'l-L It 
 
 A 
 
 PICTURESQUE TOUR, 
 
 &c. &c. &c. 
 
Picturesque Tour 
 
 through 
 
 HOLLAND, B RABANT 
 
 andjmrt of 
 
 FRANCE; 
 
 ( v/suA- /// //r * ( /////////// r/ /^<Vy ^ 
 Illuftrated with Copper Plates in Aqua Tinta 
 
 - / ; ///. j/'/v/ //'/////. i ////////- r// ///- f ////', 
 
 BY 
 
 Ipfe oculis perltiftravit!' 
 
 Liv 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 London. HV1> % , «vj 9 s Printed fop T.MJ£ger ton /Whitehall 
 
PICTURESQUE TOUR 
 
 THROUGH 
 
 HOLLAND, BRABANT, 
 
 AND 
 
 PART of FRANCE, 
 
 MADE IN THE AUTUMN OF 1 789, 
 
 BY SAMUEL IRELAND, 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE HISTORIES AND PICTURESQUE SCENERY 
 OF THE RIVERS THAMES, MEDWAY, AND AVON, 
 AND GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS OF HOGARTH. 
 
 THE SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS j 
 
 AND AN ENTIRE NEW SET OF 
 
 COPPER-PLATES in AQUA-TINTA, 
 
 FROM 
 
 DRAWINGS MADE ON THE SPOT. 
 
 IPSE OCULIS PERLUSTRAVIT. LIV. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR T. EGERTON, WHITEHALL ; WH ITES, FLEET- 
 STREET ; ROBSON, HOOKHAM & CARPENTER, AND FAUL- 
 DER, BOND-STREET ; LEIGH AND SOTHEBY, YORK- 
 STREET, COVENT-GARDEN ,* PAYNE, MEWS GATE J 
 SEWELL, CORNHILL; AND G. SAEL, STRAND. 
 
 1796. 
 
Digitized by 
 
 the Internet Archive 
 
 
 
 in 2014 
 
 
 
 https://archive.org/details/picturesquetourt01irel 
 
T O 
 
 FRANCIS GROSE, Esq. 
 
 F. A. S. 
 
 SlNCE the period in which 
 the immortal Dry den and elegant De- 
 dications flourifhed, adulation and 
 high-flown compliment feem to have 
 loft their price; and writers, no 
 longer benefited by fi&ion, may be 
 
 allow- 
 
( vi ) 
 
 allowed the merit of adhering to 
 plain truth. 
 
 To become a candidate for pub- 
 lic favour, in a country fo famed for 
 its knowledge in the fine arts, re- 
 quires no fmall exertion and confi- 
 dence: that confidence can only be 
 had from the opinions of thofe who 
 have ftood firfl in the public efteem. 
 
 Were I to attempt an effay on 
 Portrait Painting, to whom could I 
 with fo much propriety addrefs my- 
 felf as to Sir Jofhua Reynolds? or, 
 on the fubje£t of Hiftory Painting, 
 
 as 
 
( vii ) 
 
 as to Mr. Weft ? Thefe obfervations 
 and {ketches, therefore, made in a 
 neighbouring country, cannot be 
 more aptly addreffed than to one 
 who has travelled fo much, and for 
 the beft of purpofes ; that of dif- 
 fufing the advantages of critical ob- 
 fervation, and giving to the con- 
 noiffeur in the arts an acceffion to 
 his knowledge and improvement to 
 his tafte. 
 
 Permit me, therefore, in pre- 
 senting to you the following fheets, 
 to enjoy the fatisfaction of publicly 
 avowing my refpeft to fuperior ta- 
 lents, 
 
( *m ) 
 
 lents 5 and the happinefs of being 
 ranked among your friends. 
 
 I have the honour to be 
 Your paoft obedient humble fervant, 
 
 Sam l . Ireland. 
 
 Arundel Street, 
 
 Strand, 
 May ift, 1790. 
 
 PRE- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following remarks were haf- 
 tily thrown together in the courfe of a fliort 
 tour through a neighbouring country alrea- 
 dy w r ell known, and thoroughly explored. 
 
 Conscious of this, the author's primary 
 motive for travel was, to furvey the va- 
 
 b rious 
 
( x ) 
 
 rious productions of Art, and in a flight 
 curfory manner to venture on a critical re- 
 view of the merits of fuch works as appear- 
 ed to him beft worthy the notice of a con- 
 noifleur ; while at the fame time he gave 
 fome idea of the country, by a representation 
 of fuch objefls as were moft pi&urefque or 
 chara&eriftic. In this he flatters himfelf 
 he may have fucceeded, as far at leaft as 
 a faithful adherence to truth can give claim 
 to merit. 
 
 A wish to open a new fource of plea- 
 fure by realizing, in fome degree, the ob- 
 je6ts as they prefented themfelves at the mo- 
 ment, 
 
( si ) 
 
 ment, and enabling the reader, as Parfon 
 Adams obferves, ic to travel by the fire fide," 
 may poffibly, in fome meafure, avert the ri- 
 gour of criticifm. 
 
 When the idea of publifliing was firft 
 fuggefted to the author, his intention was to 
 have etched the plates himfelf,* but, fearful 
 of his ability to render juftice to the views, 
 and aware of the fuperior beauty and foft- 
 nefs of the aqua-tinta over the hard effeft of 
 etching, he called in the affiflance of an in- 
 genious artift, Mr. Cornelius Apoftool, from 
 
 * Only thofe plates marked S. I. are etched by him. 
 
 b 2 Amfterdam 
 
( *'» ) 
 
 Amfterdam whofe care in the execution of 
 the plates, and clofe attention to the draw- 
 ings, as well as profeffional fkill, entitle him 
 to this notice and tribute. 
 
 As to the defcriptive part, the writer has 
 only given a plain recital of fa£ts, as they 
 occurred at the moment, without aiming at 
 learned ornament, or the high wrought co- 
 lours of ftyle. The anecdotes introduced 
 may poffibly be deemed of little worth: they 
 were however obtained on the fpot, and may 
 at leaft ferve to give fome variation to a work 
 that, to the general eye, may be thought to 
 Hand in need of extraneous relief. 
 
 In 
 
( xiii ) 
 
 In the biographical part, the writer has 
 availed himfelf of what has been written by 
 foreign authors only; and of fuch anec- 
 dotes as he received on the fpot, from oral 
 tradition. 
 
 Having mentioned the names of a few, 
 only, out of the many artifts who were na- 
 tives of the various places through which he 
 paffed, it may perhaps not prove unfatisfac- 
 tory to add a lift of all the artifts who have 
 come within the writer's knowledge; and 
 which the reader will find at the end of each 
 volume, alphabetically arranged. 
 
 He 
 
( xiv ) 
 
 He fubmits the work to the candour of 
 the public, prefuming, as Mr. Addifon ob- 
 ferves, that, " few books are fo ill written 
 " but that fomething may be gleaned wor- 
 " thy their perufal." 
 
 PRE- 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 «=BO«3Cffc»« art- 
 
 The firft edition of this work 
 having been fold within a few days after its 
 publication (a circumftance of rare occur- 
 rence in the courfe of fo expenfive an un- 
 dertaking), and having alfo been fince en- 
 quired after with much avidity, the author 
 is induced to prefent to the public a fecond 
 edition. — This edition he has illuftrated with 
 a fet of plates newly engraved from the ori- 
 ginal 
 
( xvi ) 
 
 ginal defigns, and has alfo added two which 
 are entirely new, together with feveral other 
 pi£lorial decorations. 
 
 These are all finifhed in the fame ftyle, 
 and by the fame artifts who executed the 
 former, and which, from the experience de- 
 rived from unremitting affiduity in their 
 profeffion, will be enabled, as the author 
 is induced to flatter himfelf, to prefent them 
 to the public in an improved ftate at lead, 
 if not in a ftate of fuperior excellence. 
 
 To the letter prefs much has been add- 
 ed, and material alterations have been made, 
 although the plan and conftru&ion of the 
 
 work remains the fame. 
 
 POLI- 
 
( xvii ) 
 
 Political difcuffions were not origin- 
 ally intended to form a part of this work, nor 
 would they have been at all adverted to, but 
 from the very peculiar and interefting cir- 
 cumftances that prefented themfelves at that 
 moment. Thofe were of fo extraordinary a 
 nature as to command the attention of Eu- 
 rope, and more immediately that of our own 
 country, whofe exiftence in a great meafure 
 we have found deeply interefted in the events 
 then depending. Whatever may be the fate 
 of the hitherto fuccefsful efforts of a neigh- 
 bouring nation cannot now, and could much 
 lefs at that period of their revolutionary ftate 
 be foretold. As the public opinion there- 
 fore appeared to juftify the author in the 
 fentiments he then advanced, and no fuffi- 
 
 c cient 
 
( xviii ) 
 
 cient reafon yet appears to call for any 
 change of fentiment, his work in this par- 
 ticular mull neceffarily retain the fame cha- 
 racter; and he has accordingly left thofe 
 difcuffions, as well as the defcriptive account 
 of each place, nearly as they originally flood ; 
 although war may have made more than 
 ufual devaftation, and the events of it have 
 configned them to new governors, and con- 
 fequently fubje£ted them to a different fyf- 
 tern of legiflation. 
 
 PRINTS 
 
( xix ) 
 
 PRINTS 
 
 " ■> a 
 
 CONTAINED IN 
 
 THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 Page 
 
 View from the entrance to Harwich i 
 
 Entrance to the harbour at Helvoet SI uys g 
 
 The Briel, acrofs the Maes 15 
 
 Rotterdam from Kattendregt-ferry acrofs the Maes 19 
 
 Statue of Erafmus, and houfe in which he was born 29 
 
 Dordrecht or Dort 41 
 
 Entrance to Delft from Rotterdam 50 
 
 Ryfwick, near the Hague 64, 
 
 Entrance to the Hague from Delft « 66 
 
 Scheveningen 74, 
 
 Houfe in the wood, near the Hague 78 
 
 Entrance to Leyden 86 
 
 The Canal, called De Oude Rhyn, Leyden 88 
 
 € 2 Half- 
 
( J 
 
 Half-way-houfe between Leyden and Haerlem .... 93 
 
 Haerlem from Amfterdam Road 106 
 
 Mr. Hope's Villa, near Haerlem 112 
 
 The Houfe where Wouvermans refided, on the-j 
 
 BakenefTegragt, Haerlem J 
 
 Amfterdam and Bridge acrofs the Amftel 125 
 
 The Heere Gragt, Amfterdam 129 
 
 Village of Broek in North Holland 162 
 
 Drefles of the North Hollanders 168 
 
 Houfe where Peter the Great refided at Saardam,-* 
 
 - j- f 172 
 
 in ditto J 
 
 Water-gate, Utrecht, and the Dom Tower 176 
 
 Ferry-houfe at Viannen, crolling the Rhine, be--» 
 
 I 189 
 
 tween Utrecht and Gorcum J 
 
 De Zwaan-ferry, on the Maes, near Gorcum 193 
 
 Crofling the Maes from Gorcum 194 
 
 Breda 195 
 
 Bergen-op-Zoom 199 
 
 Arbor Vitas , 200 
 
 A PIC 
 
A 
 
 Picturesque Tour, 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 HARWICH, Sept. 4th, 1789. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 Wl T H O U T farther apo- 
 logy I comply with your flattering requ^ft; 
 and fliall cheerfully communicate to you what 
 may occur in the courfe of my excurfion, in 
 the familiar language of a friend, indifferent 
 to the purfuit of literary fame. 
 
 Vol. L A He 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 He who fits down after a day's 
 journey to recite what has palled, claims the 
 privilege of eafe ; and, without ftudying the 
 charms of ftyle or the embellifhments of fan- 
 cy, relates what flruck him as new, beautiful 
 or fingular : upon this principle, therefore, 
 you muft fatisfy yourfelf with a faithful, tho' 
 not an elegant, correfpondent. 
 
 Yesterday morning, about 
 fix, I left London, in company with our 
 mutual friend. The excellence of the road 
 in fome degree compenfated for the unfa- 
 vourablenefs of the day ; and we were in 
 no difpofition to be deranged by trifles. 
 
 The fiatnefs of the country ren- 
 ders this fcenery lefs picfrirefque than that of 
 the Northern or Weftern outlets from the 
 capital. There is not much to ftrike the eye 
 of the traveller in the firft ftage, unlefs it is 
 the manfion of the Tylney family, on the 
 
 left 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 left of Illford ; which is a noble edifice, built 
 from a defign of Colin Campbell, and rifes, 
 with a degree of magnificence, amidft a 
 thicket of trees in the Foreft of Epping. 
 The apartments are fpacious ; but the pic- 
 tures, being chiefly family portraits by mo- 
 dem mafters, will afford but little enter- 
 tainment to the connoifTeur. In W rittle 
 Park is a handfome modern houfe, the feat 
 of Lord Petre. The manor on which it 
 ftancls was a grant by Henry the Eighth, on 
 the diffblution of Barking Abbey. I am told 
 there are fome very good pictures in this 
 houfe ; but time would not permit us to 
 view them. 
 
 The caftle and priory at Col- 
 chefter are remarkable for their antiquity ; 
 and in the fame town a curious traveller may 
 view fome perfect fpecimens of Pvoman teflfe- 
 lated pavement. In the poffefiion of an 
 eminent fhopkeeper here are two portraits, 
 A 2 gene- 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 generally efteemed by the connoifleur, as the 
 works of Van Dyck. 
 
 At Manningtree, on the river 
 Stour, there is a delightful villa, built by the 
 late Right Honourable Richard Rigby : the 
 fite is happily chofen on an eminence, com- 
 manding an extenfive view of the river and 
 adjacent country. The church, which owes 
 its foundation to the munificence of the fame 
 gentleman, is built in a fituation fo enchant- 
 ing, that I fear the eye, feafting on the luxu^ 
 riance of the fcenery, will not be more than 
 enough fpiritualized j but is in danger of 
 being rivetted to earth rather than lifted up to 
 heaven. 
 
 We now begin to have a coun- 
 try more pi6lurefque, the river and fhipping 
 on one fide, with a fine woody fcene on the 
 other, and the diftance beautifully diverfified 
 with the Orwell breaking in occafionally on 
 
 the 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 the view, form a rich and varied profpe£t, 
 which cannot fail to attraft every eye, and 
 greatly intereft the admirer of Landfcape. 
 
 In the evening we arrived at 
 this place. The entrance at night is rendered 
 peculiarly ftriking by the light -houfe over the 
 South Gate, through which we patted : an 
 enormous fea-coal fire, correfponding with a 
 leffer light-houfe on the fliore below, direfts 
 the pilot to avoid the Andrews, a fand that 
 ftretches from the fort of Land-guard to Do- 
 ver Court, and forms a kind of bar acrofs the 
 mouth of this harbour \ which is of great ex- 
 tent from the junftion of the rivers Stour 
 and Orwell. 
 
