share in the government, offices, appointments, and pensions were
multiplied; and under the specious pretext of benefiting the interests of
the state or the public, a multitude of establishments were erected, with
the requisite officers to manage them and perform the different duties.
Some served the prince, others managed the finances and crown lands, or
entered the army, the police, or the law. There were establishments for
the relief of the poor, for the advancement of the arts and sciences,
education, agriculture, trade, and manufactures, and they were required
for everything.

Just as the state displayed its luxury in land and sea forces, at
foreign courts and at home, each branch of the administration had also
its abundance of officers, registrars and clerks. Still, beyond certain
limits, it is impossible to endow new officers without trenching on
the salaries of the old ones: hence it happened that, in excessively
increasing the number of clerks, the wages of the majority were reduced
to the most moderate rate. As money ran short, recourse was had to titles
and honorary distinctions, the etiquette of each rank being settled with
the minutest details, as well as the respect or deference attaching to
it. When it was decided that rank and titles conferred by the government
should receive the honours and consideration due to merit, there was an
eager rush to obtain them. The tradesman left his counter, the artisan
his shop, the plain citizen gave up his modest livelihood, in order
to acquire a title and become somebody. This vanity, penetrating all
classes, gave a great impulse to luxury and ostentation.

Government was not chary in granting a largess that cost it so little. It
accorded titles to favour: it gave them as reward for services, and even
sold them. Rank soon ceased to be exclusively attached to office, and
more than once encroached on the principles of military subordination.
Thus, an officer in the army would take precedence of his commander,
and bring the rules of discipline under those of etiquette. Still, it
appeared that the profusion of titles, far from inspiring disgust,
strengthened the mania for them: men were ashamed not to have what so
many people possessed.

Eminent titles, such as those of Count or Baron, retained a portion of
their privileges: those who held them could not be arrested for debt, and
they found at their manors an asylum against criminal prosecutions until
sentence was passed. These estates, which were partly free from taxes,
could not be confiscated even for high treason, and were transmissible
by inalienable succession from eldest son to eldest son. These noble
landowners exercised the rights of high and low jurisdiction on their
estates, and these privileges recalled the olden times of lordly rule.
But nothing recalled it so much as the serfdom which continued to oppress
the class of peasants, and the militia duties appeared to double the
burden.

Nevertheless, we must allow that this numerous and interesting portion
of the population was not quite forgotten. In each district, a bailiff
administering on royal account either the lands taken from the clergy at
the Reformation, or lapsed feudal estates and the other domains of the
crown, had among his other duties that of hearing the complaints of the
peasants against their lords, and protecting them against oppression.
But the bailiff could not always be found at home, and was not always
disposed to compromise his own interests in sustaining those of the
peasants.

A portion of the woes of Denmark evidently resulted from these old
institutions; and many of the abuses would have sprung up without the
interference of foreigners. Besides, it is indubitable that there were
men of merit among the foreigners called in to govern the country:
but the best intentioned nearly all committed the error of trying to
introduce a system successfully carried out in other countries, without
considering that it agreed neither with the wants of Denmark nor her
resources; in this they resembled a farmer who plants exotics in his
fields, instead of cultivating those suited to the ground and the climate.

In this way, academies of science and fine arts were established
at Copenhagen, in imitation of the nations farthest advanced in
civilization. Under the ministry preceding Struensee, learned men had
been sent at the king's expense to the East, for the purpose of studying
its monuments and antiquities, as if Denmark were in a position to make
such sacrifices to satisfy curiosity: thus new trades were introduced,
new manufactures undertaken, without consulting the resources of the
country and the merchants, and they had no other effect but impoverishing
the Treasury. In the same way money was squandered in sending envoys
to look after interests unconnected with the country; and following
the example of powerful nations, armaments were made, intended to be
imposing, but which, being disproportionate to the real strength of
Denmark, only served to prove her weakness.

Although the state had enjoyed uninterrupted peace since 1720, the errors
of the administration had produced the effect of a cruel war: the debt
of 20,000,000 of dollars was tending to increase instead of diminishing.
The burdens that oppressed it not only prevented its strength from
developing, but seemed daily to weaken it. It languished like a robust
body, threatening to fall into a state of atrophy, because unable to
perform its natural functions freely. A species of constraint was felt
from the throne down to the lowest classes, and reforms seemed to be
invoked by the public voice.[122]

The royal family remained for ten days at Frederiksborg, but this short
stay was rendered remarkable by the first appearance of a royal message
without the adhesion of the Council of State or other administrative
authorities. As it is notorious that this message was proposed to
the king by Struensee, the latter's participation in the government
is generally dated from this period. The message contained various
regulations, bearing the date of September 14, and was of a very
important nature. The first related to the future restriction in granting
titles. We read in it that the number of persons who had, during the last
year, been granted titles on festal occasions, or through recommendation,
had grown so enormously large that distinctions of this nature had
ceased to be a reward for services, or a proof of special royal favour.
Hence the king had resolved to grant such distinctions, in future, more
sparingly, and only for their real purpose. Henceforth regard would
solely be had, in such cases, to faithful performance of duties, zeal and
diligence in office, and special abilities. Government officials, who
recommended persons for honorary distinctions, would be responsible that
no undeserving person obtained them.[123]

The writer and suggester of this proclamation certainly deserved the
thanks of his contemporaries; and all sensible persons were pleased
at this message from their sovereign. The second decree referred to
the quarrel then going on with the Dey of Algiers. A commission was
appointed, consisting of Count Rantzau-Ascheberg, Lieutenant-General von
Gähler, Vice-Admiral von Römeling, and the Schoutbynacht (Rear-Admiral)
Hoogland, whose duty it would be to inquire whether Algiers could be
taken, or the city so injured that the dey would be compelled to make
peace, or whether satisfaction must be extorted from the piratical
prince in some other way. The appointment of this commission entailed an
investigation into the conduct of Admiral Kaas and all the promoters of
the unsuccessful expedition against the piratical state, which had cost
Denmark 2,000,000 dollars. A few words about this strange affair may be
advisable here.

The Dey of Algiers, though he was quite absolute, or, perhaps, from
the fact of his absolutism, was obliged to humour his army and keep
it in good temper. The troops, who lived principally on plunder, were
very annoyed at the truces, or treaties of peace, concluded with nearly
all the maritime powers. The tribute which the nations of second
rank consented to pay, in order to buy the safety of their commerce,
represented the prince's share of the plunder; but the soldiers insisted
on having a nation given up to them every now and then, as a compensation
for their trade depression. Sieur Oerboë, the Danish consul, not having
been able to take the right steps, on the expiration of his treaty in
1769, for its renewal, the dey gave him orders to withdraw in three days,
and all the subjects of the king in six weeks, alleging as motive that
the Danes had favoured the Russians in their war with the Sublime Porte,
and had abused the safety granted to their flag by protecting the trade
of hostile nations.

The Copenhagen cabinet began by negotiating at Constantinople; and it was
settled with the Porte that Denmark should send an expedition which would
intimidate the troops of Algiers, and prevent them from murmuring at the
facility with which the dey revoked his orders; and that at the same
time, in order to contradict the rumours of the pretended aid to Russia,
the Danish squadron should have on board a messenger from his highness,
bearing instructions to the dey to renew the peace. Bernstorff, who had
been the founder of the Danish Levant trade, and was naturally very proud
of his bantling, intrusted the embassy to Vice-Admiral Kaas, who had
performed, a few years previously, a similar commission to the Emperor of
Morocco in a satisfactory manner.

Bernstorff proposed to Count Laurvig, the head of the Admiralty, that
the squadron should be composed of three men-of-war, two frigates, and
two bomb-ketches; and Laurvig, without consulting with his colleagues,
decided that this force was sufficient. As Denmark possessed no
bomb-ketches, merchantmen were purchased and fitted up for the purpose,
which considerably delayed the expedition; and Kaas was not able to leave
the Baltic till 1770. On arriving off Algiers, he first hoisted a white
flag, and the dey sent off a Christian consul to ask what he wanted. He
answered that he demanded peace, reparation for injuries inflicted on his
nation, and the expenses of the expedition. The envoy from the Porte,
who was landed, was hardly listened to, because he spoke on behalf of a
master who was engaged elsewhere, and who was not feared. The negotiation
being at once broken off, Kaas began throwing shells into the city, and
firing at the batteries, but with so little effect, that the Algerines,
in mockery, brought their children down to the beach to fire pistols in
reply to the Danish bomb-ketches. After throwing in seventy-four shells,
the admiral held a council of war, in which he showed that the ketches
were too weak for the duty; that the seams were beginning to open; that
the vessels would suffer more harm from the guns of the forts than they
inflicted on the ramparts; and it was unanimously decided that they must
retire to Mahon and refit.

The most important of the cabinet orders issued, however, was the one
that abolished the censorship, and rendered the press perfectly free.
The king--such was the reason given for a decree which entailed terrible
consequences--was of opinion that it was injurious to the impartial
examination of the truth, and prevented the uprooting of antiquated
errors, if honest-minded patriots, who felt anxious about the general
welfare and the true benefit of their fellow-citizens, were unable to
express their views and convictions openly through the press, assail
abuses, and show up prejudices. Hence his Majesty had determined to
introduce unbounded freedom of the press in all the countries beneath his
sceptre, so that, henceforth, no one would be obliged to subject books
and pamphlets, which he intended to print, to the previous examination
and opinion of the censor.

There is but little doubt that Struensee, in passing this law, hoped that
the _gent écrivassière_ would take advantage of it to abuse Bernstorff,
whose downfall took place almost simultaneously. Unfortunately, the
weapons were turned against himself, for the Danes, constitutionally
prone to stand on ancient customs, disliked the innovations, and, above
all, that they were introduced by a German. One great cause of offence
was, that the decrees emanated from the royal cabinet, and cabinet orders
were a rarity in those days; but, indubitably, the chief annoyance
was felt at the decrees being drawn up in German, which language was
henceforth employed in all public proclamations. For, although German was
the language of the court and the nobles, royal orders, which did not
concern the duchies, had hitherto always been drawn up in Danish.

Before the royal pair left Frederiksborg they were present at the
Copenhagen shooting festival, which honour had only been bestowed on
the citizens before by Queen Charlotte Amelia, consort of Christian V.
Caroline Matilda, however, granted the company an even greater honour,
by firing a shot herself and hitting the popinjay, in which her consort
attempted to imitate her, but made a grand miss. While the queen gained
many hearts by her condescension, she aroused quite as much anger by
her free and easy manners. She appeared at this feast in male clothing,
sitting her horse like a man, which created great scandal among the
females. She did so, however, by the special request of her husband,
who hated ceremony, and, according to his peculiar mania, liked his
wife to display her beautiful form. It is certain that riding _en
homme_ soon after became the prevalent fashion among the fine ladies of
Copenhagen.[124]

This was one of the long series of errors that Caroline Matilda committed
in her short career. Indeed, ever since she had become intimate with
Frau von Gähler and the other light beauties who formed her court, a
great change had taken place in her, and a defiant recklessness of
public opinion grieved her best friends, and was a terrible mistake in
so puritanical a country as Denmark. The priests took advantage of the
popular feeling, and many a sarcastic allusion to Jezebel could be heard
from the pulpit. Of course, the freedom of the press found a splendid
opening in abuse of the queen and her supposed minion, and the capital
was soon flooded with the most scandalous attacks on the couple. Ere
long, caricatures, in which the queen and her Cicisbeo were represented
in the most ignoble postures; satires, in which the most disgusting
scenes were described, were spread about the city, and not merely pasted
on the walls, but even in the passages of the palace.[125]

The court next proceeded to Hirschholm for the summer. This palace, only
a few miles from the capital, was the most magnificent of all the royal
residences in Denmark, and has been described as the "culminating point
of the luxury and magnificence that sprang up in the reign of Louis XIV."
Adorned externally with all the nicest French refinements in gardening
and pleasure-grounds, it dazzled the eye within by the profusion of solid
silver intermingled with mother-o'-pearl and rock crystal, with which
not only pictures and looking-glasses, but even the very panels of the
audience-chamber, were prodigally encircled.[126] According to the "Old
Chamberlain," this palace was built by Sophia Magdalena, who demolished
the celebrated old castle, and erected a new palace in the middle of the
lake on many thousands of piles driven into the ground, which was formed
of mould brought from a long distance. A large iron gate, standing open,
between high stone pillars, formed the entrance to a wide alley laid out
upon a dyke, leading across the lake to the palace, which was connected
with the land by this avenue only, and occupied the whole of the square
island in the centre of the lake. Above two low ranges of building rose
a broad Italian wing, with a flat roof in the form of a balcony, and
in the middle of it a prodigious gate tower, terminating at top in a
pyramid, supported by four lions couchant, and surmounted with a royal
crown. Through this gateway could be seen a quadrangular court, in which
a fountain, adorned with marble figures, threw up its jets. Two large
pavilions, at the two extremities of the balcony wing, connected this
with the side wing and inner main wing, while two bridges, one on either
side of the palace, communicated with the gardens and stables. The inner
wing had windows toward the palace yard, as well as toward the south
side of the garden beyond the lake, which was very wide, and separated
the palace from the gardens. Two narrow gravel walks, at the foot of the
broad flight of stone steps, ran along the walls of the palace.

