made it your business to become acquainted?

A. Not much of that; they went on generally in the night.

Q. But then you might have afforded them timely notice, by making beacons on shore, or showing your lights?

A. No, no (laughing): we always put them out, for a better chance by night.

Q. But would there not have been more humanity in showing them their danger?

A. I did not go there for humanity: I went racking. (In truth, as strong an apology as any that can be suggested for it.)

For the Literary Magazine.

SUBTERRANEAN SKETCH OF

SWEDEN.

SWEDEN may truly be designated as a mineral country, for the metals actually constitute the principal source of its wealth and prosperity. In this point of view, nature may be said to have treated the inhabitants in the same manner that a sage but economical mother treats her children; for she has granted whatsoever is necessary with profusion, what may be deemed useful with moderation, and what is brilliant, but dangerous, with parsi

mony.

In that country the quantity of the different metals is in the inverse proportion of the price of gold, silver, copper, and iron. The mountains, in addition to these, contain marble and other ornamental stones, which at present are merely objects of curiosity, but will, at some period not far distant, be better known.

Of the precious metals, little more than mere specimens may be said to be obtained. A few unproductive mines, which private persons had undertaken to work during the last century, have been abandoned, and gold is at present extracted from

but two. At Aldelfars, in the province of Smaland, in the course of twenty-six years, they have only obtained to the amount of 70,000 franks; and, from the produce of Fahlun, in conjunction with the above, Sweden cannot be said to have reaped more than forty-five marks of gold annually.

The only silver mine worthy of notice is that of Sala, in Westmania. During the reign of Christina it yielded 20,000 marks of silver; but at present it produces no more than from two to three thousand, which scarcely repays the expences.

It is worked by an association of several individuals, who are favoured by means of certain special privileges, burthensome to the whole canton, and is one of those establishments at first projected by a blind cupidity, and afterwards persevered in from mere habit, without being attended either with advantage to the public or to individuals.

Copper is one of the principal productions of Sweden. At the present period, however, they do not extract more than from six to seven thousand ship-pounds* yearly, from all the ten copper mines now worked. The two principal ones are those of Fahlun, in Dalecarlia, and Atwidaberg, in Ostrogothia, the latter of which alone produces 2000 ship-pounds.

The former of these merits particular attention in every point of view. It is known in that country by the name of the Kopparberg, and situate at about forty leagues to the north of Stockholm. It is visited every year by a multitude of travellers, some of whom are induced to repair thither from an attachment to mineralogical pursuits, and others from motives of mere curiosity. In 1802, I myself happened to be there, and employed nearly four hours in examining the mine.

* A ship-pound, or schip-pund, is the usual measure of minerals in the north of Europe, and nearly equivalent to three French quintals.

You first descend (having been previously provided with a kind of masquerade dress), by means of a staircase, to the bottom of an immense excavation, and afterwards penetrate into its recesses by means of a narrow passage, at the end of which you seem to have arrived at the region of shades. One of the miners precedes, and another follows, each carrying a lighted torch of pine; the column of travellers advances slowly by the light of these, sometimes through galleries cut into the rock, sometimes descending along ladders, and sometimes crossing frail bridges, suspended over terrible abysses.

The mineral, which appertains to a company of two hundred different proprietors, is equally divided among them; sixty only of these, who possess a knowledge of the art, have the privilege of smelting it, and they alone have the privilege of purchasing the other shares. At Fahlun it is only converted into what is termed black copper, by working; after which it is carried to a furnace, for the purpose of being again purified.

The former of these operations is performed by means of wood, with which the mineral is intermixed, and the thick smoke which arises at once darkens and infects the horizon around. We are assured, however, " that neither man nor animals are affected, and that no particular malady is known either in that town or neighbourhood: but the plants as well as the edifices experience the effects of these exhalations, in which vitriol predominates. It is only by means of extraordinary care that the adjacent lands are rendered in any degree fertile. The wood, of which most of the houses are composed, is also corroded by the air impregnated with these vapours, and becomes insensibly converted into a species of charcoal, which yields to the pressure of the fingers. These exhalations," it is added, " even attack metal itself. The inhabitants of Fahlun are particularly desirous to cover their

VOL. V. NO. XXVIII.

churches with plates of a mineral to which they are indebted for their prosperity, but this sheathing of copper is soon attacked by the vitriolic vapours, and stands in need of being frequently repaired."

