderable. Three bridges over it connect the different 
 parts of the town. 
 
 In Carmtlfia, and still more frequently in Camiola, particu- 
 larly in the vicinity of Laybach, I observed the machine every 
 where standing in the fields, which I had seen in Sweden, for 
 the purpose of drying the corn after it is cut. It seems to prove 
 that in these parts the seasons must be very wet. 
 
 We left Laybach on the oth of May, and proceeded nine 
 miles to Upper Laybach, where we left the great road, in order 
 to visit Idria, about eighteen miles distant from the last-men- 
 tioned place. Idria, so celebrated for its quicksilver mines, lies 
 in a valley, surrounded on every side by pretty lofty mountains. 
 The valley being extremely narrow, the houses gradually ascend 
 the sides of the hills ; each stands detached, and has a small 
 piece of land annexed to it, in which the miners raise a few ve- 
 getables, notwithstanding the inclemency of the climate, and the. 
 sterility of the soil. The inhabitants of Idria, about three thou- 
 sand five hundred in number, who are separated by high moun- 
 tains from the rest of the world, are all miners, or belong to mi- 
 ners. The number of labourers above and below is stated at' 
 nine hundred, exclusive of upwards of three hundred wood- 
 cutters, who fell timber in the forests, which they float down the 
 rivers, or prepare in various ways. M. Gersdorf, who has the 
 superintendance over all the works, informed me, that, for a con- 
 siderable period, from five to six hundred tons of quicksilver have 
 annually been made at that place. A great quantity used to be 
 exported to Spain, whence it was transported to America, for 
 the amalgamation of the silver-ores ; but the Spaniards some time 
 since refused to pay the increased price that was demanded 
 for the quicksilver. The greatest part of it is now conveyed to 
 .Vienna, where it is sold on the account of the Emperor ; but I 
 could not learn for what purposes it is particularly employed, or 
 to what countries it is exported, but it is said that great quantities 
 are sent to England. 
 
 You cannot be ignorant that this mine is reckoned the finest 
 and most magnificent in the world. You enter it through an ex- 
 tensive building ; and every part is so roomy, so neat, and clean, 
 that I felt none of those disagreeable sensations which even the 
 finest mines produce in a greater or less degree. You proceed 
 on level ground, under a lofty and tolerably spacious vault, till 
 you arrive at the descents. Into these you are conducted by* 
 clean stone steps, which are kept in excellent repair. These 
 steps have several landing-places, paved with flag-stones, and 
 some of which are provided with benches to rest upon. As the 
 miners proceed deeper into the pit, the passages continue to be 
 arched over, and provided with steps. I observed only a few 
 
156 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 parts that were supported by wood. Here and there they come 
 to the solid rock, which is merely hewn out, and of course re- 
 quires no support. The ore is not always of equal richness ; 
 but on an average it contains about fifty per cent ; some furnishes 
 less, hut from other portions eighty per cent, is extracted. The 
 principal shaft is eighty-six fathoms in depth ; and the small 
 quantity of virgin-quicksilver that is occasionally found is shewn 
 as a rarity. 
 
 This mine belongs to the government, and is conducted en- 
 tirely at its expence. The officers have very moderate salaries ; 
 all the other inhabitants, w ith the exception of some few, are 
 miners, who derive their whole subsistence from their profession. 
 Their pay is various, and begins with live kreuzers # a day. 
 When they have raised it to twelve kreuzers, they begin to think 
 of marriage, as they then consider themselves able to support a 
 wife out of their wages. The most they receive is seventeen 
 kreuzers ; for which they must work eight hours under, or ten 
 above the ground. The rest of their time is occupied by do- 
 mestic employments, and the cultivation of a small piece of 
 ground, in which they raise cabbages, potatoes, and other ve- 
 getables, and many likewise earn a triliing sum by other means, 
 so that their daily earnings may amount to about twenty kreuzers. 
 Many of the women employ themselves in weaving lace. They 
 are commended for their constancy and the purity of their mo- 
 rals, as the men are for their honesty and obedience to their 
 superiors. Their houses are mostly small, and are each inhabited 
 by two or three families. The scanty subsistence which these 
 people procure, the insalubrity of the occupation of miners in 
 general and of this valley in particular, cause the duration of 
 human life here to be but short. Forty is considered a fair age, 
 many die younger, and very few live to be old. 
 
 Leaving Idria, we proceeded .the same evening to Loitsch, 
 where we passed the night, and on the 7th went forward to Pla- 
 mna, behind which place, and near the high road, is situated an 
 uncommonly romantic spot. In a corner formed by perpendicular 
 rocks appears at a great depth the aperture of a spacious grotto, 
 from which issues a stream of no inconsiderable magnitude. 
 
 V\ r e w ere now r in what is called the Pear-tree Wood, a deso- 
 late, barren, and rocky tract, of considerable extent, which is 
 almost uninhabited and appears to produce scarcely any thing 
 blit wood, heath, and stinted herbage ; such, with some excep- 
 tions, is the whole country to Triest. It is in this tract that we 
 find those numerous, large, and celebrated grottos, or subterra-- 
 
 * A kreuzcr is three-sevenths of a penny, or something less than a haUk 
 penny. English, money. 
 
157 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &,C. 
 
 iteous caverns, some of which are said to be upwards of four 
 miles in length, and which exhibit stalactites of singular forms. 
 The Magdalen Grotto, near Adelsberg ; that of Lin g ; that of 
 St. Servio, near Triest ; the Grotto of Corgnale ; and those of the 
 hake of Zirknitz, are the most celebrated. 
 
 We went to see that at Lueg ; a wretched village, behind 
 which, in the perpendicular rocks, are three grottos, one above 
 another. The lowest is inaccessible, because a small stream 
 discharges its current into it and disappears. Above the lover- 
 most grotto rises another, which is said to be two miles in 
 length, and is almost in every part very spacious. Five of the 
 country people lighted us into it with splinters of hazle-wood, 
 and we soon lost the day-light. The height is in general about 
 twenty feet, and the breadth from twelve to sixteen. Here and 
 there I observed large, handsome stalactites, of which, as usual, 
 the imagination forms a variety of objects ; most of them ap- 
 peared to me to resemble the roofs of the Gothic cathedrals in 
 England. After proceeding a full quarter of an hour, the ground 
 began to be wet, and we returned. 
 
 Above this grotto rises a third, consisting of several divisions ; 
 ill its wide aperture some person conceived the extraordinary 
 idea of erecting the castle of Lueg. It belongs to a Count Co- 
 benzl, but who, as you may imagine, seldom visits it, and then 
 only for a very short time. The building, which is said to be 
 several hundred years old, is capacious, but has not five good 
 apartments. All but those iu the front are dark, gloomy, and 
 damp. Behind the castle we were shewn an apartment hewn 
 out of the rock of the grotto, but which has fallen to ruin. 
 The tradition that in ancient times a knight was treacherously 
 murdered at thi3 place, might furnish a good subject for a hor- 
 rific romance ; and to a novelist of that description, the view of 
 this spot would be of incalculable advantage. — We returned to 
 Adelsberg, where we passed the night. 
 
 The distance between Adelsberg and Triest, about thirty- 
 three miles, is principally a desolate, thinly inhabited and still 
 worse cultivated country. That part of the way is particu- 
 larly dreary which goes over the Karst, a considerable, moun- 
 tainous tract, of which naked rocks compose by far the greater 
 portion. Here you may study nature in her infancy ; for 1 passed 
 over several hills, where the rocks that cover the soil appear as 
 if they had been recently produced by some great convulsion. 
 At length you arrive at the end of the Karst, and suddenly find 
 yourself on the brink of a precipice which would make you 
 shudder, did you not anticipate the appearance of Hesperia’s 
 enchanting plains. Here with one view you survey the Adriatic 
 Sea, the capacious bay of Triest, with all its promontories, 
 part of the town, with Istria on the left, and to the right, along 
 
158 
 
 K U T T~$ E'R ? S TRAVELS 
 
 the northern frontiers of Venice, a vast range of lofty Alps, still 
 covered with snow. Just below your feet you have a little ver-» 
 daut world, a blooming garden, which the hand of industry has 
 created upon the naked rocks or steep declivities. V hat a con- 
 trast with the country we had just traversed ! The spectator 
 would imagine he had been transported ten degrees farther to the 
 south ; the difference is much greater and more sudden than 
 when you go from the Swiss Alps into Lombardy, or from the 
 Appennines into the smiling vales of Tuscany. This view is 
 highly gratifying, and peculiarly interesting to a native of the 
 North ; who here for the first time beholds Italian vegetation, 
 and finds the chesnut, the cypress, the fig, the peach, the al- 
 mond, and the olive, flourishing in the open air, and at such a 
 considerable height. Here and there terrasses have been formed, 
 with excessive labour, upon walls, on which grow abundance of 
 grapes, that afford an excellent kind of wine. 
 
 Triest cannot be called a handsome town, though it contains 
 a great number of good, well-built, stone bouses. Most of the 
 streets are wide ; indeed they are so spacious that the houses at 
 first seem to be lower than they actually are, till you observe that 
 most of them are three or four stories high. The streets are ail 
 paved with broad flag-stones, many of which are seven, eight, 
 and even ten feet long, by three, four, and five, broad. 
 
 The number of stationary inhabitants of this town is com- 
 puted at from 28 to 30,000 persons, and that of the seafaring 
 people and strangers who are continually coming and going, is 
 stated at several thousands more. This statement was given me 
 by a person in an official situation in this place, and 1 think is 
 likely to be correct ; but the English consul, who has resided 
 several years at Triest, asserts, that the population exceeds 
 36,000 souls, and that, including the mariners and strangers, it 
 cannot be less than 40,000. The increasing population is a cause 
 of general complaint among the old inhabitants, who find it dif- 
 ficult to accustom themselves to the advancing price of every 
 commodity. In fact, Triest is a very expensive place, and every 
 thing is dearer there than at Vienna. 
 
 I was surprized to observe the number of ships lying in the 
 harbour, which appears to be equally secure and commodious. 
 Two large canals run out of it a considerable distance into 
 the town, and afford a place for the reception of a large 
 number of vessels. These canals were the labour of an early 
 period, for they are not calculated for the kind of commerce in 
 which of late years this town has been engaged. The harbour 
 is a scene of constant bustle and activity, and I am much mis- 
 taken if it be not much more lively than that of Leghorn. It 
 is a free port in the most extensive sense of the word. 
 
 Triest contains a great number of carriages, many of whicH 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 159 
 
 are very elegant. I was astonished to find so many coaches in a 
 sea^port, aud surrounded by such a mountainous country ; but 
 was informed that almost every tradesman who does any busi- 
 ness keeps his carriage, and at no very great expence. The cof- 
 fee-houses are likewise numerous at Triest ; and a considerable 
 part of the company by which they are frequented sit before the 
 door ; for this purpose a large linen cloth is spread upon poles, 
 so as to form a kind of tent. 
 
 Triest has for many years been increasing in wealth and conse- 
 quence at the expence of her neighbour Venice. B'usching says 
 that in 1770 it contained thirty great mercantile houses; it now 
 has above one hundred. The magnificent mole was constructed 
 by the directions of Maria Theresa. It extends about fifteen 
 hundred feet into the sea, and forms an excellent road : upon it 
 there is room for fifty pieces of cannon, though not more than 
 thirty are mounted ; but all these are in good order, and among 
 them 1 saw eighteen and twenty-four pounders. The mole in- 
 cludes the Old Lazaretto, or place of quarantine, which is now 
 used only as barracks for soldiers. Opposite the M<5le, and con- 
 sequently on the contrary side of the town, is the new Lazaretto, 
 with a distinct harbour, which is likewise inclosed by a mole, 
 and which must not be confounded with that belonging to the 
 town. The Castle stands on an eminence considerably higher 
 than the town, and must once have been pretty strong. It is 
 now scarcely used but as a place of confinement for prisoners ; 
 but the .view from the platform is such as amply to repay the 
 trouble of going to see it. The great imperial flag is kept flying 
 on this edifice, and below it are a few pieces of cannon, with 
 which the salutes fired by ships of war on their arrival are returned. 
 
 This to wn has a wretched theatre, where you may to-day see 
 the genuine feats and burlesque buffoonery of Harlequin, and 
 to-morrow Voltaire’s Zaire acted by the same persons. On the 
 whole, Triest is totally destitute of public evening amusements ; 
 even of respectable private companies there are but few. The 
 governor, Count Brigido, brother to the Archbishop of Lay- 
 bach, however, keeps an open house, that is, he receives com- 
 pany every evening to card- tables and refreshments, and occasion- 
 ally gives dinners. 
 
 From Triest we made an excursion to see the grotto of 
 Corgnale, so called from a village of that name, near which it 
 is situated. This grotto not only surpasses in beauty that of 
 Lueg, but any that I ever beheld. The figures of the stalactites 
 exhibit an uncommon variety of forms, and likewise a grand- 
 er style and larger proportions than any I had yet met with. 
 It is particularly distinguished for the columns on which the 
 vaulted roof reposes like that of a Gothic church. Many of 
 
160 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 these columns are twenty, thirty, or more feet in length, and of 
 proportionable thickness. The flame of a torch, or of burn- 
 ing straw, produces a grand and picturesque effect. Many of 
 the stalactites suspended from- the roof are twelve or fifteen feet 
 in length, and at the top, where they are united to it, are not 
 Jess than fifteen or eighteen feet in circumference. 
 
 The grotto has the peculiarity that the entrance is not hori- 
 zontal into a hill or eminence, but in a plain from which you are 
 obliged to descend nearly in a perpendicular direction. You con- 
 tinue descending steep declivities, arriving now and then at nearly 
 perpendicular shafts, in which a kind of stone steps have been 
 cut ; but these have been formed with so little care, and are 
 partly rendered so slippery with the water that is continually 
 dropping upon them, that you every moment run great risk of 
 falling. We proceeded about a quarter of an hour, when the' 
 steps ceased, and the perpendicular descent prevented our advan- 
 cing any farther. I am informed, that the length of this grotto 
 has never been ascertained, but that, from various reasons, it is 
 supposed to have a second opening, at the distance of two Ger- 
 man (upwards of nine English) miles. 
 
 We resided at Triest, in the same inn in which Winkehnann 
 was assassinated. His murderer, Angelo, was six weeks after- 
 wards apprehended, and broken on the wheel in the great square 
 under our windows. Winkelmann had reposed the utmost con- 
 fidence in this servant, though he had received repeated warnings 
 to be upon his guard. 
 
 LETTER XXIII. 
 
 JOURNEY TO VENICE. ST. GIOVANNI. THE TIMAVO. 
 
 C RADI SC A. — GOR2J. — XI DINE. CAMEO FuRMIO. PASSAGE 
 
 OF THE TAGL1 AMENTO. PORDENONE. SACILE. CO- 
 
 NEGLIA'NO.— THE PIAVE. TREVISO. MESTRE. 
 
