Chips Of Foreign Ashlar.

CHIPS OF FOREIGN ASHLAR .

LONDON , SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 14 , 1863 .

No . 4 . —FKOH STOCKHOLM TO COPENHAGEN . Probably no one ever saw so much of tiie city and environs of . Stockholm in so short a space of time as we did . This was due to the kindness of our friend Herr Augustus Cederwall , whom we

cannot help calling the prince of good fellows . At this time it happened to be the annual National Meeting of the Swedish Volunteer Rifle Corps , and one fine Sunday morning ive saw the Minister of War distribute the prizes to the successful

competitors . Sweden and Great Britain stand shoulder to shoulder as the only tivo counties where service in the Rifle Corps is perfectly voluntary . Even in Belgium there is not ^ absolute freedom of choice , and some are compelled to serve

whether they wish or not . The Swedish volunteers are a fine body of men , and the people are justly proud of them . The neighbourhood of Stockholm abounds in fine country residences , and Hugoden

particularly is a beautiful suburb . The Royal Palace stands in the centre of the city , and is a massive structure , in the style of Kimbolton Castle . Many of the country houses are built of wood and in

the interior of the country nothing else is used for building purposes . It is astonishing how ornamental some of these wooden houses are . On leaving Stockholm Ave went by rail to Helsingborg , and thence passed by steamer to

Elsinore , in Denmark . We were honoured with the company of a great many of the Swedish Volunteers in our carriage and found them very pleasant and sociable . One or two spoke French and we were thus able to converse a little . They

shewed us the prizes they had won ivith great pride . At every station the volunteers and spectators joined in a hearty " Heep , heep , hurrah , " evidently copied from John Bull . Tom Hood ivrote ivith delightful candour : —

" Never go to France Unless you know the lingo , Or else if you're like me You will regret , by Jingo . And he also reversed the idea with an amusing sketch of a Frenchman in England , who hacl hired

a carriage and wished the postillion to drive at greater speed . Calling out "Vite , vite ,, " monsieur was annoyed to find the native pull un his

horses , in order to inform the foreigner that a certain growing field was not "wheat / ' but " oats . " Well we cannot speak Swedish and yet we have travelled through Sweden and many other

countries the languages of ivhieh we did not speak , without regretting and ivithout the aid of Jingo or any other authority . The fact is that an Englishman in " furrin parts " is always treated with the utmost courtesy , ancl ivhere he has not " learnt

the lingo" the language of signs is carefully studied and quickly understood . HOAV different the ivay the intelligent Britons treat poor Johnny Crapaud , ivhen they get hold of him in some out of the way place . Loud is the laughter he evokes and sad indeed his fate !

In twenty-five minutes a small steamer carried us from Sweden to Denmark—from Helsingborg to Elsinore . At Elsinore there is a Craft Lodge but we did not meet any of the brethren . Elsinore and its vicinity are much frequented by sea

bathers , ancl the vieivs of the ships of all nations constantly passing and re-passing is very enlivening . It is tivo hours by rail from Elsinore to Copenhagen , but the drive by road is only thirteen miles , and much , preferable , passing through

magnificent Croivn Forests well-stocked with deer , and giving , neiv and varied scenes at every turn . It ivill be remembered that the immortal Mr . Samuel Weller , Senior— " put it down a we my Lord" — characteristically determined when

wearied and disgusted with the ivorld to retire into calm seclusion by "keeping a pike . " Should there be any Mr . Wellers in Denmark they have no prospect of such a life , for : — "The last pike of Denmark is standing alone , " and soon there will be no vestige of this ancient institution . All in vain to say : —

" Destroyer spare that pike . " the Danes are followers of St . Rebecca , and will have free roads . Some day perchance when the Fellows of the Antiquarian Society are discussing the Origin and Existence of Turnpike Gates some

descendant of the present writer's family may not be displeased to know that his long departed relative drove through the last turnpike gate ivhieh modern ideas had alloived to exist in Hamlet ' s principality ! As for us our principles

are decidedly what Mr . Disraeli would call " leveling down " with regard to " pikes . " St Rebecca for ever and down with the gates !