In the gardens was a summer-house, which was used as a temporary theatre
for the diversion of Queen Matilda and her companions; and in another
part was a wooden building called a Norway house, containing landscapes
in relief and imitations of rocks, with wooden cottages perched on
them, and wooden roads. In the gardens were numerous fountains, and the
dining-room was also remarkable for a jet d'eau and twelve fountains
which spouted from the sides.[127]

The style of living at Hirschholm matched with the splendour of the
interior. The usual number that sat down to dinner at the king's table
was twelve, alternately five ladies and seven gentlemen, or seven ladies
and five gentlemen. The king cut a wretched figure on these occasions;
but the queen dressed very superbly, and made a noble appearance. The
king and queen were served on gold plate by noble pages; the marshal of
the palace sat at the foot of the table, the chief lady of the household
at the head; and the company opposite to their Majesties.

A table of eighty covers was provided every day in the chamber called the
Rose, for the great officers of state, who were served on silver plate.
At this table Struensee, Brandt, and their friends and favourites, male
and female, used to dine. The courtiers paid Struensee more homage than
they did the king, and even in these early days of his prosperity it was
noticed that he was growing haughty and imperious; but it would have
needed a stronger head than he possessed to withstand the influences of
his sudden change. But a few years before he had been seriously thinking
of going across the ocean to better his fortunes, and now he was a
confidential intimate of royalty, and honoured with the too favourable
consideration of an amiable and accomplished queen.

While the court was at Hirschholm, the measures were taken to liberate
the party of the new era from their dangerous opponent, Count Bernstorff.
For some time past the premier had seen the efforts made to induce him,
by insult or coarse allusions, voluntarily to retire; and he had seen
equally clearly that his reception from the king was growing more and
more cold. He asked himself the question, whether he should anticipate
his fate or await it. He chose the latter course, and soon after gave
occasion for still greater zeal on the part of those who were preparing
his overthrow. Without heeding Rantzau's promise not to interfere in
the Russian negociations about the exchange of territory, Bernstorff
expressed himself in a report to the king rather freely about the
opponents of the negotiation, and as Rantzau at once learned the fact
from Struensee, he resolved to be avenged. It may be assumed that the
doctor had some share in the count's dismissal, and indeed he did not
deny it afterwards. But he was in an awkward position, for though he
disapproved of Bernstorff's policy, the latter had been his benefactor.
The king, however, was easily persuaded to dismiss his minister, as he
had never liked him.

On September 13, 1770, the king wrote an autograph letter to Bernstorff,
in which he thanked him for past faithful services, but at the same time
intimated that, in consequence of intended changes in the system of
government, he no longer required his advice, and therefore dismissed
him with a pension of 6,000 dollars. Bernstorff was seated at his
writing-table when this letter was handed to him. He read the contents
in silence, and then rose with a look of pain. To Councillor of Legation
Sturtz, who was present, the count said calmly, "I am dismissed from
office," and added, with his eyes raised to heaven, "Almighty, bless
this country and its king!" On October 3 he quitted the capital,
accompanied by Klopstock, who was residing with him. Bernstorff thought
that the most suitable place to which he could retire was his estate
of Borstel, in Holstein, which had come to him through his wife, and
where he allowed his mother-in-law, Frau von Buchwold, to reside. He had
always been received there with open arms, whenever he had found time
to escape from business; and such had been the case in this very year.
As the château was large, and could contain several families, he sent
an upholsterer to get two rooms ready for him. Frau von Buchwold turned
out the upholsterer, and refused to receive her son-in-law, who, through
his facile generosity, had given up his own house to her. The disgraced
minister spent the winter in Hamburg, and the following summer at his
château of Wotersen, in Lauenburg.[128]

Bernstorff's fate aroused general sympathy. It is true that he had
fostered the extravagance of the court, favoured foreigners, and
repeatedly allowed the state to be swindled by projectors. Nor could
he be acquitted of a certain vanity; but still he was a man of noble
character, and honestly desired the welfare of the state. He had
sacrificed a large portion of his fortune in the service of his adopted
country, and the prospect of a permanent peace with Russia was his work.
The incorporation of the ducal estates of Plön, when this line died
out, with the royal portion of Holstein, was owing to his exertions; he
had materially raised the prestige of the kingdom at foreign courts, by
carrying through the profitable free trade, and creating a maritime trade
in the Mediterranean and the Levant. He was a true father to the poor,
and hence we can understand that the whole nation regretted his fall, and
that general respect accompanied him on his departure.

Bernstorff's post as minister of foreign affairs was not immediately
filled up. For this reason, the ministers of the foreign courts were
requested to address the king directly in writing in matters concerning
their courts. The real object of this was to prevent the Russian
ambassador, Filosofow, from causing the king to alter his mind through
personal representations. The intention did not escape Filosofow; he
became terribly excited, and vented his anger in the bitterest complaints
and remarks. He openly threatened the vengeance of his court, and sent
off at once by a courier a full account of the remarkable events he had
witnessed in the course of a few weeks.[129]

Bernstorff's discharge was followed by a great number of others. The
first blow fell on the father-in-law of the ex-favourite, chief
secretary at war, and intendant of the navy, Admiral Danneskjold
Laurvig,[130] a man who was universally despised, and consequently not
a voice was raised against his dismissal. His post was not filled up,
but Vice-Admiral Römeling was appointed first deputy of the Admiralty
College, with immediate reference to the king. In the War Department
important changes also took place. Lieutenant-General Von Hauch lost the
presidency, which was given to Gähler, and Rantzau-Ascheberg was promoted
to be second deputy. In the College of Finances, Privy Councillor Shack
and Count Gustavus Holck were dismissed, and their post was given to Von
Scheel. In the two War Offices a number of dismissals and promotions also
took place.

These changes principally affected individuals, but the new Regent did
not stop with these, and it became more and more clear that he intended a
thorough reform of the administration. But no comprehensive and connected
scheme was drawn up. Conferenzrath Struensee read, as _lecteur du roi_,
letters and proposals for reforms to the king, which he recommended for
further consideration and resolution, but he consulted no one else about
his views. The king, himself, then decided in Struensee's presence what
should be done, and how carried out. At times Struensee laid before the
king proposals drawn up by himself, which Christian either sanctioned or
altered, but wrote his own orders himself. Conferenzrath Schumacher drew
up these orders in an official form, and the king read them all through
once more before he affixed his signature. It was clear that the monarch
chiefly listened to Struensee's propositions, and equally certain that
the bases of reforms in the administration emanated from the latter. The
more important of these reforms were as follows:--

All representations addressed to the king must be in writing, and the
kings decisions would be given in the same way. At the same time persons
would be careful so to draw up the petitions, that they only contained
the material points, and the questions on which the king had to decide
must be plainly and clearly brought forward. In cases where the king
might find it necessary to consult with other persons, he would either
request the opinion of the college in question, or appoint a commission
to investigate the matter, but everything, as far as was possible,
should be settled by the ordinary government organs--the departments.
The colleges would strive, as far as the matter allowed, to treat and
bring forward all affairs in a similar form. As the king in deciding on
matters did not wish to enter into details, but expected it to be done
by the colleges, the latter would urge their subordinates to attend
to this duty and make them responsible for it, so that all government
business might be treated in a similar mode. Lastly, the business of
the several departments would be so kept separate, that each would only
attend to those matters which naturally fell to it, and none would have
an influence over the other. The number of departments would, moreover,
be reduced, so that there would be only one department for each division
of the administration.

As regards the different branches of the administration, the following
rules were laid down concerning foreign affairs: the king had resolved
to strive after no further influence over foreign courts in any matters
that did not affect the position of his own kingdom and the prosperity
of trade. At the same time, the king wished to spare the expense which
numerous first-class embassies at foreign courts entailed. On the other
hand, the king would not allow foreign courts any influence over the
internal affairs of his kingdoms. Although Struensee could not thoroughly
convince himself of the importance of the Holstein territorial exchange
for the Danish monarchy, he was still of opinion that the king must
remain true to the Russian alliance, and create no suspicion at the
court of Petersburg. However, the Russian court must not seek guarantees
in accidental and immaterial circumstances, but solely trust to the
rectitude of the king, of which he had lately given the empress the
most manifest proofs. As regards these ticklish relations Struensee
entertained very different views from Rantzau-Ascheberg, who was of
opinion that Denmark should not lean exclusively on Russia, but draw
nearer to other courts, especially the Swedish.

As regards Sweden, Struensee, speaking through the king, entertained
wise and peaceful sentiments. These were, that the court should get
rid of the disquieting idea that Sweden was necessarily the enemy of
Denmark, gradually retire from officious interference in the affairs
of that kingdom, and, before all, not expend such large sums upon it.
Struensee was also of opinion that France should no longer be treated
with the coldness which had set in when she gave up subsidizing Denmark,
and attempts be made to regain her friendship. The French and Swedish
envoys, Marquis de Blosset and Baron von Sprengtporten, were the only
foreign ministers who paid respect to Struensee during the period of his
grandeur, and the only envoys who appeared at his levees.

When the arguments on these points were ended, the king read through
everything that had been urged by the two advisers of the crown, and
decided in favour of Struensee, though he had previously had no fixed
opinion on the subject.

As regards home affairs, it was decided that everything connected
with the finances of the state should be placed under one college.
Order and economy were recognised as the sole means of relieving the
embarrassed finances, and all enterprises not based on those two
principles were given up. The whole of the state revenue would be paid
into one exchequer, and the requisite sums paid out of it to the
other departments, so that the king might more easily see the state
of his income and out-goings. As a relief for the subjects and the
tax-gatherers, the payments in kind would be converted into payments
in money, in order to promote the industry of the country people, and
prevent the frequent abuses which so often occurred in payments in kind.
The king wished the out-goings for the government to be kept quite
distinct from the private expenditure for the court and royal family.
Factories, which, owing to their nature and the circumstances of the
country, could not exist without assistance, would no longer be supported
by the Treasury, and the support of others would be given in the shape
of premiums, as the king wished to have no partnership in them; and
the same would be the case with commerce. All pensions which appeared
excessive in proportion to the royal income would be reduced. As regarded
the administration of justice, the king would not decide in any matter
till it had been legally discussed by the courts. The number of courts
would be reduced, as everybody, no matter his rank, would be regarded as
a simple citizen in judicial matters. The judges would receive no fees,
but have a settled salary from the Treasury, and trials would take place
more rapidly.

General St. Germain had effected such excellent reforms in the army, that
the king in council proposed to make no change in it, although the system
of recruiting among the natives had not yet been introduced. For the
navy, the sensible regulation was established that its strength did not
consist in the number of vessels, but in those already existing being fit
for sea and properly equipped. It was also of importance that everything
required for a bombardment should always be kept in store. As regards the
court, every superfluity that only served for pomp would be removed, and
only that intended for amusement retained, but it must be borne in mind
that the amusements and court circles would be arranged in accordance
with the taste of the king and queen.

In addition to these general rules for the future administration, there
were several maxims which Struensee often repeated to the king, and
tried to imprint on his weak memory. The principal of them were to the
following effect:--

It was injurious to foster the flocking to court of persons who hoped
to make their fortune there, for it only tended to ruin such persons,
to impoverish the country, and entail losses on the king's Treasury. It
would be better for the nobility to live on their estates if they did
not desire employment, and those who wished for an official appointment
must render themselves fit for it in subordinate posts.[131] Exceptions
to this rule should only occur for valid reasons, and not through favour
or a lengthened residence at court. In giving appointments, the king
must trust to the recommendations of the colleges, and pay no regard to
the requests of courtiers or patronage. The king must issue no decree
by which the privileges of citizens were attacked. His Majesty also, at
least during the first years, must grant no distinctions or titles that
did not agree with the office held by the recipient.[132] Pensions must
only be granted in extraordinary cases, and after long service, and no
alms were to be bestowed on courtiers, but all the more copiously on
those who really needed them. The king must strive to make Copenhagen
great and prosperous, not by luxury and numerous consumers, but by
industry and foreign commerce, so that capitalists might be attracted to
the capital. Improved morals could not be produced by police laws, which
were an encroachment as well on human liberty; for immoral conduct, if it
have no immediate injurious influence on the quiet and safety of society,
must be left to conscience to condemn. The secret vices which force
and oppression entailed were frequently much greater offences against
morality, and constraint only generated hypocrisy.

