_Jericho_, which fell at the Sound of the dreadful Trumpets of _Israel_,
were not unlike the Walls of this City; and its Inhabitants, probably, did
not think them a whit stronger, because they were so much in haste to
carry their Keys to the King of _France_, notwithstanding the Offers made
to them by the Prince of _Orange_, to defend the Place. _Lewis_ XIV.
entered this City with all the Pomp of a Conqueror; but he made a very
short Stay here, which, they say, was owing to a Remark made to him, That
in a great Part of the Town, the meaner Sort of People lived under Ground;
and that it would be an easy Matter for those subterraneous Inhabitants to
place Gunpowder in those Cellars, and blow them up at the time that his
Majesty came by. If this Circumstance is true, they who possessed the King
with this Jealousy were unacquainted with the _Dutch_, who, 'tis possible,
might have had no Respect for the Person of the King, in a Tumult, or in a
Battle; but when they had received him into their Town, he had nothing to
fear, because Treachery and Dissimulation are no Parts of their Character.
The Streets of _Utrecht_ are spacious and very airy, its Houses pleasant
and well built. A great many Houses have been built here since the
Congress for that Peace, which put an End to the War for the Succession to
_Charles_ II. King of _Spain_. This City, next to the _Hague_, is the most
agreeable for Persons of Quality, of whom here's a great Number, as well
as of other Persons, who having got Fortunes by Trade, retire hither for
the peaceable Enjoyment of what they have acquir'd.
The great Church which was formerly the Metropolis, still preserves its
Chapter, into which Persons need no other Proofs nor Vocation for
Admittance than Money, these Prebends being bought and sold like Companies
of Dragoons. The Court of _Rome_ always nominates the Archbishop, who
commonly resides at _Amsterdam_. I think the Person who enjoys
this[101]Dignity now, is a Native of this City, but 'tis probable he has
no View to a Cardinal's Cap, he being a declared _Jansenist_. The
_Carthusians_ who retired from _France_ under the specious Pretext of
securing their Consciences from Oppression, are settled in his Diocese,
where they live in two separate Convents not very far from _Utrecht_, and
are very zealous Distributers of the Writings published in _France_, about
the Religious Differences. They had acquired the Esteem of the
Protestants, who did not think they differ'd very widely from their
Communion; but since they endeavour to make the Sieur _Paris_ pass for a
Saint, I know not whether they will not lose the good Opinion that has
been conceiv'd of 'em. For in this Country, they have no great Value for
these Favourites of the Court of Heaven, and much less for those who
increase the Number of 'em. Be this as it will, 'tis allow'd by every
body, even by the most zealous _Roman_ Catholics, that setting aside their
Religious Sentiments, there's no Fault to be found with their Morals and
Behaviour, and that they live as regularly as they did perhaps in the
Convent which they have abandoned.
The Town-house has nothing in it that is magnificent, at least if one may
believe those who have seen it; for I had not the Curiosity to examine it:
Nor is there any Edifice of Consequence in the Town. Their Dwellings are
neat, but not large, which is the Reason that during the Congress the
Ambassadors had very scanty Lodgings, tho' it was not for want of Money,
insomuch that several of 'em might have purchased the Houses they lived
in, with the Money they paid for the Rent of their Apartments, during the
Course of their Ministerial Residence. Speaking of this Congress, puts me
in Mind of what certain Satirical Politicians said concerning the Three
Treaties of Peace that had been concluded successively in the Dominions of
the Republic. _Nimeguen_, said they, signified NEIM-WEG (_Take all_),
_Reiswick_, REIS-WEG (_Pluck up all_), and _Utrecht_, AUSSER RECHT
(_Witbout Right_). If every Thing be fairly examin'd, all this perhaps may
be true enough, but the Laughers would not be on the Side of the Allies.
I made use of the Vessel that goes and comes Three times a Day from
_Utrecht_ to _Amsterdam_, which is not only the most commodious, but the
best regulated, and the cheapest Passage in _Europe_. One knows to a
Minute when it goes off, and within one Quarter of an Hour that it gets
into Port. If you agree for the _Rous_ or Cabin, one is alone, or with
what Company you please. I thought the Vessel in which I came to
_Utrecht_, so much like a moving Dungeon that I was as glad when I came
out of it, as a Prisoner, when he is set at Liberty. The Canal which
carried me to _Amsterdam_ presents a thousand agreeable Objects to View,
being diversified all the Way with fine Country-houses, magnificent
Gardens, Meadows and Villages.
