and five or six benches across the carriage, which holds. ten or twelve persons. Those belonging to people of fashion are hung upon springs. "From Wandsbeck we proceeded to Billvardin. In going thither we crossed the Bille, a narrow but deep river, on the banks of which the houses are built in the Dutch style. One of them belonged to M. de Chapeau Rouge, and is in a lovely situation, commanding a charming prospect. Baron Voght has also a delightful country-house a short distance beyond Altona, in the Danish territories. This gentleman has passed some time in England, where he visited the counties most noted for husbandry. He made agriculture his principal study, from which he reaped the greatest advantages on his return to his native country; and improved the soil of, and in the neighbourhood of his estate beyond his most sanguine expectations. His farming knowledge is equalled by his philanthropy; and he has attended so particularly to the hospitals, and other charitable institutions, that they are now upon a very different and infinitely better plan than when we visited them in 1790.

"Mr. Parish's charming residence is in the same neighbourhood, close to the village called Neunstiden, six English miles and a half from Hamburgh. Nothing can possibly be more picturesque than this elegant villa, situated on an eminence commanding the Elbe, and so near that river, as to be able to hail the vessels passing and repassing. The variety and extent of the different points of view, are indeed so beautiful, that the proprietor, whose riches are equalled by his taste, was induced to fix upon this lovely spot for his favourite residence, and to build a handsome house, where formerly stood a miserable cottage.

This is surrounded by a domain extending two English miles, which, from being barren and neglected, is now excellently cultivated, cut out into different walks, and planted with a variety of beautiful trees, which already afford a delightful shade The various embellishments which have taken place in the house and grounds during thirtysix years would be too tedious to particularise; I shall only say, that the stables, which were newly built, and cost forty thousand marcs banco, were destroyed by lightning, but were immediately rebuilt at a still more considerable expense.

"The beauty and elegance of this spot are not more formed to attract the visits of a stranger, than the hospitality and politeness of the owner to engage him to remain there. The French, Dutch, Flemish, Swiss, Italian, and German emigrants, have been equally well received, and assisted in a very different manner from what they would have been elsewhere. Even Madame de la Fayette flew for protection and consolation to the American consul, poured out her griefs into his friendly bosom, and expressed the deep repentance of him who had been the original author of her misery.

This benevolent man, so truly regretted by his neighbours, and so cruelly missed by the wandering stranger, is now returned to his native country, where his purse and hospitable mansion are ever open to the needy and unfortunate of every nation.

"Dokenhude, a mile from Nieustiden, contains the country-houses of Messieurs C. and P. Godefroy; that belonging to the latter is esteemed the finest country-house in the environs of Altona: the garden is laid out in the English style, and is open to the public.

"The

"The suburbs of Hamburgh are said to be dangerous towards night, and there have been instances, between that city and Altona, of young men being pressed by the Dutch, carried forcibly on board a ship, and taken immediately to Batavia, whilst their friends remained for a long time ignorant of their unfortunate fate. These events, it is to be supposed, are very uncommon; they ought, however, to be mentioned, to put people on their guard, and to prevent, if possible, such unlawful proceedings.

"Hospitals, and all public institutions, were in a very neglected state in 1790. Trade so entirely absorbed every other idea, that the best and most useful plans were scarcely ever executed; every thing, indeed, appeared entirely forgotten, which did not relate to mercantile speculations.

"Pesthof is the name of an hospital very near the town, from whence a shady road leads to the chapel, which stands apart from the rest of the buildings, and has the form of a handsome rotunda. The hospital consists of several edifices, scarcely separated from each other; these are of tile and wood, and the apartments are very dirty. The sick sleep two, and sometimes even three in a bed: men and women can hardly be said to be separated. The ceilings are not more than nine feet high; and the beds nearly touch, which causes a most disagreeable smell, not a little increased by a quantity of chafing dishes, every patient being allowed to have one. This hospital contained nine hundred persons in November 1790, who were received on paying five guineas a-year. Separate rooms with stoves are appropriated to insane patients, who are comfortably lodged. Of these there were only

nine at that time. The cells for the raving mad are in another building, and are twenty-four in number: they are cleaned but once a-week, and are almost always empty. The principal food in this hospital is a kind of gruel, made with milk and water, two pailsful of the former being boiled up in an immense kettle: the bread is bad, heavy, and sticks to the knite. The city is at the expense of this institution,which must be very considerable: the mo ney is collected from the citizens, who are at liberty to subscribe whatever sum they think proper.

