SKETCH OF THE CITY OF COPENHAGEN,

AND OF THE MANNERS OF THE INHABITANTS.

good taste, that we are entering the capital; and though our surprise is not immediately excited by

at Rome, the pleasure we feel increases as we advance, and especially when we approach the New Town, situated at the other extremity, and composed of magnificent palaces; and Frederick Square, which is unique in its kind, from the perfect symmetry of the four palaces that form it, inclosing the beautiful statue placed in the centre, and separated by four broad streets, running in the direction of the four cardinal points.

rive by the passage of the Sound, nothing in the north can equal the prospect presented by the channel which leads to it, and which has Den-magnificent buildings, as in the Piazza del Popolo, mark on the right, Sweden on the left, and the capital almost in front. The gothic towers with which it abounds, and which from a distance have a most majestic appearance, and perhaps more attractive than the modern cupolas, engage and fix the attention of travellers by the height of their spires, as well as by the diversity of the brilliant ornaments with which they are decorated. We have perpetually before our eyes, on the coast of Denmark, a continued succession of rich plains, vast forests, meadows, superb mansions, neat villas, and pleasant gardens adorned with all the ornaments of art; while the Swedish shore presents corn-lands, pastures, a mountainous and picturesque coast, and at length the Isle of Hoeen, so celebrated for the observatory of Tycho Brahe. We leave behind us two towns of two different kingdoms, Helsingoer (or Elsineur), with the famous fortress of Cronenburg and Helsingburg, which appear to unite as the navigator proceeds. He seems to sail in the midst of a lake, but soon he discovers the sea, and distinguishes the whole extent of the plain of Co penhagen, its ports filled with vessels, and its environs more fertile in appearance than they are in reality, because the different monuments of art give them too great a relief.

The foreigner who has conceived but a mode. rate or mean idea of this metropolis, must be extremely surprised when arriving by sea, he first traverses the New Town, which is such in its kind, that it may be said to have no model. He finds broad straight streets, well paved with foot ways, kept in excellent condition; handsome edifices on each side, and every where the signs of wealth and magnificence; numerous equipages, elegant liveries, a number of servants, &c. but few foot-passengers, and no crowd or stop. page in this quarter, which seems the asylum of careless ease, without any of that bustle which is usually produced by the vicinity of the court and the custom-house. In short, it resembles in this quietness a square at the west end of London, which appears dull and solitary, compared with Cheapside and other streets in the heart of the

Three objects especially (the late conflagra-city. tions having destroyed the others) attract the attention of the distant spectator. The first is the tower of the church of St. Saviour, which is ascended by a circular staircase on the outside, or namented with a handsome balustrade of latten brass; the second, the astonishing height of the steeple of the church of our Lady; and the third, the singular form of the observatory, which perfectly resembles a colossal column.

There are few cities which contain within them so many agreeable walks as Copenhagen. The rampart, and the boulevard which runs at the foot of it, are in several places planted with handsome trees. These surround the city, and present a prospect equally pleasing and varied. But the King's garden is much to be preferred from the regularity and elegance with which it is laid out, its fountains, statues, &c. Entrance to it is perWhen we arrive by land on the side of Ros-mitted at all hours, and the public find there a child, we view the reverse of the medal. It is recreation beneficial to health. not possible to discover distinctly the city, which, with all its avenues, is hid by a hill, when we are only at the distance of a league and a half, though the tops of the towers had been already perceived at the distance of ten or twelve leagues Were it not for the goodness of the road, which permits the horses to travel with expedition, it would here certainly be very irksome, as the object of our journey seems to remove from us in proportion as we advance. At length, however, we come suddenly, as it were, upon the city, the sight of which then makes a very forcible impression.

The entrance of London, Paris, Vienna, and many other great cities, promises bu: little; but here as soon as we have passed the first barrier, we perceive by a certain air of elegance, order, and

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ments.

But this is not the country of frivolous amuse We find here no booths filled with per formers of tricks of strength or dexterity, or exhibitors of wild beasts; no jugglers playing cup and balls, no players on hand-organs, or itinerant musicians. We may sometimes hear a fiddle scraped to assist the mirth of some servant maids and artizans; but the common people in general dance but little, or not at all. They have too much phlegm, or too little money to sacrifice to their pleasures. Their amusements seem all reserved for the festival of St. John, when they go to make merry in the Park, at the distance of two or three leagues from the city, whither flock, as the poet says of the Italian courts,

Donne e donzelle, e brute e belle. "Women and maidens, homely and handsome."

