bis defigns, fo as to elude the eyes of a whole nation, and to escape the watchful attention of thofe, whom age and experience had rendered moft cautious and fufpicious, cannot be paralleled in the hiftory of any other man fo young. We find his conduct, at all times, equally uniform and confiftent in all its parts: the fame melancholy air of reverential picty, the fame tender concern for his people, the fame affection for the laws and the conftitution of his country, and the fame unalterable love of liberty, are as confpicuous after the revolution as they were before. In no circumftance of that trying and dangerous event, do we find him betrayed by the fmalleft paffion, nor does he for a fingle instant depart from himself upon any occafion. Upon the whole, he must be confidered as one of the most extraordinary young men that any age has produced. The tameness with which the Swedes have endured the overthrow of their conftitution, and the loss of their liberties, will ever continue a fubject of admiration. The time is not yet beyond the memory of man, when they were emancipated from the most deplorable ftate of defpotifm that any nation could groan under. In the reign of Charles the Twelfth they had fcarcely a merchant-hip upon the ocean; yet fuch were the happy effects of the fubfequent change of government, that, notwithstanding the loffes they had fuftained by his wars, 600 Swedish fhips paffed through the Sound annually, within twenty years after his death; befides the great trade of the Port of Gottenburgh, which lies without the Sound, and the internal commerce of the Baltic. They have now furrendered every thing that is most dear to mankind, without the fmalleft conteft. It is more than probable, that, within another age, they will afford a fresh conviction to the world, that commerce cannot flourish under an arbitrary government. This revolution, however, presents a mirror, which, if properly attended to, will exhibit objects of the greatest import to thofe few flates which ftill retain any vestiges of civil liberty. CHAP. VI. Revolution in Denmark. Counts Struenfee and Brandt are confined in the Citadel; feveral members of the adminiftration imprifoned; the Queen fent to the Cafile of Cronenburgh. Grand commiffioner's appointed for the trial of the fate prifoners. Condemnation and execution of StruenJee and Brandt. The Queen conroyed to Stade by a small fquadron. Peace concluded brtween the Danes und Algerines. Reconciliation between the French King and the princes of the blood. Scarcity of pro vifions in many countries. Magnificence of the Empress of Ruffia. HE quick fucceffion and dif- were no uncertain indications of a TH ites, which had taken place for fome time at the court of Copenhagen, It is not however eafy to form any conclufion upon fuch events in ar bitrary tra bitary flates, where public affairs are locked up in the obfcurity of filence and the mystery of intrigue, and the few who are acquainted with caufes, or can judge of events, are too prudent, or too much interested, to difclofe what they know. It was however to be expected, that the crifis to which affairs were brought by the late revolution, and the difgrace which the reigning queen met with, muft have brought on an eclairciffement, which would have gratified the curiofity of the public with a real state of facts, however fatisfied they may be as to their juftice or propriety. It was indeed thought that the near relation which the unfortunate Queen bore to the throne of Great Britain, would, in juftice to her character and honour, have occa. fioned fuch an explanation's being infifted upon, as would have prevented her falling a facrifice to the malice of a party, while the inveftigation of her conduct might have expofed their fecret views in such a manner, as even to convince a mifguided prince of their dan gerous tendency. draw fuch evident conclufions as Nothing of this nature has however been done; and this myfterious tranfaction ftill continues in its original darknefs and obfcurity. The court of Great Britain, wifely perhaps forbore to take any farther intereft in it, than the prefervation of the unfortunate Queen's life, which is faid to have been in danger, the recovery of her liberty, and the obtaining of a ftipend for her fubfiftence in another country. In this ftate of things, we can only give an account of fuch facts as are apparent to the world, and The late Count Struenfee was one of thofe numerous adventurers, which, from the great number of its governments, abound more in Germany than in any other country. They are generally people of low birth, who receive a peculiar mixed education, that is neceffary to the purfuits for which they are intended. Some knowledge of the civil law, of the rights of particular ftates, of public forms and of ficial writings, together with a minute attention to the etiquette of the refpective courts, are indifpenfably requifite; to which may be added fome knowledge in chymiftry, if not in