tilda came to Copenhagen, fhe received her with all the appearance of friendship and affection, acquainting her with all the king's faults, and at the fame time telling her that he would take every opportunity, as a mother, to affift her in reclaiming him. By this conduct the became the depofitory of all the young queen's fecrets, whilft at the fame time it is faid the placed people about the king, to keep him conftantly engaged in all kinds of riot and debauchery, to which the knew he was naturally too much inclined: and at length it was fo ordered, that a mistrels was thrown in the king's way, whom he was perfuaded to keep in his palace. When the king was upon his travels, the queen-dowager ufed frequently to vifit the young queen Matilda, and, under the mask of friendship and affection, told her often of the debaucheries and exceffes which the king had fallen into in Holland, England, and France, and often perfuaded her not to live with him. But as foon as the king returned, the queen reproaching him with his conduct, though in a gentle manner, his mother-in-law immediately endeavoured to perfuade the king to give no ear to her counfels, as it was prefumption in a queen of Denmark to direct the king. Queen Matilda now began to difcover the defigns of the queen-dowager, and afterwards lived upon very good terms with the king, who for a time was much reclaimed. The young queen alfo now affumed to herself the part which the queen-dowager had been complimented with in the management of public affairs. This irritated the old queen; and her thoughts were now entirely occupied with fchemes of revenge, which the at length found means to gratify in a very ample manner. About the end of the year 1770, it was observed that Brandt and Struenfee were particularly regarded by the king; the former as a favourite, and the latter as a minilter; and that they paid great court to queen Matilda, and were fupported by her. This opened a new scene of intrigue at Copenhagen; all the difcarded placemen paid their court to the queen-dowager, and fhe became the head and patronefs of the party. Old count Molke, an artful difplaced statesman, and others who were well verfed in intrigues of this nature, perceiving that they had inexperienced young perfons to contend with, who, though they might mean well, had not fufficient knowledge and capacity to conduct the public affairs, very foon predicted their ruin. Struenfee and Brandt wanted to make a reform in the adminiftration of public affairs at once, which should have been the work of time; and thereby made a great number of enemies, among thofe whofe interest it was that things fhould continue upon the former footing. After this, queen Matilda was delivered of a daughter; but as foon as the queen-dowager faw her, the immediately turned back, and, with a malicious fmile, declared that the child had all the features of Struenfee: on which her friends published it among the people, that the queen must have had an intrigue with Struenfee; which was corroborated by the queen's often speaking with this minifter in public. A great variety of evil reports were now propagated againft the reigning queen; and another report was alfo induftrioufly fpread, that the governing party had formed a defign to fuperfede the king, as being incapable of governing; that the queen was to be declared regent during the minority of her fon; and that Struenfee was to be her prime-minitter. Whatever Struenfee did to reform the abuses of the late miniftry was reprefented to the people as fo many attacks upon, and attempts to deftroy, the government of the kingdom. By fuch means the people began to be greatly incenfed against this minifter and as he alfo attempted to make a reform in the military, he gave great offence to the troops, at the head of which were fome of the crea

tures of the queen-dowager, who took every opportunity to make their inferior officers believe that it was the defign of Struenfee to change the whole fyftem of government. It must be admitted that this minister seems in many refpects to have acted very imprudently, and to have been too much under the guidance of his paffions; his principles alfo appear to have been of the libertine kind.

Many councils were held between the queen-dowager and her friends, upon the meafures proper to be taken for effectuating their defigns and it was at length refolved to furprise the king in the middle of the night, and force him immediately to fign an order, which was to be prepared in readiness, for committing the perfons before mentioned to feparate prifons, to accufe them of high treafon in general, and in particular of a defign to poifon or dethrone the king; and if that could not be properly fupported, by torture or otherwife, to procure witneffes to confirm the report of a criminal commerce between the queen and Struenfee. This was an undertaking of fo hazardous a nature, that the wary count Molke, and moft of the queen dowager's friends, who had any thing to lofe, drew back, endeavouring to animate others, but excufing themfelves from taking any open and active part in this affair. However, the queen-dowager at laft procured a fufficient number of active inftruments for the execution of her defigns. On the 16th of January, 1772, a masked ball was given at the court of Denmark. The king had danced at this ball, and afterwards played at quadrille with general Gahler, his lady, and counfellor Struenfee, brother to the count. The queen, after dancing as ufual one country-dance with the king, gave her hand to count Struenfee during the remainder of the evening. She retired about two in the morning, and was followed by him and count Brandt. About four the fame morning, prince Frederic, who had alfo been at the ball, went with the queen dowager to the king's bed-chamber, accompanied by general Lichttedt, and count Rantzau. They ordered his majesty's valet-de-chambre to awake him; and, in the midft of the furprife and alarm that this unexpected intrufion excited, informed him that queen Matilda and the two Struenfees were at that inftant bufy in diawing up an act of renunciation of the crown, which they would immediately after compel him to fign; and that the only means he could use to prevent fo imminent a danger was to fign thofe orders, without loss of time, which they had brought with them, for arrefting the queen and her accomplices. It is faid that the king was not eafily prevailed upon to fign these orders; but at length complied, though with reluctance and hefitation. Count Rantzau, and three officers, were dispatched at that untimely hour to the queen's apartments, and immediately arrested her. She was put into one of the king's coaches, in which the was conveyed to the caftle of Cronenburg, together with the infant princefs, attended by lady Moftyn, and efcorted by a party of dragoons. In the mean time, Struenfee and Brandt were alfo feized in their beds, and imprifoned in the citadel. Struenfee's brother, fome of his adherents, and most of the members of the late adminiftration, were feized the fame night, to the number of about eighteen, and thrown into confinement. The government after this feemed to be entirely lodged in the hands of the queen-dowager and her fon, fupported and affifted by thofe who had the principal fhare in the revolution; while the king appeared to be little more than a pageant, whose person and name it was neceffary occafionally to make use of. All the officers concerned in the revolution were immediately promoted, and an almoft total change took place in ail