In winter, the fashionable world assembles at the theatre, at concerts, balls, and clubs. In the summer the theatre is not open, nor are there either concerts or balls, and the city, which is never either very gay or very brilliant, becomes then a dreary solitude to the foreigner who arrives from Paris, or even from Hamburgh, which might indeed be expected, as all persons of fortune are then in the country.

The court, though not mean, is distinguished by a spirit of economy suitable to the moderate resources of the state, and displays no more luxurious splendour than is necessary to the support of its dignity, according to the rank it holds among the European powers.

The numerous clubs, which are not political societies, are frequented by the men as much in summer as in winter; some even have gardens without the city. In these clubs they read the news, make parties at play, converse, &c. Ladies are from time to time admitted, and concerts, balls, and entertainments given. These are an invaluable resource to strangers, who find it very easy to introduce themselves into one or more of these circles, where they find a select society, and the opportunity of making advantageous acquaintances. The entrance may be termed gratuitous to them during several months, as they only pay what they think proper to expend.

It may excite surprise, that the inhabitants of a city intersected with canals situated on the sea, possessing so fine a marine, and having so great a number of pleasant walks and handsome villas on its coasts, should very rarely make parties of pleasure on the water, and seem to have so little taste for this kind of amusement. But Copenhagen, in this respect, resembles several other cities, which despise an advantage with which their situation furnishes them, and which would save them a great expence in carriages. Even the establisment of sea-baths is not of an earlier date than about ten years since.

Though the dress-doll of Paris no longer makes the tour of the North, the fashions of Copenhagen are regulated by the modes of that city, as also by those of London and Berlin. Of these the German journals, embellished with engravings, are the conveyers. The Danish ladies appear half naked as soon as the Parisian belles think proper to disembarrass themselves of what they term the superfluity of dress, and again resume their garments as soon as the latter admit the necessity of keeping themselves somewhat warmer. Decency, however, if not rigidly, is at least very generally respected. We find here some courtezans who are rather licentious, a small number of kept women, who are known without being much no ticed, and perhaps a dozen women of gallantry. But this is little in a capital which is the resi

dence of a splendid and wealthy court, where there is a numerous body of the military, a great concourse of foreigners, and which is besides a considerable sea-port.

Though the dress of the men has every where within these few years undergone a kind of metamorphosis, it has preserved here more traces of the ancient elegance than in most other great cities.

The police of Copenhagen is admirable both from the vigilance of its magistrates, and the prudence of its regulations. For its institution the city is in a great measure indebted to the influence of the famous Count Struensee, who, notwithstanding many defects, and even crimes, had the good sense to perceive all the importance of this part of the administration, and the courage to effect the changes necessary to bring it to perfection. It was requisite to rouse in some manner a nation lulled to sleep in the happy enjoyment of a long and profound peace, and which had been governed by two sovereigns, one of whom was certainly too much occupied by the interests of the church; and the other, from an effect of the goodness of his character (he was surnamed the affable le debonnaire) was perhaps

too fearful of innovations.

The pavement is good, and kept in excellent condition; there are almost every where commodious foot ways. The streets have their namnes written legibly at each corner; but they are badly lighted. All the houses are distinguished by conspicuous numbers. There are few signs to obstruct the view, or endanger the safety of passengers. Within the last twelve months a paper has been published weekly, which might serve as a model for all the great cities in Europe. It is called the Friend of the Police, (l'Ami de la Police.)

Copenhagen, till the year 1794, boasted one of the finest castles in Europe; it was, perhaps, after that of Caserta, the richest and most megni. ficent palace erected in modern times. This sumptuous edifice, which had already braved the attacks of half a century, became the prey of a conflagration, and was destroyed in a single night. Its mournful ruins are now visited by the curious, in the same manner as they go to admire those of the Colosseum at Rome: they are precious and sacred remains in the eyes of the artist, and even of the philosopher, who beholds in them the futility of human grandeur and human labours.

The spacious Hall of the Knights, in this castle, was astonishingly magnificent. Taste and the arts were exhausted in its decoration.