It cannot be denied that such a system of government, in many respects,
agreed with the principal wants of society and the country at that day.
Still it must be carried out without precipitation, with caution, and a
thorough knowledge of the country and the national character. Two points
in this advice to the king deserve comment, however. In his opinion about
the nobility, Struensee showed himself to be a man who had but slight
confidence in himself, and was more competent to form great schemes
than carry them out. A statesman displays his weakness when he shows
a fear of that class of his fellow-citizens who are able to weigh his
actions properly. In the hands of a wise regent and a clever minister
the service of the nobility must be the principal support of the state,
and not the object of ignoble apprehension. As regards Struensee's views
about morality, and its influence in the welfare of the state, he was one
of those sciolists who derive their principles neither from reason nor
virtue, and who, under the deceptive mask of respect for the rights of
society, give admission to the utmost irregularity.

The general overthrow, which had not spared any class of officials, and
had hurled the highest of them from office, aroused an indescribable
alarm in every mind. The queen dowager quietly watched this terrible
storm from a distance: her dissatisfaction at it was as uncertain
as it was of little consequence; she merely made a point of meeting
those persons, on whom the ruinous blows had fallen, with the greatest
expressions of sympathy and friendship on every occasion. In the
meanwhile, the young queen and her adviser enjoyed the advantages they
had acquired; the confidential union and peace in which they lived was
heightened by the most agreeable amusements, and their happy days were
passed in undisturbed delight. Still they did not forget to insure the
permanency of this state of things, and followed a very cleverly-devised
plan. Struensee, whose far-sighted schemes aimed at getting the whole
royal authority into his hands and the queen's, felt that this was
impossible so long as the power was not brought into one hand, and that
hand must be the king's.

The king was certainly an absolute ruler, but there was a serious
obstacle to the proposed scheme in the traditional respect felt for the
council of state, which had grown, as it were, into a law of custom.
Through Bernstorff's fall the council had certainly received a shock, but
the earnest Thott, the experienced Moltke, and the clever Rosenkrantz,
were still members of it, and possessed numerous partisans. The privy
council aroused a certain degree of reverence, both because it was
established on the introduction of absolutism into Denmark in 1660, and
because it had always consisted of members of the highest aristocracy.
Hence it seemed a serious matter to abolish it all at once, and
Struensee, therefore, resolved upon an expedient.

After Bernstorff's dismissal the privy council was not called together
for eleven days, and on September 24 a royal rescript to the following
effect was sent to its members. As it was the king's wish, the rescript
ran, to have the council of state organised in the best manner, he
requested that on the first occasion of their usual meeting they should
properly consider the matters laid before them, and leave the final
decision to his Majesty, for the privy council, in a monarchical state,
was intended to offer the king all possible assistance in governing. With
respect to this, the king expected the members of the council of state
ever to reflect that in a sovereign state like Denmark the narrowest
limits must be given to subordinate authority, so that there might be
no encroachment on the sovereign power, which was solely represented
by the person of the king. The privy councillors must therefore never
forget that the king did not grant them any power of decision in any
matter that was ventilated, and much less any legislative and executive
authority, and that the council of state was merely established in order
to place the matters intrusted to it for consultation in a clear light,
and lay an opinion before the king. Hence, in judicial matters, no appeal
to the privy council would hereafter be permitted, and the Danish and
German chanceries would henceforth report directly to the king, as would
the departments of foreign affairs and the finances.[133] The privy
council would meet once or twice a week, and when important matters had
to be discussed the king would preside in person, but in his absence the
council would send in a report in writing about its session to the king.

About this period the salt tax was repealed, which had produced great
dissatisfaction among the poorer classes, and even caused an outbreak
in the island of Bornholm. The abolition of this tax was effected at
a time when government had heavy extraordinary expenses to defray on
account of the expedition against Algiers. But Struensee, who, in spite
of all his faults, always thought of alleviating the necessities of the
poor, considered this tax, which only oppressed the lower orders, so
unjust, that he proposed its immediate abolition. Ere long, other reforms
followed.

Although in most of the other Protestant countries the excessive
number of religious holidays had been done away with, they were still
kept in Denmark and the crown lands, and were spent in idleness and
excesses. In consequence, there appeared, on October 26, a decree, which
abolished the previous three days' holiday at Christmas, Easter and
Whitsuntide, Twelfth day, St. John's and Michaelmas days, All Saints,
the Purification, Visitation and Transfiguration of the Virgin Mary,
and the annual Te Deums for the repulse of the attack on the capital
on February 11,[134] and the great fire of October 23. This regulation
caused great annoyance among the large clique of pietists, who considered
the Christian religion deeply injured by the abolition of superfluous
holidays.

On the same day a second cabinet order appeared, which purposed to
prevent the filling up of offices of state by favour and simony, as it
was desired that future candidates should have their abilities subjected
to a strict examination.

It must not be supposed, however, that it was all work and no play at
Hirschholm. The queen became about this time excessively fond of hunting,
and the court, magnificent in everything, kept up three establishments;
and for each of these there was a very costly uniform. That for the
king's stag hunt was a buff coat with light-blue collar and cuffs; the
coat was trimmed all round with silver lace, and lined with blue; the
blue waistcoat was also laced; the breeches were of leather; and the
cocked-hat laced, with a black cockade. The uniform for the hare hunt was
a green velvet coat and waistcoat, leathern breeches, brown top-boots,
and cocked-hat with green cockade. The falcon or hawk hunt uniform was
the most magnificent of all, being crimson velvet, with green cuffs and
collar trimmed with gold lace, leathern breeches, gold-laced cocked-hat,
and green cockade. Matilda, when she hunted, was attired, I am sorry
to say, exactly like a man. Her hair was dressed with less powder, and
pinned up closer, but in the usual style, with side curls, toupet, and
turned up behind; she wore a dove-colour beaver hat with a deep gold
band and tassels, a long scarlet coat faced with gold all round, a buff
gold-laced waistcoat, frilled shirt, a man's neckerchief, and buckskin
small clothes and spurs. She looked splendidly when mounted and dashing
through the woods, but when she dismounted the charm was, to a great
degree, dispelled, for she appeared shorter than she really was; the
shape of her knees betrayed her sex, and her belt seemed to cut her in
two.[135]

But when Caroline Matilda was dressed in the manner becoming her sex,
_incessu patuit dea_, she was every inch a queen. She had grown much
taller and stouter since her arrival in Denmark, and any one who had
not seen her for the last four years would hardly have recognised her.
She was always gay and tasteful in her dress, and combined a happy mean
between London and Paris fashions. Her complexion was exquisitely fair,
and it was a disadvantage to her beauty that the fashions of the day
obliged her to hide the colour and texture of her fine silver tresses
under a load of powder and pomatum. The best description of Caroline
Matilda I have met with, and one which exactly corresponds with the
portraits of her that I have seen, will be found in a work published in
Denmark a few years ago, which, though in the form of a novel, bears
evident traces of being what it represents to be--the "Recollections of
an Old Chamberlain:"--

"Over a marble table hung a portrait in a broad gilt frame. It
represented a lady in a dress of bluish satin, embroidered with gold
and edged with lace, the sleeves and puffs over the full bosom being of
brownish brocade. Round her neck was a closely-strung necklace of pearls,
and similar rings were in her ears. The hair was turned up and powdered;
it occupied a height and breadth which, agreeably to the fashion of the
times, exceeded that of the whole face, and was decorated with a gold
chain, enamels and jewels, entwined with a border of blonde, which hung
down over one ear. The face was oval, the forehead high and arched,
the nose delicately carved, the mouth pretty large, the lips red and
swelling, the eyes large, and of a peculiar light blue, mild, and at
the same time serious, deep, and confiding. I could describe the entire
dress, piece by piece, and the features trait by trait; but in vain
should I endeavour to convey an idea of the peculiar expression, the
amiable loftiness, or lofty amiability, which beamed from that youthful
face, the freshness of whose colour I have never seen surpassed. It
needed not to cast your eye upon the purple mantle, bordered with ermine,
which hung over her shoulder, to discover in her a queen; she could be
nothing of inferior rank. This the painter, too, had felt, for the border
of the mantle was so narrow as to be almost overlooked. It was as though
he meant to say: 'This woman would be a queen without a throne.' But
she was more," the author adds; "she was an angel, and the Danes still
cling with affectionate regard to the memory of the lovely being thus
portrayed."

Although I do not believe entirely in the accounts of the orgies at
Hirschholm, as described by the author of the MS. in "Northern Courts,"
I cannot help allowing that much happened there which offered cause for
regret. The old court had been austere and devoted, the new one became
futile and impious, as the preachers called it. Sunday had been in former
times given to the Lord, and the Saturday employed in preparation for it;
but now these days were purposely selected for pleasure. As if this were
not enough, Brandt was guilty of the inconceivable folly of ascending
the pulpit of the palace chapel and delivering an absurd sermon to the
assembled court. As a fresh amusement, Equerry von Warnstedt got up
horse-races, at which the king offered a prize of 600 dollars. All this
folly naturally strengthened the game of the queen dowager, who, though
she kept quiet, was incessantly on the watch for her opportunity.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 118: Reverdil, p. 159.]

[Footnote 119: In the same way Frederick the Great writes: "L'accès
que le médecin eut à la cour lui fit gagner imperceptiblement plus
d'ascendant sur l'esprit de la reine qu'il n'étoit convenable _à un homme
de cette extraction_."]

[Footnote 120: De Flaux: "Du Danemark."]

[Footnote 121: De Flaux: "Du Danemark."]

[Footnote 122: On this subject, the "Mémoires de Falckenskjold" and De
Flaux's "Du Danemark" may be consulted with advantage.]

[Footnote 123: This and the subsequent royal decrees will be found in
full in Höst's "Struensee's Ministerium," vol. iii.]

[Footnote 124: Colonel Keith writes home: "An abominable riding-habit,
with a black slouched hat, has been almost universally introduced here,
which gives every woman the air of an awkward postilion. In all the time
I have been in Denmark I never saw the queen out in any other garb."]

[Footnote 125: De Flaux: "Du Danemark."]

[Footnote 126: "Memoirs of Sir R. M. Keith," vol. i. p. 199.]

[Footnote 127: "Coxe's Travels," vol. v. Not a trace of Hirschholm now
exists. It was pulled down by order of Frederick VI., and not a stone was
left on the other.]

[Footnote 128: Reverdil.]

[Footnote 129: "Authentische Aufklärungen," p. 59.]

[Footnote 130: A branch of the Danneskjold family, so called from a large
iron foundry belonging to it, the only county in Norway. In Denmark the
family had also large estates in the island of Langeland.]

[Footnote 131: Struensee hit upon a most ingenious plan for driving the
nobles from the capital. He obtained a decree from the king by which
any creditor could arrest his debtor if unable to pay. In a very short
time the first gentlemen in the land were seen flying to their country
seats; among them was Count von Laurvig, a man whose presence caused the
favourite some alarm, and against whom the new law had been specially
directed.]

[Footnote 132: The constitutional, almost democratic government of
Denmark, has sinned grievously against this sensible rule. The late king,
and I dare say the present, appointed surgeons, postmasters, custom-house
officers, &c., councillors of justice, although these gentry understood
nothing of law, and many a shopkeeper or farmer bears the title of war
assessor, war councillor, or chief commissary of war. The reason alleged
for this by the government of Frederick VI. was, that the titled persons
paid a handsome tax to the Treasury.]

[Footnote 133: As the Norwegian language is merely a dialect, but the
written language in both kingdoms is Danish, and the kingdom of Norway
was at that time governed like a mere province, there was only a Danish
chancery for the two kingdoms, and a German one for the duchies and
counties.]

[Footnote 134: Charles X.'s attack of February 11, 1659.]

[Footnote 135: Reverdil and "Northern Courts."]

CHAPTER XI.

THE MASTER OF REQUESTS.

     EDUCATION OF THE CROWN PRINCE--FREDERICK THE SIXTH--CONDITION OF
     THE KING--A ROYAL SQUABBLE--THE SWEDISH PRINCES--THE FOUNDLING
     HOSPITAL--COUNT VON DER OSTEN--THE EMPRESS CATHARINE--SUPPRESSION
     OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL--THE GRAND VIZIER--THE COUNCIL OF
     CONFERENCES--THE FREE PRESS.

While the royal family were residing at Hirschholm, the training of the
crown prince was a subject of discussion between the queen, Struensee,
Berger, and others. The boy, who was now nearly three years of age, had a
weak constitution and a tendency to consumption. He was obstinate; given
to screaming; would not walk; insisted on being constantly carried; and
attached himself to certain persons. He would never play by himself; he
had to be scolded in order to make him be quiet, and wanted people to be
continually singing and dancing to him.

