"fortunate the land that has a king who can look so far beyond
the narrow horizon of his own time that he perceives what the
spirit of the age demands, without trying to urge the masses to
embrace that higher view of life for which they will not be ready
for many centuries to come!" Wasn't that pretty clever?

Olof. Oh, yes, but I think it must have lost a great deal in
being translated. Things of that kind should be spoken in French.

Courtier (preoccupied). You are quite right.--Tell me--your
_fortune_ ought to be assured--you are so far in advance of your
time?

Olof. I fear I shall not get very far. My education was
neglected, unfortunately--I studied in Germany, as you may know--
and the Germans are not beyond religion yet.

Courtier. Indeed, indeed! Can you tell me why they are making
such a hubbub about that Reformation down there in Germany?
Luther is a man of enlightenment--I know it--I believe it--but
why shouldn't he keep it to himself, or at least not waste any
sparks of light on the brutish herd to which they can be nothing
but so many pearls thrown to the swine. If you let your eye
survey the time we are living in--if you make some effort to
follow the great currents of thought--then you will easily
perceive the cause of that disturbed equilibrium which is now
making itself felt in all the great civilized countries; I am not
talking of Sweden, of course, which is not a civilized country.
Can you name the centre of gravity--that centre which cannot be
disturbed without everything going to pieces--the instability of