 Venice June Q. 
 
 "W^E left Triest on the 2Sth of May, and were obliged for 
 an hour to return by the same road we had come from Vienna, 
 till we arrived at the place where that which leads to Venice 
 branches off from the former. Nine miles from Triest is Heili- 
 genhreuz or St. Croce ; and at the same distance from the latter 
 is situated San Giovanni, which is almost entirely deserved; 
 such being the insalubrity of the air, that it has driven away all 
 the inhabitants. The place exhibits a dreary view of houses in 
 rums, and others which are nodding to their fall. 
 
 Close to this spot are the sources of the Timao or Timavo. 
 This singular river was celebrated in ancient times^ for the Font as 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. l6l 
 
 Timavi are mentioned in the Itinerary of Antoninus, and who 
 does not recollect the Fontem et Sax a Timavi in Virgil? Here 
 at a very small distance from each other, are the sources of seven 
 streams, which are collectively denominated the Timao. All of 
 them issue from naked rocks, and in such abundance that each of 
 the seven springs forms a considerable brook ; they immediately 
 unite and compose a navigable stream, so that at the distance of 
 a few hundred paces from the source, 1 actually observed a vessel 
 of not very small dimensions with several sails. 
 
 I am assured, that not the least trace of this mass of water is 
 to be discovered, and that it collects entirely in subterraneous re- 
 servoirs, till it at once bursts forth in these seven streams. The 
 circumstance would appear more striking tome, if I had not be- 
 fore observed, from the numerous caverns, that the whole coun- 
 try between Adelsberg, Zirlnitz, Triest, and.St. Giovanni,, must 
 be undermined, and that Nature here carries on such subterra- 
 neous operations as perhaps m no other part of the known world. 
 
 from St. Croce it is about fourteen miles to Moufalcone, 
 which lies in what was formerly the Venetian territory. From 
 St. Giovanni to this place the country is low and swampy ; and 
 every thing indicates that fevers must be very frequent. Gradisca 
 is an insignificant town, and the fortifications, whose large round 
 towers still give them a handsome and picturesque appearance, 
 have for many years been entirely neglected. 
 
 Gorz, or as it is here generally called, Goritia, is a handsome 
 town, with about twelve thousand inhabitants. I observed a 
 great number of very good houses, most of which belong to no- 
 ble families. It is the capital of a county of the same name ; 
 and has a picturesque situation on the ‘Lisonzo. It lies in a plain, 
 having on the north side moderate eminences, behind which rise 
 high mountains, that are succeeded by others still more lofty. 
 Vi hile the view to the north possesses all the characteristics of 
 Swiss scenery, the spectator is charmed by the beauties which 
 the climate of Italy affords in the plain. The Opera-house of 
 Gcirz, though not remarkable for its exterior, is internally ele- 
 gant and well-contrived. The Castello or Fort commands an ex- 
 tensive view over the adjacent country, which produces great 
 quantities of excellent wine. 
 
 Among the middling towns of Italy, of the second class, I 
 scarcely know of any that I like so well as Udine. You do not 
 here find that dull inactivity which characterizes most of the Ita- 
 lian towns of the same rank, nor those evident symptoms of de- 
 cay which rather shew what a place has been, than what it is. A 
 population of seventeen.or eighteen thousand persons gives the 
 place a lively air; and its numerous shops shew that it has some 
 trade and industry, which are so rarely met with ip these pro- 
 
 KUTTN ER.j Y 
 
162 KUTTNEIt’i TRAVELS 
 
 vinces. We were taken to the Theatre or Opera-house, which 
 is surpassed in elegance by very lew in Germany. The palace 
 of the former Luogotencnte, as the principal magistrate was de- 
 nominated, is built in an extremely grand and magnificent style. 
 It is, however, apparent, that it has been neglected for a great 
 number of years, and that the Venetian governors came hither 
 rather with a view to make their fortunes, than to maintain the dig- 
 nity and grandeur of which their forefathers laid the foundation. 
 It is extraordinary, that from one end of Italy to the other, cer- 
 tain customs universally prevail, which to us appear repulsive 
 and disgusting. Here, as well as at Bologna, in the Capitol at 
 Rome, and in various other places, the criminals are confined in 
 the same building in which the chief magistrate of the place re- 
 sides. The Senator of Rome has them exactly under his win- 
 dows ; and at Udine they are kept on the ground-floor of the 
 palace. The windows of the prison open towards the terrace, 
 which is the spot that commands the finest prospect, and where 
 One would consequently prefer to walk. 
 
 Next to the palace of the Luogotenente, that of the Arch- 
 bishop is the most remarkable structure. The town likewise 
 contains a great number of good private houses ; in one of these 
 is a chapel, which is worth seeing, on account of its sculpture. 
 The four walls are in alto-relievo of white marble ; and it is the 
 workmanship of Toretti, who shows himself a great master of 
 the art, though the Venetian school very plainly appears in his 
 performances. The subjects represented here are : the Virgin 
 Mary’s visit to Anna ; Zachariah naming his son ; Mary’s pre- 
 sentation in the temple, and her purification. The proprietor of 
 the house is named Torreani. — The cathedral is internally a 
 handsome structure, and contains some good bas-reliefs in wood, 
 not to mention the marble floor and many altars, which are 
 common to all the church.es of Italy. Under the houses are 
 piazzas, supported by columns, partly of wood and partly of 
 stone. 
 
 At Campo Formic, or as it is likewise called Carapo Formido, 
 a village near Udine, the melancholy peace w as tw T o years since 
 signed between Austria and France. The Arch-duke Charles 
 resided at Udine, and Buonaparte at Passeriano, a charming 
 Country-seat of the then Doge Mancini, twelve miles from 
 Udine, and nearer Venice. As neither party was willing to go 
 to the other, the village of Campo Formic, four miles from 
 Udine and eight from Passeriano, was chosen for the place of 
 meeting. r Ihe high road from Venice runs through the village, 
 wnere an insignificant homo was pointed out to me as that in 
 which the peace was concluded. 
 
 We changed horses near Passeriano, at Codroipo, a village 
 
16S 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, & C. 
 
 about fourteen miles from Udine ; and soon afterwards arrived at 
 the Tagliamento, which we had to cross. Its bed, which is a 
 good mile in breadth, is covered with large stones. Over these 
 which were very slippery we had a difficult passage, for some dis- 
 tance, through the dry bed of the river, till we came to a rapid 
 stream, across which we were ferried. We had again to proceed 
 over a dry part of the bed of the river, till we came to a second 
 stream, and presently after to a third ; but as there is no ferry 
 for the second, a guide goes before and shows the postillion the 
 wav, and several strong men wade into the water on each side of 
 the carriage, to hold it upright. This vast bed is not always ca- 
 pable of containing the torrents that sometimes swell the river, 
 particularly after sudden heats in spring, when it inundates a 
 vast tract of country, which is covered with sand, and thus ren- 
 dered unlit for the purposes of cultivation. At such times the 
 current is impassable ; but in winter, on the contrary, it has in 
 general so little water that it may be crossed without the assist- 
 ance of any ferry. 
 
 Pordenone is an insignificant place, but contains many elegant 
 houses, such as are only found in Italy, and particularly in the 
 Venetian territory, in small towns. At Sacile many traces shew 
 that this place has once known better days. A wall and turrets, 
 bridges, and the former palace of the Podesta, merely serve for 
 picturesque objects, which please the eye, anc^ fill the heart with 
 melancholy. A fine meandring stream, verdant meads, the lux- 
 uriant ivy which grows upon the ruins, and the rich vegetation 
 of an Italian climate exhibited by the shrubs and trees, had 
 great attractions for me. 
 
 Conegliano, fourteen mi’cs distant from Sacile, is not a des- 
 picable place, though its Castello and once handsome walls are 
 fallen to decay. Between Conegliano and Treviso we crossed 
 the Piave, the third large river between Triest and Venice. This 
 river likewise has a bed of immense breadth ; and at certain sea- 
 sons inundates the adjacent country. We passed it on a bridge 
 composed of twenty-five vessels, which might be about eight 
 hundred feet over. 
 
 Treviso is by many regarded as a place of equal importance 
 with Udine, but in my opinion, the comparison is greatly to the 
 disadvantage of the former, w hich rather exhibits a picture of 
 what it has been, than of what it now 7 is. The large town-house 
 at Treviso, the many large and elegant churches, and a great num- 
 ber of respectable buildings, prove that it was once an opulent 
 place. At present you perceive evident traces of poverty, and 
 you find neither the activity, industry, nor cleanliness, by w'hich 
 Udine is distinguished. Treviso, however, contains several cof- 
 
164 kuttner’s travels 
 
 fee houses and two theatres, and it has three bridges over the 
 Piaveselle. 
 
 Mestre is an uncommon lively place, and appears to be ex- 
 tremely populous. The canai which runs from this place to the 
 Lagunes, and is three Italiau miles in length, is full of boats and 
 gondolas. On each side of it runs a broad road, bordered by 
 numerous houses, many of which belong to citizens of Venice. 
 From Mestre to Venice is but one stage, which we went in two 
 hours. 
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 VENICE. — THE HORSES OF LYSIPPUS. VARIOUS ALTER- 
 ATIONS IN THE CITY BY THE REVOLUTION. THE AR- 
 SENAL. ST. GIORGIO MAGGIOllE. BEGGARS. PO- 
 VERTY O-F THE HIGHER CLASSES. VENICE A RUINED 
 
 CITY. — OF THE CHURCHES. — THE NEW OPERA-HOUSE 
 LA FEN ICE. — EXCURSION TO MALAMOCCO AND PALES- 
 TRINA. THE MOLE. — THE PADR1 A R M ENI. CANOVA’s 
 
 PSYCHE IN THE PALACE MANCINI. — GENERAL OBSER- 
 VATIONS ON VENICE. 
 
 Venice, June 11, l r 99. 
 
 It is not my intention to give you a circumstantial description 
 of Venice, as you have the letters which I wrote you five years 
 since, during a month’s residence in this city. The subject to 
 which I shall principally confine myself is, the alterations that 
 have taken place since the occupation of this State by the 
 French, and its cession to the Austrian government; at the 
 same time, touching occasionally on others which appeared wor- 
 thy of notice, and highly interested me, even in my second visit 
 to this city. 
 
 In w hatever direction you go you ahvays arrive at the square of 
 St. Mark. I have this time renewed the acquaintance I made 
 ■with it five years since. In the celebrated church of St. Mark I 
 perceive no alteration, excepting the removal of the four metal 
 horses generally ascribed to Lysippus. The history of these 
 horses, as related by Rannusius and others, is a true compendium 
 of human injustice and violence. They are said to have origi- 
 nally stood on the triumphal arch of Augustus, at Rome, then 
 to have been removed to Nero’s, and afterwards to Domitian’s. 
 They were next placed on Trajan’s arch, w hence Constantine 
 the Great removed them to his, and afterwards transported them 
 to Constantinople. In the year 1204 the Venetians made them- 
 selves masters of that city, and finding these celebrated horses 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, 8vC. l6<5 
 
 the Hippodrome, conveyed them to Venice, whence they 
 have been in like manner carried off to Paris, by the French. 
 Without vouching for the authenticity of this account, it ap- 
 pears to me extremely probable, that these horses were origi- 
 nally made in Greece, and carried to Italy by those arch- 
 plunderers of antiquity, the Romans. 
 
 Near St. Mark’s church stands a tower, which, from its large 
 clock, is called the Clock-Tower. On it were the arms of Ve- 
 nice ; that is, a great lion, and the figure of a Doge kneeling be- 
 fore it. These, according to the laudable French custom, 
 were pulled down. The lion, after having undergone a repair, 
 and being newly gilded, was restored to his place, but the poor 
 Doge experienced no mercy. 
 
 On the two large columns of granite in the Piacetta, that is, 
 in that part of St. Mark’s square which opens to the great canal, 
 are still to be seen the lion and St. Theodore, as before ; but the 
 former is now only of wood, the very handsome metal figure hav- 
 ing been carried off by the French. 
 
 In the Procuratie nuove, where the Procurator! di St. Marco 
 formerly resided, there are now several imperial colleges of re- 
 gency, while the vast halls of the great council, the senate, and 
 the Squitinio, stand vacant, and are not employed for any pur- 
 pose whatever. Austrian simplicity probably found them incon- 
 venient on account of their magnitude. The apartments former- 
 ly inhabited by the Doge are also unoccupied. 
 
 Out of the different saloons of the Doge’s palace, the French 
 took no more than six or seven pictures; either because the v 
 only sought chef da troves, or, what is more probable, they dis- 
 liked the subjects ; for the subjects of almost all these pieces are 
 the victories and celebrated achievements of the aristocratic re- 
 public of Venice. It is likewise possible that they may not have 
 known the very great value of some of these paintings, as (lev 
 have taken many of inferior worth. As to private property, I 
 am every w'here informed that it was respected by the French, 
 and all the palaces I have yet seen confirm the report, having 
 found all the finest and most celebrated pieces that I remember 
 to have seen in my former visit. Thus I was recently in the palace 
 Pisani Morandi, which contains the well-known performance of 
 Paul Veronese representing Alexander the Great and his family ; 
 and the remarkable picture of the Death of Darius by Piacetta. 
 This house was the residence of Madame Buonaparte : her hus- 
 band did not come to Venice. 
 
 The arsenal bears the most conspicuous marks of the devas- 
 tations committed by the modern Franks at Venice. They have, 
 it is true, not removed the lions that stood at the entrance, and 
 .which were brought from Athens to this place ; probably because 
 
m 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 they thought thei^i not sufficiently handsome, or because they 
 were too heavy, -All four are of white marble, and larger than 
 life ; one of them, which is lying down, being eleven feet six 
 inches in length, from the tail to the end of the fore-foot. 
 Their ravages were so much the greater in the arsenal itself. 
 Be-ides live good and serviceable ships of war, they carried off 
 the whole of the vast stores of all the materials for equipping a 
 deft ; as cannons, balls, musquetry, swords, rigging, sails, ca- 
 bles, hemp, anchors, and even oars and the various articles 
 of iron required for the construction and repair of ships. All 
 these magazines now exhibit a naked appearance, and attest the 
 decay of this once most flourishing maritime state in Europe. 
 I how ever found all the labourers, w'hose number formerly ex- 
 ceeded two thousand, and are even now said to amount to fifteen 
 hundred, in full activity, and the government appears to me to 
 be determined to create a power hitherto unknown to the house 
 of Austria. 
 
