The History of Charles the Twelfth

Suédoises fixent la majorité des rois à quinze ans. the majority of-the kings at fifteen years. the majority of the kings at fifteen.

Swedish

of Sweden

fix

Onze, absolu en tout, retarda par
Eleven, absolute in all,

retarded by

But Charles the Eleventh, absolute in every thing, by

Il favorisoit par cette disposition les vues ambitieuses He favoured by this disposition the views

ambitious

By this measure he favoured the ambitious views

de sa mère, Edwige Eléonore de Holstein, veuve de

of his mother, Edwiga of his mother, Edwiga

Eleonora of Holstein, widow of
Eleonora of Holstein, the widow of

Charles Dix. Cette princesse fut déclarée par le
Ten. This princess was
declared by the
Charles the Tenth. This princess was declared by the

Charles

roi son fils tutrice du jeune roi son petit-fils, et king her son guardian of-the young king her grandson, and king her son guardian to the young king her grandson, and

régente du royaume conjointement avec un conseil

regent of-the kingdom regent of the kingdom

de cinq personnes.

of five five

persons. persons.

affaires sous le

public

conjointly

with a council

conjointly with a council

La régente avoit eu part aux
The regent + had had part to the
The regent had taken
part in

règne

affairs under the reign affairs under the reign

étoit avancée en âge; mais son ambition, plus † was advanced

was

great

age; but

her ambition, more

of an advanced age; but her ambition, which

grande que ses forces et que son génie, lui faisoit than her forces and than her genius, to-her † made exceeded either her power or her talents, made her espérer de jouir long-temps des douceurs de

+ passed

his

time to the chace, or

Elle l'éloignoit

She him distanced

She kept him

Le jeune prince The young prince The young prince

s'occupoit à

himself employed to

passed his time in hunting, or employed himself in

faire la revue des troupes; il faisoit même quelques

to-make the review of-the troops; he + made even

some

reviewing his troops; or in going through some of their exercices avec elles. Ces amusemens ne sembloient with them. These amusements

exercises

not

+ seemed

exercises with them. These amusements seemed only

que l'effet naturel de la vivacité de son âge. Il of the vivacity of his age. It natural effect of the vivacity of his age. There

than the

the effect natural

ne paroissoit dans sa conduite aucun dégout qui + appeared

not

did

in his

conduct

not appear in his conduct any dissatisfaction

pût alarmer la régente; et cette princesse se might-be-able to-alarm the regent; and this which could alarm the regent; and

le rendroient incapable d'application, et qu'elle en of application, and that she of-it would render him incapable of application, and that she

him would-render incapable

gouverneroit plus long-temps. Un jour, au mois would-govern more long-time. One day, to-the month should thus govern the longer. One day, in the month

de Novembre, la même année de la mort de son père, of November, the same year of the death of his father, November, of the year in which his father died,

il venoit de faire la revue de plusieurs régimens ;

+ came from to-make the review of

he had just been reviewing

several several

regiments; regiments;

le conseiller d'état, Piper, étoit auprès de lui; le

of him; the him; the

the counsellor of state,
the counsellor of state, Piper,

Puis-je prendre la liberté," lui dit Piper, "de

"Can

take

May I take

the liberty,' to-him said Piper, "of the liberty," said Piper, "of demander à votre Majesté à quoi elle songe si to your Majesty to what she your Majesty on what you are meditating so sérieusement?" "Je songe," répondit le prince, "que

to-ask

asking

seriously?"

thinks

"I think," replied the prince, "that “I am thinking," answered the prince," that

je me sens digne de commander à ces braves gens; I myself feel worthy of to-command to these brave people; I feel myself worthy to command these brave fellows;

et je voudrois

and I should-will and I wish

que ni eux ni moi ne reçussions that neither they nor I not should-receive that neither they nor I received

l'ordre d'une femme." Piper saisit dans le moment

from a

woman.

the order our orders from a

l'occasion

the occasion

Piper seized in the moment woman." Piper instantly seized at the

great high

fortune.

regency out of the hands of the queen, and

la majorité du roi. Il proposa cette the majority of-the king. He proposed this hastening the period of the king's majority. He proposed this

of to-advance

ardent, et ardent, and of an ardent character,

considération.

consideration. consideration.

roi; king; confidence ;

Axel

Count Axel

qui cherchoit à se donner de la

who + sought to to-himself to-give of the
who endeavoured to acquire

Il le flatta de la confiance du
He him flattered of the confidence of the

He flattered him with promises of the king's

Sparre le crut, se chargea de tout,
Sparre him believed, himself charged of every thing,
Sparre believed him, undertook every thing,

et ne travailla que pour

Piper. Les conseillers de

and not worked than for Piper. and laboured only for

Piper.

The

la régence furent bientôt persuadés.

the regency the regency

were

précipiteroit

should-precipitate

well-soon

should do most to hasten

s' en

persuaded. quickly persuaded.

l'exécution de ce dessein pour

the execution of this design for the execution of this design, each

faire un mérite auprès du roi.

to-himself of-it to-make а

merit to-the-near of-the king.

Ils

They

hoping thus to ingratiate himself with the king. They

allèrent en corps en faire la proposition à la reine, in body of-it to-make the proposition to the queen, went in a body to make the proposal to the queen,

emportée d'une rapidité que rien ne pouvoit

carried-along

of a

rapidity which nothing not
which nothing

hurried through with a rapidity

arrêter. De sorte que Of sort that

De sorte que Charles

to-arrest.

arrest. So

Charles

Douze

Twelve

+ was-able

could souhaita

wished

that in three days after Charles the Twelfth

régner, et en trois jours les états lui déférèrent le to-reign, and in three days the states to-him yielded the expressed a wish to reign, the states confided the

gouvernement. Le pouvoir de la reine et son crédit

government.

The power of the queen and her credit and influence of the queen power

government to him. The