The population of The Hague is more than 240,000, and it has, besides
The House in the Wood, a number of notable features. There is the
celebrated picture gallery called the Mauritshuis, the Municipal Museum
which, next to the Ryks, is the finest in Holland, the Mesdag Museum,
which contains among other art treasures a fine collection of pictures
by the Barbizon painters, and the Steengracht Gallery, which is rich in
modern French and Dutch paintings. The quaint old Hall of the Knights
will attract attention for its historic interest, and so will the
beautiful and imposing national monument, which was set up in 1869 to
commemorate the restoration of Dutch independence and to honor Prince
William Frederick of Orange.
Altogether The Hague is a delight to the traveler. Thackeray exclaimed
over it, “The brightest little brick city, with the pleasantest park to
ride in, the neatest, comfortable people walking about, the canals not
unsweet, and busy and picturesque with life!”
[Illustration: THE CATHEDRAL, UTRECHT
The cathedral was erected in 1254-67. At the time it was one of the
finest and largest churches in Holland]