 A considerable quantity of stores is already collected in the 
 Iml !r. which formerly contained the arms. The capture recently 
 made by General Klenau on the Po, and the ammunition found 
 at Brescia, Peschiera, &c. and also at Corfu, have been re- 
 moved to this place, where all that is useful has been sorted from 
 the rest, and arranged in separate apartments. Ill that contain- 
 ing the best of these articles, is the haudsorne monument 
 erected by the republic to the hero Emo. It is of w hite mar- 
 ble,. and by the hand of Caftova. Oil a naval column ( columna 
 raj rata ) is seated Fame, who is inscribing the hero’s name in 
 letters of gold. Victory hovers above, and crowns his figure 
 with a wreath. In my opinion it is one of the finest perform- 
 ing rs of that excellent artist I have ever seen. 
 
 You know' that the former government constantly had on the 
 stocks a certain number of ships of the line, with which they 
 proceeded regularly, but slowly. There were consequently six, 
 seven, or eight, none of which was completed, and which were 
 useless to the French, because they could not stay here long 
 enough to finish them. These they destroyed as much as they 
 could and the shortness of the time permitted, for as they had 
 so much to remove, every moment was precious. From some 
 they took away the stocks by which they were supported, so that 
 they fell, and were rendered unserviceable; they destroyed the 
 U els of others, and the strong beams to which the rudder is 
 at ixed : some they cut entirely to pieces, and others they sunk. 
 Tiie latter have since been weighed, and the former the govern- 
 ment is now occupied in repairing, but the work proceeds but 
 dowdy as the principal attention is directed to the smaller ves- 
 sels, especially gun-boats. In all these devastations and ravages 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 167 
 
 Ae French had, however, a certain object ; and excepting the 
 injustice of the thing, not much can be said against their pro- 
 ceedings. „ But they destroyed a great many other things, merely 
 Ovit of childish petulance, and that arrogance which so peculiarly 
 distinguishes the modern French, which is not only desirous to 
 overturn every government that differs from their own, but even 
 wishes to annihilate ail the traces of former constitutions. Thus 
 the lions, and the figures of the Doges in this city were the ob- 
 jects of their inveterate persecution, as the monuments of their 
 former kings were in France ; and many proofs of this are to he 
 seen in the arsenal. Among the rest, the Bucentoro was parti- 
 cularly obnoxious. The large figures of this rich arm remarka- 
 ble vessel were destroyed, the many small bas-reliefs, and the 
 carved work, which was richly gilt, were broken in pieces: be- 
 sides which, they wantonly damaged it in various places. Such 
 is the state in which it is seen at present ; and, as the Austrian 
 government cannot be interested in its preservation, it will pro- 
 bably not be many years before it falls entirely to ruiu. 
 
 I was last Sunday in the church Della Pieta, and found with 
 pleasure that this institution is still maintained. It is a kind of 
 foundling-hospital, in which girls are educated. They are in- 
 structed in all kinds of employments ; and particular attention is 
 paid to the respective talents and inclination of each. Music, 
 however, has always been their principal study, and in this art 
 some have attained great excellence. On Sundays they give 
 concerts in their church, when the girls not only sing, but like- 
 wise play on every kind of instrument. 
 
 I have likewise been again to St. Giorgio Maggiore. You 
 know that this is an island which, though an Italian mile in cir- 
 cumference, is entirely occupied by a Benedictine convent, and 
 the buildings belonging to it. With pleasure I again beheld the 
 church, which I always considered as one of the finest works of 
 Palladio, at Venice, because it is less incumbered with orna- 
 ment than so many others. It has not been robbed of its paint- 
 ings, nor the fine bas-reliefs in wood, representing the history of 
 St. Benedict, which decorated the choir. But in the refectory 
 was the celebrated Marriage of Cana, reckoned to be the chef 
 d’oeuvre of Paul Veronese. Unfortunately it was on canvas*, 
 like most of the pictures at Venice, audit was therefore included 
 among the plunder which the French carried off from this place. 
 The refectory is now shut, and contains salt and flour for the 
 army. The large trees which formerly adorned the extensive and 
 charming gardens of this island have all been cut down by the 
 levelling hands of these modern Franks. The library of this 
 convent w as highly celebrated. It not only contained abundance 
 of rare and valuable works, but likewise many manuscripts, and. 
 
168 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 as they were called, editiones principes, or books printed m 
 1400 . Most of the best works have been removed by the 
 French. 
 
 That great . poverty prevails at Venice, and that the city 
 swarms with mendicants, is well known ; but both have recently 
 increased in an extraordinary degree. The square of St. Mark, 
 and all the churches, are infested with beggars that are incon- 
 ceivably troublesome to strangers, whom they particularly follow.' 
 I must confess, that I sometimes lose all patience, when I ob- 
 serve how I, out of twenty or thirty persons, am made the object 
 of their attack. They run after you from one end of the long 
 square of St. Mark to the other, with an obstinacy that is doubly 
 • provoking, when you perceive that the inhabitants of the place 
 are at the same time suffered to walk along in peace. But 
 there is another class of paupers, whose appearance and history 
 must move even the most unfeeling. On the day of our arrival, 
 I saw on the Rialto a woman dressed in black silk, before whom, 
 on onfe of the steps of the bridge, lay a little child. The mo- 
 ther knelt on the hard stone, having a fan in her right hand, 
 with which she drove away the hies from the child, while her left 
 was silently extended to receive charity. On another bridge a 
 well-dressed man was kneeling, and silently holding his right 
 hand before him. I imagined that he was engaged in some act 
 of devotion, but was informed that he, in this manner, implored 
 the compassion of the passengers. I also frequently see well- 
 dressed women, whose faces are entirely veiled, walking in St. 
 Mark’s Square, with saucers in their hands. They never ask 
 charity, nor speak to any person, nor even hold out their saucers, 
 but keep their hands quietly before them, leaving it to the huma- 
 nity of the passenger to put a trifle into them. Of these things the 
 inhabitants of Venice take no notice, being accustomed to them* 
 It is admitted, that there are families which have been ruined by 
 the Revolution. The Austrian government has indeed, as much 
 as possible, left every thing as it found it ; few of the inferior 
 officers in the different departments of the state have lost their 
 situations ; but that it could not provide, for all those who Were 
 in various ways deprived of a subsistence, may very easily be 
 conceived. 
 
 With respect to the nobili of this city, as they were called, 
 there were always some among them who were very poor ; but 
 as long as the aristocratic government continued, they occasion- 
 ally obtained some little place or other. This now ceases to be 
 the case ; but the emperor allows to each person of that, class 
 two lire (about tenpence sterling) per day ; which, in a city 
 like Venice, is a very insignificant sum indeed. 
 
 In my journey through the continental territories of Venice I 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 169 
 
 observed, that the emperor in general appoints natives to official 
 situations. For the same reason, probably, Pesaro, a man of 
 one of the first families at Venice, was appointed minister. He 
 has not been long dead ; at Vienna many believed that he was 
 poisoned, but this opinion is positively contradicted here, and by 
 persons who are perfectly acquainted w ith the recent history of 
 the city. From all that I can collect, Pesaro was not so disa- 
 greeable to the Venetians as at Vienna he was supposed to be. 
 Discontents will always exist, and be excited by those who are 
 at the head of every government. Thus they are already dis- 
 contented with Pellegrini the new Regent ; and for this additional 
 reason that, being a native of Florence, he is a foreigner. 
 “ Since the death of Pesaro,” say they, “ every thing has be-, 
 come dearer, and Venice is impoverished.” In my opinion, the 
 dearness arises from the renewal of the war, and not from 
 Pellegrini’s death ; but with respect to the increasing poverty of 
 the town, this will continue to be more evident the more it is 
 perceived, that a general change has taken place. 
 
 At Venice there must, from the nature of things, be a great 
 number of discontented persons. Consider only what a number 
 of nobili were sent over the whole country in the quality of Po- 
 desta, Luogotenenti, &c. so that there was scarcely the smallest 
 place whose chief magistrate was not from the body of the so- 
 vereignty. This rich source of emolument has now' ceased ; for 
 when the Austrian government appoints a native to an official si- 
 tuation, he is selected from the place itself, and not from among 
 the ancient nobility of Venice. All business was formerly 
 transacted in that metropolis ; but now each province has its own 
 Regency; and Verona, Padua, and other towns, may be consi- 
 dered as the capitals of their particular districts. From these and 
 other circumstances Venice is a ruined city. Only consider the 
 number of inhabitants of the provinces who were obliged on so 
 many occasions to visit the metropolis ; how many persons de- 
 rived a subsistence from that source, and how much it contri- 
 buted to the general prosperity of the inhabitants. Even many 
 of the nobili, who w'ere confined to the city by their situations in 
 the council, and there spent their income, partly derived from 
 estates on the continent, have retired to those estates, since they 
 no longer have a capital, nor a share in the government. Those 
 who held official posts in the provinces, usually brought back 
 with them, at the expiration of their government, a sum of 
 money, acquired either by just or unjust means. This source of 
 profit no longer exists ; as well as that which the city derived 
 from the many foreign ambassadors, who expended annually con- 
 siderable sums. All these circumstances considered, it would 
 indeed be wonderful, if the city of Venice were contented with 
 
 KUTTNER.] 2 
 
170 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 the alteration. — Another cause of dissatisfaction is, that this 
 State is not yet organized, and that all the regulations which 
 have been adopted are only provisory. As tew alterations as 
 possible have been made ; but the old government no longer 
 exists, and the new one is not tixed on a solid basis. Convers- 
 ing on this subject with a very intelligent and well-informed Au- 
 strian, he said to me : En attendant i/s seront provisioirement 
 mints. — “ In the mean time they will be provisorily ruined. 
 
 Notwithstanding all this, the present government seems in ge- 
 neral to be more liked than the democracy which succeeded the 
 overthrow of the former republic, and which, to my surprize, 
 was most detested by the very lowest classes of the people. Had 
 |$ie Senate possessed the courage to defend itself, had not the 
 cancer preyed too deeply on the vitals of the government, it 
 might have relied on receiving powerful support from the people. 
 I am informed, that the Dalmatians in particular shewed an ex- 
 traordinary willingness to defend it with all their power. But 
 here appeared that phenomenon, which would have been the more 
 striking had it not been before observed at Naples, and in other 
 countries : a great number of the most decided J acobins be- 
 longed to the nobility. Many of that class were quite intoxi- 
 cated with the Repub/ica Veneta Democratica, and the fe- 
 male part of their families danced like Bacchantes round the 
 tree of liberty. 
 
 In my present visit to this city, I think I derive much greater 
 pleasure from the pictures of the Venetian School than five years 
 ago. I then came from Rome ; but perhaps, now that the best 
 pieces have been removed, I set a higher value on the remainder. 
 The city, indeed, still contains much that is excellent, of which 
 I shall not detain you with the description, but proceed to men- 
 tion the principal of those which have been carried off by the 
 French. 
 
 In the church della Carita is wanting the Resurrection of Laza- 
 rus by Leander Bassano, which was regarded as the best piece 
 that structure contained. In the Scuola della Carita all the pic- 
 tures were left; but the silver plate, to the alnount of eleven thou- 
 sand ounces, was taken away. 
 
 In the former Jesuits Convent, situated near the Dogana di 
 "Mare, and now belonging to the Dominicans, an excellent li- 
 brary was cruelly plundered by the French. 
 
 In the church of St. Giovanni e Paolo hung Titian’s cele- 
 brated picture of Peter the Martyr, which, as may naturally be 
 supposed, was removed. To this church belongs a convent of 
 immense extent, and constructed in a grand and rich style. The 
 refectory was particularly beautiful, but the French destroyed it r 
 and the monastery is now a military hospital. 
 
171 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 Contiguous to this convent is the Scuolaui St. Marco, an ex- 
 tensive building, with large and elegant halls. The French de- 
 stroyed and defaced the interior, and robbed it of two of its best 
 paintings. It has since undergone a partial repair. 
 
 In the great church of the Jesuits, which is one of the most 
 magnificent in Venice, hung the Martyrdom of St. Laurence, an 
 admirable performance of Titian, which has likewise found its 
 way to Paris. 
 
 In the church of Serviti 1 saw the statue of Admiral Emo, 
 erected to his memory by his nephews. It is by Ferraro Tor- 
 retti, the master of the celebrated Canova. The workmanship 
 is very' good, but the figure is represented in a modern uniform, 
 and, it must be admitted, that lace, epaulettes, tassels, &c. are 
 not fit subjects for sculpture. The whole is without effect, and 
 without taste, whatever merit the details may possess. 
 
 The church of St. Jeremiah is a new, and as yet unfinished, 
 structure, the architect of which is the Abbate Carlo Corbellini, 
 of Brescia. I confess that I cannot look at this church without 
 the utmost regret ; nay, I even consider the undertaking as a 
 theft committed on the public, because this city has already two 
 hundred churches ; that is, at least twice the number it wants. 
 The worst point belonging to enterprizes of this kind is, that the 
 clergy announce them to the people as good works, and that not 
 only the rich, but many of the inferior classes, and even the poor, 
 contribute their mite, and thus frequently debar themselves of 
 immediate necessaries. 
 
 Near the Scuola di St. Fantino is the eighth and newest theatre, 
 called La Fenice, which was finished but two years since. It is 
 the most elegant structure of any, and the largest but one, which 
 is very old. The assembly-rooms, contiguous to it, are large, 
 handsome, and convenient. I saw one night at this house the 
 grand opera of Adelaide and Gut sclin, in which Mad. Angiolim, 
 whom I think I have seen on the stage in Germany, Davide, 
 whom I have frequently heard in England, and Bom belli, per- 
 formed. The decorations w ere diversified and elegant ; the bal- 
 let was by Vigano the elder, who, as well as his son, dan ced. 
 The wife of the latter is the celebrated dancer who some years 
 since attracted such admiration at Vienna. The interior of thj* 
 edifice has five stories. 
 
 In the library of St.- Marco, or the great library belons^g to 
 the city, I again saw with pleasure the fine painted cejkngs, £is 
 well as some antiques, in what is denominated the Hr* °f Anti- 
 quities. Many of the manuscripts and scarce book^' ere carried 
 off by the French. 
 
 In the church of St. Zachariah there was frtncriy a beautiful 
 painting, by Giovanni Bellino, and another Paul Veronese. 
 
 z 2 
 
172 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 Both were taken away by the French ; but the nuns, to whom 
 this church belongs, have already replaced them with two other 
 pictures, one of which is by Jordans, and the other by Palma 
 Vecchio. 
 
 A few days since we made an excursion to Malamocco and 
 Palestrina, which I so contrived, that we obtained a sight ot all 
 the islands that lie scattered in the Venetian Lagunes. On the 
 island of Palestrina are three tolerably populous places, St. 
 Pietro, Portosecco, and Palestrina. Beyond the last place, to- 
 towards Chioggia, this island extends several Italian miles, but 
 is perfectly unserviceable. In this part it is not one hundred feet 
 broad, and of these the Mole occupies above seventy. Of the 
 Mole only four Italian miles and a half are quite finished ; 
 namely, from the harbour of Chioggia to the village of Pales- 
 trina. It has lately suffered great injury from the breaking of the 
 Adriatic Sea against it ; so that should it be neglected a few years 
 longer, 200 000/. would perhaps not be sufficient merely to re- 
 pair it. 1 he stone of which it is constructed, an inferior species 
 of marble, was brought from Istria, a distance of nearly one 
 hundred miles. The small portion of land lying between the 
 three above-mentioned villages and the Mole, is almost entirely 
 occupied by gardens, the productions of which are principally 
 carried to Venice. As the island is very narrow, there is but a 
 very small quantity of land left for cultivation, so that, on com- 
 paring the number of its inhabitants with its contents in square 
 miles, it would probably be found to be more populous even than 
 Malta. 
 