 In running over the peculiarities 
 of a place the mind of a traveller naturally 
 recals whatever is memorable in its hiftory. 
 Harwich is not in this particular much dif- 
 tinguifhed : Camden indeed mentions a fea 
 
 fight, 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 fight, between the Saxons and the Danes, at 
 the mouth of the Stour, as early as the year 
 884, and this place is alfo of great antiquity^ 
 having been ere&ed into a borough in the 
 twelfth of Edward the Second. Some re- 
 mains of an ancient fortification are to be 
 traced, without the town gate, running to- 
 wards the Beacon-Hill Field ; in the midft of 
 which is a fmall artificial hill (probably a 
 tumulus), and on which there once flood a 
 chapel: from that fpot iffues a clear fpring, 
 which, forming a current, runs from the cliff 
 to the fea, and wafhes down the clay which 
 it is faid to petrify : for this faft I do not 
 vouch. 
 
 On this fhore are found what 
 are called copperas or gold ftones from their 
 colour. — Tranfparent pebbles of various 
 hues, as well as amber, are likewife found 
 here. The natural productions of the place 
 have been a fource of much curious refearch 
 
 and 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 and fpeculation to the philosopher, as well 
 as entertainment to the colleger. 
 
 In the civil commotion which 
 was raifed by Dudley Duke of Northumber- 
 land, in the firft year of the reign of Queen 
 Mary, the town of Harwich was furnifhed 
 with guns from Land -guard Fort, to which 
 we paid a vifit - } an excurfion, however that 
 fliould be made with caution, for the packet 
 feldom waits after the arrival of the mail, if 
 the wind and tide be favourable. 
 
 After a fhort ftay at the fort, 
 where indeed we found but little deferving 
 our attention, we returned in time to have a 
 view of the fcenery about the town, which 
 is fo beautiful, that I thought I could 
 not better employ a leifure hour before din- 
 ner, than in making the enclofed fketch. It 
 may not unaptly be contrafted with the flat 
 country to which we are going, and ferve to 
 
 iliuf- 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 illuftrate the native luxuriance of the one* 
 and the artificial cultivation of the other. We 
 are now going to commit ourfelves to the 
 mercy of the waves, which we hope will 
 prove propitious to our wifhes, and land us 
 early to-morrow morning on the oppofite 
 fhore ; whence you (hall hear again from 
 your friend. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET- 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 HELFOEt-SLUrS. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 We landed here about ten 
 this morning, after a very fine paffage of 
 about eighteen hours. In approaching the 
 coaft of Holland, the Ifland of Scouwen 
 firit appears, joining a ridge of bleak rocks, 
 which, added to a multitude of fhoals, ren- 
 der the paffage fometimes rather dangerous. 
 Helvoet a league diftant appears a wretched 
 little fifhing village, but on a nearer ap- 
 proach pifturefque and beautiful. The no- 
 velty added not a little to the impreffion 
 made by this fcenery. The drawing was 
 taken juft at the entrance of the harbour : 
 Vol. I. B the 
 
( io ) 
 
 the guardfhip, appearing in the diftance, is 
 conftantly fcationed there to examine the 
 fhips paffing to Rotterdam and the Maas. 
 
 Helvoet is furrounded with 
 a deep fofse, and well for tilled by a ftrong 
 rampart faced with brick ; which is at the 
 fame time a defence againft the irruptions 
 of the fea and the attack of an enemv. 
 
 The harbour runs thro' the mid- 
 dle of the town* and prqjefts a confidcrable 
 diftance into the fea. The entrance is be- 
 tween two large pferis, foppto tzd by immenfe 
 piles, one hundred and ten feet in length, 
 and driven near forty feet into the fhore. 
 Dutch induihy and perfeverance alone could 
 have accomplifiied fuch an undertaking; it is 
 divided from the bafon (which generally con- 
 tains twelve or fifteen men of war, lying in 
 perfect fafety) fay a pair of flood-gates ; over 
 which is a bridge of curious conftruftion, 
 
 open- 
 
/ 
 
 ( H ) 
 
 opening in the middle by means of brafs 
 wheels turning on an axle, which is moved 
 with great facility. The dock and admiralty 
 magazine are well worth attention \ and a 
 walk round the ramparts will not prove un- 
 pleafant. 
 
 The houfes are built on a An- 
 gular conftruclion : they are all pyramidical, 
 which renders the upper rooms very fmall, 
 and almoft ufelefs ; exemplifying the pro- 
 verbial fatisfa&ion of the Dutch with old ha- 
 bits, and their indifpofition to novelty, either 
 in objefts of convenience, or tafte, The 
 fronts are painted at leaft once a year ; their 
 neatnefs, and variegated colours have a whim- 
 fical and pretty effect : the ftreets are paved 
 with clinkers; and the cleanlinefs of the 
 people, both within and without their houfes, 
 is aftonilhing. The infides of their churches 
 are very plain, adorned only with efcutchcons, 
 with neither monument or epitaph. The 
 
 B 2 men 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 men fit with their hats on ; for in the ri- 
 gour of Calvimfm it is a principle, that the 
 Deity is not to be won by external forms. 
 The llore-houfes are very large and extenfive : 
 their fituation is on the right, at the entrance 
 of the harbour. The late King (George the 
 Second) on his return from one of his ex- 
 curfions to Hanover, being detained fome 
 weeks by contrary winds, fixed his refidence 
 in one of them in preference to every other 
 accommodation the town afforded. In one of 
 his rambles, meeting a pretty Dutch girl on 
 the quay, he accofted her with a Good mor- 
 row ! what have you in your bafket, child ? 
 Eyeren, Mynheer eggs, Sir. And what is 
 the price, my dear ? A ducat a piece. What ! 
 are eggs fo fcarce then in Holland ? No, Sir, 
 replied the girl, but Kings are. 
 
 Having breakfafted, and dif- 
 eb irged all demands, among which the land-* 
 ing our baggage was not the moft reason- 
 able ; 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 able, we ordered a carriage, called a ftatc 
 waggon, to the Briel. A bell was immediate- 
 ly rung, and the charioteers fummoned to 
 attend : and the fate of the driver being de- 
 termined by throwing a dice, that no undue 
 partiality might prevail, every Dutch forma- 
 lity was now adjufted ; and, the boor of a 
 driver with folemnity having lighted his pipe, 
 we prepared to take our departure for the 
 Briel ; where, I flatter myfelf fomething 
 more worthy your attention may be found, 
 and compenfate for the brevity and barren- 
 i)efs of fubjefl in this epiftle. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 BRIEL. 
 
 BEAR SIR, 
 
 An hour and a half has 
 brought us to this place through an indif- 
 ferent road, as you may fuppofe; thedif- 
 tance from Helvoet being only feven miles. 
 We twice in our route croiTed the Maas. 
 
 The profpe6t* fo very flat and 
 uninterefting reminds me of a remark made 
 by the Duke of Alva, who fpeaking of Hol- 
 land, faid of its inhabitants — " that they 
 
 * The annexed drawing of Briel was made from the 
 Ifland of Rofenburg, acrofs the Maes. 
 
 « were 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 " were the neareft neighbours to Hell of 
 <c any people on earth, for they dwelt the 
 " lowed." 
 
 Briel is faid to have taken its 
 name originally from fpe&acle, which is the 
 fignification of the word in Dutch j perhaps 
 in allufion to its fituation, commanding a 
 moft extenfive view of the country. This 
 place furrendered to the Prince of Orange on 
 the 1 ft of April, 1572; and gave rife to a 
 farcafm on the Duke, that he had loft his fpec- 
 tacles y and could not fee the ten per cent, that 
 he wiftied to impofe on the inhabitants. 
 
 The Briel as we approached 
 fnade a beautiful appearance thro'a fine wind- 
 ing avenue of trees. The ramparts, draw- 
 bridges, churches, and buildings, all breaknig 
 in upon the view at once form a clufter of 
 obje&s, which cannot fail to ftrike very for- 
 cibly the mind of a ftranger 5 whofe admira- 
 tion 
 
( i7 ) 
 
 tion will not be much lefs excited on the en- 
 trance at the gate, leading through the High- 
 ftreet, which is neat and elegant. — Being 
 Sunday, every thing wore its beft face, and in 
 its higheft polifh, Dutch exaftnefs loft no- 
 thing of its native fimplicity. 
 
 The trade of the place is very 
 inconfiderable, and its importance much 
 decreafed; it was one of the cautionary 
 towns delivered into the hands of Elizabeth, 
 and was garrifoned by Englifh forces during 
 her reign. 
 
 I was fo pleafed with the fcene 
 at the entrance, that I wifhed to make a 
 Iketch : but the centinel having no refpeft 
 for the fine arts, made me defift - y and, time 
 not permitting an application to the com- 
 mandant, I was obliged to relinquifh my 
 defign. 
 
 Vol. L 
 
 C 
 
 The 
 
.( 1,8 ) 
 
 The Briel gave birth to the fa- 
 mous Admiral Cornelius Van Tromp ; who, 
 after many fuccefsful battles, was killed by 
 a mufket-fliot, in an engagement with the 
 Englifh, Auguft the ioth, 1653. 
 
 The great church at Briel Is not 
 only ufed as a guide to heaven, but Dutch 
 fagacity has made it ferve the purpofes of this 
 world, by lighting the top of its fpire> as a 
 beacon* Within is a monument to the me- 
 mory of Count Almond. 
 
 In this great town, I have made 
 inany fruitlete enquiries after the arts and ar- 
 tifts ; but neither pifture of value, or work of 
 eminence, could I difcover. The mafter of 
 our hotel, indeed, boafted much of his col- 
 lection, which was very numerous •> and, I 
 believe, no great objection would have been 
 made to its being reduced, had I then been 
 in the humour to become poffeffed of fuch a 
 treafure. 
 
 LET* 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 ROTTERDAM. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 From the Briel we ferried 
 acrofs the Maes, on Sunday evening, to the 
 Ifland of Rofenburg. The waggon, or as 
 the Dutch term it, " wagen," is the only mode 
 of conveyance to this place, in it's form it 
 much refembles ours in England, with the 
 addition of gilding and all the colours in 
 the Dutch prifm. It is drawn by a pair 
 of horfes, and guided by a boor - y who is flow 
 and fteady and feldom ufes his whip, but ap- 
 plies one foot as a fubftitute, while the other 
 refts on an iron turned up from the axle, not 
 unlike the form of a bugle horn : this ferves 
 
 C 2 as 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 as a dire6lor to the carriage, as exemplified ir> 
 the drawing. 
 
 Through anindifferent road, and 
 profpe£t unimproved, after eroding another 
 branch of the Maes, we arrived at Maefland- 
 Sluys, about feven miles from Briel ; a beau- 
 tiful village, principally inhabited by fiflxer- 
 men, yet exceedingly neat. The harbour is 
 very confiderable, containing conftantly from 
 two to three hundred herring buffes, which 
 are the principal fupport of the place. Ca- 
 nals run through mod of the ftreets, which 
 are extenfive and well built. The boors gave 
 us no fmall trouble in landing our baggage 5 
 and, from the concourfe of people gathered 
 round our inn, we were in no fmall dangqr 
 of having it leffenqd, 
 
 Our party being now increafed 
 by a French family, who were defirous of 
 joining us to Rotterdam, we ordered two car- 
 riages, 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 riages. The time of getting them ready ex- 
 ceeding all expe&ation, and the evening clof- 
 ing apace, we wifhed to countermand them, 
 and fix our refidence here for the night 5 but 
 this was not confident with Dutch police: 
 they had been ordered, and muft be paid for, 
 go or ftay. We therefore chofe the leaft evil, 
 and fet off for Rotterdam, about fourteen 
 miles diftant. 
 
 We palTed through Vlarding, a 
 handfome fi{hing-town ; — Schiedam, the moil: 
 famous place for diftilling geneva, in the pro- 
 vince of Holland, containing near three hun- 
 dred diftill-houfes ; and Delftfhaven, a pretty 
 village, agreeably fituated by the water-fide, 
 interfperfed with pleafure-gardens and ave- 
 nues of trees. Not far from Schiedam is a 
 fmall village called Pynaker, worthy of no- 
 tice for having given birth to a very charm- 
 ing painter of landfcape, who takes his name 
 from the village. 
 
 Night 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 Night coming on, and the fog' 
 increafing, we loft much of the beautiful en- 
 trance to Rotterdam ; which confifts of a 
 handfome avenue, about three quarters of a 
 mile in length. It has a broad canal palling 
 through the center, and is bordered with lofty 
 trees ; at the extremity of which is the city 
 gate, which is well built and called Delft-gate. 
 
 Rotterdam has many advantages 
 from the depth of water in the canals, 
 which admits fhips of large burthen even to 
 the doors of the merchants. The quays are 
 fpacious, embellifhed with trees, and exhibit 
 the moft beautiful and pi&urefque appearance 
 imaginable. The Boompies, or, as it is gene- 
 rally called, Boomb Quay, on the banks of the 
 Maes, furpaffes all the reft, and indeed every 
 thing of the kind I have feen. 
 
 Lofty trees, mafts of fhips and 
 elegant buildings form all together a beauti- 
 ful 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 
 fill afTemblage of obje&s, rarely to be met 
 with in a commercial city. Here you may 
 find a happy affociation of the means and the 
 end of Commerce ; the houfe, or rather pa- 
 lace, of the merchant, ornamented by the fhips 
 that daily contribute to its ftate, and, toge- 
 ther, with the magnificence and luxury which 
 it commands, the vehicle and inftrument by 
 which it is miniflered. In this charming fi- 
 tuation, the houfe of Mr. Crauford, an Eng- 
 lifti merchant, makes no inconfiderable figure ; 
 it was decorated a fhort time fince with a va- 
 luable collection of pictures, which he has 
 fold to Mr, Hope, of Amfterdam. This de- 
 lightful fpot is more than half a mile in 
 length ; and from each end of it are formed 
 the canals, which are feven in number. 
 Hence you have a moft extenfive profpeft, 
 which, though flat, affords a very fine fubje£t 
 for the pencil of an artift. We croffed the 
 Maes to Kattendreght Ferry, to obtain a ge- 
 neral view of Rotterdam, which you will fee 
 in the enclofed fKetch, 
 
 The 
 
( 2 4 ) 
 
 The commerce of this place i§ 
 conduced with the utmoft regularity, and jfb 
 little noife and buftle of bufinefs, that you 
 might rather imagine yourfelf in a village, 
 than in the fecond city of the moft commer- 
 cial people in Europe. The annual fair is 
 now held here; during which the principal 
 ftreets are lined with booths or ftalls, arranged 
 clofe to the canals. They are filled with ar- 
 ticles of merchandife, from the penny toy for 
 children to the rich gold and filver trinket 
 " for thofe of larger growth/' 
 
 The Dutch lads and lades, trick- 
 ed out in their large trunk hofe, long flowered 
 waiftcoats, and plaited petticoats, form alto- 
 gether fo grotefque an appearance, that 
 " Nature feems to wear an univerfal grin/* 
 Such is their ftyle of drefs that it is no un- 
 common thing to meet the North Hollander 
 in a family fuit of three or four generations. 
 An old Dutchman, whom I fpoke with on 
 the fubjeft, obferved, that out of one pair of 
 
 wedding 
 
- 
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 wedding breeches, made up about forty years 
 ago, he fome twenty years afterwards made 
 himfelf a complete fuit of clothes. With 
 fuch a prize in view no wonder that the Sans 
 Culottes fhould have fought their way thro* 
 Brabant, 
 
 It is no fmall pleafure to fee the 
 various products of our own country circu- 
 lated fo univerally, and held in fuch high efti- 
 mation, as we found them. 
 
