OF

CHARACTER OF GUSTAVUS ADOL PHUS IV. LATE KING SWEDEN, AND ACCOUNT OF HIS DETHRONEMENT.

alter any resolution, however sbsurd or ridiculous, which he bad once formed, even though it were demonstrated to him by the clearest evidence, that persisting in it could

BEL

EFORE I went to Sweden, I was strongly impressed with a high opinion of the late King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus IV. as it had been drawn with so much zeal and apparent truth in the British Newspapers. I disapproved of the Swedish revolution, and was eager to learn the opinion entertained of it by well informed people in Sweden. I found every person concur in the same opinion, while the picture drawn of the conduct of Gustavus Adolphus was so different from what I had conceived from the statements in the English newspapers, that I was unwilling to admit it, and I yielded only to the evidence of well-authenticated facts.

Gustavus IV. possessed certain qualities which gave him a resemblance to Charles XII. the prince, whose conduct he considered as a model for his imitation. Like Charles, he had an obstinacy of character so great that it was impossible to induce him to

Another quality in which he resembled Charles XII. was in his capacity of enduring cold, which was uncommonly great. He used to travel in the winter with only a slight covering, when his courtiers were trembling with cold under the load of two or three greatcoats and surtouts.

Instead of defending his own frontiers, he left them defenceless to the invading energy, while the whole of his attention was turned to romantic schemes, altogether beyond the power of his resources to realise. He had early become the submissive votary of religion, or, more accurately speaking, of superstition, and during his travels in Germany, he got hold of a commentary on the Revelations, by a man of the name of Jung, which, though originally written in German, had been translated into Swedish. This book became the subject of his assiduous study; the opinions which it contained, were implicitly adopted, and regulated all his conduct. The second beast

described

described in the 13th chapter of the Revelations, whose power was to be but of short duration, was consider. ed by him as Bonaparte; because some commentator had shown that the letters in the name Napoleon Buonaparte make out the number 666, which is the mark of the beast.

In consequence of this discovery, he ordered the name of the French Emperor, in all the Swedish newspapers, to be always printed N. Buonaparte, and as the real reason of this whimsical charge was concealed by his ministers, it excited considerable curiosity in the country, and nobody was able to explain it in a satisfactory manner. He easily persuaded himself that he was the person destined by Heaven to overturn the dominion of the beast, and that the verse in the 6th chapter of the Revelations, which is as follows, applied to himself:

"And I saw and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquer. ing and to conquer."

Gustavus IV. possessed some skill as a practical painter. At Gripsholm he drew a picture of himself seated upon a white horse, and trampling the beast under his feet. So firmly was he convinced of the truth of all these predictions, that he thought nothing more was necessary than to refuse to treat with Bonaparte. No preparations on his part would be requisite to enable him to fulfil the intention of heaven. When besieged in Stralsund by a French army, he expected the visible interposition of an angel in his behalf. But when this angel, who was to be four German miles in height,

did not appear, and the French batteries were nearly completed, he thought it requisite to attend to his own safety, and retreat to the island of Rugen.

His own notion of military tac. tics, was that it consisted in nothing else than regulating the military uniforms: this was with him a point of such importance, that when the supplementary troops were raised, he spent the greatest part of a year in devising the shape of their coats, while, in the mean time, the poor recruits were left so entirely without every means of comfort, that many actually died of cold and hunger.

I am conscious that this picture of the conduct and capacity of Gustavus IV. is very different from what is generally entertained in this country. It is very different from what has been uniformly inculcated in all our newspapers, and, indeed, as different as possible from the opinion which I myself entertained before I went to Sweden. But it is an opinion which must be adopted by every person who will make himself acquainted with the facts which took place in Sweden during his reign.

Three powerful nations were preparing to invade and divide the kingdom of Sweden among them. Gustavus had quarrelled with his only ally, and obstinately refused to listen to any terms of peace with France and Russia; though it was demonstrated that such a peaco was essentially necessary for the interests of his country, and that perseverance in the war could lead to nothing else than complete ruin.

The liberty of the press had

been

been totally annihilated in Sweden, so that the people in consequence were but imperfectly acquainted with the state of Europe. The King had all along been very popular with the people, who, ignorant of his real character, ascribed all his errors in Germany to the want of capacity of his ministers. Even the commencement of the Russian and Danish war did not alter their sentiments, and the losses sustained in Finland served only to irritate the minds of the people. Popular enthusiasm was raised to the highest pitch, and the most glorious results would have taken place had the throne been filled by a prince who understood how to profit by the disposition of his subjects. But the management of the war in the summer and autumn of 1808, opened the eyes of the whole Swedish nation. The deplorable state of the finances, the determination of the King never to make peace, and the absurd plans which he had projected for the next campaign, awakened in the mind of every thinking man the necessity of taking some immediate step to save their tottering

country.

Colonel Adlesparre, who commanded the western army, conducted his troops to Carlstadt, harangued the different regiments in succession in the market-place, informed them of the hazardous enterprize which he had undertaken, and the necessity of such measures for the safety of their country. The troops unanimously entered into his views, and offered to sacrifice their lives for the salvation of their country. A detachment was sent to take possession of Gottenburg, while Colonel Adle

sparre marched with the rest of his army to Orebro.

The conspirators, at Stockholm, were sensible that the King's retreat ought, at all hazards, to be prevented, and, therefore, resolved upon attempting to seize his person next day, the 13th of March, before he should have leizure to put any of his plans in execution. Baron Adlercreutz, who had come to Stockholm on purpose, and who had acquired reputation by his conduct in the Finland war, agreed to take the lead on this occasion.

Baron Aldercreutz, Count Klingspor, Colonel Silfversparre, and many other officers who were in the secret, assembled in the palace by eight o'clock in the morning. The number of conspirators within the palace amounted to about fifty.

Baron Aldercreutz now went round and desired those who were stationed at the gates and the other parts of the palace to be vigilant on their parts, and having collected a number of officers he entered the King's room. When the door opened, the King seemed surprized; the Baron immediately approached and said, "That the public mind was in the utmost irritation from the unfortunate state of the country, and particularly from his Majesty's intended departure from Stockholm: that the higher officers of state, the troops, and the most respectable citizens, had encouraged him to represent the consequences to his Majesty, for which purpose"-here the King loudly exclaimed, "Treason! you are all corrupted and shall be punished!" The Baron answered, "We are no traitors, but wish to save your Majesty, and

our