phyfic; of the moft polite modern languages; and of the most fashionable writers. Among the number of them thus endowed, that fwarm about the different courts, and ftraggle from one to the other, where they are well received, if not employed, there must be feveral fo eminent in their genius, as to rife by their merit to the first honours and em ployments; and thofe who are not fo happily diftinguished feldom fail, among such a variety of characters as are exhibited among fome hundreds of fovereigns, to find fome [E] 4 one, one, to whom they will render themselves useful or agreeable. This encourages others to the fame purfuit, and the fucceffion is never at an end. Struenfee was the fon of a Lutheran clergyman, who is, or was, the fuperintendant of fome churches in the duchies of Slefwic or Holftein; he ftudied phyfic and chy miftry, and is faid to have been recommended to the prefent King of Denmark at Hamburgh, as a young man of confiderable parts and abilities. He is reprefented to have been, in reality, a man of infinuating addrefs, fome abilities, great ambition, profligate manners, and abandoned in his principles. His progrefs in favour was fo rapid as to amaze every body. He quickly abandoned his profeffion, became minifter of state, and was, with his friend and fellow-adventurer Brandt, raifed at once to the firft rank of nobility in the kingdom, they being both created earls. Struenfee alfo fent for his brother, who was made counsellor of ftate, and placed either high in or at the head of the finances. The new favourites, grown giddy by this rapid elevation, loft all appearances of moderation in their profperity. Count Bernstorff, and the old and faithful fervants of the crown, were difgraced and banished from court; and fuch of the ancient nobility as did not degrade themselves by their conduct met with the fame fate. It is faid that Count Brandt fhewed, from the firft, all that infolence and arrogance that feemed peculiar to new men, upon a fudden and unexpected rife; but that Struenfee had more fenfe and moderation in the beginning, until the shameful adulation and fervili of the nobility made him at lengt to forget himself fo entirely, as to fhew the greateft contempt upon every occafion for the natives of the country, their language, manners, and even their laws. The King during this time, from whatever caufe, is reprefented to have been in a moft deplorable ftate of imbecility, both of body and mind. It was not to be supposed that fuch a ftate of affairs could have been lafting in any country. Every thing was done that could wound the prejudices of the people. Struenfee and Brandt were profeffed free thinkers, and publicly laughed at those religious forms and opinions to which the people were most ftrongly attached. The court was loofe and diffolute; mafked balls. and entertainments were continually given; foreign amufements, manners, and cuftoms, introduced; and the plain manners and fober decorum of the natives treated with the moft fovereign contempt. An ancient and fevere law againftadultery was repealed, which the people confidered in the fame light that they would have done a reward for the committing of it; and this operating upon their already conceived opinions, they concluded that all fences moral and religious were to be broken down. An attempt to diffolve the King's guards, and to incorporate them into other regiments, precipitated matters to a conclufion, fooner than they probably would otherwife have arrived. The guards ftood to their arms, and abfolutely refused to fubmit to the degradation of being incorporated with other troops; but offered to lay them down, and accept accept of their discharge, upon obtaining liberty to retire to their refpective countries. It was thought neceflary to accept of this expedient, and the guards were accordingly discharged. This extraordinary measure afforded an opportunity to the party who were concerting the ruin of the favourites, which they did not neglect to make ufe of. It was whispered, that the difmiffion of thofe troops, who were the proper guards of the king's perfon, and whofe fidelity and attachment to him were undifputed, was the refult of a defign which had been laid to fecure it, and to compel the King to fign an act of renunciation, and to establish a regency, by which the government was to be totally and finally lodged in the hands of the Queen and the favourites; that the ruin of the kingdom was intended, and that Struenfee, who was a tool and a creature to France, had already difgraced Count Bernftorff, who was the upholder of the English and Ruffian fyftem, in order that the French influence might become fupreme in their councils; that the whole adminiftration would be lodged in the hands of foreigners; and that infolence and contempt, which they already found fo intolerable in a few, would then be extended to every department. Thefe infinuations fpread rapidly among the people, while the original authors were totally concealed; and