Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian North

ndinavia, my readers will pardon me if I treat it briefly. This portion of Europe has been so frequent

n is situated on the shores of the Baltic Sea and the M?lar lake. These two waters ar

pels. On each side of the nave of the church are placed effigies of armed knights on horseback, whose armour belonged to the former kings of Sweden. The walls and angles of the church are profusely decorated with flags and standard

arles XII. wore on the day of his death, and his hat perforated by a ball, interested me most. His riding-boots stand on the ground beside it. The modern dress and hat

ations have been allowed to remain. It contains several large and small oil-paintings, some ancient and some modern monuments, and a profusion of gilding. The organ is fine and large; flanking the entran

scribe the treasures, curiosities, and beauties of its construction, or its interior arrangement; I can only say that I never saw any thing to equal it

it stands on the ledge of a rock facing the royal palace, on the opposite shore of the

In an outer angle of the church is shewn the stone o

eral other royal and private mansions; but they are not nearly so numerous nor so fine as in Cope

ountry-houses which border the shores of lake and sea. The town and its environs are so interspersed with islets and rocks, that these seem to be part of the town; and this gives Stockholm such a curious appearance, that I can

ficant. The principal buildings besides those already enumerated are, the bank, the mint, the guard-house, the palace of the crown-prince, the theatre, &c. The latter is interesting, partly because Gus

ncovering of the statues, beside other festivities. I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to this festival, which was to commence a little past seven. Before that I went to the theatre, which, I was told, would open at half-past six. I intended to remain there half an hour, and then drive to the palace, where my friends would meet me to accompany me to the festival. I went to the theatre at six, and anxiously waited half an hour for the commencement of the overture; it was after half-past six, and no signs of the

t commenced, and that I ought to stop, and not have spent all the money for nothing. I was unfortunately too little acquainted with the Swedish language to explain the reason of my departure, so I could give him no answer, but went away. I, however, heard him say to some one, "I never met with such a woman befo

eries of antiquities and of pictures. I had the pleasure also of being introduced to Herr Vogelberg. His modest, unpr

y of groves, meadows, hills, and rocks; here and there lies a country-house with its fragrant flower-garden, or tasteful coffee and refreshment houses, which on f

tands on an open sunny spot, and an ann

he little royal country-house here, which is built on a retired spot in the midst of groves and flower-beds. In front of the palace stands a splendi

je from Finnland, whose acquaintance I had made on the journey from Gottenburg to Stockholm. I s

the royal palace of Haga, to the large cem

ere and there a hill, and is crossed by majestic alleys and well-kept roads for driving and walking. The palace itself is so small,

ades, and are crossed by alleys, ornamented with groves, and provided with seats for the accommodation of visitors. This cemetery is surrounded by a dark pine-forest, and really seems quite shut off from the outer world. It is the only burial-p

al cadets. The extensive buildings attached to this seminary are built on the slope of a mountain, which is

or of the palace. Although it was inhabited, I was conducted, not only through the state-rooms, but through all the private rooms of the court. It would be impossible to describe the splendour which reigns here, the treasures of art, the magnificent appointments, and the eviden

ROYAL CASTLE OF GRI

the steamer returns to Stockholm. This excursion is very interesting, although we pass the greater part of the time on that portion of the lake which we had seen on our arrival, but for the last few miles the ship turned

, display neither splendour nor profusion of appointments, indeed almost the contrary. The pretty theatre is, however, an exception: for its walls are inlaid from to

eature of this palace, and must measure about

f the lake from their windows. But it is impossible to enjoy these beauti

ad enough in itself. He was confined in a large splendid saloon, but which he was not permitted to quit, and which he would therefore probably have gladly exchanged for the poorest hut and liberty. His wife inhabited two s

him. For greater security this oaken door was covered by an iron one. Round the outside of the apartment a narrow gallery had been made, on which the guards were posted, and could at all times see their prisoner through the barred windows. The spot is still shewn at one of the windows where the king sat for hours looki

e else, and that the window-sash had been hollowed by the elbow of the miserable king; but I could not pe

erals, painters, poets, and learned men; of celebrated Swedish females, who have sacrificed themselves for their country, and of the most celebrated female beauties. The name and date of birth of each person are affixed

emale gained a battle; Norsberg, also celebrated for a battle which took place there; and Sturrehof, the property of a great Swedish family. Near Bjarkesoe a simple cross is erected, ostensibly on the spot where Ch

