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90
II. TH B SWEDISH PEOPLE.
peoples, Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes, at first in a political sense, but
afterwards in cultural and economical respects. The results gained are chiefly in the
judicial sphere, where, in many important respects, the three nations have
approached each other, in some cases to the extent of almost identical legislation.
The influence of the Scandinavian Movement upon literature, science, and art,
has also been of great importance.
As regards the internal politics of Sweden during this period, we may notice
the important change in the composition of the Riksdag, in 1865, by the abolition
of the four Estates, and their replacement by two chambers, in accordance with
modern parliamentary forms — yet one more of those revolutions carried out
under legal forms, in which the history of Sweden abounds.
In other respects, the most important events of the period are to be found
in economical, social, and scientific domains. The important developments brought
about during the century in these respects, are the subjects treated of in the
greater part of this present work. We need but mention the great improvement
in and spread of prosperity, the rise of many new branches of industry, the
astonishing perfection to which the means of communication have been brought, the
great work of popular education, and the great growth of purely cultural interests,
in which sphere our scientists and explorers have obtained world-wide renown.
Sweden has, moreover, like the two other northern nations, during the present
century, entered into far more intimate connection with foreign countries
than was possible with the imperfect means of communication of olden times.
New ideas and movements reach our shores as quickly as those af any other
nation, and it not seldom happens, indeed, that it is from the North that the new
ideas emanate. Whilst fully recognizing that in Sweden, as elsewhere, there are
shades, calling for serious reform and regenerative work, the Swedish people of
the present day venture to hope that the future — and, perhaps, the near future
— will bring their Country such flourishing economical and intellectual conditions
that the whole of their preceding history may be considered as but a time of
preparation and of education, in comparison with the years to come.
Return to Stockholm of the Vega Expedition. April 24, 1880.
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