include the Jansenists, are the most numerous: I have been told, they are
above twenty thousand. They have fourteen Churches, served by different
Orders of Friers, who as they die, the States have declared, shall be
succeeded hereafter by none but the secular Priests who are Natives of the
Country. They say, that this Resolution was taken, because the Monks sent
the Money which they received for the Poor, to their Convent. What Ground
there is for this Charge, I know not; but be it as it will, who can be
sure that the Priests will not employ the Poors Money to enrich their own
Families? The Catholics form a considerable Body in this State, both for
their Number and their Wealth. It may be said that they are with the
_Jews_ (forgive me the Parallel) one of the chief Supports of its
Commerce; for as they cannot hold Offices, they are Merchants from Father
to Son; tho' 'tis true, that among the Protestants who are in Offices,
there are some who trade.
What I have now said to you of our Clergy, engages me to give you some
Account of two Calvinist Preachers here, who are very much esteemed, and
mightily followed by those of their Communion. The one is M. _Alstein_, a
_German_ Minister, who preaches in the Church called the _Chapel_, a Man
of exemplary Morals, who avoiding angry Disputes and bitter Invectives,
preaches truly Christian Morality, which reaches to the Heart. He was
Minister of the Garison of _Potsdam_, in the Dominions of _Prussia_, when
he was called hither by the _German_ Colony established in this City. He
is belov'd and esteemed for his Modesty, Good-nature and Candour. This
Testimony which I pay him of the Veneration and Esteem I have for him, is
perfectly agreeable with the Character given of him by the Voice of the
Public.
The second Preacher is M. _Châtelain_ a _French_ Minister, with whom I
have no Acquaintance; but he has a very great Character, and I have heard
him preach. It were to be wish'd, that all the Clergy (our Priests will
suffer me not to forget them) had it as much at Heart as this Minister
has, to instruct their Audiences; and that they would preach Morality,
which is the Life of all Religions, because it is founded upon Piety and
Virtue. M. _Châtelain_ was Minister at the _Hague_, when he was called to
this City, where he has the Pleasure of being as much esteem'd and
follow'd by his Flock, as he was by that which he left.
I have many other Things to acquaint you with, but upon my Word, I can
write no more at present, my Pen falling out of my Hand. I shall resume it
however against next Post, not so much to tell you of _Amsterdam_, as to
assure you that no body can be more intirely yours, than I am, &c.
[Illustration]
LETTER LI.
_SIR_, _Amsterdam, Dec. 7, 1732._
Since the Weather is set in for Frost, I keep my Station upon the Ice, to
see the People slide upon Skates; a favourite Exercise of the _Dutch_, in
which they acquit themselves with marvellous Dexterity. These Skates are a
very little smooth Piece of Wood, like a Weaver's Shuttle, except that the
Part on which the Heel and the Sole of the Shoe rest most, is a little
broader. The Remainder of it is slender and crooked at the End, that the
Iron which is underneath may the better cleave the Snow, and that they may
with the more Ease surmount the Obstacles and little Hillocks in the Ice,
over which they pass with great Rapidity, but not without Danger of
breaking their Legs or Arms, and often of being drowned. The _Dutch_ are
less exposed to these Inconveniencies than others, because they are most
expert in the Art; for they learn to skate when they can scarce go alone.
This is rather the Diversion of the common People, and of the lusty young
Fellows, than of the Gentry, or of Men full-grown. These go in Sleds,
after the Manner of our Country, which is what they call here _Narren_;
_i. e._ to play the Fool: And indeed, to consider it duly, I think 'tis a
right Name for it.
The Place where I take the Air, is upon the River of _Amstel_, without the
Gate of _Utrecht_, where I see several Thousands of People scudding along
upon Skates, so fast that they seem to fly. If one of these Skaters was to
be seen in _Swisserland_, I know not whether he would not suffer the Fate
of _Brioche_, the Puppet-Show Man, whom the People of those Cantons burned
for a Conjurer.
These Skaters are a great Relief to me; for to tell you a Secret, I am
quite sick of this City, which really is not a Place for a Man to live in,
that is not concerned in Trade; and a Foreigner especially, knows not how
to bestow himself. He can find nowhere to go but to some sorry
Coffee-house, or melancholy Walk. In the one he is sure to be _incens'd_
with Tobacco, and stunned with wretched Commentaries upon News-Papers or
the Price of Pepper and Ginger; in the other he is as solitary as a
Hermit. Their Comedies are but a poor Relief to such as don't understand
_Dutch_, which besides is a Language that I think is not very fit for the
Stage, any more than ours. I thought the Actors pitiful, and the Habits
trifling; but the Decorations are fine, and the Theatre spacious and
magnificent. I can't imagine why the Magistrates will not let _French_
Comedies be acted in their City, where I think they would do more Good
than Harm; for they would help to polish the Youth, and would undoubtedly
keep them from that Temptation to Debauchery, to which Idleness, and the
Difficulty of knowing where to spend the Evenings, naturally incline them.
