The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1861-01-09
Translated nom the French for the Home Journal.
visi0n or Charles xI.
1T rnosrKR MINIMIZE.

We are apt to jest nowadays, about
visions and supernatural appearances some,
however, are SO well attested, that if we re-
fuse to give them credence, we must, to be
consistent, reject the great mass of historical
testimony. A declaration, drawn up in due
form, and having affixed the signatures of
four Trustworthy witnesses, is the guarantee
Of the authenticity Of the incident am about
to narrate. ] may add that the prophecy
contained in that declaration was known and
quoted long before the occurrences of our
own days could have seemed to furnish
fulflment. 5as tf
Charles XL.--the father Of the famous
Charles XlI.-was one of the most despotic
monarchs, but ono of the wisest, that Sweden
has ever possessed. He reduced the exces-
sive privileges Of the nobility, abolished the
power Of the parliament, and made laws by
his own authority-in word, he changed
the constitution Of the country, which, be-
fore his time, had been oligarchical, and
compelled the estates to invest him with ab-
solute power. He was, moreover, a well-in-
formed man, brave, strongly attached to the
Lutheran religion, of an unbendiDg, cool,
matter-offact character, devoid of imagina-
ton.
lie had just lost his wife, Ulrica Elcanora.
Although his harshness toward that princess
had, it was said, hastened her end, yet he
highly esteemed her, and seemed more affect
cd by her death than might have been ex-
pected from so cold a nature as his. After
that event he became yet more gloomy and
taciturn than before. and gave himself up to
business with a closeness of application
which showed pressing necessity to drive
away painful thoughts.
At the close Of an autumn evening, he was
seated, in dressing-gown and slippers, before
large fire, which had been lighted in his
cabinet, in the palace at Stockholm. There
were with him his chamberlain, Count Brahe,
who stood high in his favor, and the physi-
clan, Baumgarten, who, it may be said in
passing, was professed freethinker, and
seemed to have doubts Of everything except
the science Of medicine. Tha. evening he
had been summoned to give advice about
some trifing indisposition.
The evening was drawing to close, and
the king, contrary to his custom, did not in
dicatc, by saying Goodnight" that it was
time for them to retire. With his head
bowed, and his eyes fixed upon the blaze, he
remained in deep silence, tired of his COM
pany, but dreading, he knew not why, to be
left alone.
Count Brahc saw, well enough, that his
presence was not particularly agreeable, anG
several times intimated fear lest his Majesty
needed rest; but sign from the king kept
him in his place.
The physician, in his turn, spoke of the
injurious effect produced by late hours upon
the health but Charles replied, between bis
teeth: ...t.... ...
Stay here; do not want to sleep yet"
Various subjects of conversation were
started, which all dropped through at the
second or third sentence. 1t was clear that
his Majesty was in one of his moody humors,
and in such circumstances, the position of
courtier is one of much delicacy.
Count Brahe, suspecting that the gloom
mess of the king proceeded from his sorrow
for the loss of his wife, looked ixedly for
some time at the portrait of the queen, hang
ing in the cabinet and exclaimed, with a
heavy sigh:
How like that portrait is Just see that
expression, at once so majestic and so sweet"
"Bahp said the king, roughly, who fan
cied he heard reproach every time the
queens name was7spoken in his presence,
that portrait is too fattering The queen
was plain"
Then, inwardly angry at his own severity,
he started up, and walked up and down in
the room, to hide an emotion of which he
was ashamed. He stopped before the win
dow that opened. on the court. The night
was dark, and the moon in her first quarter.
The palace where the kings ofSweden now
reside, was not yet completed, and Charles
XI, who had commenced it, occupied at
that time the old palace, situated at the point
of the Ritterholm which faces lake Malar. II
is large building, in shape like horse
shoe. The cabinet Of the king was in one of
the extremities, and almost opposite was the
grand hall, where the estates met when about
to receive some communication from the
throne. a
The windows Of this hall seemed, at this
moment brilliantly lighted. This appeared
strange to the king. He thought, at first,
that the glare was produced by the lamp of
some servant But what could any one be
doing at that hour in ball that for long
time had not been openedi Besides, the
light was too brilliant to come from single |
lamp. He would have thought there was
fire, but no smoke was to be seen. the win