The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz Volume II Part 17

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 pa.s.sing 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 princ.i.p.al 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-gla.s.s. 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 n.o.bles 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 Gla.s.s, 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 l.u.s.tres of Rock-Crystal, no great Collection of Paintings, nor that Abundance of antique Busts, Vases and Statues of Marble and Bra.s.s. 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 Wors.h.i.+p: 'Tis the Residence of the Houshold G.o.ds, 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 Fas.h.i.+ons, 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 Fas.h.i.+on 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 Subst.i.tutes, 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 princ.i.p.al 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 princ.i.p.al 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 G.o.ddess, 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 pa.s.ses 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 a.r.s.enal takes up one intire Floor over these Chambers, but is only considerable for the prodigious Quant.i.ty of Arms of the modern Fas.h.i.+on, 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 a.s.sured, a great Way under the Square of the _Dam_.

Every body agrees that it is immense, but n.o.body 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 n.o.bility, 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.

Next to those of the prevailing Religion, the Catholics, among whom I 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. _Chatelain_ 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. _Chatelain_ 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 a.s.sure you that no body can be more intirely yours, than I am, &c.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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 pa.s.s 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 l.u.s.ty 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 s.p.a.cious 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 Pa.s.sions 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 a.s.semblies, 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 Ca.n.a.ls, 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 Ca.n.a.ls, 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 a.r.s.enals 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 a.r.s.enal, 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 Quant.i.ty 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 Pet.i.ts-Maitres. 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. ***, Amba.s.sador 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 a.s.sured, 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 surpa.s.ses 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 Fas.h.i.+on. 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 b.u.t.tons bigger than a Crown piece, They also wear four or five Waistcoats, one over the other, which are set so thick with silver b.u.t.tons 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 b.r.e.a.s.t.s like Women. Their Shoes are Seamen-like, or, with Reverence be it spoken, such as are now worn by the _French_ Pet.i.ts Maitres. They have also silver Buckles, but so large that they are fitter for the Harness of Horses than for Shoes. I a.s.sure you, that if the _Romans_ had been dressed like these Peasants, the _Carthaginians_ would have taken a richer Booty in silver b.u.t.tons than they did at the Battle of _Cannae_, 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 pus.h.i.+ng 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 n.o.bleman, 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 n.o.bleman, 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 n.o.bleman 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 n.o.bleman. 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, Ca.n.a.ls, 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 princ.i.p.al 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 Bishop.r.i.c.ks 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 d.y.k.es. 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 d.y.k.es 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 Pet.i.t-Maitre; nor is there any Thing uncommon in my Make. The s.e.x in this out-of-the-way Country is very handsome, and here are Country La.s.ses who have a delicate Complexion, not inferior to the finest Ladies. These Sylvan Beauties are generally fair, and have such a languis.h.i.+ng 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 Friends.h.i.+p; 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._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

LETTER LII.