"The house of correction stands on the banks of the bason formed by the Alster, and very near the public walk. In November 1790 it contained four hundred and fiftyfour persons, and is capable of holding seven hundred, but they would then be obliged to sleep three in a bed. Men, women, aud children, of the lowest classes, are indiscriminately admitted, and made to work for their maintenance. Some are sent thither for various offences, but none are confined for life. The food is the same as in the hospital, and they all eat together in a large and very dirty hall. Carpets, half a yard Hamburgh measure wide, are manufactured here, and sold for fifteen-pence English the three quar ters of a yard. They also make cloth for the troops, which is not sold for any other purpose. Carpets in the English style for two shillings and eleven-pence the three-quarters of a yard: carpets made of pig's and cow's hair, which only cost fourpence the same measure, and are very convenient for smokers, not taking fire from a spark falling upon them. The produce from the industry of this house is not sufficient for the expenditure, which amounts annually to nearly thirteen hundred

pounds

pounds more than the profits of the work.

"No one can be admitted to see this institution without a ticket from one of the overseers. The office of an overseer is frequently very disagreeable, but cannot be refused, without incurring the penalty mentioned in the article of senators. Those who behave ill in this house are confined in cells, where they are punished by a certain number of stripes from a leather strap, which are often inflicted in presence of the overseer for the time.

"The pig's and cow's hair are spun by children, who generally become consumptive in less than a twelvemonth; yet such is the poverty existing in Hamburgh, that hands are never wanting for this pernicious employment. The dust and flew from the hair form such an atmosphere, that it is impossible to remain even a few minutes in the apartment without coughing violently. Those employed in cutting and sawing Brazil wood are the greatest gainers; the profit of the others is so trifling, that it is scarcely sufficient to keep them alive. No one should visit this institution without a provision of small money, plates and boxes being dispersed in different parts, into which it is customary to drop a trifle.

"The Foundling Hospital is, without exception, the finest institution in Hamburgb; indeed it is the only one neatly and properly kept. It is a brick building, with twenty-three windows in front. The entrance is by three great gates. The wings have each eleven windows in front, and six backwards: these communicate with each other by a covered and glazed gallery overlooking a canal. There were six hundred children in the hospital when we saw it: the boys were

less in number than the girls. The former are taught reading, writing, accounts, and a little drawing; the latter, reading, writing, spinning, plain work, and embroidery. The only defect in this institution is, that the children enjoy too many comforts, and are too well educated for the style of life they are forced to adopt upon quitting it. Most female servants are hired from this place, and the boys are employed in different manufactures. Their food consists of oatmeal soup, cabbage, butter, cheese, and meat twice a week. The dormitories are very clean, and free from disagreeable smells. Each bed is furnished, according to the German fashion, with two feather beds, one serving as a coverlid; this is lined with a sheet, which turns over, and forms a border round the bed. These children are educated, fed, and entirely maintained gratis: the city is at the whole expense, which is supported by voluntary contributions: this, indeed, is the case with every other institution of the same nature, The church is handsome, with an elegant marble baptismal font facing the altar. There is also a small picture of the Lord's Supper, painted and given to the charity by Madame Deboar. The expense of building this hospital amounted to 295,000 marks.

"It is an extraordinary circumstance, that in a city where the poor amount to at least twelve thousand, there should be no beggars in the streets; but the government is very severe in this particular, all idle people being confined, and obliged to work for their subsistence. Paupers being more numerous in the winter months, it is necessary to send many of them into the neighbouring vilJages, where proper places are provided for their reception.

"There

"There is also an hospital for poor seamen, which, however, is but an indifferent institution. This is rather extraordinary in a city where at least three quarters of the inhabitants are brought up either to trade or to the sea-service. Government would do well to attend to an object of such great importance. An hospital for lying-in women is also wanting, or at least was so in 1790; and we have never heard that this deficiency has been supplied.