The following methods were employed to overcome the boy's weakness:--He
was given very simple fare, consisting of vegetables, rice boiled in
water, bread, water, milk and potatoes, but all cold. At first, he was
bathed twice or thrice a day in cold water; and he soon became so fond
of it that he went into the bath of his own accord. When he was not with
the queen, he remained in a cold room, wore light silk clothes, and
generally ran about barefooted. He had only one playmate of his own age,
the natural son of a surgeon, called little Karl. No difference was made
between them; and they helped each other in dressing and undressing.
They climbed about; shouted; broke whatever they liked; and did what
they pleased generally, care being taken to remove anything with which
they might hurt each other. If the little prince cried for anything, it
was not given him unless he really wanted it; but he was not consoled
or reproved. If one of the boys fell, he had to get up by himself, and
never thought of making a fuss about it.[136] Generally, the lads were
allowed to help themselves. If one of them was hurt, nobody pitied him;
and if they quarrelled, they were allowed to fight it out, while none of
the valets were suffered to speak or play with them. So strictly was the
latter rule kept, that one day, at the Frederiksberg Palace, the young
prince, happening to fall in the garden and hurt himself, Struensee's
favourite valet picked him up, and ventured to soothe him. For this, the
culprit was sent to the Blue Tower, a civic prison for disorderly persons.

The two little men frequently contended for the mastery. Once, when they
had fought with greater fury than usual, Frederick asked Karl how he
dared raise his hand against his prince?

"A prince!" the other answered; "I am as much a prince as you."

"Yes; but I am a prince royal," Frederick rejoined, and fell upon his
opponent again, after he had owned himself conquered. The queen, hearing
of this, sent for the lads to her apartment, and insisted on Frederick
begging his playmate's pardon. Frederick refused to submit; and the
queen, provoked by his stubbornness, beat him severely. He was conquered,
but not subdued. By such severity, there is reason to fear that Caroline
Matilda lost her son's affection in his childhood; so much so, that if
he were very unruly, his attendants, as much, perhaps, from malignity as
ignorance, used to threaten to take him to the queen. There is no doubt
that Struensee had advised this strict treatment of the crown prince,
and that his royal mother fully agreed in his views, even though she had
not read "Emile," probably, and was no admirer of the paradoxes of Jean
Jacques.

Still, Struensee found objections raised to the exaggeration of his
treatment of the crown prince by his colleague Berger; and, owing to the
latter, the prince was allowed to wear shoes and stockings; received
warmer clothing; and had his rice boiled in broth. In the cold season,
his room was slightly warmed in the morning; and he had meat soup twice
a week for dinner.

It seems that the servants, in their indolence, at times greatly
neglected their duties to the young prince. In the autumn of 1770,
while the court were enjoying the chase, the stag ran to the woods of
Frederiksborg and Fredensborg, which were about fifteen miles to the
north of Hirschholm. The hunting party returned home at a late hour; and
when the young prince was looked after, he was found breathless, and
half dead with cold. He was put to bed with a woman, who took him in
her arms, and gradually brought him round. The crown prince's room at
Hirschholm consisted of a ground-floor apartment, forty feet in length.
On the garden side, it was closed in by an iron trellis-work, which gave
Struensee's accusers an opportunity for alleging that he shut the heir to
the throne up in a cage. After the favourite's downfall, a wooden bowl
was shown as a relic, in which it was stated that the food was given to
the crown prince while at Hirschholm.

The best proof of what little real value these charges had, is simply
found in the fact that the future king, Frederick VI., was able to endure
fatigue at a very advanced age which completely knocked up younger
men; he indubitably owed this to the early hardening of his frame and
the frugality of his mode of life when a child. While his grandfather
and great-grandfather only lived to the age of forty odd, he attained
the ordinary range of human life. It is evident, too, that the prince,
long after he had grown his own master, must have considered his early
moderation in eating and drinking as good for him, because he adhered
to it through his youth; and even when he became king, his table was
remarkable for its simplicity. But we shall have an opportunity of
reverting to this subject when excellent Reverdil returns to court next
year.

At the end of October, the court removed to the palace of Frederiksberg.
Here it was arranged that, on every Monday afternoon, there should be
a court at the Christiansborg Palace, in town, and on every Thursday
evening a concert in the park of Frederiksberg. For a long time, no court
had been held; and the king only appeared there for a few minutes, and
addressed nobody. Hence the queen had to receive the respects of the
company alone, and make her observations on the faces of the ladies and
gentlemen.

The condition of Christian had by this time become hopeless, and
arrangements had to be made to keep the people as much as possible
from a sight of a king of this sort. Adam Oehlenschläger, in his "Life
Recollections," has given us the following characteristic traits of the
king's malady:--At times it was found difficult to induce him to perform
the royal duty of signing; but when the word "deposition" was menacingly
whispered in his ears, the poor simpleton became terrified, and signed
anything and everything. Precautions were taken to prevent any violent
outbreaks of his mania. Thus the pages were instructed to hold his chair
at table, where he at times tried to rise and prevent others from eating.
It was forbidden at court to speak to or answer him, in order to prevent
any unpleasant expressions of that absolutism which still nominally
existed. At times, though, remarkable claims were made upon him; thus an
impudent page once drove the king into a corner, and said to him there,
"Mad Rex, make me a groom of the chamber." Another time the king really
created a chamberlain. He had been compelled to sign an appointment
as chamberlain for a man he could not bear. A moment after one of the
stove-heaters came into the room, dressed in his yellow jacket, and with
a bundle of wood on his back.

"Listen, you fellow," said the king; "will you be a chamberlain?"

"H'm! that wouldn't be so bad; but how am I to manage to become one?"

"Oh, nothing is easier; come with me." And the king took the man, just
as he stood, by the hand, and led him from his cabinet into the hall,
where the whole court was assembled. He walked with his client into the
middle of the assembly, and shouted in a loud voice, "I appoint this man
a chamberlain."

As the fiction that Christian VII. was absolute ruler must be kept up,
they had to acknowledge this appointment, in which the humour of insanity
was expressed; but the title was bought back of the lucky fellow at the
price of a small freehold farm.

The king was generally left to the company of a black boy, introduced
by Brandt, who became Christian's inseparable companion. Children and
fools, it is notorious, have an equal propensity for mischief. Christian
consequently found great delight in smashing the windows and china, with
the black boy's assistance, and beheading the statues in the garden. As
a change, he rolled on the floor with the lad, biting and scratching
him. From time to time, however, there was something that resembled a
lucid interval. Thus the king one evening suddenly appeared at a court
party, waved his hand to the company, and imperiously ordered "silence."
The whole of the guests stopped and stared, and then the poor gentleman
delivered, with great earnestness and deep pathos, Klopstock's warning
ode "to the princes." This finished, he clapped his hands, burst into a
loud laugh, turned on his heel, and went away.

After reading such an account of the husband to whom Caroline Matilda
was unhappily bound, we can hardly feel surprised that she sought refuge
in dissipation, and for this Struensee amply provided. The Royal Theatre
was enlarged and embellished, and Sarti, the Capellmeister, was ordered
to get up operas under the superintendence of Brandt. Further on in
the season performances were also given on Sunday, which caused great
annoyance among the clergy, and justly so; for though Struensee, as a
German, was accustomed to such a desecration of the Sabbath, Caroline
Matilda had been brought up in the Anglican faith, and ought not to
have sanctioned such proceedings by her presence. The only way in which
this sudden change in the queen, which was so utterly at variance with
her previous blameless life, can be accounted for, is, that she was
intoxicated by the homage that now surrounded her, and formed such a
contrast with the early part of her reign.

A regulation about the boxes at the Royal Theatre produced a fresh
grievance among the already disunited family. A separate box was given to
the hereditary Prince Frederick, who had hitherto been accustomed to sit
with the king; because, so the excuse was, the king did not care to have
the prince's suite about him. On this affair a correspondence took place
between the prince's chamberlain and Brandt, but the regulation was not
rescinded. On the other hand, Struensee and Brandt appeared in the royal
box, sometimes seating themselves behind the king and queen. Masquerades
were now also given in the king's theatre, and on the 18th December the
king gave one, to which everybody was admitted. Probably with the object
of extending public liberty, persons in carriages and on foot, without
distinction, were allowed to use torches at night. Mobs, doubtless hired
for the purpose, once took advantage of this permission to make a riot,
but did so only once, as the police interfered very sharply. From this
time only few employed the permission granted them.

During the last year the country had suffered from a bad harvest, in
consequence of which the price of bread and flour reached an unheard-of
height. In order to prevent the threatening results of this evil as
far as possible, Struensee issued, early in November, an edict against
exporting corn, while the importation from the duchies, and from one
inland province to another, was encouraged. Many thousand loads of grain
of every description were brought from the provincial granaries to the
capital, and, when a severe winter followed, Struensee sold flour at half
the ordinary price to the inhabitants, caused bread to be sold at the
same rate to the poor, and prohibited the distillation of spirits from
corn.

In this period of universal necessity the court received a visit from the
crown prince of Sweden, the future king, Gustavus III., and his younger
brother, the hereditary prince, Frederick Adolphus. The princes were
present at a masquerade, and in honour of them some of Holberg's plays
were performed, and other court festivals arranged. The elder prince was
not particularly pleased at his reception; having been invited to dine
at the king's table with one or two merchants' wives, he asked if there
were not Jews in the company too. One of these ladies having scolded
him politely for not paying her a visit, though she was his neighbour,
he replied, that he would severely reprimand the minister of his court,
whom he had requested to present him to all ladies of distinction.[137]
After a fortnight's stay, the princes continued their journey to Paris,
but paid a visit of some days to their relations at Gottorp. To them
they expressed their dissatisfaction at their reception in Copenhagen;
but though it had been cooler than it should have been between such
close connexions, it was explained by the fact that the Prince of Sweden
neglected his wife most shamefully, and this was well known in Copenhagen.

The reforms which had been interrupted by this visit, were carried on
with increased zeal after the departure of the royal guests. Struensee
appears to have had great sympathy with suffering humanity, as a decree
of December 7, 1770, proves. In it the establishment of a hospice for 600
poor children of both sexes was ordered, and to cover the expense a tax
was laid on all carriage and saddle horses in the capital.

The next steps that Struensee took appear to me to have been of a very
serious nature, and to have resulted from his erroneous views about
population. It is quite true that secret births, infanticide, and the
exposure of infants, were common in Copenhagen. In order to prevent these
unnatural crimes, Struensee ordered a drawer containing a mattress to
be placed at a window of the Lying-in Hospital looking on the street,
in which unfortunate mothers could lay their children to be taken care
of by the state. After this had been carried into effect, twenty-four
children were placed in the _crèche_ during the first four days. Aiding
foundlings is a duty which government cannot neglect without violating
the laws of humanity, but detecting and punishing parents who desert
their children is no less obligatory. The clergy were therefore in the
right when they denounced the new state of things, and stated that it
favoured debauchery and indolence, degraded marriage, and enfeebled the
advantages and rights that ought to encourage it: that it was rearing,
at the cost of the industrious classes, a race of wretches, who would
only increase the duties of the police and the expenses of the state. But
Struensee was of the same opinion as Frederick the Great, who only saw in
the human species a mode of producing soldiers: taking the increase or
diminution of the population as a positive index of a state of prosperity
or decay, Struensee--instead of merely favouring it indirectly, by
causing good order and diminishing the impediments that checked the
industry of private persons, and prevented them from attaining a
competency--persuaded himself that the increased multiplication of
children was the most efficacious method of augmenting the public
prosperity; or, in other words, he confounded the effect with the cause.
Hence it is a remarkable circumstance that the Foundling Hospital was
almost the only one of Struensee's institutions that survived his fall.

Foreign affairs had during the last year attracted general attention.
The insulting pretensions of the Court of Petersburg had been broken by
Bernstorff's dismissal. Up to this time, Filosofow only required to utter
the threat, "Well, the treaty for the exchange of territory will not be
ratified," in order to obtain what he required. Now, the arrangement by
which the foreign envoys had to apply in writing to the king, cut off
all opportunity for personally approaching the king, and we have seen
how angry Filosofow was at the change. At the same time as he sent off
his courier to Petersburg, however, the Danish government despatched
Aide-de-Camp von Warnstedt with a letter from the king to the empress,
notifying the dismissal of Bernstorff, and containing the assurance that
the change would in no way affect the friendly relations between the two
courts.

Struensee, who drew up the letter, was so ignorant of usages, or
neglected to follow them to such an extent, that he simply began "Madam,"
instead of "Madam, my sister," and ended in the ordinary style, "I have
the honour to be, Madam, your Imperial Majesty's very humble and obedient
servant." The real writer of the letter could not refrain, either, from
displaying in it the superiority of his views, for he mixed up in it
some salutary lessons on politics. Such was the apparent message; but
Warnstedt was secretly entrusted with letters for the Orlows, who were
the enemies of Panin, the Russian minister, and friends of Filosofow
and Saldern. He talked foolishly about the latter commission, so that
it reached the ears of Mestmacher, the Russian chargé d'affaires at
Copenhagen, and the Petersburg court knew before Warnstedt arrived of
what letters he was the bearer.

