Book 4 — PLAN FOR THE SEVEN NEXT BOOKS OF GUSTAVUS VASA.

BOOK THE FOURTH.

The Supreme Being commands the Genius of Sweden to lull the Danish garrison of Dalecarlia into false security, to invigorate the drooping spirits of the Dalecarlians, and to assist and increase the army of Prince Frederic of Denmark by means of various rumours, &c.—The Genius dispatches a fiend to execute the first commission, while he hastens to perform the second.—Transition to Gustavus.—He finds his sword, but misses Ernestus, by means of a storm which the whirlwind had excited.—His reflections.—Taking shelter under the roof of a cottage; he there overhears a party of young men, with Adolphus at their head, exclaiming against the dilatory measures of the seniors, and resolving on more vigorous plans.—He joins them, without disclosing himself, and bids them report to the council, that a stranger will appear in the public assembly of Dalecarlia, the following day, and notify things which may influence their counsels.—He retires: Adolphus follows him unseen.—The youths, returning to the assembly, find their elders watching the event of an augury, mentioned in the Third Book.—Its process described—the result.—The young men announce their message.—Reflections of the Dalecarlians on it.—Gustavus meets Ernestus, and prepares to attack him, but is prevented by a miraculous sign.—The Genius of Sweden, after having revived the spirits of the Dalecarlians, passes to Denmark, where he influences the Danes to join the standards of Prince Frederic of Oldenburg.—Description of that Prince's court, and of the state of Denmark.—The Genius returns through Sweden.—Account of what was passing there.

BOOK THE FIFTH.

The Genius arrives at Mora.—Gustavus is convinced of the truth.—His reflections on the occasion.—He concludes a friendship with Ernestus.—He meets Adolphus, whom he recognizes as one of his former soldiers, and whom he dispatches to the Danish fortress, to observe the motions of the enemy.—They return to the house of the Priest of Mora, under whose protection Gustavus then remained, and relate the recent events.—The Curate's reply.—They retire to rest.

The Dalecarlian convention described.—Their proceedings prior to the arrival of Gustavus among them.—He announces himself in the morning.—Their joy.—The augury miraculously fulfilled.—Gustavus takes measures to prevent the treacherous designs of some of the Dalecarlian tribes.—He is saluted king and general by the whole assembly.—They request him to relate his adventures.

BOOK THE SIXTH.

Gustavus recounts the causes of the war, and its progress, prior to the capitulation of Stockholm; which will afford much room for detail. This narration is necessary, to acquaint the reader with what happened before the commencement of the action, and is therefore similar in design to the second and third Æneid, and the four narrative books of the Odyssey. Christiern, Steen Sture, Archbishop Trolle, Otho, Norbi, and other distinguished characters, will make a figure in this relation. The hero describes the massacre of Stockholm, from the account of an eye-witness of that catastrophe.—He enlarges on the death of his father Eric. Some reflections on this event may be introduced, in imitation of Lucan.—Fate of Gustavus's wife and sister; whose death, and the intercession made by Christiern with Gustavus for their preservation, will afterwards form one of the principal episodes.—He then relates part of his numerous adventures in the different provinces of Sweden.

BOOK THE SEVENTH.

He continues his recital, and concludes with his arrival in Dalecarlia, and adventures there. He then exhorts them to assist in his patriotic design. (See his speech in Vertot.) The Dalecarlians applaud his harangue, which is also attended by favourable omens. A body-guard of 400 men is appointed him; Adolphus is chosen captain, having now returned, and disclosed the supineness and neglect of the Danish garrison. Gustavus declares his intentions of storming the castle; arranges the troops, and bids all be ready by midnight. They retire.

BOOK THE EIGHTH.

The proceedings of Christiern, Trolle, and Norbi, from the conclusion of Book 4, severally described.—Gustavus secretly dismisses the unfaithful tribes.—The Genius of Sweden appears to him in a dream; foretels his future exaltation, and the disgraceful end of Christiern and his party. He then shews him the reward of patriots in heaven.—Ancient Swedish kings and heroes.

BOOK THE NINTH.

He now shews him, "in a sort of Pisgah-sight," as Pope expresses it, but on a new plan, the future history of Sweden: its wars, arts, manners, &c.—Gustavus Adolphus.—Christina.—Charles the Twelfth.—Puffendorff, Oxenstiern, Linnæus, &c.—Part of the Danish history may be mentioned, as connected with that of Sweden.—Gustavas the Fourth.—Siege of Copenhagen by the English.—Bernadotte.—The Genius concludes with an exhortation, and directions for prosecuting the war.—Gustavus's prayer.—The army described.—Their leaders.

BOOK THE TENTH.

Parting of the Dalecarlians with their kindred: briefly delineated, like the scene in the 5th Lusiad. Some episode may naturally be here introduced.—The Genius blows his angelic trumpet, as a prelude to the war: its effects.—The army of Gustavus, increased on its way by new multitudes, reaches the castle at midnight.—Negligence of the guard.—Gustavus, Ernestus, and Adolphus, signalize themselves. Valour of the Governor.—The fort is stormed.—General slaughter of the Danes by the incensed Dalecarlians.—Clemency of Gustavus to the Governor, and all he could save from the fury of his soldiers.—The tribes who had adhered to Christiern, send intelligence to Stockholm of the revolt.—Trolle, in the absence of Christiern, calls a council.

The action, from the council in Book 1, to the taking of the castle, in Book 10, occupies four days.

The remaining books, ten or fourteen in number, will be occupied with a detail of the long and various war waged by Gustavus against Christiern, and the poem will conclude with his coronation. Many events afford great scope for poetry; such as the hero's constancy under his defeat by Trolle, his subsequent victory over that prelate, the adventures of Steen Sture's widow, the death of Gustavus's mother and sister, the burning of Norbi's fleet, the coronation of Gustavus, &c.