About five hundred workmen are constantly employed in the mine of Fahlun. They never sleep, and but seldom eat their meals, in the subterraneous regions; two persons, however, remain constantly below, to prevent any accident by fire. Eight horses are kept in stables cut out of the solid rock; a council room has also been formed in the same manner; the principal persons connected with the works sometimes assemble there, " and it was there also that Gustavus III, affecting originality in every thing, without recurring to the forms usually employed in the Swedish chancery, without consulting the ministers whom he had left behind him on the surface of the earth, signed a royal proclamation, by which he granted an exemption from certain duties on gold, silver, and lead."

For the Literary Magazine.

LETTERS OF GRAY.

IN a late work, translated from the German by miss Plumtre, there appears several letters from the poet Gray, to a gentleman of Switzerland, by name Bonstetten.

Bonstetten, in his youth, resided for some time at Cambridge, during which he enjoyed an almost daily intercourse with the poet Gray, who attached himself to him with great ardour, and soon became his warmest and most confidential friend. Every one who is acquainted with Gray's works will doubtless read with the deepest interest the following reliques of his correspondence with his young friend.

"Cambridge, April 12, 1770. "Never did I feel, my dear Bonstetton, to what a tedious length the

4

ing in a few days to see poor N-, invited by a letter, wherein he mentions you in such terms as add to my regard for him, and express my own sentiments better than I can do myself. I am concerned,' says he, that I cannot pass half my life with him; I never met with any one who pleased and suited me so well: the miracle to me is, how he comes to be so little spoiled, and the miracle of miracles will be, if he continues so in the midst of every danger of education, and without any advantages but from his own excellent nature and understanding. I own I very anxious for him this account, and perhaps your inquietude may have proceeded from the same cause. I hope I am to hear when he has passed that cursed sea, or he will forget me thus in insulam relegatum. If he should, it is out of my power to retaliate.' have written to him, my dear Bonstetten, or surely you will! He has moved me with these gentle and sensible expressions of his kindness for you; are you untouched by

am

them?

on

May 9, 1770.

"I am returned, my dear Bonstetten, from the little journey I made into Suffolk, without answering the end proposed. The thought that you might have been with me there has embittered all my hours : your letter has made me happy, as happy as so gloomy, so solitary a being as I am, is capable of being made. I know, and have too often felt, the disadvantages I lay myself under, how much I hurt the little interest I have in you, by this air of sadness so contrary to your nature and present enjoyments: but sure you will forgive, though you cannot sympathise with It is impos

me.

sible for me to dissemble with you; such as I am, I expose my heart to your view, nor wish to conceal a single thought from your penetrating eyes. All that you say to me,

of Switzer

"You do me the credit, and false or true it goes to my heart, of ascribing to me your love for many virtues of the highest rank. Would to heaven it were so! But they are indeed the fruits of your own noble and generous understanding, which has hitherto struggled against the stream of custom, passion, and illcompany, even when you were but a child; and will you now give way to that stream when your strength is increased? Shall the jargon of French sophists, the allurements painted women, comme il faut, or the vulgar caresses of prostitute beauty, the property of all who can afford to purchase it, induce you to give up a mind and body by Nature distinguished from all others, to folly, idleness, disease, and vain remorse? Have a care, my ever amiable friend, of loving what you do not approve. Know me for your most faithful and most humble despote."

of

It

land, is infinitely acceptable. feels too pleasing ever to be fulfilled; and, as often as I read over your truly kind letter, written long since from London, I stop at these words, " La mort qui peut glacer nos bras avant qu'ils soient entrelaces."

For the Literary Magazine.

A PORTRAIT OF A PROJECTOR,

AN enterprising man in narrow circumstances (for the rich will seldom risk in this kind of adventure until the probability of success is rendered in some measure conside rable); a poor man conceives a project by which he hopes to alter his circumstances, and considers the means, mechanical as well as com. mercial, that is to say, how the thing is to be done, and how he shall acquire the means of paying the expence of doing it. For the former he must depend upon his own ingenuity, and for the latter he can seldom, at first, have any greater dependence than the spare time he can afford from those exertions