When the envoy arrived at St. Petersburg, he learned that the empress
was so unfavourably disposed toward Denmark, that for some time past she
had not invited the Danish ambassador, Count Scheel, and his wife to
her evening circle. The envoy extraordinary could only obtain a public
audience from the empress, who received the letter from his hands, and
conversed graciously with him, but no answer was given him. As for
the private letters, very good care was taken that they should not be
delivered. When Warnstedt returned to Copenhagen he was put under arrest,
as a satisfaction for the Russian minister, though it was publicly stated
that he had spoken incautiously about Christian VII. while in Petersburg.
He was, however, liberated soon after.

This treatment of Warnstedt led to the belief in Copenhagen that the
government was angry at the answer received from Petersburg; and Count
Rantzau, the old foe of the Petersburg cabinet, began publicly rejoicing
that the Russian yoke which Denmark had borne too long, was now shaken
off. But Struensee behaved in the affair with statesmanlike demeanour
and caution, so that Filosofow quite lost his head, and even displayed
traces of insanity. He requested his recall, and it was granted. Before
he left, he desired a private audience from Christian, and was told that
he could only see the king in the apartment, and could take leave there.
He replied that his health did not allow him to be present, and he went
away without taking leave of a single member of the royal family.[138]

The Foreign Office was next given to Count VON DER OSTEN, who had been
Danish envoy at Naples. As he plays an important part in the narrative,
I will say a few words here about his birth and chequered fortunes.

Being without a patrimony, he was educated at court as page in the
house of Frederick V. As he evidenced talent and cunning, Count von
Moltke granted him a pension to study abroad. During his first journey
to Leipzig, he made the acquaintance of Count Stanislaus Poniatowski,
afterwards King of Poland, and they even slept in the same bed. On
returning home, the first use Osten made of his talents was to induce
the page of the chamber to deliver to the king a memorial against Count
von Moltke and his administration, and against Bernstorff, who had
the confidence of the king and his favourite. The king, instead of
dismissing his favourite and his minister, showed them the libel, and
as they soon saw that the person who handed it in was not capable of
composing it, they urged him to reveal the real author. Moderate and
honourable as they were, they took no further vengeance than sending
their young adversary to take some lessons in politics, and for this
purpose entrusted him to Malzahn, at that time minister in Russia.

Although Von der Osten was not given an official post, he contrived to
seize on one. Malzahn died, and the secretary to the embassy being ill,
Osten took upon himself to seal up the archives, receive despatches,
and confer with the Russian ministers. Bernstorff confirmed him in
the appointment he had seized, and sent him his instructions, which
were, among other things, that he must humour the grand duchess, whose
elevation the Copenhagen cabinet already foresaw. Von der Osten paid his
court to her, by telling her all he could learn about foreign politics.
This young princess was silently preparing to play a part, though I
cannot affirm whether she flattered herself with the hope of managing her
husband, or that she thought even then of getting rid of him.

As the grand duchess had no children, the Empress Elizabeth declared to
her some time after that there must absolutely be a successor to the
empire, and pointed out to her the man who might cure her sterility. This
proposal at first revolted Catharine, and she rejected it as an insult.
But when it was added that such respectable scruples might cause her
to be sent away, her hesitation ceased, and after awhile there was no
necessity to force lovers upon her. While Von der Osten was envoy at
Petersburg, he received a visit from the young Poniatowski, whom he had
known at Leipzig. Poniatowski was at first only a simple companion and
intimate friend of Hanbury Williams, the English envoy; but during a
lengthened residence at Petersburg he was entrusted with a commission by
Augustus III. of Poland. He was handsome, well-informed, eloquent--in
a word, made to please; and the grand duchess accepted his homage. Von
der Osten was their confidant, and either acting in conformity with the
intentions of his court, or through friendship for Poniatowski, he did
not refuse them his good offices, but offered to cover the _liaison_,
by lending his hotel as their rendezvous. Poniatowski came there
_incognito_, and the princess, disguised as a man, escaped from her
palace, and got into a hired carriage, in which the Secretary von der
Osten received and accompanied her.

An intrigue, or some other cause, removed Von der Osten from Petersburg,
but he was employed at Dresden in 1762. When the revolution rendered the
empress independent, and removed the necessity for mystery, she begged
the King of Denmark to send Von der Osten back to her court. For two
years she not only granted him greater access and favours than a foreign
minister could claim, but consulted him on the affairs of the empire,
and admitted him to the conferences held in her presence between her
ministers and her general officers. He fell from this elevation most
suddenly; the Russian minister informed all the foreign envoys, by a
circular note, that the empress had withdrawn her favour from Herr von
der Osten, and regarded him as a vile and odious person. He remained some
time at Petersburg, going to court, where nobody spoke to him, and not
seeking to justify himself. Business no longer passed through his hands:
the secretary to the embassy received the despatches from his court, and
answered them without Osten's participation.

This took place in 1764, or about the period of the Polish throne being
vacant. Von der Osten had received orders to make common cause with the
dissidents, who desired the election of Stanislaus; but he was of a
different opinion, and worked against his old friend in favour of a Count
Oginsky, who was younger and handsomer, and whom he tried to please by
dyeing his red eyebrows black. This attachment so blinded him, that, in
the ante-chamber of the empress, and at the time when he was in favour,
he offered to bet on the election of Oginsky against that of Stanislaus.
Oginsky paid him for such warm protection, and I have no doubt gave but
slight attention to the colour of his eyebrows. The publicity which the
Russian court gave to Osten's disgrace refers to some secret infamy,
and not to the two Polish rivals. It is supposed that, having succeeded
in attaining a position by the help of Madame Bestucheff, who was a
Dane, he eventually committed some signal act of treachery against her
husband. It must have been during the period of his favour at Petersburg
that Osten obtained the title of Count, for he was not so by birth. At
the same period he asked for the order of the Dannebrog, but Bernstorff
answered him that he had been a page too recently; and for this refusal
Von der Osten never forgave the Danish minister.

After so many causes of bitterness, old and new, Bernstorff, not wishing
to avenge himself by disgracing Osten, or recall to court an enemy whose
talent for intrigue had become notorious, sent the count to Naples.
After awhile, as the count did not cease to complain of an employment
which he regarded as an exile, the minister had the complaisance to
nominate him for Paris _vice_ Von Gleichen; but at the first hint the
French court received of this, it ordered the Marquis de Blosset to
protest at Copenhagen against this choice. Then Bernstorff destined him
for the Hague; but, his own power ceasing shortly after, he saw himself
succeeded by the man whose friendship he had only been able to gain by
such indulgence and kindness.

Von der Osten's conduct in his new post was not deficient in skill
or dignity, but Struensee's hope of moving the Russian court by this
appointment failed. The new minister's first measure on taking office was
one in which his character could be plainly read. He wished to flatter
the Russian court, and yet not displease the party that ruled at his
own. He sent to the former a species of apology about the great changes
that had taken place at his court, and displayed considerable eloquence
in it. This document met with a better fate at Petersburg than the king's
letter, and many people applauded it. It may be assumed that the Russian
court, whose pride had been terribly hurt by the loss of its influence
in Danish affairs, was glad to avenge itself on the King of Denmark by
this little humiliation, and to be able to withdraw from the whole affair
with an appearance of honour; at any rate, the empress adhered to her
decision, and declared openly that so long as foreign affairs were in the
hands of Von der Osten, the alliance and negotiations with Denmark would
be broken off.

After the rescript about the new organization of the privy council
had been issued, Privy Councillor Schack, Lieutenant General Gähler,
Vice Admiral Römeling, and Count Rantzau-Ascheberg, were formed into
a committee to make a further proposition about it. By this rescript
the power of the council had been considerably restricted, and further
limitations appeared to be impending. Schack opposed this reform, and
when he found it was of no use, he retired without a pension to his
estate in Jütland. As we stated, the discussions and proposals of the
privy council were to be sent in writing to the king, and when Struensee
was appointed Maître des Requêtes, on December 18, 1770, it was his duty
to read to the king the reports of the privy council. But a very few days
later, the council received a death-blow through the following decree
written and signed by the king:--

We, Christian VII., by grace of God King of Denmark, Norway, of the Goths
and Wends, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn and the Dittmarsches,
Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, &c., decree and announce herewith.
As the affairs of state in an absolute government are only confused
and delayed when many persons of high rank take part in them, owing to
the respect which the latter acquire with the course of time, and the
settlement of business is thus retarded: we, however, who have nothing
so much at heart as a zealous promotion of the public welfare, will not
let ourselves be checked or hindered in those measures and arrangements
that tend to this object: we have therefore thought proper to abolish and
absolutely suppress our former privy council; in doing which, our object
is to restore to the constitution of the state all its purity and to
maintain it. Thus, then, the said form of government will be and remain
exactly as it was handed to our ancestors of glorious memory by the
nation, and not the slightest appearance will be left, as if we wished
to depart from the sense and intention with which the nation transmitted
it to our ancestors. In further confirmation of the above, we have had
the present decree drawn up in duplicate, in Danish and German, and the
articles shall be preserved for ever in the archives of the Chanceries.
Given under our royal hand and seal, at our castle of Frederiksberg,
this 27th December, 1770.

    CHRISTIAN.

    FABRICIUS. A. G. CARSTENS

This singular edict was generally attributed to Rantzau, but the avowed
motive lay as much in the king's character as in Struensee's: neither of
them liked people of consequence, but how could they suppose that they
had disarmed the nobility, by discharging those who had acquired credit
and consideration? After all, it is power that rules, and this power
must be in the hands of somebody. Frederick the Great found a way of
diminishing the power of his ministers, by being his own minister, and
this was what was intended at Copenhagen. But what resemblance was there
between the two kings? Struensee, by making himself the inspirer, could
not hope to remain long concealed; in fact, everybody saw his movements
already. The king, who eagerly took up the idea of imitating his brother
of Prussia, ere long had a stereotyped answer for everything: "Apply to
Struensee." Hence, there was a Grand Vizier, and surely the nation did
not gain much by suppressing four ministers assembled in council, and
giving the power to one man.

This decree appeared to be greeted with applause by all save the old
nobles, for the heavy taxes which weighed down the country, were placed
to the account of the privy council, and people were offended by the
arrogance with which several members looked down on other persons, while
they did not hesitate to render themselves the tools of licentious
favourites. With the suspension of the council, the members were
dismissed from their other offices as well. Rosenkrantz alone received
a pension, which he owed to the intercession of his friend Frau von
Gähler,--a proof of the still existing influence of certain ladies
of the court on public affairs, although it had been announced that
firm principles would be followed in everything. Rosenkrantz was also
14,000 dollars in debt to the Treasury. After their dismissal, the four
ministers quitted the capital and retired to their estates.[139]

On the day after the suppression of the privy council, a privy council of
conferences was established. The idea of this council seems to have been
derived from what took place in Russia during the reign of the Empress
Anne, but it never attained any importance. The members met whenever
requested to do so by the king, and then expressed their opinion about
matters laid before them.

The power was now once more collected in the sole person of the king, as
had been the case with the first absolute monarch of Denmark and Norway,
in 1660. His advisers in public business were, on the one hand, a man of
bourgeois birth, who had not been trained as a statesman, but had risen
rapidly; on the other, men, who liked reforms, and hence were regarded
with hateful glances by all those whose interests they attacked. The
results, however, attained by these advisers displayed some amount of
talent. It seemed as if fresh life and order were being re-introduced
into the state, if we can admit that such things ever before existed.
A very wide field was also opened for ideas by the free Press. Still,
months passed ere people ventured to employ it in discussing affairs of
state. Numerous pamphlets appeared, but were of slight value. Gradually,
however, learned men took up the pen, in order to take advantage of the
liberty granted them, and publicly discussed important state matters,
such as serfdom, corvées, the system of guilds, monopolies, the bank, the
army, the university, Norway, Zeeland, &c. Most of these _litterateurs_
were anonymous, but among them were men of scientific reputation, such
as Jacob Baden, Fleischer, Schumacher, &c. The majority of these essays
clearly proved, however, how few sound and correct views about government
had gained admission into Denmark at that period. That the press should
also produce a countless number of pasquinades and abusive pamphlets, was
only what was expected, and the good sale of such things, although their
price was raised, at any rate furnished proof of a desire to read being
aroused among the people, which in the end led to the perusal of better
literature.

But the general joy at the liberty of the press and other excellent
regulations was greatly damaged by the fact that all the cabinet orders
appeared in German. It is true that the court had been, for centuries,
the centre of Germanism in Denmark, and this fact, even in the reign of
Christian VI., had caused a German to remark to that king, who was a Dane
all over, "It is strange that your Majesty should be the only foreigner
in your own house;" and under the seventh Christian, it was also the
fact that the higher classes could neither speak nor write Danish; while
there were high officials, who, in spite of a lengthened residence in
Copenhagen, could not speak Danish. The army was drilled and commanded
after the German regulations; and the courts-martial were minuted in
German. As, however, the public were aware that the present king spoke
and wrote Danish well, and as it had not hitherto been customary to
publish any decrees or government regulations, save those intended for
the duchies, in German, an insult to the Danish nation was seen in
Struensee's German decrees, as he addressed them in a foreign language.
Hence it was natural that this mistake produced Struensee many enemies,
who, solely on that account, became his political opponents. Struensee
apologized for his error by saying that he had no time to learn Danish;
but surely there was nothing to prevent him from having his cabinet
orders translated into Danish.

