Friday, June 6, 2008

Helsingfors stands in a very romantic situation

"Swedish dress of 1778"

Having passed several large lakes, with which the country abounds, and crossed the frozen surface of a bay of the Gulf of Finland, we arrived on the ensuing morning at Helsingfors, which stands in a very romantic situation, upon a rising shore, near several rocks and huge fragments of granite.
Agreeably to an invitation from the governor of Helsingfors, to whom we applied for further information respecting our passage across the Gulf of Bothnia, we repaired in the evening to a ball: the gentlemen and ladies all wore the new Swedish dress; and amused themselves chiefly with minuets and English country-dances. The company were very polite and attentive to us, and several accosted us in French.

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