After having admired every Thing that proves the Wealth of the
Inhabitants, I am arrived at AMSTERDAM, that modern _Tyre_, the Mistress
of Commerce, the Warehouse of the World, and one of the finest, greatest,
and most wealthy Cities in _Europe_. It contains both sacred and profane
Edifices, which are magnificent; but at the same Time (for I speak freely)
retains I know not what Air of the Cit, which one does not meet with in
the Buildings of _Venice_ and _Genoa_, which are of a sublimer Taste,
because the Nobility are the Governors. The Things which may be said to be
truly great and noble at _Amsterdam_, are its Ramparts faced with Bricks,
and the broad and deep Ditches with which 'tis encompassed.
_Amsterdam_ is the only Town in the World which may be compared in any
measure to _Venice_. For tho' 'tis not built as _Venice_ is, in the midst
of the Sea, it stands as that does upon Piles. Like _Venice_ it consists
of a vast Number of Islands, and its principal Streets have Canals, with
the Adventage of spacious Kays at their Doors, fenc'd with Trees; whereas
at _Venice_, the Water is only pent in by the Houses. That I take to be
all the Resemblance there is between these two Rivals in Commerce; for as
to the Beauty of the Structures, there is no Comparison; one _Canal
Grande_, and one _Canal Reggio_, being worth more in this respect than all
_Amsterdam_. There are Palaces, and here are Houses, which are neat,
genteel and pleasant, without the Rules of Architecture, and built of
Brick. Heretofore the _Amsterdammers_ Manner of Building was very
extraordinary. Most of the old Houses that are yet in Being, stand upon
Stilts, which I explain thus: The Front of the first Floor, upon the
Ground, is commonly all Windows, which are separated by wooden Pillars
that support all the Stone-work of the other Floors, which, happy for
them, is very slight; for there's seldom a Wall more than two Bricks in
Thickness, and the Ceilings are nothing but Boards, so that the People in
the first Floor have the Pleasure to know, that every Word they say is
overheard in the second. I don't criticize the Manner of the Distribution
of their Rooms; tho', to be plain, their Architects know no more of this
Matter than they do how to carry up the Chimnies, which are almost all of
them smoaky. 'Tis true, that the Inhabitants are not very much incommoded
by it, and that they might even do without them[102]. For the Women warm
themselves with a Turf all Day long, which they put into a little earthen
Pan, and this into a wooden Stove, with Holes bor'd in it, which they keep
under their Petticoats, and sit over it, as a Hen broodeth over her
Chicken. The Men are always within Doors, dressed in a Night-gown lined
with Flannel, under which they are Twaddled in three or four thick
Waistcoats: And if the Weather be cold, they also make use of such a Stove
as the Women do, or else warm themselves in the Kitchen, where there is
seldom Bustle enough to prevent their creeping to the Chimney-corner; and
I would venture a Wager, that there are many substantial People here who
don't boil the Pot above once a Week: For there's no Nation in the World
that feeds worse than the _Dutch_, and particularly the _Amsterdammers_,
Butter, Milk, Cheese, and Salt-fish, being their common Diet.
But I have deviated from the Article I was upon, touching their Manner of
Building. I cannot conceive how 'tis possible for Houses that are so
slight to stand: And there are some that perfectly totter from Side to
Side; but I had rather see a Woman dance, than a House. A great Number of
those Houses have lately been set upright. One of those Pinacles, in Form
of a Sugar-loaf, which is at the Top of most of the old Houses, unhappily
fell down and kill'd three Persons that were passing along the Street:
Whereupon the Government, out of their great Care to prevent all such
Accidents for the future, ordered the Landlords of every House to cause
those staggering Pyramids to be pulled down: This has had two good
Effects; for People are not so liable to be knock'd o'the Head, and the
Town looks handsomer. The principal Ornament of the Houses is their
Windows, there being scarce a Country that has finer Glazing, and many of
the Houses have Windows of polish'd Plate-glass. But in some Palaces of
_Venice_ or _Genoa_, the Paintings and Gildings only of the Ceilings are
worth more than the finest House in _Amsterdam_. Yet I don't deny but
there are Houses here, in the Rearing of which no Cost has been spar'd,
but in general they are small. There are scarce any that have above five
Windows in Front, others have four, and the greatest Part three. The Entry
is by Steps of black Marble or Stone. To the Houses of the common Size,
there's a very narrow Entry pav'd with white Marble, with which the Walls
are often fac'd, at least to a certain Height. The Apartment consists
generally of two Rooms on a Floor, a little Court behind it, and a second
Pile of Building, which is but one Room in Depth, and has Lights towards
the Garden. At _Venice_ and _Genoa_, a Merchant (for I set the Nobles
aside) will have at least an Apartment of three or four Rooms. At
_Amsterdam_ the Furniture is neatest, and in _Italy_ the richest. Here one
shall find a curious Piece of _Flemish_ Tapestry, a Closet of Pictures,
fine Glass, a great deal of _China_ Ware, and curious Toys from the
_Indies_; the Floor shall be covered with fine _Persian_ Carpets; but you
shan't see any Furniture of Velvet embroidered with Gold, no Lustres of
Rock-Crystal, no great Collection of Paintings, nor that Abundance of
antique Busts, Vases and Statues of Marble and Brass. In fine, to conclude
this long Parallel, I must tell you, that if the Palaces of _Italy_ were
as neat as the Houses of _Amsterdam_, there would be nothing to compare to
them; and if the Houses of _Amsterdam_ were as much neglected as those of
_Italy_, they would be of no Manner of Account.