A curious instance of a mistake occasioned by Struensee's use and abuse
of German is preserved for us by Reverdil. An individual in Norway,
whose house stood on a very rapid river, down which wood was floated to
the sea, had put up in front of his house a stockade to stop the wood,
and agreed with the woodmen as to the price they should pay for the use
of his establishment. The persons interested, desiring to render their
contract more solemn, requested the king to ratify it, according to a
received custom. This request was sent from the Danish Chancery to the
cabinet with a favourable report. The clerk who had to translate the
documents into German did not understand the word _flaxboom_, by which
the stockade was designated; and as he saw that the affair related to the
right of passage on the river, and as _flachs_ meant flax in German, he
assumed that these persons were arranging a tax to be paid on all flax
brought down the river. This offended Struensee, who at once addressed
a reprimand to the Chancery, on its proposition to establish a toll
which would be very onerous upon the flax trade, and contrary to all the
principles of political economy. The Chancery replied, that his Majesty
had doubtless been deceived by his German translator; that no flax came
down the river; and, in a word, cleared up the misunderstanding. The
explanation gained the department a fresh reprimand, for having the
audacity to suppose that his Majesty had Danish reports translated, and
did not understand his own language.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 136: An affecting trace of this training was seen on the
very last day of the life of Frederick VI. As is well known, he died
of entire loss of strength; but on the afternoon before his death, he
gave the parole for the day in his audience-room. While doing so, his
three-cornered hat fell from his grasp; but he would not allow any one to
pick it up, but did so himself with the utmost difficulty.]

[Footnote 137: Reverdil, p. 224.]

[Footnote 138: "Authentische Aufklärungen," p. 72.]

[Footnote 139: After the palace revolution of 1772, Thott joined the
newly-formed ministry. Moltke Bregentved accepted no office, and died
in 1793, at the age of 83. Reventlow eventually became curator of Kiel
University, where he died in 1783. Rosenkrantz was recalled to the privy
council in 1784, when the crown prince broke up Guldberg's ministry and
became prince regent, but he was dismissed again in 1788. He died in
1802.]

CHAPTER XII.

THE GREAT REFORMER.

     ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LOTTERY--THE KING'S BIRTHDAY--THE ORDER
     OF MATILDA--VON FALCKENSKJOLD--THE RUSSIAN QUARREL--THE
     CIVIC COUNCIL--COURT RETRENCHMENT--THE COLLEGE OF
     FINANCES--ROSENBORG GARDENS--THE GARDES DU CORPS--STRUENSEE'S
     PUSILLANIMITY--NEGOCIATIONS WITH RUSSIA--RUMOURS OF WAR.

At the beginning of 1771, the court quitted the palace of
Frederiksberg,[140] and returned to the Christiansborg Palace.

Christiansborg, built by Christian VI., was an enormous edifice. It
consisted of six stories above the vaults,--three of these were extremely
large and lofty, and dedicated to state purposes; three other stories ran
between, not more than eight feet high, called Mezzanines, where the
state ministers and royal attendants had suites of rooms. The queen's
apartments were in the grand or east front, on the second great story;
the king's were on the same floor, further to the south; the royal chapel
formed another division of this vast palace; a lower structure, or wing,
under which was one of the entrances to this huge edifice, formed a
continuation of the Mezzanine story. Struensee's apartments were in the
Mezzanine, opening into the grand passage leading to the royal chapel,
and next to the queen's apartments; Count Brandt's rooms were on the same
story, adjoining Struensee's, but next the chapel.[141] The queen dowager
and Prince Frederick occupied the whole of the third floor when they were
residing in Copenhagen.

The first measure taken by Struensee in this year was the appointment
of Professor Oeder, who had hitherto been a member of the agricultural
commission, as Councillor of Finances and member of the Financial
Deputation. This was a title hitherto unknown in Denmark; but Oeder
justified the choice, although he had been hitherto better known as a
botanist and author of a "_Flora Danica_." He took a considerable share
in Struensee's cabinet labours, and expressed his opinion about state
affairs and reforms openly when invited to do so. He often opposed
Struensee's views; still more often warned him against precipitate and
violent measures; and the favourite was more disposed to listen to Order
than to many others.

On January 12, the Prussian bank director, Koes, received permission
to establish a royal Danish lottery for a term of six years. For the
privilege, an annual sum of 25,000 dollars was to be paid into the
king's private exchequer. The farmer and his partners published a plan
of subscription, containing two hundred and fifty shares of 500 dollars
each; and ten per cent. profit was guaranteed the shareholders. The
directors of the lottery appointed two thousand collectors all over the
country; and a drawing took place every three weeks.

The introduction of the lottery justly aroused great public reproach.
For all that, the following Danish governments found this institution
so profitable, that they undertook the direction of it, and it was not
until public opinion began to become very decided about this corruption
offered to the poorer classes, that it was entirely abolished in the
reign of Christian VIII. Struensee only authorised the establishment
of the lottery, it is urged, because at that time the country swarmed
with pedlars, who sold tickets of foreign lotteries, by which a great
deal of money was drawn out of the country, and he tried to prevent
this by starting a home lottery for gamblers. A number of pamphlets at
once appeared in Copenhagen and other towns of the kingdom, in which
the ruinous results of lottery gambling were shown, though without any
effect. When the lottery was established at Copenhagen and Wandsbeck, the
people were attacked by a perfect mania for gambling, and while formerly
the conversation in the houses of citizens turned on the weather and town
scandal, they now talked about the best way of playing, about ambos,
ternes, and quaterns, &c.

The king's birthday, January 29, was employed by the new government as
a favourable opportunity for gaining the favour of the populace. For
this purpose, an antique fountain was erected in the manège behind the
Christiansborg Palace, from which red and white wine flowed. Everybody
was allowed to fetch it away, except the sailors of the navy. From the
balcony over the fountain a herald threw gold and silver medals among
the crowd, bearing on the obverse the king's bust, and on the reverse
the date, "January 29, 1771," with the king's motto, "Gloria ex amore
patriæ." At the same time, a roast ox and sundry roast sheep were cut up
and distributed. It seems as if the intention were to throw some lustre
upon the throne, which would compensate for the _nimbus_ with which the
now removed high-born ministers and great gentlemen had formerly invested
it in the eyes of the populace.

The king's birthday was, however, glorified in another manner. The
reigning queen established on this day a new order, called the Order
of Matilda. The statutes, which were drawn up in French, were to the
following effect:

Art. I.--The order shall be called the Order of Matilda.

Art. II.--It shall be conferred on both ladies and gentlemen; but the
number must never exceed twenty-four, the queen, its founder, included.

Art. III.--It shall only be conferred on persons who have deserved the
particular attention of the queen, independently of merit or services
rendered.

Art. IV.--It is forbidden to ask for the order; and those ladies and
gentlemen who act contrary to this rule, will deprive themselves for ever
of the hope of obtaining it.

Art. V.--Those ladies or gentlemen who, on receiving the Order of
Matilda, may possess that of the Perfect Union of the late queen, Sophia
Magdalena, shall deliver the insignia of the latter to the queen.

Art. VI.--The order shall be worn with a pink ribbon, striped with
silver. The gentlemen shall wear it round the neck, and the ladies fasten
it in the shape of a bow on the left breast.

Art. VII.--On the death of any lady or gentleman decorated with it, the
heirs are expected to send the insignia of the order to the queen.[142]

The badge itself consisted of a round medallion, with the letters C. M.
set in costly diamonds, the royal crown over it, and a laurel wreath
round. The king and queen, the queen dowager, and the hereditary Prince
Frederick, were the first royal personages who assumed the new order.
The others to whom it was given on the day of its institution, were Count
Rantzau-Ascheberg, Privy Councillor von der Osten, Lieut.-General von
Gähler, Chamberlain Enevold Brandt, Struensee, Baroness von Schimmelmann,
Frau von Gähler, and the Countess Holstein zu Holsteinborg. The evident
object was to indicate the queen's adherents by this distinction, but
Struensee's enemies asserted that he had despised the Dannebrog, but did
not yet dare demand the Elephant, and hence the new order was instituted.
There was nothing remarkable, however, in Caroline Matilda founding an
order, as well as other queens before her.

The new rulers, however, did not at all forget, through the festivities
on the royal birthday, to extend to the court the proposed system of
retrenchment in the expenses of the state. It was seen to be absolutely
necessary that the expenditure of the court should undergo strict
revision. Struensee and Brandt tried together to induce Councillor of
Legation Texier, who had accompanied the king on his tour as treasurer,
to undertake the duties of a court intendant. But this clear-sighted man
declined the offer most politely, and Struensee had to look elsewhere for
assistance.

It was quite useless to expect any good from Count Moltke, the court
marshal and son of Frederick V.'s favourite, for he was preternaturally
stupid. Abuses and foolish expenses had been multiplied under his rule,
and there were the most valid reasons for getting rid of him; but, on
the other hand, he had one of the prettiest and least strict wives at
court. Struensee had a weakness for her, and considered her necessary
for the new tone he wished to give the court. He therefore resolved on
a _mezzo termine_, and sent for a Lieutenant-Colonel von Wegener, who
had taught the princes of Hesse mathematics, and was at present at the
head of Prince Charles's household, into which he had introduced great
regularity. Struensee gave him the title of Intendant of the Court,
with charge of the expenses, while Count von Moltke would retain the
introductions, the ceremonial, and do what is called the honours. On
the king informing Moltke of all the details of which he relieved him,
while leaving him his salary, the latter became very violent, demanded
his dismissal, obtained it, insisted on his wife accompanying him to his
paternal estate, and died on arriving there. A rumour was spread that his
wife had poisoned him; but she justified herself by having an autopsy
performed, accompanied by a regular report from the physicians. This fact
struck people greatly, and the patriotic party concluded that morals were
hopelessly ruined, as such atrocious suspicions could be conceived.[143]

Shortly after, however, two dismissals took place at court, which were
not at all connected with the economical system. Page of the Chamber Von
Köppern was so impudent as to speak disrespectfully about Struensee to
the king, and thus caused his own fall. Chamberlain von Warnstedt, too,
who had hitherto been a favourite of the king, and stood in confidential
relations with Struensee, was suddenly dismissed from court. A single
incautious remark about Struensee proved his ruin. On his birthday, in
February, Warnstedt received a letter from the king, in which the monarch
intimated that being aware of Warnstedt's inclination for a military
life, he discharged him from court with a pension of 800 dollars, and had
nominated him second-lieutenant in the Schleswig dragoons, with orders to
join his regiment without delay.[144]

But dismissals were the order of the day, not only at court but among the
government officials. This fate first befell the two oldest directors
of the General Staat, Conferenzrath von Schrödersee and Etats-rath
Holm, who were both discharged without pension. They were followed by
the bailiff and under-bailiff of Copenhagen: the former because he was
alleged to behave too severely, the latter too mildly, to the peasants.
The dismissal of these two officials was ascribed to General von
Gähler, but unjustly so. Struensee was accustomed to confer with the
general frequently, who had many enemies. The sudden dismissals were
not confined to the capital and its immediate vicinity, but extended to
all parts of the monarchy. The most important of them was the removal
of Privy Councillor von Benzon, viceroy of the kingdom of Norway. This
universally respected old gentleman was dismissed on February 8; the post
of an _alter ego_ of the king in the second kingdom was not filled up
for the present, and the management of the business, which had hitherto
been transacted by the viceroy, was left to the bailiffs. After the
viceroy, the next victim was Bürgermeister von Wasmer of Bergen, who
was discharged for disobedience and insubordination. As, afterwards,
many shared the same fate without the causes for their dismissal being
imparted to them, it was natural that the most honest and valued
officials no longer felt secure. On the other hand, it is indubitable
that from this time the business of the state was carried on with greater
attention and industry than before.[145]

A decree that aroused general satisfaction appeared on February 12. It
consisted of a circular to the government colleges, in which they were
informed that in future no lackey who had waited on a master must be
proposed for a public office. In this way the hateful lackeydom was
abolished, and a permanent obstacle raised against the repeated neglect
of scientifically-educated men, on behalf of fellows who had driven a
carriage or stood behind it.

The administration of the navy was not forgotten among the reforms.
Privy Councillor Count Haxthausen was ordered to confer with Etats-rath
Willebrandt, and draw up a new organization for the Admiralty College.