prince Frederic prefided, and a commiffion of eight members, to examine the papers of the prifoners, and to commencé a process against them. The fon of queen Matilda, the prince royal, who was entered into the fifth year of his age, was put under the care of a lady of quali ty, who was appointed governefs, under the fuperintendency of the queen-dowager. Struenfee and Brandt were put in irons, and very rigorously treated in prifon: they both underwent long and frequent examinations, and at length received fentence of death. They were beheaded on the 28th of April, having their right hands previously cut off: but many of their friends and adherents were afterwards fet at li berty. Struenfee at firft abfolutely denied having any criminal intercourfe with the queen: but this he afterwards confeffed: and though he is faid by fome to have been induced to do this only by the fear of torture, the proofs of his guilt in this refpect were esteemed notorious, and his confeffions full and explicit. In May, his Britannic majesty sent a fmall fquadron of fhips to convey that princefs to Germany, and appointed the city of Zell, in his electoral dominions, for the place of her future refidence. She died there of a malignant fever, on the 10th of May, 1775, aged 23 years and 10 months.

In 1780, his Danifh majefty acceded to the armed neutrality propofed by the emprefs of Ruffia. He appears at present to have fuch a debility of understanding as to difqualify him for the proper manage. ment of public affairs. On the 16th of April, 1784, another court revolution took place. The queen dowager's friends were removed, a new council formed under the aufpices of the prince-royal, fome of the former old members reftored to the cabinet, and no regard is to be paid for the future to any inftrument, unless figned by the king, and counterfigned by the prince royal.

The conduct of this prince is ftamped with that confiftency of behaviour which enables him to purfue, with unremitting zeal, the prudent and benevolent measures which he has planned for the benefit of his grateful country? The restoration of the peafantry to their long-loft liberty, and the abolition of many grievances under which they laboured, have already been mentioned. To thefe may be added the exertions he makes for the general diffufion of knowledge; the patronage he affords to focieties of learning, arts, and fcience; the excellent measures he has adopted for the fuppreflion of beggars, with whom the country was overrun; and the encouragement of industry, by the most extenfive inquiries into the ftate of the poor throughout the kingdom; the wife regulations he has introduced into the corn trade, equally beneficial to the landed intereft and to the poor; and the judicious laws, which under his influence have been made to encourage foreigners to fettle in Iceland. The prince's of Heffe-Caffel, his confort, is faid to poffefs the moft amiable difpofitions and goodness of heart.

Count Schimmelmann, minifter of ftate finances and commerce, has the merit of accomplishing the abolition of the flave-trade among the subjects of Denmark. His plan was approved by the king on the 22d of February, 1792, and is to be gradual; and in 1803 all trade in negroes is to ceafe on the part of the Danish fubjects. The difinterettedness of this minifter, who poffeffes large eftates in the Danish Weft-India iflands, recommends his exertions to greater praife. The above ordinance does not feem to have caufed any difcontent in Denmark among the Weft-India merchants, and it is not thought it will caufe any in the islands.

A fcheme for defraying the national debt has been fuggefted and fol lowed. One million has already been discharged.

1

Denmark, to its honour, formally refused to join in the alliance of potentates against France.

Chriftian VII reigning king of Denmark and Norway, LL. D. and F.R.S. was born in 1749; in 1766 he was married to the princefs Carolina-Matilda of England; and has iffue-1. Frederic, prince-royal of Denmark, born January 28, 1768, and married in 1790, to the princefs Mary-Anne-Frederica, of Heffe.-2. Louisa-Augufta, princefs-royal, born July 7, 1771, and married May 27, 1786, to Frederic, prince of SlefwickHolftein, by whom the has issue.

Brothers and fifters to the king.-1, Sophia Magdalene, born July 3, 1746; married to the late king of Sweden, Guftavus III.-2. Wilhelmina, born July 10, 1747; married Sept. 1, 1764, William, the present prince of Heffe-Caffel.-3. Louisa, born Jan. 30, 1750; married Aug. 30, 1766, Charles, brother to the prince of Heffe-Caffel.-4. Frederic, born O& 28, 1753,

HIS DANISH MAJESTY'S GERMAN DOMINIONS.