 During this fair, which lafts 
 about three weeks, beggars of all nations 
 are permitted to range unmolefted : the fame 
 privilege is granted at Amfterdam, and in 
 mofl of the provinces of Holland. How 
 Jhis hoft of wretches exifts in the interme- 
 diate fpace, under the feverity of Dutch po- 
 lice, is matter of aftoniftiment, as a beggar is 
 not fuffered to appear in the ftreets at any 
 other time. 
 
 Vol. I. D In 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 In the fair I met a wretch, as 
 poor in fpirit if not in purfe, as any of the 
 group here alluded to — the famous Mifer, old 
 
 B ^ faid to be ninety-eight years of age, 
 
 and the richeft man in Rotterdam. Pifture 
 to yourfelf an emaciated figure, whom age 
 and avarice have aim oft reduced to bone, with 
 a clofe formal peruke and plain thread-bare 
 fuit, fo often brufhed that it was become a 
 mere fieve and would let any thing through 
 but his money and you will have a faithful 
 portrait of this wretched curmudgeon. In 
 purchafing his daily food, to avoid impofition, 
 this extraordinary chara&er ufually markets 
 for himfelf : on this occafion one day obferv- 
 ing the butcher putting a bit of paper into 
 the fcale, merely from cleanlinefs, he ex- 
 claimed, " What are you doing ? take that 
 <c out : I come here to buy meat, not paper !"; 
 A farthing's-worth of milk ferves the exigen- 
 cies of the day, which he orders to be taken 
 half at one door, and the remainder at the 
 
 other, 
 
( 2 7 ) 
 
 other, to gain the little advantage of extra 
 meafure. 
 
 A miser has ever been held an 
 objeft of ridicule, and even of contempt and 
 hatred how far defervedly I will not take upon 
 myfelf to decide. The world, however, will 
 flill impute it as a crime to the individual - y if 
 pofleffed of immenfe wealth, he flops the cur- 
 rent of its circulation, and, as it were, dams 
 up the genial ftream, that, flowing naturally, 
 would fertilize in its courfe. 
 
 The Cathedral of St. Lawrence 
 is a large gloomy building, filled with at- 
 chievements covered with black velvet : the 
 aifles are ranged with rufh bottomed chairs, 
 all numbered, clofe to which are fmall boxes, 
 containing ftoves for the ufe of the ladies- 
 The trouble of climbing to the top of the 
 church tower will be well repaid by the ex- 
 tenlive view you will command, as from thence 
 D z is 
 
. ( 28 ) 
 
 is feen the Hague, Delft, Amfterdam, Dort 
 Briel, Utrecht, &c. &c. 
 
 The Exchange is a handfomc 
 quadrangular building, finifhed in 1736, and 
 not fo large as that of London. 
 
 The Weefe, or Orphan-houfe, con- 
 tains near fix hundred boys, and girls, who 
 are kept exceedingly clean and neat : it is a 
 building worthy notice. In the College of 
 Anatomy you will find amufement for half 
 an hour. Among other curiofities, you can 
 not fail to notice the old Dutchman, your 
 guide, who is as rare an animal, and in as 
 high prefervation as any obje£t the mufeum 
 affords. 
 
 On a handfome arch, which joins 
 the navigation of the canals, is erefted a very 
 fuperb bronze figure, near ten feet high, finely 
 executed^ of that juftly celebrated re ftorer of 
 
 the 
 
( 2 9 ) 
 
 the Latin tongue, Erafmus ; of whofe birth 
 this city claims the honour. This beautiful 
 figure is a chef-d'oeuvre of the famous archi- 
 tect and ftatuary Henry de Keifer ; It was fi- 
 nilhed in the year 1622, and on its pedeftal 
 are the following Dutch lines by Oudaan, a 
 poet of much eminence : 
 
 pier rees jdje groote Zon, en ging te Bazel onder ! 
 De Rykftad eer' en vier* dien Heilig in zyn Grav ; 
 Dit tweede leeven geevt, die't eerfte leeven gav : 
 Maar 't ligt der taalen, 'tzoutderzeden, 'theerlyk Wonder - 
 Waar met de Lievde, en Vreede, en Godgeleerdheid praald, 
 Word met geen grav geeerd nog met geen beeld betaald : 
 Dies moet hier't lugtgewele ERASMUS overdekken, 
 Nadien geen mind're plaats zyn Tempel kan verftiekken ! 
 
 The fenfe of which I have thus 
 attempted in Englifh : 
 
 ERASMUS, 
 The glorious Sun of human knowledge, 
 That Mafter of Eloquence, 
 
 Moralift, 
 And Wonder of the World, 
 Rofe here and fet at Bafil : 
 May that imperial City honour him in the grave ! 
 
 No 
 
r 
 
 { SO ) 
 
 No decoration of fculptur'd ornament, 
 No fumptuous tomb, 
 Nor coftly ftatue, 
 Can add fame or honour to a Genius, 
 
 For whom only 
 The vaulted roof of High Heaven 
 Forms the proper 
 Temple. 
 
 Much pains was taken by a 
 bigotted fe6t, called Contra-remonftrants, 
 againft the fetting up of this ftatue •> and they 
 were fo near gaining their point, that it was 
 carried in the fenate by a, majority of only 
 two. The former ftatue was deftroyed by the 
 Spaniards in 1572 ; it is faid to have been a 
 good figure, formed from a hard bluifh ftone. 
 The Spaniards, inftigated by a monk of their 
 country, fhot at it with their mufquets, after 
 which it was thrown into the canal - 7 but on 
 the expulfion of their fuperftitious and bloody 
 perfecutors, was again fet up, by order of the 
 iriagiftrates, where it remained till this bronze 
 
 figure 
 
( 3i ) 
 
 figure was completed in 1622. The firft fta* 
 tue of this illuftrious man was in wood, erect- 
 ed in the year 1549. 
 
 In a narrow ftreet leading from 
 the ftatue to the great church, is now (landing 
 the houfe in which he was born, on the 28th 
 of October, 1467. On a fillet, running acrofs 
 the front (as feen in the annexed drawing, 
 which I made on the fpot) is the following 
 infeription : 
 
 iEdibus his ortus mundam decoravit Erafmus 
 
 Aritibus ingenuis, religione, fide. 
 Fatalis feries nobis invidit Erafmum, 
 
 At Defidwrium tollere non potuit. 
 
 Pope, in his Eflay on Criticifm, 
 bears teftimony to the fuperior talents of 
 •Erafmus in the following lines : 
 
 <c At length Erafmus, that great injur'd name, 
 " The glory of the priefthood, and the fhame, 
 " Stemm'd the wild torrent of a barb'rous age, 
 " And drove thofe holy Vandals off the ftage." 
 
 This 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 This learned man Is faid to hafc 
 been well Ikilled in the art of painting, an ac- 
 complifhment not improbably derived from 
 his great intimacy with Hans Holbein. Hou- 
 braken tells us, that Van Bleefwyk, in his 
 Hiftory of Delft, mentions, that Erafmus* 
 while in the convent at Emaus ; near Gouda, 
 painted feveral pi6tures $ among which was a 
 crucifixion in miniature, much efteemed by 
 the connoiffeur. It is at prefent in the col- 
 Ie6tion of Mr. Cornelius Ploos Van Amftel, 
 at Amfterdam j and was formerly in the pof- 
 feflion of the learned Cornelius Mufius, prior 
 of a convent at Delft. 
 
 We vifited the Dutch and French 
 playhoufes. At the latter we were not ill en- 
 tertained with the Deferter, and the School 
 for Fathers, as an after-piece. The houfe is 
 rather plain, but commodious s and you may 
 be ferved in any part, even in the pit, with 
 coffee, lemonade, or any refrefhment you can 
 
 wifli, 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 wifh, without inconvenience to yourfelf or 
 neighbour : this advantage arifes from the 
 leats being all numbered, which prevents 
 erouding or diflatis faction. The players, all 
 wearing orange cockades, made rather a whim- 
 fical appearance - y but at this time, party run- 
 ning very high, every one is obliged to pro- 
 vide himfelf with this paflport; even the 
 tails of the horfes are adorned with this prince- 
 ly appendage. 
 
 A person is now in confinement 
 for ftabbing another becaufe his orange cock- 
 ade was not fo large as it fhould be : this fure- 
 ly was not the " reproof valiant," and is likely 
 to be attended with very ferious confequences. 
 To conftitute the crime, and fubje£t to the 
 punifhment of murder, the laws of Holland 
 require, that the death of the party wounded 
 muft follow within a limited time after the 
 wound received : fhould he furvive that period 
 and die after \ how clear fo ever it may be, 
 
 E that 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 that he died in confequence of the wound, 
 the fentence of the delinquent is mitigated. 
 
 Shoe-ftrings are deemed a mark of oppofi- 
 tion to the Prince, and are as fuch, unfafe to 
 be worn, and never feen but on the feet of a 
 ftranger •> among whom I was one, and I af- 
 fure you did not pafs unnoticed. 
 
 Many of the merchants have their 
 Country retreats in the neighbouring vil- 
 lages, feldom at a greater diftance than two 
 miles fron the city; ftill clinging, as it were, 
 to the fpot which was the fource of their 
 wealth ; and hourly calling a " longing, 
 u ling' ring look behind." Thefe retreats 
 from the fogs of the climate are only habitable 
 about two months in the year ; and their fi- 
 tuation and approach are feldom found to 
 accord, either in tafte or ftyle, with the eye of 
 an Englifhman. The true art of gardening, 
 or having cc Nature to advantage dreft," has, 
 in a very fmall degree, found its way to this 
 
 coun* 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 country. Long, ftraight alleys of monftrouf- 
 ly diftorted trees, with hofts of heavy gods 
 and thick-legged goddeffes, too often obtrud- 
 ing as the principal ornaments ; while 
 
 u The fuff'ring eye inverted nature fees, 
 
 " Trees cut to ftatues, ftatues cut to trees ; 
 
 cc With here a fountain never to be play'd, 
 
 w And there a fummer-houfe that knows no fhade. 9 * 
 
 I do not advance this ftri£ture on 
 Dutch gardening as univerfal; but it cer- 
 tainly appears to me, that the luxuriancy of 
 vegetative nature is more reftricled in this 
 country than in any I have ever feen, as their 
 objeft feems rather to be formal exaftnefs than 
 true fimplicity or grandeur. Habits are as 
 inveterate in the arts as in the paflions of 
 men ; and furely this truth was never fo for- 
 cibly demonftrated as in the Dutch, who, 
 roving and collecting from every corner of 
 the world whatever is rare or valuable, and 
 adminiftering to the wants and embellifh- 
 E z mentSL 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 ments of all nations, ftill adhere to their 
 own peculiarities, however Angular or ab~ 
 furd. 
 
 Among many excellent artifts to 
 whom Rotterdam has given birth, I {hall 
 mention the Chevalier Vander Werf, born 
 January 21ft, 1659. The excellenee of his 
 works is in fome degree to be meafured by 
 the high prices they now bear. Portrait- 
 painting was his firft purfuit ; in which he 
 fo highly excelled as to attraft the particular 
 attention and even friend fhip of the Ele6lor 
 Palatine, by whom he was knighted in 1703, 
 and . his defendants ennobled : he likewife 
 prefented him with his portrait fet in dia- 
 monds, a chain of gold, and p. medal of con- 
 futable value. Yet, at an early period, he 
 ^lmoft entirely abandoned portrait- painting 
 for the nobler ftudy of hiftory, in which the 
 fweetnefs and delicacy of his pencilling, and 
 roundnefs of his figures, ftand unrivalled ; 
 
 though 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 though it muft be owned, his high finifhing 
 fometimes becomes hardnefs, and imprefles 
 the mind more with the idea of ivory than 
 of animated flefh : and there is in general 
 too much coldnefs in the effe£l of his pic- 
 tures. From the year 1697 to the year 1716, 
 he was engaged in the fervice of the Ele&or 
 Palatine, for whom he painted thirty-two 
 pictures ; from that period to 1722, he 
 painted for Sir Gregory Page twelve ; and for 
 the Duke of Tufcany and others twenty- 
 four ; which feem to have formed the whole 
 of his works. His own portrait, with that 
 of his wife and daughter, were fent as a pre- 
 fent to Sir Gregory, in return for his great 
 liberality to this artift. This celebrated paintr 
 er died in J727, aged 68. 
 
 Peter Vander Werf, brother to 
 the Chevalier, but much inferior in his art, 
 was bom here in 1665. 
 
C 38 ) 
 
 Herman Sachtleven, a land- 
 fcape-painter of much celebrity, born here in 
 1609, was a difciple of John Van Goyen. 
 His pi£hires, though much laboured, pro- 
 duce a happy effeA from his faithful attention 
 to truth. His touch was free and light $ and 
 the aerial tints judicioufly arranged. His 
 drawings are not in lefs eftimation among 
 the connoiffeurs than his works in oil. 
 
 Cornelius Sachtleven, his bro- 
 ther, a very inferior artift, was alfo born at 
 Rotterdam. 
 
 I shall mention only one other 
 painter, a native of this city, Abraham Hon- 
 dius, born in 1 63 8, and famous for huntings 
 and converfations. 
 
 The fpirited characters of his ani- 
 mals, particularly dogs, the fquarenefs of 
 his pencilling, with the freedom of touch, 
 
 and 
 
C 39 ) 
 
 and manner peculiar to himfelf, muft ever 
 render his works pleafing to the amateur. 
 It may be obferved, that in many of his pic- 
 tures the Ikies are remarkably red : the caufe 
 affigned for this is, a heavy bill too often with 
 the colour-man, and credit fo low that ultra 
 marine was no longer to be obtained. 
 
 Of living artifis here are a few of 
 fome eminence, particularly Mr. Van Ny- 
 megen, the father, who paints hiftory, and 
 the fon, landfcape, in the flyle of Pyna- 
 ker : Mr. Langendyck, who defigns battle- 
 pieces, &c.j and Mr. Molyn, horfes and 
 cattle. 
 
 I shall now condu£t you to a few 
 private colle£lions, in the pofieffion of gentle- 
 men who will be gratified in giving pleafure 
 to an amateur of the fine arts and to whom, 
 as fuch, you will find little difficulty of accefs : 
 
 Mr; 
 
( 40 ) 
 
 Mr. Vanderpot Seigneur de Gkd* 
 eneveld, who has been banifhed on account 
 of the late civil commotions > Mr. Cramer, 
 Mr. Lockhorft, and Mr. Heybrock. 
 