"Consumptions, and other affections of the lungs, are the most prevalent distempers in Hamburgh, owing, most probably, to the damp produced by such a quantity of water.

"Hamburgh is not very conspicuous for manufactures, as the following statement will plainly evince. Very few printed linens are now manufactured here, owing to the enormous wages exacted by the workmen. Velvets are in the same predicament; and indeed the country cannot boast of a single branch of industry peculiar to itself. Mr. Kruger, however, still has a manufactory for coloured linens deserving notice, though there is nothing novel nor particularly curious in the machines; the colours being simply applied with a wooden instru

ment with brass points, which forms the pattern. The apartment for drying the linen is heated to so violent a degree, that the workmen are very short lived. There was only one man at work at the time we were there, who earned a guinea and a half a week, which are the usual wages of a master workman. Those employed in the other parts of the process gained only seven or eight shillings. There are seventytwo printing-boards, and two coppers for the colours in this manufactory. Cow's dung is made use. of in mixing colours, and some pieces of linen pass through fifty hands before they are entirely completed. We saw about fifty women putting on the colours with pencil brushes, which is much the most durable method, as it does not suffer from washing: these women do not earn more than a crown a-week. The patterns are made in the house, and are simply traced on wood, into which they drive the above men. tioned brass points. These linens are of various prices, and are sold from sixpence to a crown an Hamburgh ell (three-quarters of a yard.)

"They are purchased principally by the inhabitants; many, however, are sent to Turkey, and still more to Poland.

latter.

gate of the former to that of the Many streets, however, are destitute,of houses; and in others, they only consist of one story; so that, notwithstanding the great extent of Stockholm, it does not contain more than seventy-five thou

sand

sand inhabitants. Some of the houses are only built of wood, and many of those in the suburbs are mere peasants' cottages. The best inhabited and handsomest streets, such as Queen-street and Regency street, are in the north suburb, but no one superior in rank to a merchant lives in the south suburbs. The North-square will be very handsome, when the bridge, at that time in contemplation, shall be finished; the alteration in the front of the houses opposite the palace will also be a great improvement. The other two sides of the square are occupied by the opera-house, and the palace of the Princesses, both handsome edifices.

"Few towns in Europe are so ill paved as Stokholm; this is particularly disagreeable, from there being no public walk but the royal garden, which is damp and unwholesome, except in hot weather, so that the inhabitants have no other resource than walking in the streets.

"The city of Stockholm, properly so called, is situated on an island at the junction of the Mæler Lake and the sea, which communicate with each other by the southern sluices. Nothing can be more singular and picturesque than this city: it is indeed unlike any other, and affords the most charming points of view.

The

great variety of steeples, houses, rocks, trees, lakes, together with the castles or palaces which present themselves on every side to the eye, form altogether a most delightful and interesting prospect.

"The harbour is very fine, spacious, and safe, though difficult of access; it frequently requiring several days. either to get out to sea or to enter it. This difficulty is owing to the necessity of passing through a variety of rocks, which cannot be

done without a particular wind. The keys are of very great extent.

"This city is ill lighted; the police is tolerably good; owing, perhaps, more to the quiet disposition of the inhabitants than to any particular attention. Many unfortunate events, however, took place during the winter of 1791, in which the Russians were principally concerned; and it was some time before means were found to stop these disorders, particularly as the police would not credit the circumstance, though they had but too many opportunities of being convinced of the truth. Drunkenness was pleaded as an excuse, but it is the first time we ever remember it to have been admitted as such by the police; some of the inferior officers of which were, however, now and then guilty of the same offence.

"There is not much society at Stockholm, and but few amusements. Assemblies begin at five o'clock, and tea is given in the English style. Several ladies of the court visit alternately, but their parties are usually over at seven o'clock. As to the merchants, their dinner companies always stay supper, and retire about twelve o'clock. The Swedish nobility are far from rich; very few, therefore, give either great dinners or suppers. The ministers, indeed, keep up some degree of state, but even some of those live very privately. The minister for foreign affairs alone, has a regular dinner once a week, to which he invites the other ministers, with all foreigners who have been presented at court.

"The dissolution of the old goverument has greatly diminished the society of this city, several of the richest noblemen having retired into the country on that event.

What