 The island on which the town of Malamocco is situated con- 
 tains a greater quantity of land, and is not so much exposed to 
 the violence of the sea as Palestrina. The town is lively, and 
 tolerably populous. At the north end of this island lies St. Ni- 
 colo, which had a harbour capable of admitting ships of moder- 
 ate size. It was from this harbour that the Doge annually went 
 some distance out to sea, to solemnize the celebrated nuptials. 
 
 The island of St. Eleazaro is likewise called i Padri Jlrmeni, 
 because it is inhabited by Armenian monks. We landed, and 
 were very courteously received by one of the fathers, who was 
 joiued by several more, all of whom vied with each other in 
 the attention they shewed us. Their church, library, refectory, 
 garden, and corridors, evince such a degree of cleanliness, neat- 
 ness, and regularity, as I had never before witnessed in a convent. 
 t imagined myself in England; every thing exhibited a certain 
 taste, and even elegance. Besides manuscripts, they possess 
 many printed Armenian books, several of which I inspected. 
 Among the rest, they shewed me an Armenian Bible, with a 
 Eatin translation, printed at London. The members of this fra* 
 
THROUCH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 173 
 
 ternity wear a long black dress, and long beards. Tliey must all 
 be natives of Armenia ; and to keep up their number they are 
 continually receiving recruits from that country. They receive 
 young people from the age of twelve to eighteen, whom they 
 instruct and educate. 
 
 W ith respect to the pictures contained in the churches, and in 
 private collections, I found few alterations, excepting those oc- 
 casioned by the visit of the French, which I have already men- 
 tioned. In the Palace Mancini I however found an addition ; 
 namely, the Psyche of Canova, which has been there about two 
 years, and is perhaps the finest statue I have seen from the chisel 
 of that son of the Graces. I know no other living sculptor that 
 can be placed in competition with him. This Psyche is a mai- 
 den in the most blooming period of youthful beauty. Her face, 
 and her small breasts, which have not yet attained their full 
 growth, distinctly mark her age. She is naked to the waist, and 
 the rest of the figure is covered only in part, with a light draperv. 
 She is attentively observing a butterfly, which she holds by the 
 wings. In the expression and the whole body there is a tender- 
 ness which excites the love and respect of the spectator. Every 
 part breathes grace, and the loveliest and purest innocence. 
 
 My residence at Venice has this time pleased me much mors 
 than five years ago. At that time all the impressions of Rome 
 were still new ; I had still all the master-pieces of every kind be- 
 fore my eyes, and was satiated with the objects which are found 
 m Italy, and no where but in that country. Now I could make 
 no nearer comparisons than with Germany, Sweden, Denmark, 
 and Norway ; and Venice is certainly very different from any of 
 those. I was, therefore, much more sensible to the beauties of 
 the Venetian school, notwithstanding the difference between its 
 productions and those of the Roman and Bolognese schools, and 
 the excessive incumbrance of tbe architecture. 
 
 Venice, however, is far from being the city it once was, 
 though Austria treats it with the utmost indulgence. It is won- 
 derful how much the government retains of its ancient form. 
 Among other things, the greatest part of the troops which do the 
 duty of the city is composed of the same Dalmatians whom the 
 Republic was so fond of employing, and to whom the people 
 were accustomed. Even their uniform is the same, with 
 exception of some slight alterations. 
 
 The contrast between the former and present times isr** where 
 so striking as on the Grand Canal, which is now vf7 ^ ea d in 
 comparison with what it once was. “ What is bec nie °f a H tbe 
 gondolas which used to swarm on this canal rwolutione ! 
 
 they reply, with an Italian shrug. u But tlK e njust yet be a 
 great number of opulent families who pay r SltSj or S° abroad to 
 
174 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 take the air :”—Sfanno in rasa « — te They remain at home/* is th® 
 answer . — “ And the numerous boats and gondolas, which fop- 
 merU rowed for wagers, while a crowd of loiterers ran after 
 them ? And the many gondoliers and boat-men who used to sing 
 and laugh and joke of an evening ?” — Nan hanno piu spirito — 1 
 They have no spirits, or life.” — I frequently become impatient 
 at such unsatisfactory answers ; but it is certain, that in these re- 
 spects a great alteration has taken place at Venice. One of the 
 most sensible reasons that can be assigned is, that a great number 
 of the members of the former council, who were confined to the 
 city, now generally spend the greatest part of the year in the 
 country. 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 SALZBURG. THE MONCH SB ERG. — THE C A PUC'l N F.R B E RG. 
 
 MUNICH. THE PALACE.— THE LIBRARY. THE JESUITS 
 
 COLLEGE.— CHURCHES. — THE EL ECTO R.— S CH LE 1 S II El M. 
 POPULATION OF MUNICH. — INGOLSTADT. — RAT1SBON. 
 
 THE HALLS OP THE DIET. THE SCOTCH INSTITUTION. 
 
 N'JRNBERG. DECAY OF ITS MANUFACTURES. ITS PO- 
 
 PULATION. 
 
 Ixnspxiuck, June 26 . 
 
 We left Venice early on the 12th, and proceeded by way of 
 Mestre and Adolo, to Padua, a place still containing a great 
 number of monuments, by which it is distinguished from most 
 ©f the cities of the North of Italy. It contains some churches, 
 which I have again surveyed with so much real satisfaction that 
 I cannot forbear devoting a page to them. There are certain 
 objects which at every inspection appear more handsome than be- 
 fore, and perhaps make the last time the deepest impression. 
 
 Such an object the xhurch of St. Justina appeared to me on 
 this visit. It is well known that this edifice is considered as one of 
 the finest in Italy, and it is perhaps superior to any in dignified 
 simplicity. It is neither encumbered with paintings nor any 
 kind of ornament, but yet contains several good pieces, particu* 
 larly by Paul Veronese, who painted on the high altar the Mar- 
 tyrdom of St. Justina. The Beuedictine convent, to which this 
 church belongs, is a large, stately edifice, likewise containing 
 many admirable performances of the first Italian masters. The 
 library stands in a fine hall ; it is copious, and formerly 
 had a great number of manuscripts and old editions ; but the 
 best works were carried off by the French, fifteen hundred of 
 whom were at one time stationed in this convent. 
 
 The cathedral is almost a new edifice, though it was begun to 
 be built in the l6th century. A great number of architects were 
 
175 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 employed upon it, till it was at length completed in the year 1756. 
 This church has its defects, hut it is a large and handsome struc- 
 ture, and is recommended by a certain simplicity and grandeur. 
 
 The church of St. Anthony is a remarkable building, the in- 
 terior of which is, however, too much incumbered. What most 
 interested me were the nine bas-reliefs in the chapel of the saint, 
 which I went five times to see, and always fancied I discovered 
 new beauties, though they are not in the most elegant style. The 
 expression is not dignified, and the figures are by no means Gre- 
 cian. These artists studied nature more than the antique ; and 
 hence the truth which is the more attractive the longer you con- 
 template them. This chapel was begun in the year 1500, by 
 Giov. Minello tie Bardi and his son Anthony. Among other 
 paintings in the church is a beautiful piece on a side^altar, repre- 
 senting the martyrdom of St. Agatha, at the moment when her 
 breasts were cut off. The artist Giov. Tiepolo has treated the 
 subject with extraordinary delicacy. The expression in the faces 
 of the saint and her two friends, one of whom covers her muti- 
 lated breast -with a handkerchief, is truly admirable. The French 
 robbed the saint of all his treasure, which was of immense va- 
 lue ; and he suffered them to carry it off without working any mi- 
 racle. I counted in this church seven altars, at all of which mass 
 was read at the same time. In this manner great numbers of 
 priests are cherished, and the city is poor. I have been in many 
 other churches in Padua ; in all of them the priests were reading 
 mass, and in all there were auditors. Hence this city, which has 
 not for many years contained 40,000 souls, is so full of beggars 
 of every description that you cannot stir without being inexpres- 
 sibly incommoded by them. Praying and begging appear to be 
 the profession of an innumerable multitude of people, both at 
 Padua and Venice; and indeed the same seems to be the case, 
 more or less, throughout all Italy. 
 
 One of the churches most worthy of notice in this city is that 
 of the Padri Eremetani. In the sacristy there is a J,ohn the 
 Baptist in the Wilderness, one of the finest paintings I have seen 
 for a long time. It is of very great value, Jet it be by Guido, 
 as it is said, or by one of his scholars. In my opinion, the ar- 
 tist had in his eye the celebrated John, by Raphael, which is seen 
 at Paris, Florence, Bologna, and Vienna. The convent to 
 which this church belongs once possessed a considerable library, 
 but the French plundered it of the best part of its contents. Iu 
 the passages of this convent are interred many Protestants, some 
 of whom have small monuments and inscriptions. English, 
 Dutch, Germans, Swedes; &c, here rest quietly together. In 
 the midst of them repose? the Prince of Orange, beneath a sim- 
 ple stone, on which is the following inscription in German : 
 
kuttner’s travels 
 
 176 
 
 « William Frederic George, Prince of Orange Nassau, General 
 of the Germans in Italy, died the 6th of January 1799*” — I fre- 
 quently saw this prince last winter at Vienna, but little did I ex- 
 pect so soon to tread upon his grave, which I should not have 
 observed, had not our guide pointed it out to me. He went to- 
 wards the end of the last year, at the age of twenty-four, to 
 assume the command in Italy, and the greatest expectations 
 w ere entertained of him, when he was carried off by a putrid 
 fever. His death was considered as a great loss at Vienna, and 
 all whom I there heard speak of him, agreed that he was one 
 of the best generals of the age : and a general joy seemed to 
 prevail when he was appointed the commander of the Italian 
 army. It was said in particular, that he was extremely beloved 
 by the army, and that he possessed a peculiar art of conciliating 
 every one’s esteem. I was the more struck w ith the latter trait, 
 as he appeared to me, whenever I had an opportunity of observ- 
 ing him, uncommonly grave, cold, and reserved. Several 
 Dutchmen likewise informed me, that in his native country he 
 w r as so highly beloved that, amidst all the violence of parties, 
 those who had been the most bitter against his family, had al- 
 ways made an exception of this young man. 
 
 Amidst the great decay of this city, which appears in so 
 many different ways, I could not help wondering at the attention 
 still bestowed on the preservation of the Prato della Valle. 
 This is a place of great extent ; which serves for a promenade, 
 occasionally for horse-races, and at the fair-time for a market for 
 horses and horned cattle. The interior, which is appropriated 
 to the use of pedestrians, is surrounded with water ; and here are 
 erected a great number of statues, all of which are of common 
 stone, and possess but little excellence as w T orks of art. Every 
 person, foreigners not excepted, enjoys the privilege of erecting 
 statues here ; and among the rest there is one placed by the late 
 Lord Cowper, and another by the late King of Poland, in ho- 
 nour of one of his predecessors, who had studied at this Uni- 
 versity. They in general represent celebrated natives of Padua, 
 Venetians, artists, heroes, and great men of every description. 
 
 I have again surveyed the Salone or the Great Hall in the 
 Senate-house with much pleasure. As its dimensions are very 
 differently stated by various writers, 1 took the trouble to mea- 
 sure it, and found that its length within is 257 English feet 
 9 inches ; and its breadth 86 feet 8 inches : so that it is proba- 
 bly the largest hall in Europe not supported by columns or pillars. 
 Westminster-hall is not quite so large, but higher. 
 
 I have also visited the Observatory, which occupies one of 
 the lofty towers of the former Castello. The whole establish- 
 ment is still kept in good order, having a fine, stone stair-case, and 
 
THROUGH DENMARK; SWEDEN, &C. 177 
 
 a hall painted in fresco. The instruments are preserved in the 
 apartments of the Professor ; they are not numerous. The view 
 of the rich, fertile, and highly-cultivated plains, extending far- 
 ther than the eye can reach on one side, and of the Euganian 
 mountains with the Alps towering behind them on the other, is 
 truly delightful. As all the fields are planted with trees, round 
 which the vines are entwined in festoons, the whole plain re- 
 sembles a pleasure-garden, in which the projecting steeples of 
 the villages, and the towers of gentlemens' seats, produce a 
 pleasing effect. 
 
 From Padua to Slesigo is one post ; and the same to Vicenza. 
 This dist anc.e we went in less than four hour*, and arrived at the 
 latter place before eleven in the forenoon of the 15th of June. 
 The style of grandeur in which thirty or forty private houses of 
 this provincial town are constructed, and some of which were 
 erected before, and some since, the time of the celebrated Palla- 
 dia, is particularly striking. In the same style they continue to 
 build the few new houses that are to be seen here. In a word> 
 Palladio, w ho w as a native of Vicenza, seems to have given the 
 place peculiarly lofty ideas of architecture, for which the city in 
 other respects appears to be of too little consequence. 
 
 We went through the Campo Marzo to the celebrated hill 
 where the Madonna del Monte is preserved, and to which you 
 are conducted by arcades, extending from the city to the church. 
 I was delighted with the beauty of the country, and still more by 
 the prospect which we were shown from some of the apartments 
 in the convent. Here the rich smiling plain is agreeably varied 
 by verdant hills ; at some distance you see pretty lofty hills, and 
 behind these the Alps. It is such a view as can only be seen in 
 Italy. In one of the rooms of this convent I was surprized by a 
 large painting by Paul Veronese, which is equalled by very few 
 that I have seen. It powerfully reminded me of that master- 
 piece the Marriage of Cana, which the French carried away from 
 St. Giorgio Maggiore. It was concealed at the time of the re- 
 volution, and the fathers supposed that the French were igno- 
 rant of its being here. These men were extremely polite, and 
 even went so far as to shew us the miraculous picture of the 
 Virgin Mary, painted by St. Luke, for the sake of which the 
 church, the convent, and the arcades, two miles in length, were 
 erected. After they had removed all the coverings and orna- 
 ments in which it was enveloped, I beheld, to my surprize, in- 
 stead of the meagre, dark, and dismal countenance, (such is the 
 character of the portrait ascribed to Luke, who was a wretched 
 painter) a lovely female face, with full cheeks, and a fresh and 
 delicate complexion. I was near enough to judge of the value 
 x>f the performance^ which, was not annss^ and bore the charac* 
 
 KUTTNER.] A A 
 
178 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 ter of the modern Lombard school. The Madonna formerly 
 possessed a rich treasure of silver, which was plundered by the 
 French, who served all the churches at Vicenza in the same 
 manner. 
 