TO UPSALA AND TO THE

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considerable. A steamer leaves both places every day

rain poured down in torrents. But if travellers paid much attention to the weather, they would not go far; so I nevertheless embarked at half-past seven, and arrived safely in Upsala. I remained in the cabin during the passage, an

in Upsala more than an hour, the weather cle

l Gustavus I. is interred between his two wives. The monument which covers the grave is large, and made of marble, but clumsy and void of taste. It represents a sarcophagus, on which three bodies, the size of life, are laid; a marble canopy is raised over them. The walls of the chapel are covered with pretty frescoes, representing the most remarkable scenes in the life of this monarch. The most interesting among them are, one

urdered. The monument of Archbishop Menander, in white marble, is a tasteful and artistic modern production. The great Linn?us is buried under a simple marble slab in this chur

nate brothers Sturre are kept in a glass case here; and here also stands a wooden statue of the heathen god Thor. This wooden affair seems to have originally been an Ecce Homo, which was perhaps the ornament of so

burying-ground over this partition. In this cemetery, as in the one of Stockholm, one seems to be in a lovely garden, laid out with alleys, arbours, lawns, &c.; but it is more beautiful than the other, because it is older. The graves are h

ents resembles a mountain; it covers the ashes of a general, and is large enough to have covered his whole army; his relatives probably took the graves of Troy as a specimen for their monument. It is

is situated on a little hill, with a fine front facing the town. The p

ce, conspicuous for its brick-red colour. It is very larg

a few paces from it two artificial hills serve as bastions, on which cannons are planted. This be

d streets, and ornamented with tastefully laid-out gardens. It has one disadvantage, which is the

and in the distance the silvery river Fyris flows towards the sea. Forests close the distant view with their dark shadows. I saw but few villages; they

e on the castle-gardens, which were lying lower down the hill, and are separat

resort of Linn?us, whose splendidly-sculptured bust is said to be its chief ornament; but the sun w

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e before twelve, as the blasting takes place at that hour, after which the pits are closed. As I had been informed how slowly travelling is done in this count

r. It is presumed that the higher ones cover the graves of kings. I saw similar tumuli during my journey to Greece, on the spot where Troy is said to have stood. The chur

Danemora; both are quite overgrown with reeds and grass, and have flat uninteresting shores; indeed the whole journey offers little variety, as the road lies through a plain, only diversifie

and small detached houses. The vicinity of the mines is indicated before arriving at the place by immen

nteresting sight. The pit, 480 feet deep, with its colossal doors and entrances leading into the galleries, looks like a picture of the lower world, from which bridges of rocks, projections, arches and caverns formed in the walls, ascend to the upper world. The m

ittle tubs hanging by ropes, and were raised by a windlass. It is a terrible sight to see the men soaring up on the little machine,

have feared the descent, as I was familiar with such adventures, having explored the salt-mines of Wieliczka and Bochnia, in Ga

oments the powder flashed, some stones fell, and then a fearful crash was heard all around, followed by the rolling and falling of the blasted masses. Repeated echoes announced the fearful explosion in the

a still more unpleasant sensation. I gazed with oppressed chest into the dark space, vainly endeavouring to distinguish something. I should not like to be a mine

. I can merely narrate the facts, without giving an opinion on the good or ba

ed with the horse-cloth. If the roads had not been so extremely good, these carts would have shaken terribly; but as it was, I must say that I rode more comfortably than i

ng for forwarding the travellers the next morning. At every post-house a book is kept, in which the traveller can see how many horses the peasant has, how many have already been hired, and how many are left in the

