Letters from Scandinavia; on the Past and Present State of the Northern Nations of Europe

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1796 edition. Excerpt: ...the water in them, in the heat of summer, stagnates, and is offensive. They serve no good purpose, and it would belproper to sill them up with earth. A bridge of boats crosses the Neva opposite the Cadet Corps, making a communication from Williams Iiland to the grand quarter of the city upon the continent. As you walk along this bridge, you 'have a front view of the equestrian statue of Peter I. which is erected upon the opposite bank of the river: the horse, upon the summit of a rock, maJestically tearing, and pavving the airseems conscious of his rider-" he smells '' the battle afar off; his neck is clothed V with thunder) Around the statue are always several Ruffians, attended by some biographer. You can trace, without any knowledge of the language, by the gestures of the orator and his audience, w_hen 'he is recording the defeat at Narva, or the victory at Pultowa. They add in these orations, i that Peter stood upon the very rock which now supports his effigy, while he beheld the Swedish army fly from the field of battle. I have taken a drawing of this celebrated work of M. Falconer..Iwas aflisted by an engraving from a drawing of Young, and haveendeavouredto correctsomeerrorsinthat drawing; or perhaps his engraver has not done justice to the drawing. " When an heroic V monument," says M. Falconer, ' is to a be consecrated to the memory of a prince, " and this prince has achieved great matters 'V in various and even opposite dep'artments '-he has gained victories in war-he has "e'nacted wise laws, and founded establish Translation from the French of M. Falconefs Pieces on Sculpture, by the Rcv, Mr. Tooke of Pe tersburg. " ments V over his military virtues, this preference t' cannot justly be condemned, ...