Be a House here ever so small, there's always some Apartment in it
uninhabited, which is the finest Part of the Building. 'Tis a Sanctuary
whereof the upper Servant Maid of the House is the grand Priestess. She
has so profound a Respect for this unfrequented Place that she never
enters it without putting off her Shoes, for fear of soiling the Floor,
which is held in so great Veneration that they pay it a Sort of Worship:
'Tis the Residence of the Houshold Gods, and one is sure of incurring the
Indignation both of the Mistress and the Maids, if one does not shew the
same Veneration to their Floor as they do. Whoever enters the House, must
first rub their Feet upon a Mat at the Door, and be sure not to spit, were
they in Danger of being choak'd, unless they find a little Basket of Sand
laid there for the Purpose; and if a Person should but happen to drop the
least Thing capable of spotting the Floor, I am not sure that the
Priestesses would not sacrifice the Delinquent to their Idol, and that we
should not see the Revival of the Story of _Orpheus_ and the _Bacchantes_.
There are however some particular Days in the Year when the Priestesses
give their Masters Leave to enter these Sanctuaries, and therein to
receive Company; but the very next Day, this Place, which in the Language
of the Country is called _Besse-Kamer_ (i. e. _the best Room_) is wash'd
and purify'd, as our Churches are after they have been profaned. I don't
make Things a jot worse than they are in reality, and I am sure there are
some Rooms that are not opened four times in a Year, unless it be to air
the Goods. 'Tis the same with a thousand fine Things in the
_Amsterdammers_ Possession, which they don't make use of for fear of
spoiling them: Thus they live in the midst of Abundance, and of Wealth,
without the Hearts to enjoy what they have. Nevertheless, within these few
Years past, they begin to have some Taste of Life: They give into
Equipage, Furniture, and Rural Entertainments, and their Women into Dress
and Splendor. The old Men exclaim against new Fashions, and say the
Republic is in a declining State, in which they resemble one of our
Emperors, who observing that his Master of the Horse had changed the
Cord-Traces, which had been the Fashion of his Court, into Leather Traces,
cry'd out, That _Luxury would be the Ruin of his Family, and his
Government_.
The Government of _Amsterdam_ is in a Senate, consisting of sixty-three
Persons, who hold their Places for Life; and when any one dies, 'tis the
Senate that appoints his Successor: In this Body there are twelve
Burgomasters, of whom four preside annually. They chuse three out of the
twelve every Year, who with one of the four of the last Year, that
continues in Office, have the Direction of Affairs. These latter, before
they enter into their Office, are obliged to take an Oath to the senior
Burgomasters. He who is continued from one Year to the other, has the
Presidency for three Months, after which the others take it in their
Turns; and they who go out of their[103]Office, are commonly employed as
Treasurers of the City, or as Counselor-Deputies to the States of
_Holland_, residing at the _Hague_.
The Office of Burgomaster is more honourable than profitable; for 'tis
said, their Salary is only five hundred Florins _per Annum_: But their
Authority is considerable; for they are the chief Magistrates, and in some
Sort the Masters of the City. They dispose of all the public Money, and
they alone judge of what is necessary for the Safety of the Town. They are
the Guardians of the Bank, which can only be opened in the Presence of one
of 'em. They confer all Offices, and may therewith gratify whom they will,
and if they please, their own Children; so that, as in _Germany_, there
needs but a Bishop in a decay'd Family to repair its Misfortunes, so here,
if there be but a Burgomaster in a Family, 'tis enough to make 'em all
easy.