About this time a friend of Struensee made his appearance at Copenhagen,
whose cruel fate, after the catastrophe of 1772, will for ever remain
a blot on Danish justice. SENECA OTHO VON FALCKENSKJOLD was descended
from an old noble Danish family, and was born, in 1738, at Slagelse, on
Seeland. Intended by his father, who held high rank in the army, for
a military career, he entered the service in his thirteenth year. On
leaving the cadet school four years later, when the Seven Years' War
broke out, Falckenskjold, instead of intriguing at Copenhagen with women
and valets, entered the service of France, served in Alsace, was slightly
wounded at Bergen, but so severely at Clostercamp, where Maréchal de
Castries defeated the Hanoverians, that he was rendered incapable of
serving for some time. When his country was threatened with a Russian
war in 1762, Falckenskjold returned home, and received a company in the
Delmenhorst regiment, and afterwards a command in Norway. When his corps
was disbanded, Falckenskjold resided for some time at Altona, where
Rantzau inspired him with a taste for politics. Shortly after, being
animated with a lively desire for information, he travelled through
Sweden, Germany, France, and England, in order to become acquainted with
the institutions of those countries and learn their language. On his
return to Copenhagen he was appointed aide-de-camp and chamberlain to
the king. When, in 1768, the war broke out between Russia and the Porte,
he entered the Russian service, was appointed lieutenant-colonel in the
engineers, served, in 1769, under Prince Galitzin, and was present at
the capture of Khotzim. In the following year, being employed with the
army of which Count Romanzow took the command, he distinguished himself
at the battle of Larga, received the cross of St. George for being the
first man to enter the Turkish entrenched camp, and was one of the first
twelve knights of this order, which had been recently founded. He also
distinguished himself at the battle of Kahul, and was appointed a full
colonel, with the commission and rank of a brigadier.

This was a man whom Struensee could employ, and therefore he recalled
him, in order to entrust to him the reform of the Danish army, and
employ him in the negotiations with Russia for the pestilent exchange
of territory. Falckenskjold was reluctant to quit the Russian service,
where he had the best prospects of speedy promotion; but he yielded
to Struensee's wishes, as a speedy return to the Russian service was
promised him, but chiefly that he might offer his assistance in the
diplomatic negociations between the two kingdoms.

On arriving in Copenhagen, Falckenskjold was nominated proprietor and
colonel of the regiment of Foot Guards, and attached to the commission
appointed to renew the suspended negociations with Russia, about which
Struensee was extremely anxious. As Falckenskjold was thoroughly
acquainted with Russian affairs, he was sent to Petersburg with the
embassy intended to press for the fulfilment of the treaty signed in
1768, and, disappointed in his expectations, returned at the period when
the menacing storm was rapidly gathering over Struensee. Brandt insisted
on his being appointed marshal of the court, but Falckenskjold could not
be persuaded to accept the office, and contented himself with being the
confidential adviser of Struensee, and in that capacity repeatedly warned
him to take his measures against any sudden change of fortune--advice
which, unfortunately, was not listened to by the dazzled favourite, who
was constantly engaged with fresh schemes.

At the time when Falckenskjold reached Copenhagen, Rantzau's faction were
urging an open war with Russia, in consequence of the non-fulfilment of
the treaty; and even Struensee did not consider such a war desperate. But
Falckenskjold was violently opposed to it, and when Struensee declared
that the bomb-ketches built to attack Algiers could be employed to
batter Cronstadt, and that the king would not hesitate to sacrifice
all his plate to defray the expenses of such an expedition, the old
soldier brought forward some pregnant facts. He reminded Struensee that
a resource of this nature, employed by Louis XIV. daring the war of the
Succession, only produced 450,000 livres. He then entered into a detail
about the expense of a single campaign against Russia, and compared it
with the present resources of Denmark, the condition of her armaments,
and the assistance she might expect from foreign powers. Besides,
supposing that the king, though he (Falckenskjold) was far from admitting
the fact, was strong enough to attack such an enemy with a hope of
success, the maritime powers, especially England, would not suffer their
relations to be interrupted in the Baltic, or allow ports advantageous
to their trade, and from which they derived a great portion of their
naval equipment, to be destroyed. Falckenskjold also urged that, there
was reason to apprehend that the King of Prussia would interfere in the
quarrel to the prejudice of Denmark, in order to carry out his designs
upon Holland.

These considerations produced an effect on Struensee, but Rantzau and
his partisans did everything to efface the impression they had produced.
The threatening tone which they openly assumed in talking about Russia,
and which they rendered the fashion in Copenhagen, was carried to so
insulting a point, that the Russian _chargé d'affaires_ repeatedly told
Falckenskjold that he would have left long before were it not for the
hopes that he (Falckenskjold) gave him. This indiscreet bravado on the
part of the Rantzau faction greatly displeased Struensee, however, and
gave weight to Falckenskjold's remonstrances.

In the meanwhile, Struensee's reforms went on uninterruptedly; and
various ameliorations in the law courts appeared one after the other.
Thus a regulation was issued relating to the corvées on the noble
estates, by which the poor serf ceased to be a helpless tool in the hands
of his owner. Certain days and hours in the week were set apart for
compulsory service, but the remaining time was left at the disposal of
the peasantry. The latter were placed under the protection of the law,
and all the privileges which belonged to them as men and citizens, were
secured to them.

In order to prevent the delay in judicial investigations through
chicanery or neglect, a list was ordered of all persons under arrest for
criminal offences, with a statement of their crimes, the time they had
been detained, and the names of their judges. The names also of those
judges were reported who had proved negligent in the performance of their
duties.

In order that trustees might not carry on usury with the property
of their wards, or squander it, but that heirs and creditors might
receive their funds in due course, a list was ordered to be sent to the
government of all the estates of deceased persons and bankrupts, the
names of the trustees and assignees, and the period when the latter were
appointed.

The two chanceries were subjected to a reorganization, the almost
sovereign heads of these colleges dismissed, and in their stead the
Danish Chancery had four, the German three, deputies, and the same number
of departments.

The civic government of Copenhagen also underwent reorganization. The
complaints raised on all sides about the misuse of authority, the slow
course of business, and the maladministration of the town revenues and
neglect in providing the city with provisions, were the ostensible
reasons for these reforms. The magistracy would, in future, consist of
a chief president, two bürgermeisters, a town syndic, a town physician,
four councillors, and two representatives. But even in this simple
matter court intrigues prevailed,--Count Holstein zu Holsteinborg was
appointed president; one of those men with whom a great name and a little
charlatanism hold the place of merit. He had been recalled from Tondern,
where he was bailiff, because his wife was considered worthy of adorning
the new court, and Brandt distinguished her.

This change, however, was not effected without considerable
dissatisfaction, for it was an encroachment on the privileges which the
city had obtained at various times from the kings, and especially for its
glorious defence against the Swedes in 1759. Still it was a notorious
fact that the magistracy misapplied their power, and did not trouble
themselves at all about the proposals of the council of thirty-two
notables, and hence the new regulations found as many approvers as
opponents.

The police of Copenhagen were next subjected to a different organization.
They were most severely prohibited from interfering any more in the
domestic affairs of the inhabitants, or troubling themselves about what
did and did not take place in private houses on Sundays, so that the
citizens of Copenhagen could henceforth say with the Englishman: "My
house is my castle."

In order to check the usual expense of funerals, which were frequently
carried on so extravagantly that the survivors were ruined, an order
was issued to the effect that, in future, all burials should take
place between one and six o'clock in the morning; but this period was
afterwards extended to nine o'clock. In Struensee's time there were
streets in Copenhagen without a name: the houses were not numbered,
and the lighting of the streets was in a wretched state. Orders were
therefore given to alter this at once, and light all the streets daily
with reverbère lamps from dusk till daylight.

The repulsive custom by which persons condemned of adultery were exposed
in the pillory and reprimanded by the clergyman of their parish in the
presence of the whole congregation, was prohibited; and it was ordered
by a royal decree that illegitimate birth should no longer be regarded
as dishonouring. Such a child would be christened precisely in the same
way, and within the same period, as legitimate children; its birth would
no longer be regarded as a lasting stain, or prevent it from learning a
trade, or carrying on business. At the same time, the domestic peace was
protected against calumny and denunciation by an order that no one but
the offended party should make a complaint about adultery.

The countless number of various law courts which existed in Copenhagen
and the rest of the country prior to Struensee's time,--such as the Aulic
Council, the Lower Court, the Upper Court, the Admiralty Court, the
Police Court, the Commercial Court, the Hospital Court, the Magistracy,
the Commercial College, the Consistory, &c.,--were all abolished on April
15, and, in their stead, a single jurisdiction,--"the Court and Town
Council of Copenhagen,"--was instituted. Land-surveyor Wessel, brother of
the celebrated satirical poet Peter Wessel, of whom the latter wrote, "He
surveys the land, and learns the laws, and is as industrious as I may be
called indolent," was appointed assessor of the new court. This step was
greatly abused by the lawyers; but the result soon proved that Struensee
had made a good choice, for within six weeks after the establishment of
the new court Wessel had got it into perfect working order.

Various changes and reductions now took place at court. The vacant post
of a Chief Master of the Ceremonies was not filled up. In the queen's
household, two ladies-in-waiting were dismissed,--Baroness von Wedel
and Fräulein von Eyben, the latter with a post in the noble convent
of St. John, at Schleswig, and a pension of 300 dollars. The numerous
supernumerary officers were dismissed; but, on the other hand, the staff
of valets was increased. In order that the pages might no longer be
admitted to that domestic and servile familiarity in the palace, which
only taught them intrigues and crooked paths to promotion, Struensee
discharged them all; and, in their place, three land and three sea
cadets, under the inspection of an officer, were ordered to wait on their
Majesties. These young men were only to remain at court for a year, and
then others would take their place. The pensions and salaries at court
were nearly all reduced, including that of Court-painter Als, who lost
nearly one-half of his 800 dollars a year. The number of horses kept
in the royal stud and stables was also reduced to one hundred, while
the sale of the superfluous cattle produced the sum of 30,000 dollars.
For the sake of economy, the embellishment and enlargement of the royal
palaces were also stopped.

During the extravagance of the preceding reign, the construction of
a marble church had been commenced, after the magnificent designs of
Jardin, a French architect. It was less an object of devotion than of
pomp and decoration. In the same reign, when the state became deeply
indebted, and frugality was necessary, the court reduced the annual
amount devoted to this church to 20,000 dollars: it was deferring its
completion for a century. Struensee cut the knot: he put a stop to the
works, broke the contracts with the stone contractors in Norway, and
offered Jardin, if he were willing to remain, an annual salary of 300
dollars, which sum a pupil of his would have rejected. The contractors
naturally declared that they were ruined: social economists complained
that it was a disgrace to the government to give up, for so slight a
cause, a magnificent undertaking, the expenses of which returned in a
thousand ways to the Treasury: artists protested against barbarism: and
the zealots were scandalized at the house of the Lord being deprived of
a trifling sum compared with that expended in the chase and playhouses.

Retrenchment in the administration was, however, even more necessary than
at court. Hence, in the first place, all those who had hitherto been in
the enjoyment of pensions from the king's privy purse, were ordered to
state their age, their position, and the services for which the pensions
had been granted, and a similar order was sent to the Board of Revenue
and the General Post Office. Many in consequence lost their pensions,
while those of others were reduced. It is true that several needy persons
were affected by this; but the changes, and especially the abolition of
franking, which had been scandalously misused by the officials, produced
savings and an augmented revenue. The latter was greatly aided by a
cabinet order to the effect that the Sound dues, which had hitherto been
paid into the king's privy purse, would henceforth be handed over to the
Treasury.

Unfortunately, the reductions effected in the king's household in this
way did not go so far as had been hoped, for the court cost more than
before, because Brandt consumed in his department all the savings made.
Masked and dress balls, pic-nics, the chase, a troupe of French actors,
the opera buffa, were all treated most profusely, and formed a revolting
contrast with the retrenchments which daily reduced some family to
misery.[146]

However, no settled plan could be devised about a better arrangement of
the finances. Strangely enough, no agreement could be arrived at as to
the real amount of the in-comings and out-goings. Gähler estimated the
annual crown receipts at 6,250,000 dollars, but Rantzau at only 4,500,000
dollars. When Christian VII. ascended the throne, the state debt amounted
to 20,000,000 dollars, and, according to Gähler's calculations, was
now reduced to 13,980,000 dollars, but according to Rantzau, only to
15,000,000 dollars. The expenses amounted, according to Schimmelmann,
to only 4,154,650 dollars, but according to Rantzau to fully 6,000,000.
Nor could they agree as to the fundamental principles of the financial
system, although the great majority, of the council of conferences
decided against any extra taxation or income tax. On May 29 the
commission handed in its final report to the king, and met for the last
time on June 10.

On the same day as the privy commission of conferences sent in its last
report on financial matters, a College of Finances was established, and
the general Board of Customs abolished. According to the regulations for
the new college, it was to consist of four departments (1st, for Denmark;
2nd, for Norway; 3rd, for Schleswig-Holstein; and 4th, for Oldenburg).
Count von Holstein, Chief President of Copenhagen, the bürgermeister of
the capital, Thyge Rothe, Financial Councillor Oeder, and Councillor of
Justice Struensee, were appointed by the king deputies of the College of
Finances.