 Having a wifti to vifit Dort, a' 
 place fo much noticed in the works of the 
 famous Dutch artifts, we intend making a 
 Ihort excurlion thither to-morrow. In the 
 interim, 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET- 
 
/ 
 
 ( 4i ) 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 DORT. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 Ag REEABLE to our intention; 
 
 we have made an excurfion hither this day, 
 after eroding the Maes to Zwyndregt; a 
 pleafant village on the river Merwee, com- 
 manding a very pi&urefque view of this 
 city, which is about nine miles from Rot- 
 terdam. 
 
 The entrance to Dort, or, more pro- 
 perly, Dordreght, is through the great 
 Hooft-gate, a large handfome building. 
 This city is of great antiquity, and has 
 been a place of confiderable ftrength : it is 
 
 F de- 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 defended by baftions, and furrounded by a 
 ftrong wall. It ftill holds a firft rank in 
 the ftates of Holland, and had formerly the 
 fole privilege of coining money for all the 
 provinces. 
 
 tr is recorded, that the infular fitua- 
 tion of this place was formed from an in- 
 undation of the fea, on the 7th of July 
 142 1 ; which fwallowed upwards of feventy 
 villages, and near a hundred thoufand per- 
 fons. The caufe of this calamity is faid to 
 heve arifen from the malice of a peafant 
 who, with the view of wreaking his own 
 vengeance upon a neighbour that was ob- 
 noxious to him, opened a dyke towards the 
 fea, which led to his houfe. The current 
 became fuddenly fo powerful by the influ- 
 ence of the wind, that every attempt to flop 
 it's progrefs proved ineffe&ual, and left to 
 the humanity of thofe who bewailed a de- 
 luged province, no better confolation, than 
 
 that 
 
{ 43 ) 
 
 that the author of this ruin was himftlf 
 fwept away by the general wreck. 
 
 The trade of this place is inconfidera- 
 ble, fifh being the chief article, among 
 which falmon is in great plenty. There 
 are two principal canals in Dort, the old 
 and new : acrofs the former is a bridge of 
 brick (called the new Bridge) near which is 
 the town houfe. 
 
 The great church is a large heavy mafs 
 of building, with little more than its an- 
 tiquity to render it worthy of remark. 
 Dort was one of the firft cities that at- 
 tempted to (hake off the Spanifh yoke, and 
 embrace Calvinifm. Here was held in 1618 
 the famous Proteftant Synod, affifted by 
 deputies from all the Proteftant nations- 
 It terminated in the execution of the famous 
 Barnevelt and of Gilles Van Ledenburg, fe- 
 cretary to the ftates of Utrecht} and in a 
 F 2 fen- 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 fentence of perpetual imprifonment in the 
 caftle of Louveftein upon the learned Hu- 
 go Grotius and Hoogerbeets, the penfionary 
 of Leyden. 
 
 This city has produced fome great and 
 learned men, particularly the celebrated 
 Junius and Voffius. To painters of emi- 
 nence it has been rather propitious, at the 
 head of whom ranks Albrecht Cuyp, fon of 
 Jacob Geritze Cuyp, born here in 1606: a 
 name that mull: be held dear to every lover 
 cf the arts. His clofe attention to nature 
 in his landfcape, and nice difcrimination of 
 chara6ler in his cattle, ftand unrivalled ; 
 the mifts of the morning, clear light of 
 noon, and fombre tints of the evening, are 
 all delicately marked in his piftures. His 
 fketches were principally made from the 
 neighbourhood of Dort ; and are all faithful 
 copies of nature, whom, he has evidently 
 not fued in vain. 
 
c 45 >: 
 
 Valuable as this great artift's works 
 now are in the eftimate of the connoifleur, 
 I am informed, it is not more than thirty 
 years, fince a room full of his beft cabinet 
 pictures were purchafed by the late Mr. 
 Blackwood for feven or eight pounds a piece. 
 Such are the viciffitudes in the works of art, 
 and the labours of genius, and fuch the 
 baneful influence of fafhion and caprice, 
 even on minds beft cultivated and inform- 
 ed ! Nor is the palm fure to be received from 
 the hand of pofterity : the moft fignal ex- 
 cellence cannot command it, Milton's great 
 work has taught this difcouraging leflbn; 
 and his labours were much lefs fubje£l to 
 accident, and the pofleffion of them not 
 confined to the cabinets of individuals. It 
 was only by the efforts of a popular Law- 
 yer, that he was at length refcued from ob- 
 livion : and he might have been involved in 
 this obfcurity by the prejudices of party, or 
 the more barbarian mandates of defpotifm. 
 
 That 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 That excellent engraver, Jacob Hou- 
 braken was likewife born here about the year 
 1698. From whence he drew the principles 
 of his art we know not, as it is not recorded 
 that he had a mafter : his excellence feems to 
 have been attained by application ; that in- 
 fallible fource of perfe£tion, where Nature 
 has not been niggard in her gifts. He was 
 the fon of Arnold Houbraken, an hiftorical 
 painter, born likewife at Dort; and who 
 held fome eminence in his profeffion. 
 
 Godfrey Schalken, apainter of great 
 celebrity, was likewife born here, in 1643 : 
 he was fon of the re£lor of the college, un^ 
 der whom he ftudied the claffics 5 but foon 
 changed this for his favourite purfuit of 
 painting, and at length became a difciple of 
 Gerard Dquw. From the works of Rem^ 
 brandt he feems firft to have caught that 
 paflion for the ftrong effeft of light and 
 fhadow, which induced him to play thofe 
 
 tricky 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 tricks in the art* which we fee produced in 
 his candle light and other pictures : ftill, it 
 muft be allowed, that in fome of his works, 
 his ftrong lights have a very pleafing effeft ; 
 and this is ftrikingly exemplified in the glow 
 of fun-fhine darting through a thin curtain 
 on the face of a lady, whofe portrait he has 
 painted in fmall. His firft merit was cer-* 
 tainly high-finifhing : in defign and compo- 
 fition he was frequently deficient. Yet, with 
 all his defefrs, his fmall pi£tures are much 
 fought after, and bring confiderable prices. 
 The fame and fortunes of other foreign ar- 
 tifts, of Kneller, Dahl, &c. encouraged him 
 to vifit England, where he attempted por- 
 traits as large as life, but failed of fuccefs. 
 If the ftory is true, that he fuffered King 
 William, when fitting for his pi&ure with 
 a candle in his hand, to burn his fingers, 
 without offering affiftance, one is at a lofs to 
 fay; whether we fhould judge moft correctly 
 
 fmi- 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 fmiling at the phlegm, or admiring the per- 
 feverance of the Monarch -> but however in- 
 tent upon his fubjeft, no one will hefitate 
 in condemning the uncourtly negligence of 
 the artift. That he did not owe his emi- 
 nence to his addrefs, or a dextrous attention 
 to the foibles of his patrons by flattering 
 their vanity in the difplay of every petty 
 excellence they might poflefs, is manifeft 
 from the following circumftance. 
 
 Having finiftied the head of a lady, 
 more admired for a beautiful hand than a 
 handfome face, fhe afked him, if (he fhould 
 take off her glove, that he might infert the 
 hand in the pi£ture : to this he replied, that 
 he always painted the hands from thofe of 
 his valet. In London he became rich, and 
 was much efteemed as an artift: returning^ 
 to his own country, he retired to the Hague^ 
 where he died in 1706. 
 
 I SHALL 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 I s h all not go farther into the detail 
 of painters who were natives of this city ; 
 but clofe my letter with the names of two 
 living artifts, whofe merits intitle them to a 
 place in this recital; Mr. Verftelg, who 
 paints converfations in the manner of Schal- 
 ken, a good lpecimen of whofe works is to 
 be feen in the cabinet at the Hague; and 
 Mr. Kuiper, famous for painting flowers. 
 
 We fhall now return to Rotterdam, 
 in our way to Delft, whence I fliall date my 
 next. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET- 
 
f So ) 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 DELFT. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 The pleafure we firft found in 
 travelling through this country by water 
 has . not diminifhed. We yefterday hired 
 the roof of the trekfchuit for this place, 
 which is about fix miles diftant. The trek- 
 fchuit is a large boat or barge, with a flat 
 top, about fifty feet in length ; and is capa- 
 ble of containing forty perfons. The cabin, 
 or as the Dutch term it, roof, will accom- 
 modate conveniently about eight people; and 
 fhould always if poffible, be previoufly enga- 
 ged : fhould you not be fo fortunate as to pro- 
 cure yourfelf a place there (the extra expencc 
 ©f which is very trifling) you will incur 
 
 the 
 
( S 1 ) 
 
 the rifk of fuffocation, by mixing with the 
 company within ; where the men all fmoke, 
 and the women (ftrange to tell) fit motion- 
 lefs. The fcene has all the ftillnefs of a 
 quaker's meeting, with all the ftupidity of 
 downright idiotifm. 
 
 The beauties of travelling cannot, you 
 will conclude, be within, but without the 
 barge; on which, if the weather proves 
 fine, as at prefent, nothing can exceed the 
 mode of conveyance. The country around 
 being flat, your view is uninterrupted. 
 The canals, which are eight or ten feet 
 deep, are tranfparent, bordered with trees, 
 and interfperfed with fmall pleafure-houfes, 
 which form a mod delightful fcene. 
 
 The trekfehuit is drawn by one horfe, 
 whofe pace is regularly three miles an hour 
 — you will obferve, the mode of calculating 
 iliftances here is by the hour, not by the 
 G z mile: 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 mile : in two hours, then, we reached this 
 place. The boat is fo fteady in its motion, 
 that you may write or draw, without the 
 leaft inconvenience. A number of wind- 
 mills are interfperfed on the banks and 
 neighbourhood for fawing timber, cutting 
 tobacco, and other purpofes : the land con* 
 tiguous is all pafture. About the midway 
 to Delft, we pafled a very pretty village, 
 called Overfchie. Clofe to the canal runs 
 the high road, bordered with a row of lofty 
 elms. 
 
 The city of Delft is the capital of Delft* 
 land in the province of Holland, and is 
 about two miles in circumference. In the 
 fquare or market-place, facing the church, 
 is the town-houfe, the fa£ade of which is 
 worthy attention. The fteeple of the new 
 church is efteemed the moft beautiful of 
 any in the low countries and has a re- 
 jnarkable fet of chimes, confifting of four 
 
 or 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 or five hundred bells, which play every 
 quarter of an hour. This is a fpecies of 
 mufic the Dutch are univerfally fond of : 
 the bells are fo difpofed on the outfide of 
 the fpire, as to add much to the beauty of 
 the building. Within the church is fhewn 
 a marble tomb of William, the firft Prince 
 of Orange. It is a work of much merit $ 
 and the execution, in parts, well deferves a 
 critical attention. The murder of this 
 firft Prince of Grange, in the fifty-fecond 
 year of his age, is related to have been, 
 perpetrated at the Old Palace in this town ; 
 on the ioth of July, 1584, where is feen, 
 at the bottom of the ftair-cafe, a hole, faid 
 to be the mark of the piftoi ball, which paf- 
 fed through his body. The affaffin was 
 Balthazar Girard, who had for fome years 
 premeditated this maffacre. 
 
 It is extraordinary that, about two 
 years before, an attempt was made to 
 
 at 
 
( 54 ) 
 
 afiaffinate this Prince at Antwerp by a vil- 
 lain of the name of Jaureguy ; who was to 
 have been rewarded with twenty-five thou- 
 fand ducats : but, the piftol miffing fire, his 
 fanguinary purpofe was not effe6led. 
 
 In the old church are fhewn the tombs 
 of Admiral Van* Tromp, and Admiral 
 Heine, his contemporary. 
 
 The Spin-houfe, or Bridewell, where 
 poor female culprits are kept, fhould be no- 
 ticed, and that with an eye of commifera- 
 tion. — Surely, twenty or even ten years con- 
 finement is much too fevere a punifhment 
 for a fault, which if modern divines were 
 
 * I have applied the epithet Fan, as he is generally 
 Galled, in England, Van Tromp ; yet I have reafon to 
 believe it has nothing to do with his name. 
 
 t© 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 to reform oar Litany, would hardly be de- 
 nominated a deadly fin ; 
 
 " Through tatter'd clothes fmall vices do appear." 
 
 Two fpacious ftreets, having broad canals 
 bordered with trees, as at Rotterdam, form 
 the principal part of the town. It has but 
 little trade : the Delft manufa&ory, once fo 
 famous, is, by the intercourfe with China 
 and the modern improvements in the manu- 
 facture, rendered fo trifling, as to be fcarcely 
 an obje£t of commerce. Hence it may be 
 obferved, how little reliance fhould be had 
 on the permanency of traffic in any art, in 
 which we fancy we excel. — The Delft-ware, 
 once held all over Europe in fuch eftimation 
 as to be a fubjeft worthy the embellifliments 
 of the pencils of Van. Goyen, Vandevelt and 
 other eminent artifts, is now confined merely 
 to the purpofes of the kitchen ; and it is not 
 impoffible, but that Britifh tafte, now em- 
 ployed 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 ployed in imitating the claffic treafures of 
 Herc^Iareira, may in time fo improve on 
 their originals, as to take from the antique 
 its boafted fupericrity. 
 
 To afcertain, in fome meafure, the value 
 of earthen ware, there is at the feat of Brigge 
 Fountaine, Efq. of Narford, in Norfolk, a 
 cabinet of it, painted by the divine Raphael 
 for which, they tell you, his prefent P/Iajefty 
 offered the family no lefs a fum than five 
 thoufand pounds* 
 
 This town is exceedingly dull, being 
 principally inhabited by perfons who have 
 acquired fortunes fufficient to retire from 
 bufinefs, and wifh to make no farther noifc 
 in the world. The pavement before moft 
 of the houfes is black and white marble* 
 In the back part of our inn, which is the 
 largeft I have yet feen in Holland, is a fpa- 
 cious hall j fet apart for the Burghers, who 
 are formed into a corps of archers, among 
 
 thefe 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 thefe the beft {hot is made King of the 
 Society for a year. In this apartment is a 
 large well-painted picture by Mirevelt, who 
 was born in this city ; containing many por- 
 traits of the Burgo-mafters and principal of- 
 ficers, who made refiftance againft the Spa- 
 niards in the 16th century: thofe of the 
 famous penfioner De Witt and Hugo Gro- 
 tius, when young, are confpicuous in the 
 pidhire. 
 
 Of Hugo Grotius, a native of this town, 
 I can fcarcely be juftified in mentioning 
 farther particulars ; efpecially to you, who 
 are fo well verfed in the biography of the 
 learned : but, as the information came to 
 me on the fpot and differs a little from what 
 has been generally faid on the fubjeft, I 
 fhall, without reference to books, give it 
 you verbatim. 
 