I heard _d'Argenson_, the late Keeper of the Seals say, he had observed,
while he was Lieutenant of the Police at _Paris_, that there were more
Disorders and Debaucheries committed in that City, during the Fortnight at
_Easter_, when the Theatres were shut up, than were committed in four
Months, while all Shows were kept open. I doubt not but it would be the
same at _Amsterdam_, where there is a numerous Youth, for whom the Parents
are blindly complaisant, and ready to kill the fatted Calf; so that being
left to their own Devices, and having in general but few Maxims of
Education, they run with the Stream of their Passions into all
Extravagancies. These young Fellows, who prefer the Exercise of driving a
Chaise before all others, set up in the mean Time for fine Gentlemen; but
how well they perform their Part, I leave you to think.
The Assemblies, or Societies, as they are here called, have nothing that
is engaging. You see very fine Faces there, but not a Tongue moves, at
least to a Foreigner, the very Sight of whom seems to frighten them. Here
they drink Tea, or play a Game at Ombre, or Quadrille, and afterwards go
in quest of a Supper.
Those Societies, or Clubs, where there are no Ladies, are still worse. In
these they smoke and drink in Abundance, talk of Trade or Politicks; and
at such Times, woe be to those Powers that have forbid the Importation of
_Dutch_ Toys into their Dominions. The only Remedy here against Chagrin,
is Reading, of which a Man may have his Heartful; for _Amsterdam_ is not
only the Centre of the Bookselling Trade, but here are Book-sellers, that
are very ready to lend Books to such, who, like myself, cannot be at the
Charge of a Library. I divide my Time between Reading, the Coffee-house,
and taking the Air, the latter of which I use very moderately, one being
obliged to go so far for it, that I think of it at least four times before
I set out. The Canals, such as the _Heers-Gracht_, and the
_Keizers-Gracht_, are pleasant Walks in the Town, because they are planted
with Trees; but they are indifferently paved. Upon these two Canals, live
Persons of the greatest Distinction, or rather those of the greatest
Wealth in the City.
One of the finest Walks in it is the Bridge, which joins the Rampart from
one Side of the _Amstel_ to the other. 'Tis six hundred and fifty Feet in
Length, and seventy in Breadth; and here one enjoys an admirable Prospect,
which is the only one perhaps that can be compared with the View from
_Pont-Royal_ at _Paris_.
The Admiralty, with its Precinct, forms a little Town. 'Tis one of the
Arsenals of the _Dutch_ Navy. Here one actually sees Seventy Men of War,
and Materials for building a much greater Number. With the Leave of the
_Venetians_, their Arsenal, so much boasted, is by no means comparable to
this, with regard to Naval Stores.
The Admiralty Office is so near the _India_ Company's Warehouse, that I am
tempted to give you some Account of a House which contains such a
Treasure. 'Tis a very great Structure of several Stories, distributed into
divers Chambers, or Rooms, where there is a prodigious Quantity of all
manner of Spices, of which the most common Sorts lie in Heaps as Corn does
in our Granaries. There are also a great many other Things of Value; and
in a Word, every Thing, be it ever so precious, that comes from the
_Indies_. After I had walked about an Hour in this Warehouse, I was, as it
were, embalmed with the Odour of all the different Spices, which made my
Head ake exceedingly, or else I should have thought myself metamorphosed
into a Mummy; but jesting apart, I fancy that were a Carcase to be
deposited in this House, it would be free from Corruption. The _India_
Company is properly a Republick, within the Republic itself. It arms,
disarms, raises and disbands Officers and Soldiers, without being
accomptable to the State. It maintains a Governor in the _Indies_, who
lives there with more Pomp and Grandeur than his Masters do here. As a
_Neapolitan_ Lady at _Madrid_ wish'd _Philip_ IV. _that he might one Day
be Viceroy of_ Naples, so it might be said to a Director of the
_East-India_ Company, _I wish you may be one Day Governor of_ Batavia.
I don't give you an Account of the Houses of Correction, nor of the
Hospitals, of which here are a great Number well founded, and well
maintained, because I have an extraordinary Antipathy to Prisons, and
dread the very Name of an Hospital, to which however I perceive that I am
making great Strides; but it will be Time enough for me to give you an
Account of those Mansions, when I have fixed my Quarters there. A
Description of a Synagogue would not, I believe, be material to you;
therefore I shall only acquaint you, that here are two, one for the
_Portuguese_ Jews, which is very fine, the other for the _German_ Jews.