Swedish post-masters hurried as much as possible, and never demanded double fare, although they must have known that I was in haste. The pace of the horse depends on the will of the coachman and the powers of his steed; but in no

isance to travellers. The coachman has often to dismount six or eight times in an hour to open and close these gates. I wa

very thing is enclosed; even fields which seem so

nd cheerful, and I found the cottages, which I entered whil

eems curious to a foreigner to see these apparent gentlemen following the plough or cutting grass. At a nearer view, of course the aspect changes, and the rents and dirt appear, or the leathern apron worn beneath the coat, like carpent

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an on my former passage, I could remain on deck the whole time. I saw now that we sailed

soon, however, arrived at the region of islands, where the passage becomes more interesting, and the beauty of the shores increases. The first fine view we saw was the pretty estate Krusenberg, whose castle is romantically situated on a fer

as canals. I was most charmed with those spots where the islands lie so close together that no outlet seems possible, till another turn shews an opening between them, with a glimpse of the lake beyond. Th

h ruins, principally of round towers, which are said to be the remains of the Roman

conceals the rest from the eye. Then comes a palace, the property of a private individual, only remarkable for its size. The last of the notabilities is the Rokeby bridge, said to be one of the longest in Sweden. It unites the f

M TO TRAVEMUN

and embarked in the steamer Svithiold, of 100-horse

upies two and a half to three days; for this the fare, without food, is four pounds. The food is also exorbitantly dear;

ion, and that a basin of soup would be charged the whole price of a complete dinner. The poor man was to do without the soup, of which he stood so much in need, or scrape every farthing together to pay a few shillings dail

efficient. However this may be, we were delayed twenty-four hours at the first half of our journey, from Stockholm to Calmar, although we had only a slight breeze against us and a rather high s

riety of scenery make it interesting. To the right we saw the immensely long woode

planted along the walls, this fortress must be of great importance. A few hours later we passed a similar fortress, Friedrichsborg; it is not in such an open situation as the other, but is more surr

of naked rocks, at whose extreme edge is situated the fine fortress Dolero. Near it groups

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on the left, and on the right by Schmoland. In front rose the mountain-island the Jungfrau, to which every Swede points with self-satisfied pride. Its hei

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sting. A few hours may be agreeably spent here in visiting the beautiful church and the antiquated castle, and we had more than enough leisure for it. Wind and weather seemed to have conspired against us, and the captain announ

ine echo. The tones of the organ are said to produce a most striking effect. We sent for the organist, but he was nowhere to be found; so we had to content ourselves with the echo of our own voices. We went from this place to the old royal castle built by Queen Margaret in the sixteenth century. The castle is so dilapidated inside that a tarryin

continued our journey. The passage is very uniform, and we sa

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n sea; on the right, instead of the bleak Schmoland, we had the bleaker Schonen, which w

and the houses partly of wood and partly of stone. The most interesting feature is the ancient church, and in it a much-damaged wooden altar-piece, which is kept in the vestry. Though the figures are coars

we passed the Dan

er's expanse all around, and traverse its mirror-like surface. The sea presents a beautiful picture, even when it storms and rages, when waves tower upon waves, and threaten to dash the vessel to pieces or to engulf it-when the ship alternately dances on their points, or shoots into the abyss; and I f

en surrounded us, volunteering to drive us overland to Hamburgh, a j

to Lubeck, a distance of ten miles, is very pretty. A splendid road, on which the carriages roll smoothly along, runs through a charming wood

at and admire it as I hurried through. The pavement of the streets is better than I had seen it in any northern town; and on the streets, in front of the houses, I saw many wooden benches, on which the inhabitants probably spend their summer evenings. I saw here for the first time again t

emains so as far as Hamburgh; but it seems to be very fertil

cure a license to drive from Lubeck into Hamburgh territory, which costs about 1s. 3d.; then mine had to pay twice a double toll of 8d., because we passed through before fiv

Norway and in Sweden. There, an annual tax is paid for every horse, and the own

eason is, that stable, barn, and shippen are under the same r

istance; the two towns seem to be one, and are, in fact, only separated by pret

ere so astonished at my arrival, that they almost took me for a ghost. I was

x gave such a description of the wretched vessel in which I had gone to Copenhagen, that, after having heard nothing of me for two months, he thought I must have g