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70*] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [*71

his designs, so as to elude the eyes of a whole nation, and to escape the watchful attention of those, whom age and experience had rendered most cautious and suspicious, cannot be paralleled in the history of any other man so young. We at all time, find his conduct equally uniform and consistent in all its parts; the same melancholy air of reverential piety, the same tender concern for his people, the same affection for the laws and the constitution of his country, and the same unalterable love of liberty, are as conspicuous after the revolution, as they were before. In no circumstance of that trying and dangerous event, do we find him betrayed by the smallest passion, nor does he for a single instant depart from himself upon any occasion. Upon the whole, he must be considered as one of the most extraordinary young men, that any age has produced.
The tameness with which the Swedes have endured the overthrow of their constitution, and the loss of their liberties, will ever continue a subject of admiration. The time is not yet beyond the memory of man, when they were emancipated from the most deplorable state of despotism, that any nation could groan under. In the reign of Charles the Twelfth, they had scarcely a merchant ship upon the ocean; yet such were the happy effects of the subsequent change of government, that notwithsstanding the losses they had sustained by his wars, 600 Swedish ships passed through the Sound annually, within twenty years after his death; besides the great trade of the Port of Gottenburgh. which lies without the sound, and the internal commerce of the Baltic. They have now surrendered every thing that is most dear to mankind, without the smallest contest. It is more than probable, that within another age, they will afford a fresh conviction to the world, that commerce cannot flourish under an arbitrary government. This revolution however presents a mirror, which if properly attended to, will exhibit objects of the greatest import, to those few states which will still retain any vestiges of civil liberty.

CHAP. VI.
Revolution in Denmark. Counts Struensee and Brandt are confined in the Citadel; several members of the administration imprisoned; the Queen sent to the Castle of Cronenburgh. Grand commissioners appointed for the trial of the state prisoners. Condemnation and execution of Struensee and Brandt. The Queen convoyed to Stade by a small squadron, Peace concluded between the Danes and Algerines. Reconciliation between the French King and the princes of the blood. Scarcity of provisions in many countries. Magnificence of the Empress of Russia.
The quick succession and disgrace of ministers and favourites which had taken place for some time at the court of Copenhagen, were no uncertain indications of a weak and tottering government. It is not however easy to form any conclusion upon such events in arbitrary states, where public affairs are locked up in the obscurity of silence and the mystery of intrigue, and the few who are acquainted with causes, or can judge of events, are too prudent, or too much interested, to disclose what they know.
It was however to be expected that the crisis to which affairs were brought by the late revolution, and the disgrace which the reigning queen met with, must have brought on an ecclaircissement, which would have gratified the curiosity of the public with the real state of facts, however satisfied they may be as to their justice or the propriety. It was indeed thought, that the near relation which the unfortunate Queen bore to the throne of Great Britain, would, in justice to her character and honour, have occasioned such as explanation's being insisted upon, as would have prevented her falling a sacrifice to the malice of a party; while the investigation of her conduct might have exposed their secret views in such a manner, as even to convince a misguided prince, of their dangerous tendency.
Nothing of this nature has however been done; and the mysterious transaction still continues in its original darkness and obscurity. The court of Great Britain, wisely perhaps, forbore to take any farther interest in it, than the preservation of the unfortunate Queen's life, which is said to have been in danger, the recovery of her liberty, and the obtaining of a stipend for her subsistence in another country.
In this state of things, we can only give an account of such facts as are apparent to the world, and draw such evident conclusions as naturally arise from them, without any other knowledge of the preceding causes, than what appears from their effects. Weak reigns, are always the ages of favouritism; and odious as favourites are in general to mankind, they are seldom more so than they deserve; the weakness that makes them necessary, can seldom distinguish in its choice; and the qualities which make them agreeable, are not often those that are cultivated by the virtuous or the wise.
The late Count Struensee, was one of those numerous adventurers, which from the great number of its governments, abound more in Germany than in any other country. They are generally people of low birth, who receive a peculiar mixed education, that is necessary to the pursuits for which they are intended. Some knowledge of the civil law; of the rights of particular states; of public forms and official writings, together with a minute attention to the etiquette of the respective courts, are indispensably requisite; to which may be added, some knowledge in chymistry, if not in physick; of the most polite modern languages; and of the most fashionable writers. Among the number of them thus endowed, that swarm about the different courts, and straggle from one to the other, where they are well received, if not employed, there must be several so eminent in their genius, as to rise by their merit to the first honours and employments; and those who are not so happily distinguished, seldom fail, among such a variety of characters as are exhibited among some hundreds of sovereigns, to find some one,
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Transcription Notes:
I think this was communicated in another document I reviewed, but it’s important to note that due to the dialects spoken during this time, the “s” sound is often confused for the “f” sound which is why the word “fufpicious” could be interpreted as “suspicious”. Great work so far on this though ! ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 14:52:09 Change what may appear to be an "f" to an "s" where appropriate. This is a different style of print and cursive, not a different way of spelling words. --Jlch ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 17:39:33 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-22 06:34:38 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 22:12:41