They are both Jews alike, but differ in their Taste and Sentiments. The
_Portuguese_ Jews are the handsomest of the two, for they shave their
Beards, and some of them are very genteel. I was shew'd one the other Day,
who was a smart young Fellow, and might, have cut a Figure among the
Petits-Maîtres. I was told, that he had been educated in our Religion, and
that he seemed to be fond of it; but being at _Paris_, in the Retinue of
M. ***, Ambassador of ***, he ran away from that Minister's Service, and
came to _Amsterdam_, where he turned as staunch a Jew as if he had never
heard the Name of Jesus Christ.
Near the Jews Quarter there is the Garden of Simples. I am not Botanist
enough to tell you what Plants it contains; but have been assured, that
'tis one of the finest in _Europe_ for foreign Plants, which, considering
the great Trade that is carried on by the _Dutch_, is not improbable.
When I have told you, that the public Walk, which they call _The
Plantation_, is near this Garden, and that it consists of several fine
Rows of Trees, one of which is cut out in the Shape of a Fan, I shall
think that I have not omitted giving you the minutest of my Remarks on the
Inside of _Amsterdam_.
The Suburbs of this great City, in which 'tis said there are about five
hundred thousand Souls (as many as are in _Naples_) are extremely
populous. There are above eight hundred Windmills continually at Work, in
grinding Corn, or sawing of Timber. On the other Side of the Harbour,
there are several Villages, of which _Sardam_ is the most considerable,
not only for its Size, in which it surpasses many Towns, but for the
Wealth of its Inhabitants, who are called Peasants, and pretend to be
nothing else, tho' I can't imagine why; for they trade and make a Figure
here upon the Exchange, like the most substantial Merchants, and don't
apply themselves to Agriculture. I have been told, that there are above a
thousand Windmills at _Sardam_, always employed in sawing of Timber; which
would have been a rare Field for _Don Quixot_ to have display'd his
Valour. That Neatness of which the _Dutch_ are so fond, is cultivated to
the greatest Nicety in this Village; and the _Amsterdammers_ themselves
cannot but own and admire it.
The Peasants of _Sardam_ dress more like the Citizens of _Amsterdam_ than
those of the other Villages in these Parts do, whose Apparel is of a very
extraordinary Fashion. They wear monstrous large Trowsers, wide enough to
make some People a whole Suit. Under this Trowser there is another Pair of
Breeches, and perhaps a third, or else a Pair of Drawers; and to the two
Pair of Breeches which are in Sight, they have solid Plate Buttons bigger
than a Crown piece, They also wear four or five Waistcoats, one over the
other, which are set so thick with silver Buttons that they perfectly
touch one another. Over all this Cloathing they have a dark-colour'd
Surtout or Doublet, which keeps them extremely tight downward, and
therefore all their Waistcoats ride up, so that they seem to have Breasts
like Women. Their Shoes are Seamen-like, or, with Reverence be it spoken,
such as are now worn by the _French_ Petits Maitres. They have also silver
Buckles, but so large that they are fitter for the Harness of Horses than
for Shoes. I assure you, that if the _Romans_ had been dressed like these
Peasants, the _Carthaginians_ would have taken a richer Booty in silver
Buttons than they did at the Battle of _Cannæ_, when they took that Heap
of _Roman_ Rings. The Women also wear a small Equipage of Gold and Silver.
They have gold Ear-pendants, a Bodkin of the same which fastens their
Caps, Chains about their Necks, in Form of Pearl Necklaces, great Rings,
and in all this there's no Expence grudged.