If the Dane of distinction and opulence regrets the only monument which he could oppose with advantage to those of other countries, and which will certainly never be restored to its an

cient splendor; the citizen of lower rank laments | with acuter feelings, the dreadful conflagration which began on the 5th of June 1795, and continued to the 7th, in despite of all the efforts of art, courage, and assiduity.

In all great calamities there is a certain influence of fatality which frequently escapes the most intelligent observers, and which yet, independent of the universal consternation such disasters produce, is one of their principal efficient causes. Without the application of this principle, it would be inconceivable that the means employed on this occasion to extinguish the fire, and which till then had always been found so effectual, should not have been sufficient to stop the progress of the flames.

When the palace was burned, the fire broke out in the fifth story, and soon gained the upper apartments and lofts, in which was a great quantity of timbers, planks, &c. of very dry wood, that had been brought thither to make a general repair of the edifice, and which served to feed the flames, and cause them to spread with extreme rapidity.

The great conflagration which began in the arsenal, a year before that of the castle, broke out in the midst of the most combustible matters, as wood, pit-coal, pitch, rosin, cordage, &c. A strong wind carried these flaming substances to the roofs of the houses already heated by the sun, and principally heaped them upon the steeple of St. Nicholas, the fall of which set fire to a whole quarter of the city, by scattering its burning ruins over it; thus affording an additional proof of the dangerous inconvenience of gothic towers. Thus was reduced to ashes almost a fourth part of the eity, that is to say, 943 houses.

But as there is no happiness without alloy, so is there no evil without some indemnification. The new streets are in general broader, the new houses better built, and as the quarters which were burned were the least handsome, the city has so much improved in appearance, that in this respect we scarcely any where met with its equal. Immediately after the fire, such measures were taken with respect to the new buildings, as not only ensured their safety and convenience, but contributed to their embellishment. The city was a new phoenix arising more beautiful and brilliant from its ashes.

On the road to Copenhagen, coming from Hamburgh, two objects principally merit the attention of travellers; the first is the handsome little town of Christiansfeld, built between Hadersleben and Coldingen by the Moravian brethren, and filled with manufactures; and the other, the mausolea of the Kings of Denmark, at Roschild, one post (eight leagaes) from the capital; they are remains of the ancient magnificence.

The expences of the King's household, which amounted to 200,000 rix-dollars, (about 40,0001. sterling) per annum, are now reduced to almost the half, (several of the principal places have in consequence been several years vacant.) Those of the household of the Prince Royal, are still much less in proportion. The chapel, the music of which is extremely good, has appertaining to it nearly fifty individuals. The royal stables are reckoned to contain more than two hundred horses.

The garrison consists of six regiments of infantry, the foot-guard, the horse guard, a corps of artillery, two battalions of light infantry, a corps of marines, and a squadron of hussars, amounting in the whole to more than 10,000 men, when the corps are complete; to which are to be added the city militia, the chief officers of which are appointed by the King, and the colonels and captains rank among the officers of the army.

The fortress of Fredericstadt, supported on the other side by the batteries of the arsenal, defends the entrance of the harbour, where there is besides another battery, and where, in case of necessity, a number of armed flat-bottomed vessels are stationed for its protection. Strangers are not permitted to enter the two arsenals of the marine, without particular permission from the King; the inhabitants themselves are not ad. mitted into them without leave from the commandant of the arsenal. The arsenals are situated at some distance from each other, and, according to the account of those who have seen them, they are superb. M. Ramdohr, in his travels, speaks thus of them, though he only treats of a part of these establishments. "We find a num. ber of spacious edifices placed between the ships that are building, the magazines, cranes, bridges, batteries, and finished vessels. It is estimated that there are 1600 carpenters and joiners only; I was taken into a hall where the framings of ships were preparing. The length and breadth of this hall are equal to the dimensions of a ship of the line, (they exceed them) and there being nothing to obstruct the view, as on board a ship, the eve is struck with the vastness of the space. In fine," says the German traveller, after having spoken of the magnificent appearance of the harbour, and his passing along the canals, “after coming out of the arsenals and the magazines, if we would appreciate the human powers, and form an idea of the genius of man, we must go to Copenhagen, and survey the arsenals and the basins."

