2‘Tournaments revived in Swedén.[ Jan.
has fallen into my hands ſince myteturn. I therefore communi- cate fo you, in preference to any of your rivals, a fa& which came to my knowledge in Sweden, and which though not preciſely of an Agricultural or a Commercial nature, can hardly fail to appear worthy of a place in your next Number. + WFou-hbave ſurely read that the TOURNAMENT was the pride of„Gothic feſtivity. You cannot but know, that it was for a 4 erties of centiiries, te moſt ſplendid and magnificent exhi- bition at all the 4 ót. Europe. You Knox,„too,- tbat È ¡has long ſince fallen into geuz-al diſuſe, as utterly incompatible with the peaceful ſoftneſs of modern manners. “Now, Sir,‘thât which I have at preſent to inform you of ISA recent attèmp$® to revive the TOURNAMENT at the Swediſh “court: IT was in Stockholm hen the intention of this feſtivity “was made public. It was' then to take place on the 25th of Auguſt 1799. It was to be preceded by a ball. The roval palace “ ah DROTTNINGHOLM was to be the ſcene of theſe magnificent feſtivities. Heralds were at a particular period, during the ball, formally to announcé the intended TOURNAMENT. The Chal- lenges of the champions wre to be challenges of love, loyalty, and honour; different ſpogts to be celebrated in the liſts were ex- preſsIy preſcribed. Judges were to be preſent to decide who
were the vi&ors. The prizes were to be diſtributed„at the
queen's command.‘The champions were permitted to wear conſpicuouſly.on their armour, ribbons, the colours of their mif- treſſes. After’ thé TOURNAMENT there was to be a running at whe ring, for prizes ſch as the ladies ſhould pleaſe to propoſe. Thé time‘appointed tor theſe ſports has ſince‘paſſed. The TOURNAMENT has been celebrated; I was not then in SWEDEN.
I own that I felt’ my imagination agreeably intereſted by the propoſal of reviving an entertainment more worthy of genérous, manly, noble youth, than either a‘fox-chace or a mere horſe- rácé; adapted to preſerve thé*memory of what was moît ſplendid and elegant in the amuſements of our anceſtors;‘calling forth into gay exerciſe all the moſt elegant and manly qualities of the cour. tier and the hero; and departing, with no unbappy eccentricity, ſrom the dull, monotonous chara@er of the courtly amuſements prevalent throughout the reſt of Europe.|
Toſo ſhort a letter, S1r, I hope you will not refuſe that infſer- tion in your Magazine, which I ſolicit for it.
Tani, alr,
OU Sc,
C. HOLLARSÓ
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