Denmark vindicated being an answer to a late treatise called An account of Denmark, as it was in the year 1692, sent from a gentleman in the country, to his friend in London.

A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN in the Country, TO HIS FRIEND in LONDON.

SIR,

NExt to the most acceptable News of your health, nothing could at this time have been more welcome to me in my retire∣ment, than the Book you sent me concerning the present State of Denmark; which, as it has, with pleasure revived in me the remembrance of such Matters, as forme••ly I had observed in those Northern Countries; so the reading of it at such intervals as were free from the usual jollities of the Christmas Holy-Days, has afforded no small variety

to me, when tir'd with the diversions, this Season particularly allows us in the Country. I had some days before I received yours, heard a most advantageous Character of the said Book, from some Gentlemen, who being Fel∣lows, if not the Heads of a State-Reforming Society in London, were come, partly to pass the Holy-Days in the Country, partly to communicate to their Friends here, the Results of their grave Debates in their several Lon∣don Clubs, and had among other State Cen∣suring Pamphlets (as I understood) recom∣mended this Treatise as a singular piece, fit to improve the Knowledge of all such as de∣sired to be instructed in State Affairs. The Truth is, knowing these Gentlemen to be of a Society, the Members whereof I know not by what antient Title, which they deduce even from the times of the Romans, claim a pre∣rogative of Censuring not only foreign States, but also our own in particular, as often as Matters do not fully answer the ends of their wise Consultations: I had a more than common Curiosity, to peruse a Treatise, which they

seemed to be so fond of, even to admiration. But, as soon as I found the Title Page not only without the Author's Name (which seems so requisite to give an Authority to Historical Treatises, that I do not see how any body can challenge a belief from his judicious Reader without it) but also the Printer's omitted; the work seem'd to me at the very first sight, to carry with it a shrewd suspicion, if not of downright falshood, at least of an unanswer∣able partiality. And to speak freely, when immediately after in the Preface, so dispro∣portionable both to the nature and ••igness of the Treatise, there appeared to me every where the foot-steps of a conceited Home-breeding, and every Leaf almost stuft up with the Praise of This, and the Diminution and Undervaluing of other Countries, confirmed with far fetch'd Arguments, devised on pur∣pose rather to amuse and ensnare, than impar∣tially to instruct the Reader•• I did conclude, that our unknown Author's inten••ion was to give us a Novel, such as the Turkish Spy, or the like (wherein of late years some

have taken a priviledge to intermingle Truth with their own Inventions, accommodating the whole more to their own Fancies, or else to the Humors of such as they seek to please, than to the sacred Laws of History) but not a true and impartial Account of the present State of Denmark. When soon after my Curiosity did lead me to make a true compa∣rison betwixt the most remarkable passages related in this Treatise, and such Matters as either my memory or observations, which I had made some years ago, when conversant in those Countries, as also the correspondence of my Friends from thence had furnished me withal; I was sufficiently convinced, that in the most concerns of Moment our Author had endeavoured, by an affected Stile, ra∣ther to adapt the whole to his Conceits in the Preface, than the Preface to the Work. The gross and unaccountable Comparison espe∣cially, made betwixt the Northern parts of the World and the Turkish Government, nay, even the preferring the latter before the others may. I think, serve, as an undeniable

Argument to all unbyass'd Persons, That the Author did not intend to give us a just ac∣count of those Countries, but under a Roman∣tick Cover of Arbitrary Power, to represent Tyranny in its worst shape to the English Nation. And as this is plainly apparent out of several passages of the said Book, so it seems to be the only excuse that can be made for these extravagancies and groundless As∣persions, so little suitable to the rules of true History, wherewith it is filled up from the beginning of the Preface, to the very conclu∣sion. Certainly, if this Author's Intention had been to give a warrantable Account of Denmark, it would have been much more glorious and consonant to the practice of all civilized Nations, to have imitated the frankness and integrity of the antient Ro∣mans, whom he seems so much to admire, and more particularly, that of Taci∣tus in his Book, which he writ concerning the Germans in his Time. Those, who see this Author quoted, not only in the Title page, but also in several places afterwards, will scarce believe that any other, but the above menti∣oned

Reason could induce our Author, to re∣cede so far from the Method of an approved Historian; and the so much applauded mo∣deration of him, whom he himself praises as the greatest of Politicians of his Time. Nei∣ther will the difference which some pretend to have found out betwixt those Times and our Age, be a sufficient excuse for this new-in∣vented way of writing; since, if our Author had been more taken with an Ambition to imi∣tate Modern than antient Writers in this kind, there are not wanting Examples a∣mong them of undeniable Sincerity and Mo∣desty. The Memoirs of Villeroy, and the Letters of Cardinal D•• Ossat have deserved such praises from the most unbyassed, and eminent Politicians, that he need not have been ashamed to tread in their footsteps. Even the Northern parts, where our Author falsly imagines all Learning to be extinguish∣ed, can furnish him with a Pattern of this Kind in their imcomparable Monzam bano, of the State of the German Empire; ac∣cording to which, if he had regulated him∣self, he would not have scattered such abun∣dance

of ill grounded Reflections against many Illustrious Persons, and had better deserved the Name of a true Historian. But, if no∣thing of Foreign Vertue could be charming enough to our Author, the living Examples either of Sir William Temple, or of the so much celebrated Dr. Burnet, now Bishop of Salisbury, in his Observations especially made, concerning his Travels, and published some years ago, ought to have excited him to de∣serve the same Character; except our Author has an in born Aversion to any thing that has the least relation to the North. To conclude; this Author seems to be a great Admirer, and to have adapted the whole Work to the Do∣ctrine of some political Doctors among us; who having gathered their phantastical Notions of a Platonick Government without Faults, out of such antient Philosophers, as used to fight Battels in their Studies, and with florid Speeches infuse their Conceits of Governing into their Auditors, do very industriously labour to spread their vain Opinion, to the great disadvantage of the State. And I think,

the whole Work may serve as a convincing In∣stance, to shew the World how difficult it is to shake off such Prejudices, as are implanted in our tender Age, and have in process of time taken root with us; so that it is mani∣fest, that (notwithstanding our Author's Opi∣nion in his Preface) Travelling too late proves sometimes as ineffectual, as going abroad too young. This being, what in general may justly be said of this Treatise, I have commu∣nicated to you with the same freedom, as I thought was becoming our Friendship, and the satisfaction I always take in contributing any thing to your Curiosity.

But the particular consideration of the whole much exceeding the compass of a Letter, I have in the enclosed Papers set down such impartial animadversions, as seemed to me ne∣cessary towards the explaining of the chief points in the whole Treatise, wherein if I have added any thing to your satisfaction, it fully answers the ends of him, who, Sir, always will be

Your affectionate Friend and Servant.

January 16. 1693/4.