 Instead of returning by the arcades, we took another charming 
 road, which is maintained at the expence of the city, and termi- 
 nates in an arch by Palladio, which is almost a copy of the 
 Porta Aurea at Pola. The nearer the artist approachesto the 
 Greek style, the more this arch surpasses in beauty that which 
 he erected in the Campo Marzo. 
 
 The Palazzo della Ragione, or Senate-house, is by Palladio, of 
 the Doric and Ionic order, and, in my opinion, handsomer than 
 that at Padua, though the Salone is not by far so large. The 
 palace of the former Podesta was partly consumed by fire, du- 
 ring the last winter, and the damage it received will not very 
 speedily be repaired. 
 
 We arrived at Verona on the lGth, at noon. Among the 
 northern cities of Italy this is still one of the principal ; and con- 
 tains many remains of the antiquities of the middle ages, which 
 are interesting. The ancient Roman Amphitheatre at this place 
 differs considerably from that at Pola ; the exterior wall of the 
 latter is perfect, w hile only a small portion of that at Verona is 
 standing, but on the contrary, its interior is in complete preserva- 
 tion. I here witnessed an extraordinary profanation of this no- 
 ble structure, and w hich exhibited in a ludicrous light the con- 
 trast between ancient grandeur and modern insignificance. In the 
 Arena had been erected a small stage, in which a wretched com- 
 pany was performing a farce in broad day-light. The specta- 
 tors were seated in the open air, on a part of the steps. They 
 and the stage together did not occupy a twentieth part of the 
 whole building, and formed a perfect caricature on modern 
 times. 
 
 An admirer of Shakspeare will scarcely pass through Verona 
 without recollecting Romeo and Juliet. Some .still pretend to 
 point out the house inhabited by one of the hostile families '; 
 and it was once shewn to me. I entered into conversation with 
 our Cicerone on this subject, and he conducted us to a convent 
 where the coffin into which J uliet was put after her supposed 
 decease, is said to be preserved. We saw this relic in the 
 garden of a convent, where We found a female who was inti- 
 mately acquainted with the history, and gave us a detailed ac- 
 count of the circumstances. Among the rest, she showed us 
 some holes that had been made in the coffin, that the lady might 
 not want air when she came to herself. What I saw was a coarse 
 piece of workmanship, of stone, and might with as much proba- 
 bility have been a trough, as a coffin. .Every thing, however. 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, Sic. 179 
 
 pfoves that the remembrance of this history is still preserved, 
 though nothing authentic is known concerning it. 
 
 1 he distance from V erona to Castelnuovo is fourteen miles, 
 and as many more tb Desenzano. At Peschiera you have a view 
 of a large portion of the Lake of Guarda, and at Desenzano its 
 whole extent is expanded to the eye. On our arrival at the latter 
 place, I immediately hired a boat, in which we proceeded to 
 what is denominated the V ilia of Catullus, near Sarmione. I 
 examined the remains of this structure more minutely than on my 
 former visit, and I have no doubt of its having been an ancient 
 Roman structure, f rom this villa we went on foot to Sarmione, 
 through a wood of olive-trees, which are said to yield an oil 
 equal to any in Italy. Here we were met by our vessel ; we 
 made a long excursion on the lake north. ward, and saw La Guarda, 
 La Cisi, Peschiera, and many other places, agreeably situated 
 on the shores of the lake. 
 
 Leaving Desenzano we proceeded to Volargni and Peri, 
 which is the last Venetian station. Ala, or Alla, is the first on 
 the Austrian side. Roveredo contains many very good and re- 
 spectable houses ; it is a populous place, but I can scarcely per- 
 suade myself that it has fourteen thousand inhabitants, as some 
 accounts state. It exhibits that activity aud bustle which arc the 
 consequence of industry and trade. 
 
 Trent appeared to me handsomer than five years ago. It has 
 indeed many good houses, and some that might claim the appella- 
 tion of palaces. The cathedral is a fine Gothic structure, whose 
 interior is well worth seeing. In the church of St. Maria Mag- 
 giore the celebrated ecclesiastical council was held. The picture 
 representing all the holy fathers who composed that great assem- 
 bly is not only an extraordinary performance, but possesses con- 
 siderable merit as a work of art. 
 
 On the 21st we reached Botzen, or, according to the Italian 
 pronunciation, Bolzano, situated at the confluence of the 
 Eisack and Tulfer. A little below the town the Eisack discharges 
 itself into the Adige and loses its name. These three streams, 
 the surrounding mountains, the luxuriant vegetation, the high 
 cultivation of the country, aud the innumerable houses scattered 
 over the mountains and hills, render the scenery about Botzen 
 pleasing and interesting. Botzen is a place of considerable im- 
 portance, and perhaps the principal commercial town in Tyrol, 
 but it is neither handsome nor populous. The number of inha- 
 bitants is less than ten thousand. 
 
 Brixen contains some good houses, but has not much of the 
 appearance of a town, rather resembling the village-like capitals 
 of the democratic Swiss cantons. The episcopal palace is a ca- 
 pacious building, but in other respects is not worthy of notice. 
 
 A A 2 
 
180 
 
 KOTTNER’s TRAVELS 
 
 The principal church is an elegant structure, and remarkable for 
 being embellished almost entirely by Tyrolese artist**. You 
 here find paintings by all the Unterbergers, of whom, if I am 
 not mistaken, there were four. Christopher, known at Rome 
 by the appellation of Don Cristofero, was patronized by Pius VT. 
 and executed most of the decorations for the Museo Pio-Cle- 
 mentino. He was inferior in talent to his relation, w ho died last 
 year at Vienna, and who received a thousand ducats for his Hehe. 
 This church also contains a good picture of the crucifixion, by 
 Sehbpf, a pupil of Knoller, who is still alive and resides at 
 Innspruck. 
 
 Mittewald, the next stage from Brixen, lies in a very narrow 
 valley, and is rendered still more gloomy by the black woods of 
 pines by which the steep mountains on either side are covered. 
 On arriving at Sterzingen this narrow valley opens, and forms a 
 plain occupied by fine pastures and meadows. Compared with 
 this scene, the lofty mountains inclosing this valley, which are 
 still covered with snow, exhibit a dreary appearance. 
 
 From Sterzingen to Brenner, a village on the summit of the 
 mountain of the same name, is a distance of nine miles. This 
 mountain cannot be compared with the Loibel, either for height, 
 the difficulty of the passage, or for the road which leads across 
 it. From the post-house at Brenner to Steinach is nine miles : 
 the next station is Schbnberg, a village on a hill, whose charm- 
 ing situation w'as in a lively manner impressed on my memory 
 from a former visit. I know of no spot out of Switzerland that 
 so nearly resembles the Alps of that country : the same charm- 
 ing verdure, the same luxuriant vegetation, the same universal 
 fertility and careful cultivation, together with the same respecta- 
 ble appearance of the houses and their inhabitants. This picture 
 is heightened by the magnificent view of those immense crags 
 w hich bound the horizon on several sides, and never have any 
 other covering than snow. The vast range of mountains to th^ 
 north of Innspuick may here be seen so distinctly, and appears 
 so near, that even the most experienced eye may be deceived, and 
 the spectator can scarcely imagine that he is separated from them 
 by the most extensive valley in all Tyrol, together with the town 
 of Innspruck. 
 
 I passed three days very agreeably at Innspruck, which is si- 
 tuated in one of the most delightful vallies in Europe. It is a 
 very handsome place, containing about twelve thousand inhabi- 
 tants ; and as it is the capital of the province and the seat of the 
 Regency, the traveller always finds some society, composed of 
 noblemen and officers, civil and military. The court contributes 
 very little to the gaiety or amusement of the inhabitants ; for the 
 Arch-Duchess Elizabeth lives in a very quiet and retired manner. 
 She inhabits an elegant structure, erected by Maria Theresa, and 
 
181 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 designed by that princess for her own residence, after the death 
 ot her husband. The lower part is occupied with the offices of 
 the regency, and the first story with the apartments of the arch- 
 duchess, the decorations and furniture of which are very simple. 
 The garden contiguous to the palace affords an agreeable prome- 
 nade, and a rising ground in it commands a charming view of the 
 country. The celebrated bronze equestrian statue of Leopold V. 
 was erected two years since in the front of the palace. Among 
 all the modem performances of this kind I think I never saw 7 a 
 finer horse. No person in the place could inform me by what 
 artist it was executed, and yet it is said that he is a natjive of 
 Tyrol. I cannot believe it to be the same who made all the me- 
 tal statues in the Franciscan church ; which, though not des'ltute 
 ot merit, are far inferior to this beautiful production. 
 
 The most remarkable objects in the Franciscan church, next to 
 the statues, are the twenty-four bas-reliefs in w r hite marble, on 
 the tomb of Maximilian I. They are by Colin, a native of 
 Mechlin, and bear the date of the year 1566. They are fine, 
 but exhibit evident marks of the German or Dutch school, and 
 attest that the artist was not an Italian. The college formerly 
 belonging to the Jesuits is now occupied by the University, and 
 contains the lecture-rooms, together with a handsome library, 
 which is daily open, and has a very convenient reading-room. 
 
 The gate of the town towards Schbnberg is very beautiful, 
 but it is an imitation of the triumphal arch at Rome. Almost 
 all the works of this kind that possess any merit are imitations of 
 the antique ; but those parts which are original, and deviate from 
 the style of the ancients, are in general destitute of taste. 
 
 I again paid a visit to the Castle of Ambras, about four miles 
 from this place, in a fine situation. The most valuable articles 
 preserved there were packed up two years since, on the approach 
 of the French, and have not been replaced. You may, how- 
 ever, still see the remarkable collection of armour that belonged 
 to a great number of princes and heroes of the loth and l6’th 
 century. The castle itself is now converted into a military hos- 
 pital, and is filled with wounded soldiers. The officers with 
 whom I became acquainted at Innspruck, complained bitterly of 
 the want of good surgeons in the Imperial army, w hose places 
 were supplied by barbers’ apprentices and ignorant bunglers, w ho 
 cut off many a limb, and sacrificed many a brave man, that 
 superior talents might have preserved. 
 
 On another side of the town is situated the charming convent 
 of Weilau, near which the Sil forms a pleasing, but not large 
 fall. The adjacent country is grand and picturesque. We like- 
 wise visited the little country-seat of the former princes of Tyrol, 
 which is a very insignificant structure, but commands a noble 
 view. 
 
182 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 LETTER XXVII. 
 
 SALZBURG. — THE MONCHSBERG. — THE C APUC'INERBERG. 
 
 MUNICH. THE PALACE.— THE LIBRARY. THE JESUITS' 
 
 COLLEGE.— CHURCHES. — THE ELECTOR.— SCHLE1 SH El M. 
 
 POPULATION OF MUNICH. INGOLSTADT. — R ATJSBON. 
 
 THE HALLS OF THE DIET. — THE SCOTCH INSTITUTION. 
 
 NURN BERG. — DECAY OF ITS MANUFACTURES. — ITS PO- 
 PULATION. 
 
 N't irnbcrg, July 26, 1799. 
 
 TP HOSE who travel to enjoy the beauties of nature will 
 scarcely be able to find,, out of Switzerland, such a continued 
 series of pleasing scenes as those we have traversed in the last ten 
 weeks in Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Venice, and 
 Tyrol. 
 
 To a great distance from Innspruck the valley continues to be 
 nearly of the same breadth ; that is, about two miles. It then 
 becomes narrow, widening at intervals, till you reach the plain 
 in which Salzburg is situated. 
 
 Salzburg is, in my opinion, one of the handsomest, cleanest, 
 and neatest towns in Germany. The great number of good and 
 respectable houses, the many fine streets, the numerous public 
 and private fountains, several churches, the palace of the prince, 
 the stables, riding-house, in a word, every thing evinces that this 
 place has long been under a wise government, which is seconded 
 by the industry and enterprize of its subjects. The town is small, 
 but most of the houses have four stories, besides the ground- 
 floor, many five, and some even six. Its population is reckoned 
 at sixteen thousand persons. 
 
 But what renders Salzburg perfectly unique, is the rock which 
 incloses it like a wall, and is called the Monchsberg ; so that 
 formerly there were only two entrances to the city, namely, where 
 the two extremities of this range of rock joined the river. In 
 the present century one of the archbishops formed a handsome 
 passage through the rock, upwards of four hundred feet in length, 
 twenty in breadth, and thirty in height. It is a noble work, and 
 the architectural ornaments, hewn out of the rock at each gate 
 or entrance, are in a good taste. 
 
 What was the original form of this singular rock cannot now 
 be discovered : it has been gradually worked away, so that it is 
 now nearly perpendicular. It served as a quarry to the inhabi- 
 tants, who hewed from it, but in a regular manner, the stone 
 they wanted. The principal buildings in the city are constructed 
 with it ; and people are at this moment employed in reducing it 
 to a form more nearly approaching a perpendicular line. It 
 therefore ljow forms the wall of the city, ^nd no town of ajiti- 
 
185 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, StC* 
 
 cjuity ever had one so thick, so strong, and so magnificent. It 
 must be in many places six, seven, or eight hundred feet in 
 thickness ; its height varies, in my opinion, front two to three 
 hundred feet. Above are houses, gardens, meadows, trees, and 
 even corn-fields, a magazine and fortifications, besides the cita- 
 del, which stands on a point still more elevated, called the 
 jSehlossberg. On this rock any person can walk ; and a more 
 agreeable promenade, and more enchanting view cannot easily be 
 conceived. You thence overlook the whole town, the river to 
 the distance of many miles, and the whole rich and charming 
 plain, interspersed with many villages, and innumerable detached 
 houses, all of which have an air of cleanliness and comfort tliat 
 delights me. 
 
 On the opposite side of the river, which is called both Salza 
 and Salzach, is an eminence of considerable height, denominated 
 the Capuciuerberg, inaccessible on one side from its steepness, 
 and defended by a wall on the other. This mountain is in fact 
 only an inclosed wood, on the most elevated part of which stands 
 a castle, that commands the most delightful view of any spot in 
 the vicinity of Salzburg. When I saw this small, and now 
 neglected edifice, with the arsenal as it is called, and its paltry 
 fortifications, I said that it must have been built by some archbi- 
 shop who was afraid of his subjects. Upon a nearer approach, 
 I actually found an inscription over the entrance, which states 
 that one Paris, Count of Lodron, was driven out of the town, 
 and retired to this place. 
 
 We left Salzburg on the 9th of July, and proceeded to Was- 
 serburg, a distance of forty-seven miles, where we passed the 
 night. This place is situated on a peninsula, formed by the 
 winding of the river Inn, which you cross over a handsome 
 bridge to arrive at die town. On the 10th we had thirty-three 
 miles to go, through a perfectly level country, to reach Munich. 
 In this tract of country I remarked a peculiar method of build- 
 ing houses. The upper story and roof are first finished, and are 
 propped up by posts ; the lower part is then constructed, com- 
 monly of stones and wood, or sometimes only of stone. I had 
 before noticed the same mode of proceeding in the archbishop- 
 ric of Salzburg. 
 