HOLSTEIN, a duchy of Lower Saxony, about 100 miles long and 50 broad, and a fruitful country, was formerly divided between the emprefs of Ruffia (termed Ducal Holftein), the king of Denmark, and the imperial cities of Hamburg and Lubec; but on the 16th of November, 1773, Ducal Holstein, with all the rights, prerogatives, and territorial fovereignty, was formally transferred to the king of Denmark, by virtue of a treaty between both courts. The duke of Holftein Gottorp is joint fovereign of great part of it, with the Danish monarch. Kiel is the capital of Ducal Holftein, and is well built, has a harbour, and neat public edifices. The capital of Danish Holstein is Gluckstadt, a well-built town. and fortrefs, but in a marshy fituation, on the right of the Elbe, and has fome foreign commerce.

Altena, a large, populous, and handfome town, of great traffic, is commodiously fituated on the Elbe, in the neighbourhood of Hamburg. It was built in that fituation, that it might share in the commerce of the former. Being declared a free port, and the ftaple of the Danish EastIndia company, the merchants alfo enjoying liberty of confcience, great numbers flocked to Altena from all parts of the North, and even from Hamburg itself.

The famous city of Hamburg is fituated on the verge of that part of Holftein called Stormar; but is an imperial, free, and Hanfeatic city. It has the fovereignty of a small diftrict round it, of about ten miles circuit: it is one of the most flourishing commercial towns in Europe: and though the kings of Denmark ftill lay claim to certain privileges within its walls, it may be confidered as a well-regulated commonwealth. The number of its inhabitants is said to amount to 180,000; and it contains a variety of noble edifices, both public and private. It has two fpacious harbours, formed by the river Elbe, which runs through the town; and 84 bridges are thrown over its canals. Hamburg has the good fortune of having been peculiarly favoured in its commerce by Great Britain, with which it carries on a confiderable trade, which has been very greatly increased in confequence of the war with France and Holland. The Hamburgers maintain twelve companies of foot, and one troop of dragoons, befides an artillery company.

Hanse towns, and ftill a rich and populous place, is alfo in this duchy. I is governed by its own magiftrates. It has 20 parish-churches, belides large cathedral. Lutheranifm is the established religion of the whole duchy.

In WESTPHALIA, the king of Denmark has the counties of Olden. burg and Delmenhorft, containing about two thousand square miles; they lie on the fouth fide of the Wefer; their capitals have the fame name; the firft has the remains of a fortification, and the laft is an open place, Oldenburg gave a title to the first royal ancestor of his prefent Danish majefty. The country abounds with marfhes and heaths; its horfes are the beft in Germany.

LAPLAND.

THE northern fituation of Lapland, and the divifion of its property, require that it should be treated of under a diftinct head, and in the fame method obferved with refpect to other countries.

AND NAME.

SITUATION, EXTENT, DIVISION, The whole country of Lapland extends, fo far as it is known, from the North Cape in 71° 30' N. lat. to the White Sea, under the arctic circle. Part of Lapland belongs to the Danes, and is included in the government of Wardhuys part to the Swedes, which is by far the most valuable; and fome parts in the east to the Ruffians. The dimen fions of each of these parts are by no means accurately afcertained. An eftimate of that belonging to the Swedes may be seen in the table of di menfions given in the account of Sweden; but other accounts say that it is about 100 German miles in length, and 90 in breadth: it comprehends all the country from the Baltic to the mountains that separate Norway from Sweden. The Ruffian part lies towards the eaft, between the lake Enarak and the White Sea. Thofe parts, notwithstanding the rudeness of the country, are divided into smaller diftricts, generally taking their names from rivers: but, unlefs in the Swedish part, which is fubject to a prefect, the Laplanders can be faid to be under no regular government. Swedish Lapland, therefore, is the object chiefly confidered by authors in defcribing this country. It has been generally thought that the Laplanders are the defcendants of Finlanders driven out of their own country, and that they take their name from Lappes, which fignifies exiles. The reader, from what has been faid in the Introduction, may easily conceive, that in Lapland, for fome months in the summer, the fun never fets; and during winter it never rifes; but the inhabitants are fo well affisted by the twilight and the aurora-borealis, that they never difcontinue their work through darkness.

CLIMATE.] In winter it is no unusual thing for their lips to be frozen to the cup in attempting to drink; and, in fome thermometers, fpirits of wine are concreted into ice: the limbs of the inhabitants very often mortify with cold drifts of fnow threaten to bury the traveller, and cover the ground four or five feet deep. A thaw fometimes takes place; and then the froft that fucceeds prefents the Laplander with a smooth level of ice, over which he travels with a rein-deer in a fledge with inconceivable fwiftness. The heats of fummer are exceffive for a fhort time; and the cataracts which dash from the mountains often prefent to the eye the most picturefque appearances.

MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, LAKES,

AND FORESTS.

Lapland is a vast mass of mountains, irregularly crowded together;