Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1857 Excerpt: ...author of 'An Account of Denmark, as it was in the year 1692,' regrets that the Kings of Denmark were so often governed by French counsels. "At the time," says the author," when Mr. Algernon Sydney was ambassador at that court, M. Terlon, the French ambassador, had the confidence to tear out of the 'Book of Mottoes,' in the King's library, this verse, which Mr. Sydney (according to the liberty allowed to all noble strangers) had written in it:--"Manus heec inimica tyrannis, Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem." Though M. Terlon understood ftot a word of Latin, he was told by others the meaning of that sentence, which he considered as a libel upon the French Government, and upon such as was then a-setting up in Denmark by French assistance or example. It was indeed once the fashion in Denmark to speak of England as the " Regnum Diabolorum." The last King of this century, Frederick V., paid the penalty of the lawless policy of his predecessors. Charles XII., of Sweden, humbled him, his capital was destroyed by fire, and he left an almost ruined kingdom, to be restored, as indeed it nearly was, by Christian VI. (1730), who as well merited the title of Father of his Country, as his predecessor, the third King of his own name. The next sovereign, Frederick V. (1746), exceeded them both perhaps in faultlessness of character. This was so well appreciated that when his son, Christian VII., was crowned (1766), the spectators cried aloud, "May he live as long as his father, and may he reign as wisely as he!" Vainly was the latter part of this wish uttered. Christian was a debauched and worthless sovereign, who, having little understanding of his own, was the more easily influenced by evil persons who excelled him, ho...