 Munich is accounted a fine city, and the many good houses it 
 contains justify its claim to that character ; but I scarcely know 
 a place o i the same extent that has so little architectural beauty 
 to recommend it. Even the great electoral palace, or, as it is 
 here termed, the Residence, looks more like barracks, a house 
 of industry, or a large hospital, than the habitation of a prince 
 who has two millions of subjects. The gallery of paintings, the 
 most interesting objects contained iu this palace, was packed up 
 
?84 
 
 kuttner’s travel* 
 
 on the renewal of hostilities, and the pictures have not been again 
 replaced. The cabinet of curiosities was not packed up, and I 
 have again seen with peculiar pleasure, among other things which 
 it contains, an accurate model of Trajan’s column at Rome. The 
 ground is of lapis lazuli, and the bas-reliefs of bronze. The work 
 bears the name of Levadier, a French artist of reputation whom 
 I knew at Rome, with the date of the year 1780; but the bas- 
 reliefs, which are the principal part of the work, are by Bartolom. 
 Hecker, who has likewise engraved on it his name and the date 
 1774, in an almost imperceptible manner. 
 
 I shall say nothing of the relics, and their costly cases, pre- 
 served in the collection in the chapel, but I cannot omit men- 
 tioning a small bas-relief which may easily be overlooked, and is 
 yet of very great value. It represents the taking of Christ from 
 the cross, in wax, by Michael Angelo. It is inconceivable how 
 that artist could transfuse his grand manner into so small a piece, 
 the largest figures of which are not four inches in length. It was 
 probably the model of an altar-piece he had to execute in marble ; 
 but be that as it may, it is an admirable performance. 
 
 -In the imperial apartments, as they are called, the tapestry 
 deserves particular notice, both on account of its beauty, and 
 because it is manufactured in the country. It is impossible to 
 forbear smiling at the puerile vanity which could induce a prince 
 of Bavaria to establish a manufacture, to support which, even in' 
 luxurious Paris, the king was obliged to make considerable sa- 
 crifices. As it still exists, I afterwards went to see it, and found 
 that Sentini, a very able artist, is at the head of it. I can, indeed, 
 perceive but little difference between its best productions and 
 those of Paris, but the prices here are higher, and no more than 
 ten persons are employed. 
 
 The Elector’s library does not stand in the palace, but in the 
 college formerly belonging to the Jesuits, where it occupies a 
 handsome building, and is well regulated. It is said to consist 
 of above 100,000 volumes, and to contain a great number of 
 editions of 1400, and some valuable manuscripts. I here saw 
 the first edition of Ptolemy, with maps, which is very scarce, and 
 many other works that were extremely interesting to me. The 
 reading-rooms, of which there are several, are spacious and 
 commodious, and are open to the public in certain hours each 
 day. 
 
 In the Jesuits’ college there are likewise several saloons, con- 
 taining various collections, and in one of them the Academy of 
 Sciences holds its meetings. Another is occupied by physical 
 instruments, mechanical machines and models, a collection of 
 minerals, and some subjects in natural history. 
 
 I likewise saw the treasure in the Jesuits’ church, and must 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 186 
 
 confess that it hurt my feelings to behold such a vast quantity of 
 gold, silver, and precious stones, amassed without purpose or 
 advantage. A few articles, such as cups, and other church- 
 utensils, are distinguished for the excellence of the workmanship, 
 but all the rest are destitute of taste. I saw whole chests filled 
 with silver statues, some as large as the life; and yet this treasure 
 is not by far so considerable as it once w as. Some years since 
 it was plundered by a knight of Malta, and recently sustained 
 another diminution, when the late elector appropriated to his 
 own use a considerable sum of money belonging to the church. 
 The government will sooner or later again be obliged to have 
 recourse to it, as well as to the other rich convents which abound 
 m this country; but the Bavarian is not yet sufficiently prepared 
 for such a measure, which at present might be productive of 
 disagreeable consequences. 
 
 Among the churches in this city, there are five which I should 
 recommend to the notice of the traveller. The church of the 
 Blessed Virgin is a large, ancient structure, and not destitute of 
 merit, and St. Peter’s contains some things that are worth seeing. 
 The church of the Gaetani would be a splendid monument of 
 architecture, were not the interior so encumbered with ornament, 
 that the grandeur of the plan and the style in which it is built, 
 is totally destroyed. In this church is the burial-place of the 
 electoral family, but they have no monuments. The Jesuits* 
 church, now belonging to the Maltese, is a handsome structure, 
 the magnitude and simplicity of whose interior inspires respect. 
 The same cannot be said of the exterior, nor can i admire the 
 metal statues, or rather groupes, over the doors. Lastly, the 
 large church of the Augustines contains a large picture by Tinto- 
 retto, and among the many others there are about two more 
 which are worthy of notice. 
 
 The trade of Munich is of very little importance, and manu- 
 factures will not flourish in this country. The few articles made 
 here are dear ; the great privileged manufactory near the palace 
 ceases to exist, and the buildings are now employed as barracks. 
 
 You know that the present elector of Bavaria is a younger 
 brother of the late duke of Deux-Ponts, and that he was once 
 colonel of a German regiment in France, Many people expect 
 of the new sovereign various alterations for the better. Some 
 have already beep begun, but. I am informed that the great body 
 Of the people are dissatisfied w ith them, though these measures 
 are conducive to their real interest, It was certainly a wise step 
 of the elector to suppress all the commanderies of the order of 
 Malta founded by his predecessor ; but the emperor of Russia 
 thought otherwise, and obliged the elector to restore them. His 
 interference has been so effectual, that the electoral prince is 
 
 KUTTNER-] B B 
 
186 
 
 kuttner’s travels 
 
 appointed grand-prior of the order, an office before held by the 
 prince of Brezenheim, the natural son of the late elector, on 
 whose account the commanderies were in part founded. 
 
 The late elector had three natural children ; two daughters and 
 the above-mentioned prince, for whom he richly provided. A 
 great portion of the money which, with the permission of the 
 Pope, he took from the churches and convents, is said to have 
 been expended on them. The new elector could not possibly 
 see these children with pleasure : the Prince of Brezenheim has 
 already quitted the country, and is said to have entered into the 
 imperial service. The finances of the country are in the lowest 
 state; the late prince was no economist, and shamefully neglected 
 the army. It is asserted, that, at the time of his death, there 
 were not 15,000 troops in all bis dominions. 
 
 1 was a few days since at Schleisheim, a magnificent country- 
 seat, twelve miles from this place, which was once celebrated for 
 its gallery of paintings, that were removed eighteen years since 
 to Munich. These have been replaced with fresh pieces; and 
 the collection might again be called important, if the value of a 
 gallery consisted in the number of pieces it contained. This ex- 
 tensive building has not been inhabited for upwards of twenty 
 years. 
 
 The architecture, though not a master-piece, is infinitely pre- 
 ferable to the tasteless mass of building composing the palace 
 of Nymphenburg. To the latter, however, belong large gardens 
 and water-works, of which the former mansion is almost entirely 
 destitute. The situation of these two palaces cannot be com- 
 mended, both standing in the vast plain which surrounds Munich 
 on every side, and is neither distinguished for fertility nor culti- 
 vation. It is wonderful how little every thing around Munich 
 indicates a place that is the capital of a country containing two 
 millions of inhabitants. Very few country-houses of any descrip- 
 tion, large woods of fir, vast pastures interspersed with arid 
 sands, and a few uninclosed corn-fields — such is the level tract 
 round Munich; interrupted only by the gigantic range of the 
 distant Alps, separating Bavaria from Tyrol. These mountains, 
 partly covered with eternal snows, form an interesting boundary 
 towards the south, but are visible only when the weather is per- 
 fectly clear. 
 
 Professor Westenrieder, in his Description of Munich pub- 
 lished in 1783, states the number of all the individuals belonging 
 to Miinich at 40,379, including the electoral palaces of Nym- 
 phenburg, Schleisheim, and Furstenried. Since that period the 
 population is said to have been considerably increased, parti- 
 cularly by the many inhabitants of the Palatinate whom the war 
 on the Rhine has driven hither; but that the present number of 
 
187 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 inhabitants should exceed 50,000, as some assert, I cannot be- 
 lieve. They ground their opinion on the extravagant rise in the 
 rent of houses, and the difficulty of procuring lodgings, without 
 reflecting, that in a town containing only 1,488 houses, an in- 
 crease of a few thousands makes a great difference. Munich is 
 the residence of a sovereign prince and of the most distinguished 
 persons in the country, and many very large buildings are entirely 
 occupied by a single family. 
 
 From Munich we proceeded to Ingolstadt, a distance of forty- 
 three miles. Ingolstadt is on the whole a handsome town, with 
 a great number of good structures, among which are some fine 
 churches and convents. I was particularly pleased with the prin- 
 cipal parish-church, which, from the date engraved on it, I sup- 
 pose to have been built in 1425. It is a large edifice, in a nobly 
 simple Gothic style. The Franciscan convent and its gardens 
 are worthy of notice. The Hall of Assembly, as it is termed, 
 is a large building richly ornamented and covered with paintings. 
 The style of the embellishments is bad, for they have more of 
 glitter and shew than of real beauty ; yet it is such an edifice as you 
 do not meet with in any Protestant university. The number of 
 students here is very considerable, but I cannot think they amount 
 to 2,000, as I was informed. The population of the place was 
 stated to be between 7 and 8,000, which I likewise believe to 
 be exaggerated. 
 
 Our conductor shewed us a great number of images celebrated 
 for the miracles they have wrought ; among the rest a Virgin 
 Mary of stone in the principal parish-church, a wretched figure 
 of Christ in w r ood, which the artist threw into the Danube be- 
 cause he was dissatisfied with the execution, but floating against 
 the stream, it was taken up and placed in a public situation, where 
 it gave a student, while at confession, a box on the ear, probably 
 for concealing one or two of his sins : lastly, a Madonna, which 
 the Jews threw into the Danube after cutting off her head. She, 
 however, floated, together with the head, against the stream, till 
 she was fished out with many solemnities, and a chapel was 
 erected in honor of her. 
 
 You mav easily suppose I should not be at the trouble to 
 write these absurdities, had I not observed that they are generally 
 believed by the people. The ceiling of one of the churches isr 
 painted with the incidents of the latter story, in four compart- 
 ments. A traveller must now and then introduce traits of this 
 Lind, because many Protestants who do not travel, are incapable 
 of conceiving what darkness here and there prevails in the south 
 of Germany. 
 
 Leaving Ingolstadt, we first proceeded nine miles along the 
 north bank of the Danube, which we crossed at V oh burg by 
 
 UBi! 
 
w 
 
 tuTTN ER’s TRAVEXS 
 
 means of a miserable wooden bridge. This town, as well as 
 Noustadt, is of no importance; they have no trade, no industry, 
 and are inhabited by people who principally subsist by agriculture. 
 The country gradually loses its uniformity, and here and there 
 rises into hills of tolerable height. Between Saal and Abbach 
 there are some pretty, romantic spots, perpendicular rocks which 
 rise on the shore of the Danube, and some wood; and the banks 
 of the river, which were before low', now become more inte- 
 resting. 
 
 I expected very little of Ratisbon, and found it even below my 
 expectations. Here is not one handsome street, not a single 
 regular square, no sign of life, activity, or opulence. Ratisbon 
 has no manufactures of consequence, and its trade appears to be 
 just sufficient to supply the wants of the place. It may be 
 thought that the great number of foreign ministers would give 
 the city a certain degree of life and elegance, or at least that some 
 equipages would make their appearance in the streets ; but ex- 
 cepting those of the prince of Tour and Taxis, you may walk 
 about a whole day without seeing a single gentleman s carriage. 
 The population is estimated at 24,000 souls, but I think this cal- 
 culation too high. 
 
 The Ambassadors' Street, which is so called because many of 
 the foreign ministers reside in it, is narrow, dull, and empty. 
 Every thing here wears a dead and forlorn appearance, and this is 
 the case with buildings which ought to be the most distinguished. 
 The house of the Prince of Tour and Taxis was consumed by 
 fire seven years since and is not rebuilt, and he now' resides in 
 one which he rents of the Abbot of St. Emeran. He lives in 
 some degree like a prince, to judge from the number of horses 
 and carriages he keeps, but all around the house looks so dreary 
 and forsaken, that it resembles a nobleman’s mansion which 
 the proprietor has not visited for many years. 
 
 The princely Abbot of Emeran resides in another part of the 
 abbey, which appears equally forlorn, and where nothing indicates 
 the mansion of a prelate who possesses very considerable re- 
 venues. To this abbey belongs a copious library, containing, 
 however, very few' of the best modern works. It is principally 
 composed of biblical works, the Fathers, and all that belongs to- 
 the Roman Catholic religion. Of the classics there are very few; 
 but it has some of the priucipcs, as they are denominated, or 
 editions of 1400, and a considerable collection of manuscripts, 
 many of which are said to have been written between the 8th 
 surd 1 1th century. 
 
 The library of the Prince of Tour and Taxis is of much 
 greater utility to the public. It stands iu a building at a con- 
 siderable distance from his dwelling. It is open to the public lot, 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 3B9 
 
 several hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and even 
 at any other time you may obtain a sight of it. 
 
 The cathedral is a very ancient Gothic structure, and is one of 
 the finest I ever saw. The exterior is rather heavy, but the in- 
 side is grand and dignified. The bas-relief, representing the mul- 
 tiplication of the loaves, is more celebrated than it deserves to be. 
 Of the other churches, none is worthy of particular notice. 
 
 The halls in which the Diets of the Empire are held are anti- 
 quated, mean, and gloomy. They are six in number, and all of 
 them have small, round, dark windows. It seems as if they were 
 never broken, else I know not how they could be replaced, for 
 I never saw any panes of glass resembling these, even in the 
 most wretched cottages. The best that can be said of these 
 apartments is, that there is nothing about them which does not 
 correspond with the other parts. The smoky walls, the tapestry, 
 tables, chairs, windows, floors, altogether make the completes!: 
 whole of the kind that I ever saw. It is as old, as worn, and as 
 decayed as the constitution of the German Empire. 
 
 I went to see the Scots , as it is denominated. This singular 
 institution is only for natives of Scotland, who bring over young 
 people, mostly boys, from that country, for the purpose of edu- 
 cating them. I enquired the number of persons it contained, and 
 was informed that at present it amounted only to seven, and that 
 a certain proportion of them is from time to time sent back to 
 Scotland to do the service there, that is, to propagate the Roman 
 Catholic faith. It appears to me that they continue to maintain 
 an intimate connection with Great Britain ; and therefore what 
 Nicolai says concerning this institution may be perfectly correct. 
 