There is also in this City a Bailiff, who is called _Hoofd-Schout_, or
_Hoofd-Officier_, who is the same that is elsewhere called the Lieutenant
of the Police. He has under him three Substitutes, who are called the
_Under-Schouts_. These are they who apprehend Malefactors, which they
often do in the midst of a Mob, only accompanied with a Couple of Archers
who have no other Arms but Swords. Yet every one trembles at the Sight of
'em, and two Men carry another to Prison, with more Ease than forty
Archers can do the like at _Paris_.
The Senate meets in the Stadthouse. This Fabric, so much celebrated for
its Magnificence, and because it contains the richest Bank in the
Universe, is really a stately Edifice; and tho' it has Defects, it may be
ranked in the Number of the finest Buildings in _Europe_. It fronts a
Square called the _Dam_, in the Centre of the City. The Building is almost
a complete Quadrangle, with Pavilions at each Angle. In the middle of the
principal Front there's an advanced Building which takes up one third of
the whole Front. 'Tis decorated by seven Porticos, so small that they
disfigure all this great Pile of Building; which they pretend was not
owing to the Ignorance of the Architect, but to a political Cause: For at
the Time that this Stadthouse was built, the Republic was but in its
Infancy. The Populace of _Amsterdam_, a turbulent Mob, ready for any
Mischief, were then far less submissive to their Magistrates than now; and
they so often disturbed those Magistrates in their Deliberations, that the
Architect chose to make the Avenues so narrow, on purpose to prevent the
Inconveniencies of too easy an Entrance by a Crowd of People. But if this
was his true Reason for not keeping to the Rules of Architecture, three
great Porticos would have done as well as seven small ones: He might have
given them due Proportion, and the Front would have been more majestic.
But the Number Seven was the chosen Number, and it was to represent the
Seven United Provinces, to whose Union the City of _Amsterdam_ owes its
Enjoyment of Liberty and Commerce. Notwithstanding this Defect, 'tis
certain that a Foreigner, tho' he will not offer to compare this
Stadthouse to the Palace of _Versailles_, to the Escurial, or to the
_Procuraties_ at _Venice_; and tho' when he looks on it, he may only think
he sees a Town-house, and not the Palace of a King, or of a powerful
State, yet he cannot behold it without Admiration, especially if he does
but consider that every Material in this Building was brought from foreign
Countries.
The Outside of this great Fabric is all of Free-stone, extremely well put
together; and an Order of very substantial Pilasters ranges quite round
the whole. The Part which projects from the principal Front, is terminated
by a Pediment, which is a grand Piece of Sculpture. It represents the City
of _Amsterdam_, under the Figure of _Cybele_, seated in a Chair. Four
_Naiads_, and two Sea Nymphs, present her with Crowns of Palms, and
Laurels, and Fruit, in token of the Power and Abundance which this City
receives by Commerce. On the other Side, _Neptune_, accompanied by the
_Tritons_, seems approaching to pay his Homage to the Goddess, undoubtedly
to denote the Power of this City at Sea. All this magnificent Groupe is
extremely well executed, and very much esteemed by the Connoisseurs. A
Dome at the Top of this Edifice has eight great open Arches all round,
which support the Cupola; and in this Dome there's a Chime of Bells which
the Lovers of such noisy Music say is very good Harmony.
The first Room within is the Chamber of Justice, wherein the Criminals
receive their Sentence. It has three Porticos which open into the great
Square, from whence may be seen what passes in that Chamber. This Room is
adorned with Bas-Reliefs of white Marble, done by excellent Hands.
_Solomon_'s Judgment is there represented in such a grand Manner as is
wonderful. Beyond this Chamber is the great Stair-case, which has no
manner of Ornament, and little or no Light. It leads to the great Hall,
which is really magnificent, but not very lightsome. It is adorned with
Pilasters and Bas-Reliefs of white Marble, executed with infinite Art. The
arch'd Roof, which is of Wood, and painted with Oil, is not answerable to
the Richness of this Hall. Four great Coridors or Galleries, laid open by
great Arches on both Sides, at the two Ends of the Hall, lead to the
Apartments, and are adorned with white marble Pilasters two and two,
Flowers in Bas-Relief, and Statues of a grand Disposition; and the Emblems
with which the Gates are adorned, are all very suitable to the Business
that is transacted in the Chamber to which they open.