 Vol. I. H 
 
 When 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 When very young, his abilities were in 
 fuch efteem, that he was engaged by the 
 States, to accompany the Dutch Ambafla- 
 dor, Barneveldt, to the court of France; 
 where, though Henry the IV. had difcern- 
 ment enough to fhew him much attention, 
 he could not help expreffing to Grotius him- 
 felf, his aftonifhment, that the States fhould 
 fend as an afliftant in an embafly, a youth 
 without a beard. But he was no lefs afto- 
 nilhed with the youth's reply. " Had the 
 " States conceived your Majefty meafured 
 tc abilities by the length of beard, they 
 f< would have fent, in my ftead, a he-goat 
 c< of Norway." 
 
 On his return from France in 1607, at 
 the age of twenty-four, he was made Advo- 
 cate-general ; and in May 1619, was ar- 
 retted and condemned to perpetual imprifon- 
 ment in the caftle of kouveftein: but in 
 
 about 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 about a year and a half, after much fevere, 
 treatment, he accomplifhed his efcape.* 
 
 He retired to France, where he met with 
 a very kind reception ; though much artifice 
 was ufed, by the Dutch Ambaffadors, to pre* 
 judice the King againft him. He was after- 
 wards made Counfellor to Queen Chriftina 
 of Sweden; from whofe fervice, he, with 
 much difficulty, obtained permiffion to re- 
 
 * The manner of which is thus related— His wife, 
 Maria Van Reygerfbergen, a woman of much learning 
 and accomplifhment, had fo ingratiated herfelf with the 
 Governor's Lady, as to obtain permiffion, during the ab- 
 fence of the Governor, to return to a friend at Gorcum 
 fome books which her hufband had borrowed. Grotius 
 was conveyed in the trunk which was provided for the 
 books, and by the addrefs and good management of a maid 
 fervant, who accompanied this learned treafure ; was fafe- 
 ly landed, but not without fome danger of being drilled 
 through the body, from the curiofity of the porters, who 
 on carrying him down flairs, had fufpicion, that the weight 
 of the trunk was too great for wafte paper, 
 
 H 2 tire: 
 
( 6o ) 
 
 tire : but this favour was accompanied with 
 feveral confpicuous marks of her efteem. 
 
 On quitting Sweden he was caft away in 
 a ftorm on the coaft of Pomerania : thence 
 he continued his journey by land, till illnefs 
 obliged him to ftop at Roftoc, where he died 
 on the 28th of Auguft, 1645 5 and from 
 whence he was conveyed to this place, where 
 he was interred among his anceftors. 
 
 In the Town-houfe, and in private hands, 
 are here found fome of the bell piftures of 
 Frank Hals. 
 
 Of painters, this city has produced ma- 
 ny of much eminence : Leonard Bramer, a 
 difciple of Rembrandt and painter of hif- 
 tory; and Peter Bronkhorft, who painted 
 buildings and figures with much fuccefs. 
 In the council chamber are two good hiftori- 
 cal piftures by this mafter 5 the judgment of 
 
 Solomon, 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 Solomon, and Chrift driving the money 
 changers out of the temple : 
 
 Charles Fabricius, efteemed a good 
 mafter of portrait and perfpe&ive : High 
 expectation was formed of this artift by the 
 connoiffeurs of his time ; but by an unfor- 
 tunate explofion of a gunpowder magazine 
 in his neighbourhood, he was blown up 
 while at work in his chamber^ together with 
 his difciple, Matthias Spoors. 
 
 A painter of very confiderable merit 
 in hiftory and portrait, Cornelius De Maan, 
 paffed much of his time in Italy ; from 
 whence he returned to Delft, greatly improv- 
 ed in tafte and defign. A fine fpecimen of 
 his fuperior excellence is preferved in the 
 great hall of the phyficians and furgeons ; it 
 contains portraits of thofe of the firft rank 
 of that time, is well grouped, and coloured 
 much in the ftyle of Titian, and in parts not 
 
 in- 
 
( 6 2 ) 
 
 inferior; and is, on the whole, a picture 
 worthy of admiration, and a model for 
 artifts. 
 
 I cannot clofe this letter without men- 
 tioning the name of Michael Jan Mirevelt, 
 a portrait painter of very confiderable merit, 
 born here in 1568. He was early placed 
 with Jerome de Weirinx, an engraver ; un- 
 der whom he made confiderable progrefs, 
 and at the age of twelve produced feveral 
 well-engraved plates : but he foon quitted 
 the graver for the pencil, and under the tui- 
 tion of Blocklandt, became eminent as a 
 painter. He was invited to England by 
 Charles I. but the plague, breaking out at 
 the time, prevented his acceptance of the 
 offer. He was principally employed at the 
 Hague, and is faid to have painted more than 
 ten thoufand portraits, for which he received 
 a very good price ; for a three-quarter por- 
 trait one hundred and fifty florins, and for 
 
 other 
 
( 6 3 ) 
 
 other fizes in proportion. The fweetnefs of 
 colouring in his heads, and free manner of 
 touching the hair, much refembling Hol- 
 bein, fully juftifies the high rank which he 
 held, as a portrait painter : he died in this 
 city in 1641, aged 73. Befides the pi6tures 
 I have mentioned in the room where the 
 Burghers meet, there is another in the Sur- 
 geon's Hall by this mafter, of very confider- 
 able merit. 
 
 We are preparing to embark for the 
 Hague. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET- 
 
( H ) 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 HAGUE. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 We left Delft by our favourite 
 mode of conveyance, the trekfchuit, for the 
 Hague. The diftance is about fix miles. 
 In the village of Ryfwyk, about half way 
 from Delft, nothing can furpafs the beauty 
 of the fcene. 
 
 I would advife you to leave the trek- 
 fchuit at the bridge (as defcribed in the 
 drawing), and walk to the village, about half 
 a mile diftant. It was a palace of William 
 III. called the houfe of Neubeurg and is 
 rendered famous from the peace concluded 
 there, after a nine years war, on the 20th of 
 September 1697, between the confederate 
 
 powers 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 powers and Louis XIV. called the peace of 
 Ryfwyk. 
 
 As the trekfchuit waits not a moment, 
 you have a pleafant walk to the Hague, 
 where we arrived in very good time for din- 
 ner. The fcenery here became richer ; and 
 nature, as we got nearer to the Hague, feem- 
 ed to grow refined^ and breathe more the air 
 of a court. 
 
 You will perhaps fmile at the opinion, 
 but it is a truth - y that nature may be foft- 
 ened and embellifhed by the hand of art, 
 and derive fuch variegated tints from tafte- 
 ful culture, as to produce a beautiful efFeft, 
 feldom found in Dutch landfcape. Thus it 
 is with the cultivations and embellifhments 
 about the Hague, which certainly give the 
 country a new and elegant appearance. 
 
 The annexed fketch was made between 
 Vol. I. I Ryfwyk 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 Ryfwyk and the Hague, or, as the Dutch 
 term it, Graven Hague or Earls Grove, it 
 having been formerly inhabited by the Earls 
 of Holland. Though only a village, it is 
 made the feat of Government, and the refi- 
 dence of foreign Minifters ; and contains, 
 perhaps, more elegant buildings than any 
 other fpot, of the fize, in Europe. Its ele- 
 vated fituation and contiguity to the lea, the 
 purity of the air and diverfity of landfcape, 
 give it pre-eminence over every other town 
 in Holland. 
 
 The ftreets are fpacious, elegantly built, 
 well fhaded with trees, and amply fupplied 
 with water. 
 
 The fquares and public buildings are 
 numerous, but the moft beautiful part of 
 the Hague is the Vyverburg - y on one fide of 
 which is an elegant row of houfes, and on 
 the other a large bafon of water, called the 
 
 Vyver, 
 
( 6 7 ) 
 
 Vyver, almoft a quarter of a mile in length ; 
 and near this is the Mall, railed in, and 
 ftrewed with fhells, like all the public walks 
 in the Hague : a circumftance which ren- 
 ders them exceedingly unpleafant. 
 
 The houfe of Prince Wielburgh (who 
 married the Prince of Orange's fifter) is the 
 moft elegant building here : the Hotel d'Op- 
 dam, though much fpoken of, I think in- 
 ferior. 
 
 The Hague is fnrrounded with a canal, 
 bordered with elm-trees, acrofs which are 
 many bridges. The Princefs-Graft is half a 
 mile in length, and proportionably broad. 
 
 The French Theatre is in the Street 
 Cafuari, fmall but neat. The Aflembly of 
 the States was breaking up about three 
 o'clock, juft as we paffed. On this occafion 
 the military were drawn out, and refpeft- 
 
 I 2 fully 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 fully faluted the members ; a ceremony (it 
 feems) performed every day. 
 
 This parade cannot fail to ftrike an 
 Englifhman as Angular as in our country 
 alone (fuch is the jealoufy of military power), 
 the reprefentatives of the people wave all 
 military homage, and will not even admit a 
 centinel to be placed near the feat of deli- 
 beration. 
 
 The chamber, where the bufinefs of the 
 ftate is tran fa£led, is a very handfome large 
 room, hung with tapeftry, and is contiguous 
 to that in which the AmbafTadors are receiv- 
 ed : at the end is a whole-length pifture of 
 William III. Very near this room is a fpa- 
 cious hall, where the Court of Juftice is 
 kept, in which are feven piftures by LairefTe : 
 the firft, iEneas with his father Anchifes; 
 the fecond, over the chimney-piece, repre- 
 fents Juftice - y the third, the Story of Pom- 
 
 peius ; 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 peius ; the fourth, the Bride of Carthage 
 fent back by Scipio to her hufband j the 
 fifth, Horatius Codes folely defending the 
 bridge of Rome ; the fixth, Scipio, where 
 he makes the people fwear to defend Italy 
 againfl: Hannibal $ and the feventh, the Hif- 
 tory of Fabius Maximus 3 who having con- 
 quered the Samnites, contrary to the order 
 of the Di6tator, Lucius Curfor, was con- 
 demned to death, but obtained his pardon 
 from the people. 
 
 Next to this is an apartment where the 
 Minifters withdraw, &c. in which are twelve 
 fmall pictures, the Hiftory of Claudius Ci- 
 vilis ; and faid, by the perfon who Ihews 
 them, to be by Holbein, but they are more 
 in the manner of Parmegiano. 
 
 Our guide informed us that the great 
 Lord Bolingbroke offered ten thoufand pounds 
 for them but this wants confirmation. 
 
 In 
 
( 7° ) 
 
 In the front of the Town-houfe are two 
 Latin proverbs ; the latter of which is well 
 underftood by every Hollander : 
 
 u Ne Jupiter quidem omnibus." 
 " Felix quern faciunt aliena pericula cautum." 
 
 In the Burgo-mafter's room, in the 
 Town-houfe, is a very fine pifture by the 
 Chevalier Charles De Moor ; reprefenting 
 all the Members of the Regency of the 
 year 17 17. 
 
 These apartments all overlook the Vy- 
 ver, and are exceedingly pleafant. The 
 houfes or rather palaces adjoining are ele- 
 gant in the extreme. The refidence of the 
 Englifh, and moft of the foreign Minifters, 
 is on this fpot. 
 
 The French church boafts more anti- 
 quity than any other at the Hague -> and is 
 
 rendered 
 
( 7i ) 
 
 rendered famous, as the burying place of 
 feveral Counts of Holland. When it was 
 repaired, about four years fince, the corpfe 
 of William, the fixth King of the Romans 
 and Count of Holland, was found well pre- 
 ferved : the body intire, the lkin quite black, 
 and the teeth perfe&ly white. In the fame 
 church is entombed the famous Barneveldt. 
 
 We yefterday attended the parade in ex- 
 pectation of feeing the Prince, but were dis- 
 appointed ; after which, having previoufly 
 procured a ticket of admiffion, we vifited 
 the cabinet of natural curiofities, open every 
 day at twelve. 
 
 The collection confifts of fliells, pre- 
 cious ftones, petrifaftions, foflils, minerals, 
 and birds, well preferved. To enter into a 
 detail would be tedious, and perhaps beyond 
 my ability : the connoifleur in that purfuit 
 may get better information on the fpot. 
 
 The 
 
The concha veneris, pelican, and hippopota- 
 mus, or fea-horfe, moftly attra£ted our atten- 
 tion. The whole is neatly, and well dif- 
 pofed : but without partiality, I think the 
 colleftion made by the late Sir Afhton Lever 
 much fuperior. 
 
 Near the houfe where this cabinet is 
 preferved (which I fhould mention was pur- 
 chafed of the Countefs of Albermarle) Hands 
 the prifonj in which the famous De Witts 
 were confined, before they fo undefervedly 
 fell martyrs to the blind frenzy of an ig- 
 norant rabble. 
 
 To the Prince's cabinet of pi£tures 1 
 need not requeft you to pay particular atten- 
 tion. The whole colleftion is of the firft 
 and beft quality, well chofen, and in excellent 
 prefervation. Portraits by Titian, Holbein, 
 Rembrandt, Van Dyck, and others ; and 
 cabinet pi&ures by Gerard Dow, Metzu, Po- 
 
 lem- 
 
I 
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 lemburgh, Ifaac Oftade, &c. Some excellent 
 landfcapes by Vernet, particularly the water- 
 fall of Tivoli, perhaps the beft he ever 
 painted : a large landfcape, with cattle, by 
 Paul Potter, painted in 1647 (large as life), 
 wherein the particular chara&ers of the ani- 
 mals heads are marked, in a manner peculiar 
 and reached only by the talents of that great 
 matter. There are likewife two by Lingle- 
 back ; the embarkation of Charles II. from 
 Scheveling, the beft I ever faw by that 
 painter. Of Vandevelts, there are two moft 
 beautiful. Portraits by Rubens, of himfelf 
 and wives. A virgin and child, by Raphael. 
 Fruit and game, by Weeninx. By Wover- 
 mans, a large battle-piece, &c. To enume- 
 rate them further would be tedious. The 
 colle&ion is perfeilly chafte, and fele&ed 
 with great judgment. 
 
 Having viewed every thing recommend- 
 Vol. I. K ed 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 ed to us here* we made an excurfion, early 
 yefterday morning, to Sclieveling, about two 
 miles diftant. The ride is delightful, through 
 an avenue of lime-trees about a mile in 
 length, forming a beautiful vifta, which is 
 terminated by the church of Scheveling. 
 On each fide this charming road the foot- 
 way is perfedtly commodious, and fhaded 
 from the heat of the fun. 
 
 The fea breaking upon the eye, juft at 
 the extremity of this grand avenue, forms a 
 noble and pi£lurefque objefl. The beauty 
 of the morning* with the bufy fcenery on 
 the fhore of multitudes of fifhermen and 
 women, all eagerly engaged and fo charafter- 
 iftically grouped, induced me to attempt the 
 enclofed fketch : in making which, the boors 
 feemed quite as well entertained with me as 
 I was with them $ eagerly crouding round, 
 and exprefiing their pleafure and furprize by 
 
 fuch 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 fuch broad grins and fhouts of applaufe, as 
 would unprepared have alarmed the infernal 
 regions. 
 