The _Sardamers_ are so very much wedded to their ancient Habit, that a
Father once refused to own his Son, because having been for some Years in
_France_, he came to wait on him upon the Exchange of _Amsterdam_, in a
Suit of Cloaths bedawb'd with gold Lace. Young _Calf_, which was the
Peasant's Name, arriving at _Amsterdam_ about Change-Time, went thither,
supposing he should find his Father there, in which he was not mistaken,
and he ran to embrace him; but the Father pushing him away, ask'd him what
he wanted, and told him that he did not think he had the Honour to be
known to him, and that probably he was mistaken in his Man. The Son's
calling him Father, signify'd nothing. Old _Calf_ being inexorable,
interrupted him, saying, _I your Father! I have but one Son, who is such a
Peasant as I am, and not a Lord, as you seem to be_. The young Fellow
perceived that his Father took Umbrage as his Dress; therefore he went to
a public House, sent for Cloaths after the _Sardam_ Mode, and having thus
equipped himself, went upon the Exchange next Day, where his Father
received him with all the Tokens of the most endearing Tenderness. After
that Day, young _Calf_, who went in _France_ by the Name of _de Veau_
(which is the Signification of his Name translated into _French_) always
continued to dress in this Manner. This gave Occasion some Years ago to a
very pleasant Adventure: A _Frenchman_ who had known M. _Calf_ at _Paris_
by the Name of _de Veau_, coming to _Amsterdam_, inquired every-where for
M. _de Veau_, who he said was a very rich Nobleman, of high Rank, as he
guessed by his Train of Attendants. It was a long Time before he could
hear any Tidings of him, because few People knew that young _Calf_ had
frenchified his Name in foreign Countries. At length a _Frenchman_, who
was settled at _Amsterdam_, offered the _Parisian_ to find out his Friend
for him. For this Purpose he carried him to the Exchange; and pointing to
M. _Calf_, _Stop_, said he to him, _there's the Man you are looking for_.
The _Frenchman_, who did not know M. _de Veau_ in his Country Garb,
thought that his Guide bantered him. _Parbleu Mons._ said he, _I told you
plain enough, that the Person I want is a Nobleman, and not a Peasant_. M.
_Calf_ hearing the Foreigner speak, and knowing him at first Sight, went
up to him, and welcomed him upon his Arrival in _Holland_. The _Frenchman_
knew him instantly by his Voice, but thought himself in a Trance, because
he could not imagine how 'twas possible for a Person whom he had known a
Nobleman in _France_, to be a Peasant in _Holland_. M. _Calf_ explained
the Mystery of it to him however, as far as was convenient, considering
the Place where they were, and desired his Company to _Sardam_. The
_Frenchman_ went accordingly, and when he came thither, 'twas a fresh
Matter of Surprise to him to see the Peasant had the House and Furniture
of a Nobleman. M. _Calf_ shew'd him, that tho' he had laid aside the Garb,
he had not renounced the Politeness of the _French_, entertained him with
good Chear for several Days, and then sent him back highly delighted to
_Amsterdam_.
The Village of _Sardam_ being in North _Holland_, I cannot avoid giving
you some Account of this Nook of that Province. Here is a perfect
Miscellany of Meadows, Canals, Country Houses, Gardens, great Villages,
and good Towns, an Uniformity of Beauties, which is only disagreeable by
being continued. He that sees one Town or House, sees all, and so of the
rest. The principal Towns of this Canton are _Horne_, _Alcmaer_, and
_Enckbuysen_, which are all built with the same Neatness, but have nothing
of Magnificence belonging to them, except it be the Walks at their Gates.
All these Places are so deserted, that it would take up the _Emigrants_ of
three or four Bishopricks to people them. Their Trade decays, _Amsterdam_
being the Loadstone that draws all to it. This Part of the Province of
_Holland_ is very much infested with Worms which eat into the very Stakes
pf the Dykes. The People are in Hopes that the Frost will kill them, and
put an End to a Calamity which is one of the worst that can befal this
Country. It is not certain how these Insects breed, nor whether it be in
the Sea, or in the Timber itself: One would imagine from some little
external Specks of the infested Stakes, these Worms must breed in the Sea,
and from thence make their Way into the Wood, no bigger than Needles,
after which they grow as big as the Silkworm, and gnaw the Inside of the
Timber, in such a Manner that it looks like a Honeycomb. The Spoil they
make is said to be in those Parts only of the Stake which are under Water.
The Damage they have done to the Dykes is very considerable, and has so
very much alarmed the States, that they have prohibited Plays, &c. at the
_Hague_, and ordered public Prayers. A great many People pretend that this
Province was visited by such a Scourge fifty or sixty Years ago, and that
it was delivered from it by a Sort of Fish, that have never been seen
since, which devoured all those Worms. Others treat this as a Fable, and
say, that such Insects were never known, much less the Fish by which they
were devoured. Be this as it will, several Treatises will shortly be
published, to shew the Origin, Nature and Progress of the present Species
of Worms. If I am not mistaken, these Books will point out the Method, and
the Remedies proper for destroying them; and if any of 'em are printed
before I depart this Country, I will not fail to send them to you.