I shall not undertake to give you the Particulars of all these Rooms, not
only because it would carry me too far, but because I observed nothing in
them, except some Paintings, that is worth your Notice. The Arsenal takes
up one intire Floor over these Chambers, but is only considerable for the
prodigious Quantity of Arms of the modern Fashion, especially Muskets,
which are the Manufacture of this City, and a Part of its Commerce.
The ground Floor is very low, but consists of fine great Arches. Here are
contained the Offices of the Bank, and the Prisons, from which no body
ever yet escaped, and it is humanly impossible they should; for besides
that the Walls are very thick, the whole is strongly barricaded both
within and without, by iron Bars, the very Appearance of which is
frightful. But if 'tis possible for Prisons to be agreeable, these would
certainly be such, for they are all lightsome; the Prisoners are not so
ill used as they are elsewhere, but are allowed proper Nourishment, and
not suffered to Wallow in their Nastiness.
The Stadthouse is the Place where all Persons are married, who are not of
the Religion that prevails in the Country. This is a Ceremony that may be
seen every _Sunday_, and is performed in the Presence of two Echevins, and
a Secretary. The People that are to be married, go into a Room where the
Magistrates are seated at a Table, and there they are entered one after
the other without Distinction of Rank, into the Register of Marriages;
after which they go Home with the Satisfaction of having been as well
married as if the Ceremony had been performed by the Pope himself; nor are
they under the least Necessity of having recourse to the Church.
Nevertheless, all the regular People go to some Priest or Minister to
receive the nuptial Benediction.
The Treasure of the Bank is kept in a Place under Ground, which extends,
as I am assured, a great Way under the Square of the _Dam_.
Every body agrees that it is immense, but nobody knows exactly of how many
thousand Millions it consists; and it is a Question, whether its Credit be
not infinitely greater than its Cash; it being certain that the Public has
such a Confidence in it that every body puts their Money into it, though
without any Interest for it: On the contrary, it costs One hundred and
five Florins ready Cash, to have One hundred Florins Bank. The largest
Payments are commonly made in Bank Notes: A certain Sum is registered in
the Bank Books, which is transferred, either in whole, or in Part, to the
Person to whom the Payment is to be made, This is called _The Keeping an
Account at the Bank_. It was a Correspondence of this Nature which the
famous _John Law_ would fain have establish'd at _Paris_; and he would
certainly have succeeded, if he had had but the Fund of the Bank of
_Amsterdam_, and the public Confidence.
They say that the Revenues of this City amount to fifty thousand Livres a
Day, which I am apt to believe is true; for really the Taxes here are very
considerable, the Subjects of this State paying more than those of any
Crown whatsoever: All the Difference consists in the Distribution of the
Taxes, and the Manner of raising them: Here they are laid equally upon the
Rich and upon the poor, upon Citizens and upon Foreigners.
The Liberty so much boasted of in these Provinces, is no more than that
which the good People of other Countries enjoy; nevertheless, I must
except Religion, which every one here may adapt to his own Fancy. The
Liberty therefore consists only in the Equality of Conditions: But for a
Boor to presume to be saucy to a Burgher, to despise the Nobility, to
censure his Masters with Impunity, and to treat all Kings as Tyrants,
seems to me to be a Liberty which favours very much of Libertinism. The
_Germans_ and the _French_, who are not used to such Licentiousness in
their own Country, easily fall into it here; and 'tis really a Wonder to
hear them in a Coffee-house talking of Sovereigns, especially when,
inspir'd with a Holy Zeal, they plead for the Religion, which, say they,
is every-where oppressed, except in the Dominions of the Calvinists. They
think every Government tyrannical, which does not allow intire Liberty of
Conscience. 'Tis true that in this Country every one believes as he
pleases: And here are Religions of every Kind, which nevertheless tend to
one and the same Centre, _viz._ the acquiring of Riches, and the
tormenting both of Body and Soul, to get an Estate, not to enjoy it, but
to have the Pleasure of dying rich. Money, the Darling and the Idol of the
whole World, is so adored in this City, that it stands in the stead of
Birth, Wit, and Merit. A Man who has but a small Share of the Favours of
Fortune, is neglected almost every-where; but here he is despised.