 The bridge over the Danube, which is of stone, and upwards 
 of one thousand feet in length, enjoys some celebrity among 
 structures of the kind, but it cannot be compared with that at 
 Dresden, and is even far inferior to the bridge at Prague. It is 
 so narrow that two coaches call scarcely pass each other, and the 
 pedestrians are obliged to go in the carriage-way, because the 
 foot-path, paved with flag-stones, is so narrow, that one person 
 cannot walk on it without rubbing his clothes against the wall 
 which supports the balustrade. 
 
 We quitted Ratisbon on the 24th of July. Our road led us 
 first through a small part of the county of Neuburg, and soon 
 afterwards through the Upper Palatinate. This province is not 
 better cultivated than a great portion of the duchy of Bavaria, 
 but it is more pleasing and interesting than that level tract, being 
 composed of moderate hills, which are more or less cultivated, 
 and covered with wood. Schambach, Taswang, and Teining, 
 where we changed horses, are mere villages, and Postbauer, 
 where we passed the night, is an insiguiticaut place. In this 
 
190 
 
 KUTTNER’S TRAVELS 
 
 whole stretch of forty-three miles there is but one small towff, 
 Neumarkt, and even this differs but little from the villages, ex- 
 cepting in its style of building. 
 
 On the 25th, after proceeding about half an hour, w e quitted 
 the Upper Palatinate, and soon discovered, by the Prussian 
 eagle, what country we had entered. We changed horses at 
 rVucht, a small town in the territory of Nurnberg, but which, 
 as well as all the country on this side, from the frontiers of An- 
 spach, is in the hands of the Prussians. 
 
 That N iirnberg is a decayed city every one knows, and that its 
 population has been for many years decreasing, is evinced by the 
 grass that grows in almost all the streets, the few persons whom 
 you see in them, and the low price of house-rent, while that of 
 other articles is continually rising. 
 
 The misfortunes of N iirnberg have proceeded from other causes 
 than the mal-administration of its magistrates, of w'hich its inha- 
 bitants have so bitterly complained, and must partly be ascribed 
 to some circumstances for which there is no remedy. These 
 people formerly enjoyed a kind of monopoly of the principal ar- 
 ticles of their manufacture, I mean the various kinds of hard- 
 ware ; but other countries have become more civilized, and the 
 same articles are now made by the artizans of every town in Ger- 
 many. As the wares of Nurnberg were, however, either better 
 or cheaper, this city still retained a certain proportion of the 
 trade ; but the English have gradually inundated the half of 
 Europe with their commodities, and there are few who do not 
 prefer the wares of Birmingham to those of Nurnberg. The 
 manufacturers of the latter place did not accommodate themselves 
 to the times, but retained their old fashions and forms, while the 
 world required something more elegant, or at least something 
 different. Many of the articles made here stand so low' in the 
 estimation of people of taste, as to have become proverbial. 
 
 Notwithstanding its decay, this city exhibits many remains of 
 former times, capable of amusing a traveller for a few days. 
 Perhaps the ancient state of the arts in Germany cannot be 
 studied so well any where as here. Among the modern collec- 
 tions, that of Mr. Erauenholz is very considerable, and his latest 
 purchases comprehend many valuable articles. There are also 
 many fine pieces in his collection of pictures. The city-library, 
 several of the churches and fountains, and some of the magazines 
 of Nurnberg wares of every description, afforded me partly 
 amusement, and partly information. But in his walks through 
 the town the traveller should not forget pitber to furnish himself 
 with small coin, or to arm his heart with three-fold brass, for he is 
 every where pursued by beggars. The once-celebrated arsenal 
 has been stripped both by the French and Austrians. 
 
191 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 The population of N limber g was stated to me at 36,000 souls. 
 When I expressed my doubts of the accuracy of this statement, 
 my informant assured me that he knew it for a fact, and that it 
 had been communicated to him by a member of the magistracy. 
 The city is, indeed, large ; but when I reflect that the suburbs 
 have been cut off from it, and see the grass growing in all the 
 streets, I am convinced that there cannot be 30,000 persons 
 within the walls, and I even doubt whether the number of the 
 inhabitants exceeds 28,000. 
 
 LETTER XXVII. 
 
 BAMBERG. — THE NEW HOSPITAL. — THE ENGLISH NUNS. — - 
 
 “WURZBURG. THE PALACE. THE JULIUS HOSPITAL. 
 
 THE SCOTCH COLLEGE. HANAU. — FRANKFURT ON THE 
 
 M AYN . — DARMSTADT. — WETZL AR. GIESSEN. — MARBURG. 
 
 THE HATZ. CLAU8THAL. — ANDREASBERG. — THE 
 
 B ROC K E N. --BL ANK EN BURG. — WERNIG ERODE. GOSSLAR. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM BRUNSWICK TO HAMBURG, THROUGH 
 
 ZELL. 
 
 Hamburgh, August 29, 1799. 
 
 We left Niirnberg early in the morning of the 27th of July, 
 and proceeded nine miles, to Erlangen, a handsome, regular 
 town, the streets of which intersect each other at right angles. 
 Some are very spacious, and have a great number of good stone 
 houses. Its population is about 9,000 souls. The castle is a 
 solid structure of simple architecture, and every thing about it 
 has a very clean and pleasing appearance. It has for many years 
 been the residence of the widow of the late margrave of Bayreuth. 
 The buildings belonging to the University are not worthy of 
 notice. 
 
 Between Niirnberg and Erlangen the country is, without ex- 
 ception, level ; but at the latter place it begins to rise into mode- 
 rate hills, and continues the same till you enter the territory of 
 Bamberg. The stage from Erlangen to Furchheim is a wretched, 
 sandy road, and this part of Bayreuth contains much barren land. 
 There is, however, a still greater proportion in that part of Niirn- 
 berg of which the king of Prussia has taken possession, between 
 Postbauer and that city. Notwithstanding the sterility of the soil, 
 the tract between Erlangen and Furchheim is well cultivated. 
 
 Furchheim is a wretched, filthy place. The road from it to 
 Bamberg traverses a charming, well cultivated country ; the hills 
 are crowned with woods, below which, on the declivities, the 
 villages appear to great advantage. 
 
 Bamberg may be distinguished at a great distance, and its 
 steeples excite a favorable idea of its importance. It is, in fact. 
 
19‘2 
 
 xuttn-er’s travels 
 
 a very handsome town, with many very spacious streets, and a 
 great number of good houses, some of which are of free-stone. 
 The bishop’s residence, though an irregular structure, the church 
 which formerly belonged to the Jesuits, the antique cathedral, 
 some of the other churches, the fine newly-erected hospital, the 
 seminary, the large Benedictine convent, the town-house, several 
 of the houses of the canons, besides many others, would do honor 
 to any city. 
 
 The imperial hall, as it is called, in the residence of the prince- 
 bishop, and some other good apartments are worth seeing. The 
 collection of paintings is neither numerous nor vety valuable ; it, 
 however, contains some good pieces ; others were carried off by 
 the; French ; and others, as I was informed, have been sent away 
 for security. 
 
 The new hospital deserves particular notice ; I never saw any 
 institution of the kind that afforded me such pleasure. This 
 handsome and commodious, but at the same time solid and simple 
 structure, was erected by the late bishop of Bamberg and Wurz- 
 burg, the excellent Erthal, at his own expence, for one hundred 
 and fifty patients ; but his circumstances, I had almost said his 
 poverty, which was the consequence of his beneficence, pre- 
 vented him from endowing it. Other benefactors have since 
 bequeathed legacies, or contributed sums of money to the insti- 
 tution, and the remainder of its revenue consists of one kreuzer 
 ^something less than a halfpenny) per week, which every appren- 
 tice and domestic, male and female, at Bamberg is obliged to pay. 
 If any individual out of these classes falls sick, he receives in this 
 house till he recovers, attendance, medicine, board, lodging, and 
 even cloathing ; for all patients brought to this place receive the 
 necessary linen and clothes suitable for persons in their situation, 
 which they wear as long as they stay here. On their recovery 
 they give up these clothes, and receive back their own. All sick 
 foreigners unable to maintain themselves are also received, 
 without regard to country or religion. Patients are likewise taken 
 who pay for their attendance and cure, and the reputation of the 
 house seems to be so firmly established, that many persons of 
 rank and fortune prefer this institution to an inn or private house, 
 exactly in the same manner as many a lady of rank at Copenhagen 
 chuses to lye-in at the public lying-in-hospital of that city. 
 
 The English Nuns, so called from their foundress, who is said 
 to have been a native of England, likewise form an excellent in- 
 stitution. They instruct gratuitously children of their own sex, 
 in reading, writing, the principles of religion, and the German 
 language. Though nuns, they are not bound by any severe rules, 
 but are at liberty to walk about in the citv, and to visit their 
 friends. They are at present ten in number. They receive 
 pothing from the house but board and lodging, so that they must 
 
THROUCH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 1Q3 
 
 possess some property, besides which they occasionally receive 
 small presents from the parents of the children ; for those who 
 frequent their school are by no means of the lowest class. 
 
 Ihe church formerly belonging to the Jesuits, like most of the 
 buildings of that order, is handsome ; but this observation is in 
 general more applicable to the interior than to the exterior. The 
 other churches that I have seen are worthy of little notice ; but 
 yet those who study the progress of the arts in Germany will 
 here and there meet with something interesting. The large Bene- 
 dictine convent of St. Michael is situated on an eminence, and 
 when viewed at a distance is a great embellishment to the town. 
 It affords a fine view r of the country round Bamberg. 
 
 The river Rednitz, or Regnitz, is navigable at this place for 
 vessels of considerable burthen, and falls into the Main about 
 four miles below the city. A certain degree of activity and opu- 
 lence may be observed at Bamberg. The late bishop taught his 
 subjects many things of which they were ignorant, and excited 
 among them an industry w'hich is very rare in countries under 
 ecclesiastical control. Bamberg is much more lively than the 
 capitals of most spiritual sovereigns, and pretty populous ; but 
 whether the statement of the number of its inhabitants at 24,000 
 be not exaggerated, I shall not pretend to decide. 
 
 From Bamberg we proceeded by the w ay of Wiesentheit and 
 Dettelbach to Wurzburg. W hen T tell you that I know of no 
 town-residence of any sovereign which forms such a beautiful and 
 magnificent whole as that of the bishop of W urzburg, you w ill 
 doubtless be astonished ; but it is literally true. It is executed 
 from one complete plan, and is perfectly regular, the proportions 
 of all its parts are admirably preserved, and it is open on all sides. 
 W 7 hat particularly contributes to the beauty of this place is the 
 garden, in which two sides of it stand. The fortifications of the 
 city that compose part of the garden, are employed to great advan- 
 tage ; and that portion of them opposite to the principal front of 
 the palace, rises in the form of a semi-amphitheatre. The whole 
 is kept in excellent order, and has an appearance of opulence and 
 splendor, combined with the cheerful and the agreeable. 
 
 Not a fifth part of the apartments of the palace are occupied by 
 the prince, the restare appropriated to the residence of relations 
 or strangers, or principally consist of state-rooms for emperors, 
 kings, and princes, very few' of whom, it is true, ever visit this 
 city. The remainder are occupied by the domestics, or by tire 
 offices of the regency, or are vacant. One saloon i,s particularly 
 distinguished for its splendor, its magnitude, and admirable pro- 
 portions, and was painted bv Tiepolo, more of whose perform- 
 ances are to be seen at this place. But l cannot consider th« 
 celebrated stair-case as a master-piece of architecture ; the style 
 
 KUTTNER.] C Q 
 
kdttner’s travels 
 
 194 
 
 appears to me neither grand nor correct. The architect wag 
 Neumann, a native of Wurzburg, who had resided a considerable 
 time at Paris. 
 
 If I regard the palace of the prince as out of all proportion to 
 the country, I must not omit to add that this city contains ail 
 hospital which is not less magnificent in its way. The Julius 
 hospital is a very extensive edifice, having sixty-five windows in 
 each story, besides another range of building of the same length 
 behind, and two smaller at each end, so that the whole forms a 
 vast oblong square, inclosing a court of proportionable mag- 
 nitude. 
 
 The Cathedral, the Jesuits’ Church, the Observatory, and the 
 City Library, are all buildings or institutions that are worthy of 
 notice. The many pictures suspended in the cathedral, though 
 not master-pieces, are superior to those which you commonly 
 meet with in Germany. The Taking of Christ from the Cross is 
 a fine performance, by Sandrart. Some are by Fesel, an artist 
 worthy of a better fate than to live unknown at Wurzburg. I went 
 to see him, and learned that he is a scholar of Mengs, and studied 
 a long time at Rome. Besides several pictures, 1 likewise saw 
 some good drawings of his. This city also has a sculptor, 
 but who for want of employment works but little in marble. 
 Many of the statues and decorations of the fountains at this place 
 are by him, and he makes small figures of alabaster. 
 
 In this city there is likewise a Scotch college, all the members 
 of which must be natives of Scotland. This institution has ex- 
 isted several centuries ; for the Scotch have long had a footing in 
 these parts, because their countryman St. Kiiian lies buried here. 
 
 We left Wurzburg on the first of August, and did not meet 
 with a single town between that place and Aschaffenburg, a dis- 
 tance of forty seven miles. Aschaffenburg is neither large nor 
 handsome, and the country about it is very far from answering 
 the descriptions I had read of it. From Aschaffenburg we pro- 
 ceeded to Frankfurt by way of Hanau, where the present Land- 
 grave of Hesse Cassel resided for a long time when hereditary 
 prince. When his father changed his religion, Hanau devolved 
 to the prince as his own property, and on this account he did 
 many things for the place which are not usually done for a mere 
 provincial town. For the last tw o years it has been the residence 
 of the present hereditary prince. The reigning landgrave still has 
 apartments in the palace, but they are unoccupied ; for when he 
 comes to this part of the country, he lives in a small building a# 
 Wilhclmsbad. 
 
 We arrived at Frankfurt on the 3d. What gave me the most 
 pleasure in this place is, the increase of its trade, opulence, and 
 industry, particularly as I had before seen scarcely any but towns 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 195 
 
 which were either at a stand, or in a progressive state of decay. 
 On the contrary, Frankfurt, since I saw it six years ago,, has in- 
 creased in population and opulence. Two hundred new houses 
 have since been built, or are now building. At the present mo- 
 ment they are engaged in building a whole quarter, comprising a 
 square and about eighteen streets, many of the houses of which 
 are erected, but, though not habitable, are all let. 
 
 The Jews> who were formerly confined in a single, miserable 
 street, are to be allowed more room. I went to see their street, 
 and found it still in ruins. You recollect that three years ago a 
 fire broke out in it, and that to stop the conflagration the other 
 houses were pulled down. The Jews are now dispersed all over 
 the city, which they like so well, that they are in no hurry to 
 rebuild their ruined habitations. 
 
