CHAPTER III.
THE STJERNHJELM PERIOD (1640-1740).
THE seventeenth century was in all respects the great age of Sweden. A line of kings, the like of which scarcely any other country can boast, extended the boundaries of the country by successful wars, and promoted the development of Sweden's natural resources with great wisdom. It is true the country could not maintain itself in the eminence to which it had been raised, for its resources had been too severely taxed by the long and frequent wars, and they were not sufficient to make Sweden one of the great European powers permanently. But the proud consciousness of power, that all these great deeds had aroused among the people, gave the impulse to a greater activity in every direction, and thus also in literature. In the intellectual field it was, however, in many respects only the seed that was planted, and the ripening of the fruit was reserved for a later time. All the Swedish Kings of the seventeenth century, but especially Gustav Adolph and Karl XII, took a deep and lively interest in the arts and sciences. The former founded schools and colleges, and at a great sacrifice of his private fortune he infused a new life into the Upsala University, which had fallen into decay during the agitations of the Reformation period, but which now rose again to great importance. The regency during the minority of Karl XI founded in 1668 the University of Lund, and the king himself established several scientific institutions. At the instigation of Queen
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