garden back of the
palace. The top of this celebrated & immense vase is cut from a
single block of porphyry. Sweden is very celebrated for its fine
porphyry. The lower rooms of the palace are handsomely furnished,
but the upper ones are quite splendid. All the rooms were carpeted
with beautiful carpets--the walls were hung with silk damask--each
room a different color, with curtains, sofas & chairs to correspond.
One room was hung with white damask, & the chairs & sofa were
covered with beautiful embroidery--the ground of which was white,
wrought by the Queen & her maids of honor. There was a great
profusion of this beautiful embroidery--fire screens, ottomans,
&c.--The chandeliers, mirrors & candelabras were very elegant. In
one room was a portrait of the king, which was very like him. In
another that of the Queen--much flattered. She was a daughter of a
merchant of Marseilles. There are no bed-chambers in this palace.
The king very rarely sleeps out of his palace in town. We returned
to Mr. Arfwedson's & took tea. Mrs. A---- is very accomplished, she
speaks nearly all the modern languages. She invited us to dine with
them on the next Sabbath.

July 16th. We dined at Mr. Stockoe's, a partner of Mr. Erskine's. We
met quite a large & pleasant party there. The Stockoe's are
excellent, kind-hearted people. They have paid us every attention.
Mrs. S---- sends us presents of fruits & flowers, & all those little
attentions which it is so agreeable to receive.--I was quite unwell
on Sunday, on account of a very long walk the evening previous. I
did not therefore go to young Arfwedson's. Clara & H---- went & had
a very pleasant visit. They met there Baron Stackelberg, who was
Swedish minister in America fourteen years. He returned but two
years since. He has called upon us several times since, & is a
jovial old man with perfectly _white_ hair & whiskers. July 22nd.
The Stockoe's invited us to drive out to Haga with them. We went out
at six in the evening. This palace is about two English miles from
town. It was built by Gustavus the 3rd, & was his favorite
residence. The furniture was very old, but there is one fine room
_lined_ with mirrors. In the drawing room is a centre table with a
deep top & pots of flowers placed in it. This top was covered
entirely with moss, this had a very pre