 The beach here forms a very different 
 profpefl to that we are accuftomed to in 
 England; where the furrounding cliffs add 
 grandeur to the fcenery, and the hardnefs of 
 the gravelly fhore gives a pleafant foot-way : 
 here the depth of fand and immenfe quan- 
 tity of fhells, which the fea is perpetually 
 throwing up, render the walking fo difa- 
 greeable, that we foon returned fufficiently 
 fatigued, yet with excellent appetites, to 
 breakfaft, at a fmall fnug hcufe in the village- 
 of Scheveling j which is a fmall fifhing- 
 place, and feems to have undergone little 
 change fince the days of D'Vlieger, Van 
 Goyen, and other eminent painters, who 
 have thought it an obje6t worthy the pencil. 
 
 On our return to the Hague we vifited 
 K 2 PorN 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 Portland gardens, in the pofleflion of the 
 Countefs Bentinck. They are much fpoken 
 of here for their ftyle of cultivation, as being 
 entirely in the Englifh tafte ; and it is true, 
 that they are fo, in as great a degree as the 
 fandy foil and the want of rich fcenery will 
 allow. They are about three miles in cir- 
 cumference, but with no extent of profpeft. 
 This garden confifts of fhort alleys, ferpen- 
 tine windings, and here and there a fmall 
 piece of green, ftill water. Yet the ftirubs 
 feem to thrive > and the orangery, confifting 
 of near three hundred large trees and form- 
 ing an amphitheatre, before a very large 
 building, conftru£ted for their reception in 
 cold weather, is much to be admired. The 
 dwelling-houfe is of no confequence, yet for 
 that and the grounds, it is faid, the Englifh 
 minifter paid the enormous fum of one thou- 
 fand pounds a year. 
 
 When we fpeak thus unfavourably of a 
 
 garden, 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 garden, of fo much celebrity in this place, it 
 muft be allowed that its prefent negle&ed 
 ftate (being unoccupied) has, in a great de- 
 gree, obfcured its original beauty. 
 
 Having heard much of the gardens of 
 Griffier Fagel, we returned to the Hague, 
 and procured an order for admiffion, with- 
 out which they cannot be feen. This regu- 
 lation has been lately adopted, in confequence 
 of an injury fuftained from fome mifchievous 
 perfon. The grounds are very extenfive, 
 but fo like the former, that I cannot fay 
 much in their commendation. Nature is 
 here alfo tortured into fquares and angles ; 
 and the buildings, except one, which com- 
 mands a view of Scheveling, the Hague, and 
 the Sea, are in general difpofed with little 
 tafte. 
 
 The houfe is fmall, and merely a place 
 
 of 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 of retirement from the bufinefs of the ft ate. 
 I am told there are fome good piftures with- 
 in; but our order did not extend to an ad-^ 
 miffion. 
 
 From hence we drove to the houfe in 
 the wood (about a mile from the Hague) 
 where the Prince of Orange generally refides 
 about two months in the year. It is a com- 
 fortable villa, that a private gentleman of 
 moderate fortune might occupy. The houfe 
 is pleafantly fituated in a fine wood, which 
 is the firft I have yet feen, and (except that 
 at Haerlem) is, I believe, the only one of 
 opnfequence in the country. The enclofed 
 lketch will give you a more perfeft idea of 
 the houfe and its lituation. 
 
 It is remarked, that, in and near this 
 wood, Waterloo made the principal part of 
 the ftudies for his charming etchings. 
 
 The 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 The faloon, or ball-room is an o&agori, 
 with a cupola, and gallery for mufic. 
 
 The pi£tures, by Jordaens, are all in 
 his beft manner. Vulcan's forge, by Ru- 
 bens, over the chimney, is a chef d'oeuvre of 
 the mafter. This is the only grand apart- 
 ment in the houfe. The Japan bed-cham- 
 ber and clofet are expenfive and elegant, 
 beautifully inlaid with mother of pearl. 
 The clofet, particularly, is thoroughly Chi- 
 nefe. 
 
 The reception we met with, as ftrangers, 
 was highly flattering. It was the charafter 
 of Engltfhmen, that was our paflport. Ex- 
 prefling our wifh to fee the Prince, the Court 
 being then full, we were addrelfed fry a gen- 
 tleman (whom we afterwards found to be 
 Lord Athlone) through whofe politenefs we 
 gained admiffion, and were with great affa- 
 bility noticed by the Prince. He is fhort in 
 
 ftature, 
 
( 8o ) 
 
 ftature, with much elegance and familiarity 
 in his manner, not unlike our Royal Fa- 
 mily. 
 
 The Princefs and her daughter, who is 
 about eighteen, appeared in the room : their 
 dreffes were very plain, and they had no 
 other mark of fuperiority than a train-bearer. 
 
 Charmed with the native elegance and 
 fenfible expreffion in the countenance of the 
 young Princefs, I could not, on the inftant, 
 but cherifh the hope of feeing her one day 
 contributing to the fplendor and felicity of 
 the Britifh Court, 
 
 So little ceremony is obferved in the ex- 
 terior of the houfe, that, juft without the 
 door of the apartment, where the Prince was 
 giving audience (which was open) a woman 
 was on her knees fcrubbing the flair-cafe. 
 
 I CAN- 
 
( .«* ) 
 
 I cannot quit the Hague without per- 
 miflion to relate what is told at a neighbour- 
 ing- village, called Loofduynen, about a league 
 from hence. The ftory is fo trifling, that I 
 fliould not venture on its recital, but for 
 the fake of the explanation ; although Eraf- 
 mus, and other authors of high eminence 
 have mentioned it with much gravity : — 
 £c About the year 1276, a Countefs of Hen- 
 " nefberg, aged 42, was delivered of three 
 " hundred and fixty- five children at a birth ; 
 " faid to be by the imprecations of a beggar 
 ' f woman, who (on being refufed charity) 
 " wifhed flie might have as many children 
 4t as there were days in the year." Though 
 a Dutch author mentions having feen the 
 children, and defcribes them no bigger than 
 fhrimps, and though at the village church 
 is ftill fhewn the copper veflel in which they 
 were baptized by Guy, Bifhop of Utrecht, 
 yet the truth feems to be, that on a 3d of 
 January the beggar wifhed the Countefs 
 Vol. I. L might 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 might have as many children as there had 
 been days in the year : and that her wifh 
 was fulfilled by the good Countefs being de- 
 livered of three children on that day. It is 
 faid, that credulity once ran fo high in this 
 village, as to induce them to place a pifture 
 in the church, illuftrative of this whimficai 
 fubjedh 
 
 Having feen all that is worthy of at- 
 tention, I fhall clofe this letter with giving 
 you a lift of the owners of fuch private coU 
 le&ions, as will beft merit your notice. 
 
 Griffier Fagel at his town houfe, 
 in the Hague — Baron Coehoorn has a fine 
 collection, but it is feldom he is in the hu- 
 mour to fhew them — Mr. Van Heteren — Mr. 
 Slingeland — Mr. Nyman — and Mr. Vallette. 
 
 Of painters now refiding here who have 
 fuperior merit, I fhall mention Mr. Haag, 
 
 painter 
 
( 8 3 ) 
 
 painter to the Prince of Orange, and keeper 
 of the cabinet — Mr. Schouman, a good 
 painter of birds and animals — Mr. Van Os> 
 flowers and fea-pieces — Mr. Prins excels in 
 high-finiftied landfcapes and buildings, in 
 the ftyle of Vander Hyde — Mr. Tiefpyn and 
 Mr. Bollemais, in hiftory — and Mr. Rudig 
 is excellent in flowers. 
 
 The Hague has produced many artifts of 
 eminence. John Le Due, a difciple of Paul 
 Potter, was born here in 1636. He had 
 great facility of pencil and excellence in de- 
 fign ; but his greateft merit was his clofe imi- 
 tation of the ftyle of his mafter. We are 
 led to regret his having quitted the pencil for 
 the purfuit of arms, in which he obtained a 
 company, and acquired the epithet of brave ; 
 after which he neither painted or defigned. 
 His etchings are juftly efteemed. He was 
 diredtor of the academy at the Hague, in 
 1 67 1, but the time of his death is not afcer- 
 
 L 2 tained^ 
 
( M ) 
 
 tained. A difciple of Van Dyck, Adrian 
 Hanneman, was born and principally refided 
 here: he had infinite merit as a portrait 
 painter, and did honor to his matter. He 
 was chiefly employed by the Prince of Naflau, 
 for whom he painted many pictures, and 
 fome in hiftory highly deferving applaufe. 
 
 There is a delicacy of colouring in his 
 portraits, not much inferior to Van Dyck : 
 his beft works are to be found at the Hague : 
 he was director of the academy there in 
 1665. Daniel Mytens, as an excellent ar- 
 tift, likewife does credit to the place of his 
 nativity: he was born in 1636: he early 
 vifited Rome, and gained much information 
 from the fociety of Carlo Maratti and Carlo 
 Lotti. After refiding a long time in Italy 
 he returned to the Hague, where he was 
 much carefled by the lovers of the arts. An 
 early tafte for pleafure and expence, not lef- 
 fened by his refidence abroad, feemed to in- 
 
 creafe 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 creafe with his years ; and at the age of fifty- 
 two he totally negle<5ted the noble purfuit of 
 excellence in the arts, and funk at once into a 
 ftate of debauchery, fatal to his health and 
 fortune. The period in which he flourifhed 
 mod as a painter feems to have been foon af- 
 ter his return from Italy : which may be ob- 
 ferved in the excellence of the iketch in the 
 ceiling of the painters gallery, at the Hague. 
 He died in 1688. 
 
 For a father account of painters pro- 
 duced here, I refer you to the biographers on 
 the fubjeft. 
 
 Adieu, 
 
 LET- 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 LET DEN. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 A FTER a pleafant paffage in the 
 trekfchuit, of about three hours and a half 3 
 we arrived at this city. 
 
 About half way from the Hague we 
 flopped to change boats at an exceeding 
 pretty village, called Leydfchendam ; in the 
 neighbourhood of which the pleafure-houfe 
 and gardens appear to more advantage as the 
 borders of the canals are enriched with a lux- 
 uriancy we had not before experienced. 
 We entered the city by what is called the 
 Whitegate, which leads to the Broad-ftreet, 
 a handfome fpacious avenue, pafling quite 
 
 through 
 
( 3 7 ) 
 
 through the city, in a curve line to the 
 Utrecht-gate. 
 
 Ley den is efteemed one of the hand- 
 fomeft cities in Holland, and next in fize to 
 Amfterdam : it is furrounded with a rampart 
 and fpacious canal, adorned with trees; 
 which fhade a pleafant walk, encompafiing 
 the town and commanding an extenfive view 
 over the adjacent meadows. 
 
 The entrances to the city are through 
 feven handfome ftone gates, at each of which 
 is a draw-bridge. In the centre of the town 
 is a tumulus, furrounded by a high wall, 
 which commands a fine view of the city. 
 On this eminence, which is called the Burgt, 
 there formerly flood a caftle, faid to have 
 been built by Hengift, King of the Weft 
 Saxons, on his conqueft in England ; or, with 
 more probability, by one of the former 
 Counts of Holland. This city feems to rival 
 
 Venice 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 Venice in canals and bridges : of the latter 
 there are faid to be one hundred and forty- 
 five, all of ftone, and railed with iron. The 
 moft beautiful of the canals is called the 
 Rapenburg; acrofs which ftands the uni- 
 verfity and public library, well ftored with 
 books, and enriched with many curious ma- 
 nufcripts. The learned Scaliger, who was 
 born here, bequeathed to this univerfity, in 
 which he was a ftudent, his valuable Hebrew 
 library. 
 
 In this apartment is a portrait of Eraf- 
 mus, faid to be by Holbein. And in the 
 profeflbrs room are likewife portraits of Ar- 
 minius, Junius, Boerhavius, Van Swieten, 
 Albinus, and other diftinguiflied men of this 
 univerfity. The old Rhine runs through 
 this city, and lofes itfelf at a fmall village in 
 the neighbourhood, called Catwyk. 
 
 The; univerfity is famous all over Eu- 
 rope : 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 rope : it was founded by the States in 1 575. 
 The profefTors, when they appear in public, 
 wear a black filk gown or toga, bordered with 
 velvet, on which the word Leyden is imprefled 
 in filver. The ftudents are not diftinguifhed 
 by any regular habit, and board indifcrimi- 
 nately in the town. Their number at pre- 
 fent is but fmall ; and it is a faft highly 
 honourable to our feminaries in Great Bri- 
 tain, that Leyden is no longer the refort of 
 Englifh ftudents in medicine, though it for- 
 merly held fuch diftinguifhed pre-eminence : 
 not one individual from our own country is 
 now to be found here. 
 
 In the upper part of the univerfity the 
 ingenious Elfevier had his printing-rooms. 
 The phyfic gardens are mentioned as worth 
 notice, but I cannot fpeak to their excellence. 
 A fmall collection of ftatues are fhewn, as 
 prefented to the univerfity, by a burgo-maf- 
 ter of Amfterdam, named Gerard Papen- 
 Vol. I. M broekj 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 broek ; but it is of no great confequence by 
 whom given, they are of little efteem. 
 
 The albeftos fliewn here is not uncom- 
 mon, both paper and linen are made from it, 
 and it is not confumeable by fire. 
 
 Here are feveral curious fpecimens of 
 petrifaftions but I was mod ftruck with 
 fome pieces of chryftal, formed by nature 
 into angles, as accurately as if they were the 
 niceft works of art. The toad of Surinam, 
 which brings forth its young from its back, 
 where they are contained in fmall valves, is 
 an obje6l of much curiofity. This fpecies 
 of toad is about twice as large as thofe in 
 England. A fifli, called the Medufa's head, 
 is worthy notice : it has a number of fmall 
 fibres darting like rays from its body. 
 
 A beautiful hyacinth in full bloom r 
 preferved fifty years in fpirits, now appears 
 
 as 
 
( 9* ) 
 
 as if frefli gathered: it is certainly a great 
 •curiofity, and well deferring attention, as is 
 an Egyptian fhirt without a feam. 
 
 The Stadt-houfe, in the centre of the 
 Broad ftreet, is a very large building, flriking 
 in its appearance, but in a very uncouth flyle 
 of architecture. In one of the apartments is 
 the famous piflure, reprefenting the laft 
 judgment, by Lucas Van Leyden or Hugens, 
 who was born here in 1494 : it confifls of 
 an infinite number of figures. The compo- 
 fition in general is good, and fome of the 
 female figures are pencilled with great fpirit ; 
 but the reprefentation of beautiful nature is 
 not here to be found. There is great incor- 
 reflnefs in the drawing, a want of keeping 
 in the figures, the draperies are hard, and 
 in the heads there is too much fimilarity ; 
 yet with all its defe&s it is, confidering the 
 early time in which it was painted, a work 
 very defervedly admired. Before he was twelve 
 
 M 2 years 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 years old this artift is faid to have been a good 
 painter, and at fifteen to have made an 
 admirable pi6ture of the Hiftory of St. 
 Hubert. 
 
 A picture by the Chevalier De Moor 3 
 the fubjeft, Brutus feeing judgment executed 
 on his fons, and another, the ftory of Scipio, 
 &c. are worthy notice. 
 