the averfion to the favourites was fo general, that, among fo many thousand people, they had not one friend that would inform them of what every body thought and talked of. They were accordingly wrapt up in the moft profound fecurity, while thofe mea fures were taking with equal filence and fecrecy, the effects of which they were fo foon and fo fatally to experience. The Queen Dowager, Julia Maria, fitter to the Duke of Brunfwick Wolfenbuttle, and mother to the King's half brother, Prince Frederick, was at the head of the confpiracy which was now formed. She is reprefented on the one hand, as an artful, ambitious, and intriguing woman, who having been encouraged, from the weakness of adminiftration, to form dangerous defigns in favour of her fon, who was now arrived in his 19th year, had with that view, under an appearance of the greatest friendship, impofed upon the youth and innocence of the young Queen, and artfully led her into those measures which were the most exceptionable and unpopular in her conduct; while, in the mean time, her numerous emiffaries were employed to mifreprefent all her actions, and to fwell her flighteft errors, and the cafual inadvertencies of youth, into crimes of the blackest dye; that in the fame manner, and with the fame defign, fhe practifed upon the weakness of the King, to render him odious to the people; and that even the late measure of incorporating or reducing the guards, had originated from her. On the other hand, the is represented as a princefs of extraordinary virtue, refolution, and abilities, which the has properly and happily exerted, in refcuing the country from a shameful and ignominious foreign yoke. A masked ball having been given at court, the enfuing Jan. 16th, morning was deftined for the execution of the 1772. plot. plot. The principal perfons concerned, befides the Queen Dowager and Prince Frederick, were Count Oftein, who is now minifter of ftate, Count Rantzau, General Eichstedt, and Colonel Koller, who commanded the regiment which was that night upon duty, and brought over all the officers to their party. About four o'clock in the morning, the Queen Dowager, her fon, General Eichttedt, and Count Rantzau, entered the King's bed-chamber, and ordered the valet-de-chambre to awake him, and, in the furprize and alarm, that this unexpected intrufion excited, informed him, that the reigning Queen, and the two Struenfees, were at that inftant bufy in drawing up an act of renunciation, which they would immediately after compel him to fign; and that the only means he could ufe to prevent fo imminent a danger, was to fign thofe orders, without lofs of time, which they had brought with them, for arrefting the Queen and her accomplices. The King having hefitated at this propofal, the Queen Julia told him, that if he did not. fign them it would be of no great confequence, as the and her fon would do it without him; fome other converfation paft, and the King was in too great a terror not to comply with their demands. Count Rantzau, and three offi cers, were dispatched at that uns timely hour to the Queen's apart ments, and immediately arrested her. She fhewed great indignation, and feemed almost distracted at this infults told Rantzau that he should lofe his head for it, and repeatedly attempted to make her way to the King's apartments, She was however obliged to fubmit to a neceffity which the could not refift, and had but a very short time allowed her to prepare for a journey to the caftle of Cronenburgh; for which place the was obliged, with the infant princefs, to set ont early in the morning, attended by lady Moftyn, and escorted by a party of dragoons. Struenfee and Brandt were feized in their beds, and it feeins to have been done before the orders were figned; for the former having started up fuddenly, and demanded eagerly to fee the authority upon which he was arrefted, Col. Koller fhewed him the point of his fword, and faid that was fufficient authority for the prefent; but that he made himself anfwerable for the King's confirming it. Struenfee's brother was feized at the fame time, and the three were fent together to the citadel. Struenfee's adherents, and most of the members of the late adminiftration, were seized the fame night, to the number of about eighteen, among whom were General Gahler and his lady, the master of the horfe, Baron Bulow, Gen. Gude, Col. Falkenthiold, Gen. Heffelburg, Wildebrandt a privy-counsellor, and two fecretaries of ftate. Some of these were fent to different prisons, and others confined to their own houfes. The populace received fome intelligence of thefe tranfactions early in the morning, and proceeded to great exceffes, in the eagerness of their joy for the downfal of the favourites. Near an hundred houfes are said to have been plundered or demolished upon this occafion. As the people had fome apprehenfions with relpect to the King's perfon, he paffed flowly in a coach through the principal streets of the city, in com |