Rothe had been a preceptor to Prince Frederick, but afterwards retired
to an estate which he obtained through his wife. Though an esteemed
writer in verse and prose, he possessed more imagination than common
sense. CHARLES AUGUSTUS STRUENSEE was an elder brother of the favourite,
professor of mathematics at the military school of Liegnitz, in Prussia,
and was well known as a writer on military subjects, and as translator
of the _Rêveries_ of Maréchal de Saxe, when he was appointed a Danish
Councillor, on November 13, 1669. Being now summoned by his brother to
Copenhagen, where he arrived at the close of April, 1771, he attracted
general attention, us the near relative of the all-powerful cabinet
secretary.

Even Reverdil is willing to admit that the choice of Oeder and Struensee
for their present posts was not improper, except from the fact of the
latter's relationship. Both were upright and learned, and both had gained
a good deal of information connected with their new duties. Struensee
had observed the administration of the Prussian States; Oeder, while
travelling to study botany, had greatly reflected on the manner in which
countries were cultivated, or the faults connected with the collection of
taxes, and the oppression exercised by the officials.

The arts and sciences also became an object of attention to Struensee
and his adherents. The Academy for Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture
at Charlottenborg, was provided with fresh regulations, of a nature
to render it of more practical use. For this purpose, all pupils who
wished to devote themselves to the arts obtained a gratuitous education,
and the distribution of large and small gold and silver medals, at
the public exhibitions, was promised as a reward to encourage merit.
In the same spirit, it was ordered that the Academy of Soroe should
in future be thrown open to the sons of bourgeois as well as of the
nobles. The intentions of the government connected with the latter order
were, however, not carried out, because the regulations were in direct
opposition to the will of the regenerator of the Academy, the celebrated
Danish playwright Holberg.

As regards trade, the principle was laid down, that factories which could
not support themselves should not be maintained at the expense of the
state. It was therefore resolved no longer to carry on any manufacture
on royal account, and several silk mills were closed. On the other hand,
the greatest possible extension of trade, by enlarging its liberties,
was recognized as a pressing necessity by the government, and many
regulations connected with this object were passed.

The government also provided public amusements for the inhabitants of
the capital, with the object of inducing other wealthy families to
take up their residence at Copenhagen. The winter amusements consisted
principally of the theatres. At the court theatre French performances
were given every Tuesday and Friday, to which not only men of rank and
position, but also respectable citizens, had free admission. After
the performance, they played at cards in the queen's rooms, and cold
refreshments were handed to them.

The Danish theatre, however, which, as has been stated, was under the
direction of Brandt and Capellmeister Sarti, was not only used for the
performance of German plays and Italian operas, but also for redoutes
and masquerades, for which free tickets of admission were sent out,
and on some occasions everybody was allowed to attend, as in the case
of the great masquerade of December 18. At the same time there was no
lack of public concerts, at which foreign artistes performed, and of
performances by travelling posture-masters and conjurors, among whom
Brambilla greatly distinguished himself as rope-dancer, pantomimist, and
pyrotechnist.

Up to this time, certain portions of the Rosenborg Palace garden had been
closed against the public. These gardens, as well as those of the palace
of Frederiksberg, adjoining the western suburb of Copenhagen, were thrown
open to everybody towards the end of May; and on Sundays and holidays the
regimental bands played in the royal gardens and the great market-places.

Rosenborg was the favourite abode of Christian IV. When first erected, it
stood outside the capital, and was his summer residence when his royal
duties forbade his being at Frederiksborg. At the time when Struensee
threw the gardens open to the public, the flower-beds still flourished
under the care of an attentive gardener. The hedges were clipped square,
the orange trees formed into the shape of balls, and four large fountains
threw their jets high into the air, and caught them again in circular
marble basins. A buffet was erected in this garden, and the commission
was granted to a Mecklenburger of the name of Gabel, a protégé of
Struensee, who was afterwards permitted to open a faro bank. The gardens
were illuminated with coloured lamps, especially the great grove near the
spring and the neighbouring alleys. At times fireworks were let off, and
it was a fine sight to see the trees and the old palace illumined by the
ascending rockets, which threw a magic brilliancy over these memorials
of past ages, to leave them the next moment enveloped in the darkness
of the grave. The concerts at Rosenborg were frequently honoured by the
presence of the court, and the king and queen were accustomed to take
refreshments in the palace, and then mingle with the crowd.[147]

The zealots were very fierce in their denunciations of these popular
amusements. Formerly, they said, the act of profaning royal mansions by
clandestine amours was considered a crime punishable with the loss of a
finger-joint, and Struensee did worse in turning a royal garden into a
scene of libertinism. It must be allowed, that though the principal walks
were lit, the deepest gloom prevailed in the thickets, and the gardens
remained open till midnight. But the _parti prêtre_ had a better cause of
abuse in the faro table, even though the Foundling Hospital shared the
profits of the bank. This was no justification for the mistake committed
by the favourite, and led his enemies to spread a report that his great
object was utterly to corrupt morals, and make the whole people as
licentious as himself and his adherents.

On May 19, Struensee effected a reduction in the army, which produced a
most disagreeable impression on the whole nation, and must be regarded
as one of the principal causes of his rapid overthrow. This was the
abolition of the two squadrons of Royal Horse Guards, composed of picked
handsome men. The Guards greatly annoyed the favourite, for several of
the officers were men of high birth, and had the right of appearing at
court when they pleased. This suppression might be a useful economy,
and the task was already far advanced. Count de St. Germain, when he
became minister in 1762, found four squadrons of _gardes du corps_, and
two regiments of Foot Guards. He reduced them to two squadrons and a
battalion, forming a single corps under the same commandant, and wearing
the same uniform. The nation believed that this was the minimum, and that
the king could not be guarded by less than seven hundred and twenty men.
Struensee, however, abolished the two squadrons by a stroke of the pen.

Those officers who could not be at once attached to other cavalry
regiments were placed on half-pay; but the non-commissioned officers and
privates received nothing, as they had the option of entering the Foot
Guards. The latter mounted guard at the palace three days after the order
for disbanding the _gardes du corps_ was made known. Struensee's enemies
regarded this step as an attack on the king's majesty and prestige,
and expressed their opinion loudly, especially when this occurrence
offered an opportunity for exposing one of the weaknesses of Struensee's
character. When the Guards were returning to barracks from the parade,
where the king's order had been read to them, for the purpose of giving
over their horses, Struensee met them. Frightened by this most unexpected
rencontre, and believing that the Horse Guards had mutinied, he retired
in great haste, tore a leaf out of his pocket-book, and wrote a few
hurried lines in pencil to Count Ahlefeldt, in which he sent in his
resignation as cabinet secretary to the king.

It can be easily imagined what a sensation this event created when the
report of it spread through the city. Struensee himself, however, ought
to have learned through his discovery of his personal character, that
he was deficient in the most important quality of a state reformer--an
undaunted heart.

It was soon seen what was the cause of the disbandment of the _gardes
du corps_ when a cabinet order was issued establishing a model corps,
or what was called the "flying body guard," which was to take the place
of the disbanded squadron, under the command of Colonel Numsen, and be
composed of detachments from the different cavalry regiments. The reason
alleged for the change was, that these detachments would regularly
relieve one another; and as each would manœuvre in presence of the
king, the officers would all know their master, and be known by him.
Economy was not the motive of the change, for these troops were granted
privileges, under pretext of the dearness of food, which swallowed up all
the savings. According to Reverdil, Struensee's real object was to form
the cavalry himself; he was a good rider, and thought he would make a
capital inspector-general. Nothing was right but what he did himself;
but, on this occasion, he concealed his vanity by a variety of pretexts.

The next regulation for the army appeared to be just, as it abolished
all the privileges and precedence of the officers of the corps of land
cadets, the guards, and the artillery, and placed them exactly on the
same footing as the other officers of the army and navy, but it was
evident that this order was intended as a humiliation for the nobility.
As Struensee was accustomed to consult Colonel von Falckenskjold
frequently about the reforms in the army, his opponents spread a
report that the colonel had advised this measure through jealousy of
the privileged officers, but this was a weak invention of the enemy.
Falckenskjold himself was one of the privileged officers, as commandant
of one of the king's own regiments, and possessed too noble a character
to entertain treacherous ideas. Moreover, at the time of the projected
reforms he was not in Copenhagen, but had been sent on diplomatic
business to Petersburg.

One of the most brilliant phases of Struensee's short government was
certainly his desire to maintain the independence of Denmark against
foreign powers. His attention was principally directed toward Russia,
which court he was well aware was very angry at the loss of its influence
in Copenhagen. In spite of the appointment of Von der Osten as foreign
minister, and his exertions to remove the unfavourable impression at
Petersburg, the chagrin felt at the fancied insult was still so great,
that hostilities were even meditated. Threatening reports of such an
intention were spread about Copenhagen, and Rantzau expressed himself
loudly about the Russian plans. But Struensee did not allow himself to be
led astray by this, and recognised too fully the value of the territorial
exchange for Denmark to let himself be led into counter-demonstrations.
He merely consulted Von der Osten and Von Falckenskjold about the
disputes with the powerful neighbour in the Baltic, and at length
decided on sending Colonel von Falckenskjold to Petersburg, as a man
well respected there, in order to arrange the misunderstanding. The
instructions which Falckenskjold received for this mission, contained
assurances of the friendly sentiments of the King of Denmark, but also
had a peculiar addition in the offer to let the Danish fleet operate in
future with the Russian against any enemies of the latter power.

Provided with letters of credit, written by the king himself, and
accompanied by Lieutenant von Beringskjold (whose father, employed as
a Danish spy in Russia during the reign of Peter III., and then as a
Russian reporter in Denmark, had been ennobled by the Danish court,
and enriched by the Russian), Falckenskjold set out from Copenhagen on
May 21, and returned from Petersburg early in the following August.
From the beginning he had doubted of any favourable result of his
negociations, and the result was nearly to that effect. The Petersburg
cabinet attached but little value to Denmark's proffered alliance; but,
through Falckenskjold's representations, was induced to make the reply,
that they were ready to carry out the treaty of 1768, if Bernstorff
were recalled, and Von der Osten and Rantzau-Ascheberg removed from the
government.[148] With these prospects the envoy returned to Copenhagen,
after convincing himself at St. Petersburg that Prussia would employ
every effort to prevent the misunderstanding between Russia and Denmark
from being made up. Still the proposals for a renewal of the alliance
were so acceptable, that Falckenskjold believed he had brought Struensee
over to his way of thinking, although the favourite hesitated about
removing Rantzau, to whom he fancied himself so greatly indebted, until
Falckenskjold represented to him the impropriety of allowing himself to
be made an instrument of this adventurer's revenge. Struensee, however,
hesitated about giving any definitive explanation, and merely expressed
his satisfaction that Falckenskjold had prevented an open breach with
Russia.

Suddenly, the rumour of an impending attack on Copenhagen was renewed.
It was stated that the empress was determined to bombard the city, and
for this purpose was equipping six ships of the line and four frigates,
which would immediately set sail from Cronstadt. It was evident that
this demonstration was only designed to force the King of Denmark into
getting rid of Struensee. But the favourite was well aware that Russia
might have ships, but had not a sufficient number of sailors to equip a
fleet. Hence he did not trouble himself much about the renewed report,
but satisfied himself with hastily fitting out three ships of the line
and two frigates, and giving orders to build several bomb-ketches.
This latter job was set about so effectively at the naval docks, that,
although the order was only issued on March 29, two bomb-galleys were
launched on May 24, two more on June 16, and on June 29 a mortar hulk,
although, at the same time, men-of-war were being equipped to defend the
capital, for the expedition against the Algerines, and as a convoy for
the West Indiamen. All these ships were manned with equal rapidity, for
sailors flocked into the capital from every part of the monarchy. The
whole turmoil of war, however, soon disappeared again, as nothing more
was heard about a Russian fleet in the Baltic.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 140: The reader will please make a distinction between
Frederiks_berg_ and Frederiks_borg_. The former was hardly a league from
the capital; the latter, about twenty miles off, in the vicinity of
Fredensborg and Hirschholm.]

[Footnote 141: Brown's "Northern Courts," vol. i. p. 108.]

[Footnote 142: Höst, vol. iii. p. 20.]

[Footnote 143: Reverdil, p. 287.]

[Footnote 144: Sir R. M. Keith, writing to his father on October 30,
1771, says: "When I was upon the road to this city, I heard of the
downfall of a Monsieur de W--, who had been in high favour with the
sovereign, and raised from page to two or three handsome posts at court.
This young gentleman had fancied to himself that he had become a man of
importance, and began to vapour: when Struensee dismissed the mighty
Maréchal de la Cour, Chambellan, &c., &c., in a very laughable manner, by