 This excellent painter, born here in 
 1656, was the fon of a pifture merchant; 
 and, though his father beftowed much atten- 
 tion on all parts of his education, every thing 
 elfe was facrificed to his feeling paffion for 
 defign : he was therefore placed with Gerard 
 Douw, as adifciplej then with Francis Miens* 
 and afterwards with Schalken. He painted 
 the portrait of the Grand Duke of Tufcany; 
 by whom he was rewarded with a gold medal, 
 and valuable chain. For the Emperor he 
 executed alfo portraits of Prince Eugene, and 
 
 the 
 
\ 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 the Duke of Marlborough, on horfeback; 
 in confequence of which he was made knight 
 qf the holy Empire. He likewife painted 
 Peter the Great, who was fo much pleafed 
 with the performance, that he ordered it to 
 be fhut up with care, after every fitting. 
 
 His works are very numerous, and much 
 admired : he lived to the age of eighty-two, 
 without any diminution of his talent as an 
 artift, and died in high efteem with thofe beft 
 able to judge of his excellence. 
 
 About three miles from Ley den, be- 
 tween the villages of Leyderdorp and Kou- 
 kerk, was born the famous Rembrandt Van 
 Ryn. His father was a miller, named Her- 
 man Gerretfz, whofe mill and the adjacent 
 country were the principal objefts of the 
 fon's ftudy. Rembrandt having, when young, 
 finifhed a picture of great merit, conveyed it 
 by the advice of his friends to Amflerdam, 
 
 where 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 where he fold it for one hundred florins. 
 He took it under his arm ; but, proud of the 
 fum he had received, he became too great a 
 man to return home on foot, and he rode 
 back in his carriage, a waggon. But the 
 wealth, obtained by his intenfe application, 
 brought with it alfo its ufual attendant, ava- 
 rice and a difpofition to endure no controul. 
 He once carried the extravagance of his hu- 
 mour to fuch an extent ; that, when he was 
 employed in painting a large family pi&ure, 
 and while one of the family was a6tually 
 fitting to him, upon information given by his 
 fervant of the death of a favorite monkey, 
 he without ceremony ordered the dead animal 
 to be brought in, and immediately fketched 
 him in the piflure : difgufting as this muft 
 have been, he could never be induced to obli- 
 terate it, though frequently requefted by the 
 family. He refided principally at Amfter- 
 dam, where he obtained very high prices for 
 his works ; and his commiffions were fo nu- 
 merous* 
 
(( )) 
 
 merous, that many of his portraits were 
 flighted, and left mere Iketches. The ftrong 
 lights produced in his pictures were effe&ed 
 by being admitted through a hole or aperture 
 calculated for the purpofe : and, fo fond was 
 he of great maffes of light, that a nofe in one 
 of his pi6lures was abfolutely fo embodied with 
 colour, as to produce all the prominence of 
 nature. So eager was he after gain, that 
 his prints were fold in every ftate, from the 
 etched outline, to the laft finifhing ; and the 
 prices given for them fo enormous, that even 
 at that time it was deemed a madnefs. The 
 company he ufually affociated with were 
 thofe of the loweft order, though much pains 
 were taken to introduce him to perfons of a 
 fuperior rank. 
 
 Parsimony and inveterate narrow ha- 
 bits had long difqualified him for any better 
 fociety : boors were his conftant compa- 
 nions, and a red herring and cheefe his daily 
 
 repaft : 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 repaft : he is faid to have made three hundred 
 pounds a year by his difciples* Could he 
 have come forward in higher life, what might 
 not have been expe&ed from fuch extraordi- 
 nary talents and application ? He died in 
 great affluence at Amfterdam, at the age of 
 fixty-eight, in the year 1674. 
 
 Leyden boafts having given birth to a 
 numerous lift of other painters of high emi- 
 nence; among thefe that inimitable artift, 
 Gerard Douw, who was early placed as a dif- 
 ciple with an engraver of fome eminence, 
 holds the firft rank. The exquifite high- 
 finifhing of this wonderful artift is won- 
 derful ; and his neatnefs, fpirited touch, and 
 minute attention to nature render him al- 
 together the moft beautiful painter, in the 
 lift of thofe famed for elaborate execution. 
 He would frequently paint fix or feven days, 
 on a hand, and what is ftill more aftonifhing f 
 twice the time on the handle of a broom. 
 
 Yet 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 Yet with all this minutiae ; nature was his 
 objeft j and, the obje6t attained, in fpite of 
 the vaft encomiums on the effect of (ketches 
 in the art, it muft be confeffed, that the 
 higheft finifhed pictures, if touched with 
 fuch fpirir, come the neareft to the works of 
 nature ; who can alone be truly reprefented 
 by fevere and unremitted labour and applica- 
 tion, however rare and Angular the talent of 
 the artift. In fuch high reputation were the 
 works of this mailer held; that Mr. Spie-< 
 ringer, refident of the King of Sweden, at 
 the Hague, prefented him with one thoufand 
 florins annually to have the choice of his 
 works. Pie lived to a great age. The mi- 
 nutenefs of his performance fo affefted his 
 fight, that he wore fpe&acles at the age of 
 thirty. His works are numerous and in 
 various hands ; but his bell productions are 
 in the collection of the Elector Palatine at 
 DuffeldorfF. 
 
 Vol. I. N Fran- 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 Francis Mieris, a difciple of Gerard 
 Douw, born here in 1635, was the fon of 
 a goldfmith ; and fliewed an early inclina- 
 tion to the ftudy of the arts, by marking 
 forms on paper and on the walls with more 
 than common dexterity. He ftudied under 
 feveral artifts of eminence 3 but the fuperior 
 manner of this mafter ftruck moft forcibly 
 on his imagination. His eminence in the 
 purfuit introduced him to the fociety of 
 perfons of the firft rank and quality y 
 amongft whom the Grand Duke of Tufcany 
 fhewed many marks of regard and efteem, 
 and for one pifture paid him a thoufand 
 rix dollars. This excellent artift was fre- 
 quently paid a ducat per hour for his 
 works. His intimacy and friendfhip for 
 Jan Steen, that excellent painter and bon 
 vivant, feem to have led him into much 
 inconvenience. After a night's debauch, 
 quitting Jan Steen, he fell into a common 
 drain ^ whence being extricated by a poor 
 
 cobler 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 cobler and his wife, and treated by them 
 with much kindnefs, he repaid the obliga- 
 tion, by prefenting them with a fmall pic- 
 ture; which, upon the recommendation of 
 his name, was fold for a confiderable fum* 
 to a gentleman of the name of Paats. The 
 manner of returning the obligation feems 
 to have afforded as ftrong a proof of the 
 gratitude as of the merit of this admirable 
 artift ; who in the freedom and fweetnefs of 
 manner in his painting, is, I think, fuperior 
 to his matter. 
 
 Having mentioned Jan Steen, as the 
 friend of Mieris, may I be permitted, in the 
 hiftory of this place, to fay fomething far- 
 ther of this excellent painter, and very An- 
 gular character ? He was born in 1636, was 
 the fon of a brewer, and, by marriage, the 
 fon-in-law of John Van Goyen. He was 
 firft placed in a brewery at Deift, but not 
 fucceeding there, became an alehoufe-keeper : 
 N a iu 
 
( ioo ) 
 
 in this occupation he was himfelf his beft 
 cuftomer, and having drunk his cellar dry, 
 took down his fign, and went hard to work 
 at his profeffion of painting, till his calks 
 were again filled j and for a long time his 
 works were only to be found in the hands 
 of dealers in wine, or other liquors. 
 
 His produflions are principally in that 
 line of the art in which he moil delighted — 
 Nature in difguifej and yet are fo exqui- 
 fitely managed, that the fubje£t, however 
 dilgufting, is loft in the excellence of the 
 artift. He died at the age of fifty- three, A 
 whimfical ftory is related of this humourift. 
 Having painted a crucifixion, he introduced 
 at the foot of the crofs a numerous group of 
 figures, confifting of monks, old women, 
 and dogs. On being a Iked, what he meant 
 by fuch a grotefque affemblage ? he replied, 
 that when any thing curious occurred, it 
 was always to be obferved, that the clergy 
 
 and 
 
( lot y 
 
 and old women were moft eager in their en* 
 quiries. 
 
 Being commiffioned to paint the gene- 
 ral deluge, he reprefented it by a large fheet 
 of water, and in the middle a huge Dutch 
 cheefe floating, with the arms of Ley den 
 impreffed upon it: this, he faid, would 
 prove that all the world was drowned ; and 
 no trace of Noah or the ark was to be feen 
 to prove the contrary. Thefe, in the artift's 
 phrafe,were to be confidered as out of the pic- 
 ture. This Angular work, I am told, was fome 
 years ago publickly fold in Amfterdam. 
 
 John Van Go yen, the father-in-law 
 of this whimfical perfon, was an artift of 
 eminence, and native of this place. His 
 ftyle is very different from thofe I have juft 
 mentioned; yet the facility of his pencil, 
 and his pi&urefque choice of fubjeft, muft 
 
 ever 
 
( IQ 2 ) 
 
 ever render him admirable in the eye of the 
 judicious obferver in the fine arts. His 
 works are numerous, and well merit a 
 place in the cabinet of the amateur. He 
 was born here in 1596, and died at the 
 Hague in 1656, 
 
 I shall clofe this letter with mention- 
 ing the name of Otho Van Venius, whom I 
 cannot omit, as the mafter of the celebrated 
 Rubens. He was born here, of a good fa- 
 mily, in 1556. He paffed moil of his early 
 time in Italy, where the fchool of Frederic 
 Zuchero became his particular fludy. Re- 
 turning thence, he received many marks of 
 efteem from the Emperor of Germany at 
 Vienna, and the Eleftors of Bavaria and 
 Cologne. Partiality for his native coun- 
 try brought him nearer home and he 
 made Antwerp, which he has enriched 
 with many fpecimens of his art, his fa* 
 
 vourite 
 
( r °3 ) 
 
 vourite refidence. He was well read in 
 poetry and hiftory, as well as excellent in 
 painting. Being under fuch aufpices, we 
 have lefs reafon to wonder at the extraor- 
 dinary accomplifhments of his pupil Ru< 
 bens, in the fine arts. 
 
 Of private colle6tions, there are here 
 but few. The late Baron Van Leyden's 
 moft extenfive cabinet of prints, which are 
 of the beft impreffions, and considered as 
 the firft and moft valuable in Holland, 
 together with his collection of well chofen 
 pi6tures, ftill remain entire, and are in 
 the poffeffion of a near relation. 
 
 Mr, Van Buren has likewife fome fine 
 cabinet piflures, the remains of a moft fu- 
 perb collection, formed by the late Mr. Van 
 Snakenburg; among which is a charming 
 pifture of landfcape and cattle, by Paul 
 Potter, highly deferving attention. Mr. 
 
 Dibbel's 
 
( io4 ) 
 
 Dibbel's cabinet of drawings, coins, and me- 
 dals, you muft not omit vifiting. Among 
 other curioiities, you will notice three du- 
 catoons, with the imprefiion of William, 
 the firft Prince of Orange, as Count of Hol- 
 land. They are faid to be the only cafts 
 exifting in that ftate, and to have been 
 found in his pocket at the time of his affaf- 
 fination at Delft : if this be fo, it proves his 
 intention of making himfelf Count of that 
 Province. 
 
 Amongst the living artifts of excel* 
 lence, I (hall fubjoin the following : 
 
 Mad, Ruppe, a good painter of con- 
 Terfation, in the ftyle of Oftade, and whofe 
 drawings and etchings are juftly admired by 
 every lover of the arts : Mr. Thier, a good 
 painter, in the ftyle of Paul Potter 5 and 
 Meffrs. Janfons, excellent in converfations 
 and cattle-pieces. 
 
 In 
 
( ios ) 
 
 In having faid fo much, I hope you will 
 not think me tedious. When the fubjeft is 
 pleafurable, we are apt to dwell upon it. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 Vol. L ® 
 
 LET- 
 
( io6 ) 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 
 HAE RLE 31. 
 
 BEAR SIR, 
 
 o UR partiality for water convey- 
 ance induces us to embrace every opportu- 
 nity of travelling by that mode, while the 
 weather continues favourable; and, though 
 we find an eternal famenefs in the profpeft, 
 yet fomething is perpetually occurring to 
 keep the imagination employed. About two 
 miles from Haerlem the annexed Iketch 
 was made, to which fpot the road and canal 
 run parallel, and increafe in verdure and 
 woody fcenery. The villas and gardens that 
 adorn the banks of the river, rife with ad- 
 ditional tafte and expence as we approach 
 Amfterdam, whofe wealthy merchants are 
 the principal owners. 
 
 We 
 
( *°7 ) 
 
 We fixed our refidence oppofite the great 
 church, where the fynod of preachers was 
 held , who were fo numerous, that they oc- 
 cupied every room in the houfe, and render- 
 ed our accommodation very uncomfortable. 
 This fynod, which is compofed of a deputa- 
 tion of elders and priefts from each church, 
 is annually held in fome town of both South 
 and North Holland. 
 
 Haerlem is fituated about four miles 
 from the ocean, twelve from Leyden and 
 about the fame diftance from Amfterdam, 
 has many fpacious ftreets and canals, and is 
 faid to contain about thirty thoufand per- 
 fons. Its fortifications are no longer of 
 confequence. Here is a confiderable manu- 
 fa6lure of filks and camblets, but the prin- 
 cipal trade is bleaching thread and cam- 
 bricks. Some fine Scots and Irifh linens 
 are likewife fent here for that purpofe, the 
 quality of the water of Haerlem-Meer, 
 
 O 2 which 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 which is about four miles diftant, being 
 deemed fuperior to that of any other water 
 for bleaching. 
 
 The Cathedral is faid to be the largeft 
 in the provinces. It was built in 1472 : the 
 fteeple is beautiful, and added in 15 15. 
 
 The church is rendered famous by its 
 organ, which was built by Chriftian Muller 
 of this city in 1738 : it confifts of eight 
 thoufand pipes, fome of which are thirty- 
 eight feet in length, and fixteen inches in 
 diameter, and has fixty-four flops : the moft 
 extraordinary is the vox humana which is 
 fo clofely imitative, that even a nice ear might 
 be deceived* The harmony and fweetnefs of 
 this inftrument are inexpreffible; and wc 
 had only to regret the want of ear and finger 
 in the player. 
 
 When Handel fat down, to this organ, 
 
 many 
 
( io 9 ) 
 
 many years ago, the then organift was fo 
 amazed, that he took him either for an An- 
 gel or Devil in human fhape. One day in 
 the week (I think it is on a Wednefday) a 
 voluntary of an hour is played, which may 
 be heard gratis : at other times a ducat is the 
 price. 
 
