Kings & rulers > History of Charles XII. King of Sweden

j42 THEHISTQ.RY OF
diately, and told count Swerin, and they all agreed
to keep it private till the prince of Hefle could be in-
tor^ied of it. They covered the corps with a grey
cloak; «*ker put on him his hat and wig, and he was
carried by tlic name of captain CarHbern through the
troops, who faw their dead king pafs, ( little thinking
who it was.
The Prince gave orders prefemly, that none (hould
flirr out of the camp, and that all the paflTesto Sweden
fhould be guarded, till he could take meafures for his
wife to claim the crown, and to exclude the duke of
Holftein, who might poflibly pretend to it.
Thus fell Charles XII. king of Sweden, at the age
of fix and thirty years and a half, having known the
extremes of prosperity, and ofadverfity, without being
foftenedby the one, or in the lead difiurbed at the other.
All his adlions, even thofe of his private life, are ai¬
med beyond any meafure of probability. Perhaps he
was the only man, to be fure he was the only king,
that ever had lived without failings. He carried all
the virtues of a hero to thatexcefs, that they became
faults, and were as dangerous as any of the oppofite
vices. His refolution grown to obdinacy, occafioned;
his misfortunes in Ukrania, and kept him five years
in Turkey. His liberality degenerating into profufi-
on, ruined Sweden. His courage becoming raihnefs,
was the occafion of his death. His judice has been
fometimes cruelty : and in his latter years, the main¬
taining his prerogative came not far Ihort of tyranny.
Hi§ great qualities, any one of which had been e-
nough to make another prince immortal, were a mif-
fortune to his country. He never began a quarrel with
any, but he was rather over warm than wife in his re-
fentment. He was the fird that ever had the ambition
to be a conqueror, without widiing to encreafs his do-,
minions. His defire to gain kingdoms, was only
that he might give them away. The paflion he had for
glory, for war, and for revenge, made him too little
of a politician, without which the world never before
faw any prince a conqueror. Before a battle he was