For the rest, I cannot say that I have had any other Satisfaction in my
Tour to North _Holland_ than the Gratification of Sight; for Company does
not seem to be the Taste of the Country. I never stirred out but every
body took me for a very odd kind of a Man: Yet I am no Petit-Maître; nor
is there any Thing uncommon in my Make. The Sex in this out-of-the-way
Country is very handsome, and here are Country Lasses who have a delicate
Complexion, not inferior to the finest Ladies. These Sylvan Beauties are
generally fair, and have such a languishing Look, that I guess they would
not prove unkind to any young Faun that courted them. For my own Part, who
am too far advanced in Years to attempt an Intrigue with 'em, I content
myself with admiring these beautiful Nymphs, whose Favours would perhaps
rather mortify than gratify me, and which in either Case, I should not
prefer to the Honour of your Friendship; a Thing to me of Price
inestimable. Of this I beg the Continuance, and flatter myself, that I
deserve it by the Attachment with which I am, _&c._
[Illustration]
LETTER LII.
_SIR_, _Helvoetsluys, Feb. 2, 1733._
Being detained in this Port by Winds that have for these six Days
obstinately opposed my Passage to _England_, without any Prospect of their
changing, I am at full Leisure to inform you of such Things as I have seen
since the last Letter that I had the Honour to write to you from
_Amsterdam_.
I was carried from that City in the Boat in less than three Hours to
HARLEM, the second of those Towns that have a Right to send Deputies to
the Assembly of the States of the Province. It was for a long Time the
Rival of _Amsterdam_, and actually at War with it, but could not hinder
its Aggrandisement. While those Provinces fought for their Liberty,
_Harlem_ was besieged, taken and plunder'd by the _Spaniards_, against
whom the very Women bore Arms. In 1559, Pope _Paul_ IV. erected this Town
into a Bishoprick, but it never had more than two Bishops. The Splendor of
it is owing to its Manufactures, which consist of Silk-Stuffs, Cambrics,
strip'd Dimities, and Thread Stockings. Its Whitsters also bring a great
Revenue to this Town. The Florists cannot fail of being agreeably amused
here, by reason of Flowers of such Beauty, that I have been assured a
Tulip-Root has been sold there for fourteen hundred Florins. But the
greatest Honour of _Harlem_ is to have given Birth to _Laurence Coster_,
the Inventor of Printing. I am not ignorant that _Mentz_ disputes with
_Harlem_ for the Honour of that Invention, but this being a Controversy
which 'tis none of my Province to determine, I sincerely believe, when I
am at _Harlem_, that _Coster_ is the Inventor of this wonderful Art,
provided I may be at Liberty to believe the contrary when I am at _Mentz_,
and to be uncertain of the Matter everywhere else. _Coster_'s House is to
be seen here with the following Inscription placed Over the Gate, which
denotes, that _Printing_, the BEST ART for perpetuating the other Arts,
was first invented here about _Anno_ 1440.
MEMORIAE SACRUM.
TYPOGRAPHIA,
ARS ARTIUM OPTIMA,
CONSERVATRIX,
HIC PRIMUM INVENTA
CIRCA ANNUM MCCCCXL.
In order to reconcile the two Towns, I believe it might be granted, that
_Coster_ invented the Art of Cutting in Wood, which was formerly made use
of, and that _John Faustus_ of _Mentz_ invented the Characters of Metal,
that are used now. By this Means the two Parties will have equal Share in
the Glory of the Invention, which after all is disputed with them by the
_Chinese_, who prove that the Art of Printing was known to them two
thousand Years ago.
As I walked about in _Harlem_, my Guide bid me look at certain Cambrick
Cockades trimm'd with Lace, which were tied to some of the Doors. He told
me, that this was to shew that the Woman of the House was in Childbed;
which procures the Husband a Protection, so that he cannot be arrested
during six Weeks that his Wife is supposed to lye-in. What was the
Occasion of the Grant of this Privilege, I could not learn, nor by what
Prince it was granted.
The Walks of _Harlem_, especially that in the Wood, which is at the Gates
or the Town, would be charming, if they were not so sandy. On the other
Hand, the Canal which leads from this Town to _Leyden_, is one of the most
disagreeable in the Province, there being scarce any Thing upon its Banks
but Meadows and Downs.
LEYDEN is one of the largest and finest Cities in the Country. It has been
subject, as all sublunary Things are, to great Revolutions and
Misfortunes. The _Spaniards_ besieged it in 1573, and as they despaired of
taking it by Force, they intended to reduce it by Famine. The Inhabitants
were drove to the utmost Misery, till they pierced the Dykes of the
_Maese_, and the _Issel_, by which Means all the great Meadows about
_Leyden_ became a perfect Sea of Water, and the _Spaniards_, in Danger of
perishing, raised the Siege: And the 3d of _October_ is annually observed
with Rejoicings in Memory of the Deliverance of the Town upon that Day of
the Month.