The sailors are lodged in barracks appropriated to them. These are small houses of one or two stories, forming several streets near the harbour. They contain about 6,000 sailors, together with their families, and some officers set over them to maintain order. The sailors are well paid, and

receive the principal part of their provisions in kind; while the soldiers only receive, including the money for their bread, six sous a day, French money (three pence ;) and the grenadiers six sous and a liard. The pay of a commodore is 1848 rix-dollars, and that of a colonel only 1740. A lieutenant in the navy has 192 rix-dollars, and a lieutenant in the army 135.

them a small sum of money, which has been reserved for them at the school, for the close of their studies. This is the produce of ancient legacies, of which there are others that furnish a fund to supply those students who have undergone the requisite examinations, with the means of improving themselves by travelling, and a residence in foreign universities. These usually, during the last year, go to London, or Paris, or even farther; but it is much to be regretted, that they rarely take their course towards Sweden and Russia, and that frequently they do not even visit Norway.

The Danish Minerva has an observation with respect to the sailors, which appears to us founded on the strictest truth. "It is," says the author, "a fact generally acknowledged, or, at least easily proved, that there is no nation which has applied itself with more earnestness and success than ours The library of the university is very volumito preserve the health of its sailors, and furnish nous, but it is not in fact of great utility. It them with good provisions. The English alone contains few modern works, and many of the supply theirs with food as wholesome and in ancient are not complete. It seems to have been equal abundance; but no nation has been more adopted as a principle which does not appear to minutely careful in the measures it has taken to be ill founded, that a library so complete as that maintain order and cleanliness on board its vessels. of the King, and which may so easily be conThe same may be said relative to the arrange-sulted, is sufficient for such a city as Copenments made with respect to the sick and wound-hagen. But what is especially valuable in the ed. No where is so much care taken to provide library of the university, is a collection of Icethem with the necessary clothing, and furnishlandic manuscripts, many of which have already them with it at a reasonable price. The sailors been published. are not treated like prisoners, who cannot be suffered to go on shore. The list of the deaths that have taken place on board our ships during the last nine years, is a strong testimony in favour of the good treatment of the crews."

The botanic garden contains about seven thousand plants, from every part of the globe. It is daily open to those who apply themselves to the study of that science, and plants are likewise distributed several times in the week to such students as wish to form collections.

The cabinet of natural history is well furnished, and contains many rare specimens; the collection of serpents especially is very considerable. A great number of insects have been presented by the society of Arabian travellers, Niebuhr, &c. The collection of minerals contains almost all the known species, and some others which have not been described. The whole is arranged according to the system of Werner. This cabinet is open to every person once a week.

Copenhagen possesses a very considerable and richly endowed university; but it is an ancient establishment, which, notwithstanding various reformations and changes, still too evidently bears the marks, manners, and religion, of the age in which it was founded. It is composed of twenty. eight professors; viz. four of theology, five of jurisprudence, five of physic and surgery, the rest are professors of philosophy, in the vague acceptation of that word, for there is only one who givas a course of philosophy, properly so called, while another gives a complete course of French belles lettres. All the sciences are cultivated here, with the exception, perhaps of one or two, and all the professors have made them-guished and celebrated professors, is independent selves known by learned works; some have even acquired a reputation which has extended throughout Europe. The number of students is estimated to amount to 700, and in general we may affirm that they are well instructed. They undergo strict examinations on several subjects,|| which even in Germany are too much neglected, as the mathematics, astronomy, the learned languages, &c.

There are different establishments in which a considerable number of students are lodged gratis, and receive a small pension to enable them to prosecute their studies. On their arrival at the university, the scholars frequently bring with No. XXIV. Vol. IIL.

The university has besides a chemical laboratory, and an anatomical amphitheatre. The academy of surgery, composed of dis.

of the university.

The veterinary school is equally respectable; but it is not yet required in Denmark, as in Austria and Saxony, that all apprenticed farriers shall indiscriminately go through a course of lectures in it: it has been judged sufficient to oblige every diocese to send to it a pupil. The number of scholars in it is usually about forty.

The principaliterary societies are, the acade. my of sciences; the society for promoting the study of the history and languages of the North; the academy of belles lettres; the society of rural economy; the royal society.of medicine; the genealogico-heraldic society, which is publishLI