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had they been honest and unfettered, were imperfect and abstruse. The people were not in their right place. The power of those from whom alone national wealth can advance was not understood, and progress was made rather in defiance of than in accordance with the measures of government and general legislation. This state of things is now, happily for mankind, in rapid decay; but it is well to throw a shade over the false glare of a period that by many persons, who ought to know better, if their minds were not distorted by prejudice and bigotry, is held up as almost a political millennium. For the community of courtiers, we admit, it was a favourable season, but not for communities at large. It was the period for making great monarchs, not the period for making great nations. The world, we believe, is now arrived at that point of time, and the last ten years have produced (and those that will succeed them, if no great political convulsion take place, which by the progress of events is every day rendered more improbable, will produce) beneficial changes in the general condition of nations, that in amount and effect might have been looked for in vain during the preceding century. These changes were then like angel visits, they are now of daily occurrence; they were then brought into operation by casual circumstances, they are now proceeding under a settled system, as will appear from even the glance we are taking at European advancement. According to our arrangement, we will begin with two of the smallest powers—Sweden and Denmark; and first as to Sweden. The improvement that is taking place in this country is extraordinary, and can only be attributed to that general determination to ameliorate the condition of mankind that now appears so predominant throughout the world. There can be no particular local impetus among this unassuming people, no stirring principle that could especially have excited them, and yet we find them interesting themselves in a remarkable manner at this moment with regard to education, chemical and scientific improvements, agricultural pursuits, and manufactures. The increased exportation of salt within the last twelve months from England, has attracted the attention of those who attend to details of this nature with practical views; and it is found that a large portion of such increase goes to Sweden for agricultural purposes, for a spirit of strong rivalry is now existing as to the cultivation of the soil among Swedish landholders. A large subscription has recently been entered into at Stockholm, among private individuals of all ranks, for the encouragement of men of science, whether natives or foreigners; and the present intention of its projectors is, should it be found practicable with their means and other circumstances, to have agents in the different European capitals, from whom they may receive monthly reports as to the state of the sciences, and other objects connected with their institution. In the education of the peasantry, the higher classes, particularly in the towns, are evincing great zeal, and taking an active part themselves. At Motala there has been long established a manufacture for implements in iron and steel. This establishment has extended itself within these few years to more than double its former size, stretching, with its various branches, over a large extent of ground. Infant establishments of a similar kind are rising in other parts of the kingdom. The Danes are not behind their neighbours the Swedes in attending to education, commerce, and agriculture, whilst