 The new buildings which have within the last six years been 
 erected at Frankfurt, display more taste and a superior style of 
 architecture, than those constructed in different parts of Germany 
 during the same period. The two Calvinist churches, the Ger- 
 man as well as the French, are handsome structures both within 
 and without. What an alteration in the spirit of the times ! There 
 arte now two edifices for the Calvinist worship in this city, where 
 a few years since the members of that persuasion were obliged to 
 go for that purpose to a village four miles from Frankfurt. 
 
 From Frankfurt we made an excursion to Darmstadt, situated 
 at the distance of about fourteen miles, in an agreeable but level 
 country. Darmstadt does not contain much to distinguish it, 
 either as a town or as the residence of a sovereign prince. The 
 palace occupies a great extent of ground, but scarcely half of it 
 is covered with building. The English Garden is not worthy of 
 notice. One of the landgravines is interred in it, but her monu- 
 ment consists of nothing but a hillock, with a small marble urn 
 placed upon it by Frederic II. of Prussia. 
 
 Darmstadt, however, contains a building which is not equalled 
 by any of the kind that I have seen in Europe. This is the 
 Exercise House, which is not supported by any column or pillar. 
 Its length was stated to me to be 314 feet, and its breadth 157 
 feet, so that neither Westminster Hall, nor the Salone at Padua, 
 can be placed in any kind of comparison with it. 
 
 We left Frankfurt early on the 9th, and arrived by four in the 
 afternoon at Wetzlar, though the distance is forty-two miles, and 
 the roads none of the best. 
 
 Wetzlar has not one handsome, strait, or level street. You go 
 continually up and down hill ; the pavement is bad, and the 
 houses are small and mean. The Lahn runs through the town, 
 and traverses below it a very agreeable valley. Wetzlar has an 
 ancient church, and which in its kind may be called handsome. 
 
 * C c 2 
 
ig6 kuttner’s travels 
 
 I think it a specimen of the earliest period of architecture in 
 Germany. . 
 
 On the 10th we passed through two universities, Giessen and 
 Marburg. The former is a wretched place, and the number of 
 students does not exceed one hundred. Marburg, though by no 
 means a fine town, is far superior to Giessen, and the University 
 is more considerable, and contains two hundred students. The 
 country round it surpasses any I have seen since we left Salzburg. 
 
 We passed the night at the village of Jessberg, and proceeded 
 on the ilth to Wavern, twelve miles, and to Cassel, fourteen 
 miles. Wavern is a wretched village, like most of those in the 
 territories of Hesse. 
 
 From Cassel, by way of Miinden and Gottingen, to Nordheim, 
 was a country with which I was well acquainted, having traversed 
 it only fifteen months ago. From Nordheim a direct road leads 
 to Brunswick, by way of Seesen, Lutter, &c. but those who w ! ish 
 to see the Harz, go from Nordheim to Osterrode, Clausthal, Stc. 
 The country between Seesen and Clausthal is a miserable tract, 
 like the greatest part of the Harz, at least as far as I have seen. 
 
 Clausthal is a very neat town, where I found in a high degree 
 that cleanliness which I have so often remarked in mountainous 
 countries. The houses are mostly of wood, but are in general 
 painted, so that their appearance is not amiss. As it is the capital 
 of the Harz, it is the seat of several colleges, and the residence of 
 a number of officers, most of whom have handsome houses. The 
 town has neither walls nor gates. The population of Clausthal 
 does not exceed 9000 souls, most of whom subsist by working 
 the mines. The mint which supplies all the Hanoverian domi- 
 nions, is established at this place. 
 
 The country around Andreasberg is still more barren than that 
 near Clausthal, an#I found it much less romantic than I had been 
 taught to expect. The houses too are far inferior, and the place 
 contains no more than 1000 inhabitants. Not long ago great 
 part of it w as destroyed by fire, but has been rebuilt with wood. 
 It is 1773 Purri feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 As the journey over the Brocken can only be made on foot, 
 we set off soon after four in the morning of the 16th of August 
 from Andreasberg, with a guide. I expected to find a beaten 
 road over the mountain, or at least a kind of foot-path, but soon 
 discovered how indispensably necessary it is to be accompanied 
 by a guide, for in many places not the least track was percep- 
 tible ; and we met with so many boggy places, that our feet and 
 legs were soon quite wel. We met with a boy collecting a par- 
 ticular kind of moss which grows on the mountain, and which is 
 said to be employed with advantage in consumptions. The upper 
 part of the Brocken is entirely bare, and is such a shapele^ 
 
197 
 
 THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 
 
 hi ass, that it appeared to me the ugliest mountain I had ever 
 seen. It has nothing romantic or picturesque, and no masses of 
 rock of various forms. The whole is a vast, clumsy cone, covered 
 with stones, between which are scanty patches of grass, with dry 
 moss, and here and there a low shrub. Of plants or herbs there 
 are very few. 
 
 When we had reached at a certain elevation, we arrived all at 
 once at a broad and tolerably good carriage-road, constructed a 
 year and a half ago by the Count of Wernigerode, for the con- 
 veyance of wood and other materials requisite for his new build- 
 ing for the accommodation of travellers. The mountain is an- 
 nually visited by a great number of persons from the circumjacent 
 provinces, and they have hitherto been crowded into two rooms, 
 forming the principal part of two huts, which are half sunk below 
 the surface of the earth. The new edifice has in front eight win- 
 dows and three doors, and will contain twelve apartments, all of 
 which are on the ground-floor, on account of the incessant storms 
 and other circumstances. The walls are four feet thick, entirely 
 of stone, joined with moss, and not with mortar, for lime would 
 be an article too expensive on these heights. The cellar will be 
 entirely blasted out of the rock, and the house is intended to be 
 completed in the course of next year. 
 
 As the summit of the Brocken is not pointed, but presents a 
 broad, flat surface, the natural consequence is, that it conceals the 
 scenery immediately surrounding it, at least for the distance of two 
 miles. You have therefore no grand or distinct object sufficiently 
 near for your eye to repose upon, or that forms a picturesque spec- 
 tacle. The first and nearest objects you here discover would serve 
 for the back-ground of a good landscape ; and in my opinion a 
 prospect is fine only in as far as it is picturesque, and presents a 
 variety of forms and masses. The BrockA derives its impor- 
 tance chiefly from the circumstance that the provinces around it 
 to a considerable distance are either perfectly level, or have but 
 very low hills. 
 
 At the house on the Brocken we took another guide, do con- 
 duct us to Elbingerode. On this side the mountain is steeper 
 than on the other, but less dreary and disagreeable. On leaving 
 the naked summit you soon arrive at a wood, which, compared 
 with the former, affords quite a delightful view. Nor is the tra- 
 veller here obliged to wade through bogs, as there is a kind of a 
 road, on which, though rugged enough, he may at least walk dry- 
 shod. Four miles before you reach Elbingerode the country again 
 becomes civilized, and from the contrast appears even agreeable. 
 
 From some accounts of journies to the Brocken, it might be 
 concluded that it is a very lofty mountain, though every one knows 
 this not to be the case. The Brocken is not more than 3000 
 
\ g $ k^ttner’s travels 
 
 feet above the level of the sea. In Switzerland, at the height of 
 4000 feet, there are fertile, smiling, and populous vallies. The 
 Brocken has all that is rude, wild, and disagreeable in the lofty 
 Swiss mountains, without possessing any of the beauties or the 
 fertility that embellish their vallies. 
 
 We passed the night at Elbingerode, a small insignificant place, 
 and on the 17th proceeded, still on foot, to Blankenburg. The 
 country becomes more interesting, and here and there I discovered 
 some agreeable spots. This whole tract contains many iron- 
 works, furnaces, &c. and among the mountains you perceive a 
 peculiar kind of rocks and caverns, that reminded me of part of 
 Carniola. One of these called Biel’s Cavern, and situated near 
 the village of Riibeland, was discovered in the year 1789 by a 
 miner named Becker, who has enlarged the entrance, cleared 
 away the sand and earth, hewn steps in the rock in one place, 
 and fixed ladders in another, so as to form a tolerably commo- 
 dious descent. The man shews the whole con amort , and has 
 given names to every object it contains. He considers the cave 
 as his property, and has provided it with doors and locks. 
 
 Blankenburg, the next town we came to, lies in a pleasing 
 country, and though not a handsome, is not quite an insignificant 
 place. We were here shewn a private house where Louis XVIII. 
 resided for a considerable time. The ducal palace, an ancient 
 and rather decayed building, stands on an eminence, various part* 
 of which command a charming prospect. 
 
 From Blankenburg we went nine miles, to Wernigerode, a small, 
 but bustling and tolerably populous town, principally composed 
 of wooden houses. The Count resides near it on a hill, which 
 affords the finest view I have seen in my journey through the 
 Harz. The castle is a -very extensive, ancient building, furnished 
 with such simplicity that 1 was astonished. 
 
 On the 18th we went to Gosslar, a town whose magnitude 
 forms a striking contrast with its population, which does not ex- 
 ceed above 6000 souls. The most remarkable object at Gosslar 
 is the cathedral, said to have been erected in the 11th century'. 
 In point of architecture it has but little merit; and indeed scarcely 
 any of the edifices of Germany constructed between the 1 1 th and 
 14th century can be compared with those erected in England 
 during the same period. There you find a great and bold style 
 in the whole, and high perfection in the parts : the German build- 
 ings, with few exceptions, are rude, often mean, and the embel- 
 lishments not only heavy, but in a barbarous taste. In this church 
 is the altar of one of the deities of the ancient Saxons, which was 
 brought hither from Harzburg. I conversed concerning it with 
 one ot the canons of the town, and likewise with a man whose in* 
 quirks are particularly devoted to the antiquities of Gosslar, and 
 
THROUGH DENMARK, SWEDEN, &C. 109 
 
 neither of fhem had the least doubt but that it was the genuine 
 altar on which the Saxons used to sacrifice children to the God. 
 It is a brass chest, perforated on every side in such a manner that 
 the flame could strike through to consume the victim as it lay on 
 it. You are likewise shewn in the same church a Christian altar, 
 surrounded with large metal columns, which was found at the same 
 place, and is said to have been a monument of the heathen ages in 
 Saxony. I must confess that 1 have great doubts concerning the 
 justice of the pretensions of either of these altars to such high an- 
 tiquity. 
 
 On the 19 th of August we left Gosslar. A wretched road con- 
 ducted us to Lutter, distant nine miles ; but from that place a good 
 paved road leads to Brunswick. This part of the bishopric of 
 Hildesheim is an agreeable tract, and well cultivated. On the 
 greater part of the way we had pleasing views of the Harz, and 
 particularly of the Brocken, which appears to much greater ad- 
 vantage at a distance than near. 
 
 The road we travelled from Brunswick, through Zell, Verden, 
 and Bremen, to Hamburg, is about one hundred and forty miles. 
 As I had traversed the Hanoverian dominions in so many direc- 
 tions, I did not expect to find nature clothed in charms, or a high 
 degree of population, fertility, and cultivation. Next to Lauen- 
 burg, I think it is the w orst tract of an equal extent that I ever 
 met with. The soil is one vast sandy desert, which is either natu- 
 rally bare, or covered with patches of heath or grass. Such a 
 country seems at the first view to be unsusceptible of cultivation; 
 its inhabitants, however, raise several kinds of grain, which yield, 
 it is true, but a scanty produce. Hence the wretched appearance 
 of the villages, and people thinly scattered over the surface of this 
 sandy tract. The houses are mean, in general without chimnies, 
 and attest in various wavs the poverty of their inhabitants. 
 
 From Brunswick to Bremen the distance is eighty-five miles, in 
 which you pass through only two towns, Zell and Verden; even 
 the villages are very scanty, and we once went fourteen miles 
 without meeting with a single one. The wood principally found 
 here is the pine, which, as is well known, thrives on the mo3t 
 barren soils. Here and there the sand is so deep and loose, that 
 it produces absolutely nothing. In general this country is flat, 
 yet it contains some eminences like those I have seen in Holland. 
 They are low sand-hills, which appear to have been originally 
 washed together by water, or blown in heaps by the wind before 
 the sand had acquired a certain consistence. They produce no 
 grass, but are either naked, or covered with a small quantity of 
 heath. But even in this dreary country I found here and there 
 •ome good corn-fields, and a few fine woods, of oaks intermingled 
 
200 XUTTNEIiV TRAVELS 
 
 with beecli and other kinds of trees, and in the neighbourhood of 
 villages, meadows, and pastures. 
 
 Between Bremen and Rothenburg, twenty-four miles, the soil 
 is far better, and the country more highly cultivated, than that 
 between Brunswick and Bremen. The scenery around the latter 
 is even pleasing ; the country-houses of its inhabitants extend to 
 a' considerable distance on every side, and this tract is consequently 
 better cultivated than you would expect from the nature of the 
 soil. This pleasing appearance gradually vanishes, and the tract 
 between Rothenburg and Haarburg, twenty-eight miles, is sterile, 
 uncultivated, and thinly inhabited. The country immediately sur- 
 rounding Haarburg is an exception, and contains some very agree- 
 able spots. The finest and richest part of the Hanoverian domi- 
 nions is that between Cassel and Hanover, and between Cassel 
 and the Harz. 
 
 Verden, though the capital of a county, is but an insignificant 
 place, and contains only a small population. The principal street 
 that runs through the town is of considerable length and rather 
 handsome, but all the others are extremely mean. The cathedral 
 is a large and respectable edifice, but the interior contains nothing 
 worthy of notice except a couple of monuments. 
 
 Haarburg is by no means a place of importance, but its situa- 
 tion on the Elbe, in the road to Hamburg, gives it the appearance 
 of bustle, and a certain degree of opulence. From this town a 
 boat sails regularly to Hamburg at stated hours, and at a certain 
 price. We hired one for ourselves ; the distance is reckoned to 
 be about four miles and a half. When you have passed the Fort, 
 you immediately sail between the islands of Wilhelmsburg and 
 Hochschauer; the former is upwards of fourteen miles in circum- 
 ference, and, as well as the latter, belongs to Hanover. Its pro- 
 duce in milk, cream, and other articles, is conveyed to Hamburg, 
 where it is sold to great advantage. Beyond Wilhelmsburg, 
 higher up the Elbe, are the islands of Oswater and Morwater, 
 the greater part of which belongs to the city. You then pass by 
 Neuhof, a Hanoverian island belonging to the family of Grote. 
 Still lower lie Olwater and Finkwater; the first belongs to Ha- 
 nover, and the other is divided between Hanover and Hamburg. 
 We at length arrived at'the Block-house, as it is called, where the 
 Hamburg guard enquire the name and quality of strangers, and 
 immediately afterwards we were set on shore at the boom at the 
 entrance of the harbour. 
 
 END OF KiTTNER’s TRAVELS.