 Under this inftrument is a handfome 
 piece of marble fculpture by Xavery, repre- 
 fenting Gratitude, affifted by Poetry and 
 Mufic, offering to Piety. The fervice on a 
 Sunday begins at nine, when the doors are 
 inftantly (hut, and not opened again till ele- 
 ven ; in which time you will have a fufficient 
 fpecimen of the Dutch drum ecclefiaftic. In 
 the wall, at the eaft end of the church, is 
 fhewn a cannon ball ; faid to have been fired 
 into it by the Spaniards, in the fixteenth 
 century, during the time of divine fervice. 
 
 Haerlem claims the invention of the 
 
 art 
 
( no ) 
 
 art of printing. It is attributed to Lawrence 
 Kofter, an Alderman of this city in 1440 ; 
 whofe houfe is yet Handing in the Market- 
 place, oppofite the church. In the front of 
 the houfe is his portrait, in a fmall fculptured 
 figure. Amufing himfelf one day in the 
 neighbouring wood, with cutting the bark of 
 trees into the letters that formed the initials of 
 his name, he is faid to have laid them on paper 
 and, falling afleep, when he awoke obferved $ 
 that from the dew their form was imprefied 
 on the paper : this accident induced him to 
 make farther experiment : he next cut his 
 letters in wood, and dipping them in a glu- 
 tinous liquid, imprefled them on paper, 
 which he found an improvement ; and foon 
 after, fubftituting leaden and pewter letters, 
 erefted a prefs in his houfe : thus laying the 
 foundation of this noble art which has 
 thence gradually arifen to its prefent excel* 
 knee. 
 
 The 
 
( III ) 
 
 The art, it is faid, was ftolen from hirti 
 by his fervant, John Fauftus, who conveyed 
 it to Mentz, and from the novelty of the 
 difcovery foon acquired the title of doctor 
 and conjuror. 
 
 The original fpecimens are now fhewn 
 at the library in the Town-hall. The firft 
 is on a leaf of parchment - y and the fecond 
 and third on paper, printed only on one fide, 
 and the corners left blank for capitals : at 
 the top are wooden cuts, reprefenting the 
 creation, and, as it is called, Lucifer's fall. 
 I would have enclofed a fac fimile of the type 
 and prints, but that their originality has been 
 a fubjeft of much controverfy among the 
 learned, and is yet undecided. 
 
 The environs of this city are exceedingly 
 pleafant, particularly the adjacent wood; 
 which has a noble walk, near three miles in 
 length, rich in fcenery and lofty thickets of 
 
 fha- 
 
( 112 ) 
 
 fhadowy elms. In any other country this 
 wood might claim pre-eminence, how much 
 more fo in this, where it ftands unrivalled 
 and almofl alone ! 
 
 In this pleafing fituation Mr. Hope has 
 ere£ted a manfion, at a vaft expence (not lefs, 
 it is faid, than fifty thoufand pounds fter- 
 ling) and worthy its liberal owner. The en- 
 clofed fketch, which I made on the fpot, will 
 give you a faint idea of its beauties. With- 
 in, is a cabinet of pictures, felefted with 
 much tafte and expence, and which may be 
 viewed upon an application to Mr. Hope at 
 his refidence in Amfterdam ; his extenfive 
 and important concerns feldom allowing him 
 to enjoy this elegant retreat more than 
 two days in the week. This manfion is 
 frequently honored with a vifit by the 
 Prince of Orange; who feels himfelf much 
 indebted to the exertions of its owner, during 
 the critical oppofition made to his government 
 
 in 
 
-V- 
 
 % 
 i 
 
 ¥ 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 in the year 1788 : at which time, after de- 
 claring publickly his intention to efpoufe the 
 caufe of the Prince, fuch was his dangerous 
 fituation, that it was not thought prudent 
 that he fhould walk the Exchange without 
 the prote6tion of the military. He was the 
 fir ft perfon who appeared there in an orange- 
 coloured cockade. 
 
 Mr. Hope has taken of the city of 
 Haerlem, a leafe of about forty acres of land 
 contiguous to his houfe, for one hundred 
 years, at the rent of fifteen hundred florins, 
 which is about one hundred and fifty pounds 
 fterling, per annum. I could not but regret 
 its being left in fo uncultivated a ftate, as to 
 leave the ftranger in doubt whether it could 
 be any other than common land. 
 
 Haerlem is famous for its curious pro- 
 duftion of flowers, particularly the tulip; 
 Vol. L P which 
 
C "4 ) 
 
 which is in its zenith of beauty about the 
 month of May* 
 
 ** When mom awakes the tulip from her bed, 
 
 Ere moon In painted pride fixe decks her head : 
 4< Roh'd in each dye ifhe triumphs on the green, 
 ** And ewery Sow'r 4oes homage to tbek Queen.'* 
 
 The inordinate paffion of the Dutch in 
 this purfuit^ you are not unacquinted with - 
 and to fuch a degree of profufeneis has this 
 tafle led them 9 that the ftates have thought 
 it neceflary to interfere, and by fumptuary law 
 limit the prices of flowers and roots : a thou- 
 fand ducats having, it is faid 3 been given for a 
 tulip, 
 
 Haerlem has produced many excellent 
 painters ; among whom that truly elegant 
 artift, Philip Wouvermans, ranks firft* He 
 was born in 1620* and placed early under 
 the tuition of John Wynants, a native of 
 this city. To point out the particular beau- 
 ties 
 
( »5 ) 
 
 ties of Wouvermans is to you almoft need- 
 lefs ; yet fuch is my love for the works of 
 this matter, that to be filent were a crime* 
 His refined tafte in the choice of lubjedts, 
 which are frequently enriched with fountains 
 and magnificent edifices, the drawing and 
 grouping of his horfes, graceful attitudes of 
 his human figures, together with the tafte in 
 his draperies, place him at once fo high in 
 the line of the arts, as in my judgment, to 
 leave him without a rivah Yet with all this 
 excellence and elegance of mind, he encoun- 
 tered great difficulties in the early part 
 of his life, from the narrownefs of his 
 circumftances. Happily, however, in his 
 his riper years, he was relieved from his in- 
 digence, and dependance on pi&ure-dealers, 
 by the charity of a prieft, a brother Catholic, 
 for he was himfelf of the communion of the 
 Church of Rome. His friend advanced him 
 fix hundred guilders : and this capital, fmall 
 as it was, was fufficient to extricate him from 
 
 P 2 his 
 
( n6 ) 
 
 his embaraffment, and place him in a ftate of 
 independence, that enabled him duly to ap- 
 predate his own merits. He now increafed 
 his price to double the fum he had ufually 
 before been paid and became foon after pof- 
 fefled of fufficient wealth to give his daugh- 
 ter, as a portion in marriage, twenty thoufand 
 guilders. In return for his confeflbr's libe- 
 rality, he painted his portrait in fmall, kneel- 
 ing before his horfe, in the chara&er of St. 
 Hubert; and prefented it to him, accom^- 
 panied with the fum fo gracioufly lent. 
 This pi£ture fhould be noticed by every con- 
 noiffeur who partes through this city : the 
 drawing and colouring are in his beft ftyle, 
 and the pifture is exquifitely finifhed : it may 
 be termed a chef d'ceuvre, in which grati- 
 tude has effe&ed all, that the jealoufy of mo- 
 dern ftatuaries, confcious of their fuperiority, 
 afcribes to piety in the fculptures of the Gre- 
 cian artifts : the piflure may be fouud in a 
 chapel near the houfe, where Wouvermans 
 
 refided, 
 
( "7 ) 
 
 refided, fituated in the BakenelTegragt, not far 
 from the great church. Of the houfe the an- 
 nexed fketch is a faithful reprefentation.* 
 
 This feems to be a fpot favoured by 
 Genius ; for, it is fomewhat lingular that the 
 houfe has been occupied by artifts of emi- 
 nence ever fince his time. Decker, a land- 
 fcape painter of high efteem, was its firft 
 tenant, after Wouvermans, and Mr. Meyer, 
 a painter of much excellence, now in Lon- 
 don, was its laft. 
 
 The biographers of our artift mention, 
 that a fhort time before his death (which 
 happened in his forty-eighth year) he burnt 
 a box filled with his drawings. At Haerlem, 
 
 * The neft at the chimney top will ferve to (hew the care 
 which the Hollander takes of the ftorlc, by providing a 
 frame for the reception of its neft ; but I fhall give you a 
 further defcription of this bird in a future letter. 
 
 it 
 
( «8 ) 
 
 it is faid, a Jbox was burned; but that it con- 
 tained the drawings of Bamboccio, and not his 
 own. John Wynants, whom I have juft 
 mentioned as the mafter of Wouvermans, 
 defervefc farther notice : he was born here in 
 1600; and his excellence, as a landfcape 
 painter, ranks him defervedly high in the 
 efteem of the connoifTeur. His happy felec- 
 tion of fcenery, freedom of pencil, and pe- 
 culiarly rich diverfity of fore ground, render 
 his landfcapes univerfally pleafing. His 
 fmall piftures are ufually his beft produc- 
 tions, and were of his latter time. His early 
 performances were of a larger fize; and are 
 diftinguifhed by a loofe fketchy manner, 
 #nd a difagreeable red tint in the Ikies. 
 His works receive great additional value 
 from the infertion of the figures by Oftade, 
 Wouvermans, Lingleback, &c. 
 
 Of Nicholas Berghem, a native of thi$ 
 place, too much cannot be faid in com- 
 mendation ; 
 
( "9 ) 
 
 mendation : he was born in 1624, and ac- 
 quired the rudiments of the art from his 
 father, a painter of no great eminence. His 
 family name was Van Haerlem, but, from a 
 whimfical circumftance told of him, was 
 changed to Berghem. — While he was a dif- 
 ciple of John Van Goyen, with whom he 
 was a great favourite, his father was one 
 day purfuing him in the ftreet, clofe at his 
 heels, to give him correftion for fome mif- 
 demeanor. His matter feeing it, fo far in- 
 terpofed in his behalf, as to call out to his 
 other fcholars, Berg-hem! which fignifies 
 hide him : and from hence he is faid to 
 have obtained the name. After he left Van 
 Goyen, he ftudied under feveral other mat- 
 ters ; and had the misfortune to make a 
 matrimonial connexion with the daughter 
 of one of them, whofe name was Willis. 
 She was an avaricious termagant, and led 
 our artifi a moft wearifome life; keeping 
 him at home to his eafel, without intermix 
 
 fioa 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 fion from morn till night, and, after all, 
 never leaving him a fous in his pocket. 
 Amidft thefe domeftic misfortunes, which 
 above all others in general prevent the mind 
 from afferting its powers, he preferved his 
 ufual ferenity, and whiftled and fung in 
 defiance of care and labour. But thefe ef- 
 fufions of good humour and content be- 
 came the fources of ftill farther difquietudej 
 for no fooner did he ceafe his fong, than 
 ftie began to raife her note 5 and he found, 
 either from jealous enquiry, or from tart 
 reproach, that he was fufpefted of being 
 napping or idling, and neglefting his bufi- 
 nefs. In this unhappy ftate were thofe 
 glorious effufions of this artift's pencil pro- 
 duced — works, in which we find all the ex- 
 cellencies of painting, beautiful compofi- 
 tion, grandeur of fcenery, fmartnefs of pen- 
 cilling, and clearnefs of colouring. In his 
 figures we frequently view with regret more 
 of the Flemifh than the Grecian form. His 
 
 facility 
 
( 121 ) 
 
 facility in painting, according to Van Huy- 
 fum, his difciple, was wonderful; he ob- 
 ferves, that he feemed to play with his pen- 
 cil, and that he had feen him begin and 
 finifh his picture with a fong. The high 
 prices his works now univerfally produce 
 will beft determine his excellence in the 
 art. He died at Haerlem, aged 59. 
 
 Jacob Ruysdael was born here in 
 1636, and is faid, by Houbraken, to have 
 been bred to phyfic and furgery ; but, from 
 his great excellence in the art of painting 
 at the early age of fixteen*, I conjefture, 
 that he paffed more time at the eafel than 
 in the fchool of Galen. 
 
 His great intimacy with Berghem iji 
 
 * I can fpeak with certainty of his excellence at that 
 period; having had in my pofTeffion a charming landfcape, 
 painted by him, with the figures by Philip Wouvermans, 
 and dated 1652. 
 
 Vol. I. Q_ all 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 all probability contributed to his excellence in 
 the art, yet, from the peculiar touch of pen- 
 cil in Ruyfdael, I fee no reafon to prefume 
 that Berghem ever worked on his piftures, 
 or affifted him farther than as giving a hint, 
 or as a friendly monitor. 
 
 Ruysdael feems to have ftudied Na- 
 ture even in her deepeft receffes, to have 
 marked and difcriminated the delicate dif- 
 tinftion in the various foliages and leafings 
 of her trees, and to have given the happieft 
 effe6t of light and fhadow; as if to fhew 
 her in the moft advantageous point of view. 
 Of his own figures much cannot be faid : 
 but in his greater works the figures were 
 generally added by feme mafters of emi- 
 nence in that department of the art, which 
 gives additional value to his works. His 
 piftures are not more known than admired;, 
 and are to be found in every cabinet where 
 jhe fine arts have obtained a place. He 
 
 died 
 
( ) 
 
 died here at fo early a period, as the age 
 of forty-five; leaving the imagination with 
 regret, to fugged to itfelf what might have 
 been accomplifhed, had he lived to a greater 
 age. 
 
 I fear I ihall expofe myfelf to cenfure 
 for not mentioning feveral other artifts^ 
 whofe names are certainly well intitled to 
 a place in this memorial but, however it 
 might gratify myfelf, I mull: decline it, as 
 exceeding the limits of this work. 
 
 I recommend the following collec- 
 tions, in which will be found fome cabi- 
 net pictures of the firft clafs> to the 
 notice of every traveller ; thofe of Mr. 
 Cops, Mr. Hoofdman, and Mr. Heemf- 
 kirk and alfo that formed by the late 
 Mr. Teyler Vander Hulft, for the accom- 
 modation of young artifts and connoiffeurs 
 in general. 
 
 Q_2 It 
 
( I2 4 ) 
 
 It is ft range, and not to be accounted 
 for frpon any common principles (for we 
 are not informed that he was either by 
 nature or education any way allied to the 
 arts), that the purchafer of this collection, 
 who died about fix years ago, was reputed 
 to have been one of the greateft mifers in 
 Holland, and to have, by his avarice and 
 induftry, amaffed the immenfe fum of half 
 a million fterling. 
 
 Of living artifts of eminence, Mr. Hen- 
 dricks, a painter of portraits and flowers ; 
 Mr. Van Liender, of buildings, in the ftyle 
 of Vander Heydenj and Mr. Overbeck, in 
 landfcape, will claim your particular at- 
 tention. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET- 
 
( ) 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 AMSTERDAM. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 We left Haerlem on Sunday, with 
 every additional pleafure that a fine morning 
 and pi&urefque fcenery could afford. The 
 canal is fpacious, and runs nearly in a 
 ftraight line for the firft three or four miles; 
 and, though ftraight lines cannot be deemed 
 beautiful in landfcape, yet here the tout en- 
 femble has a charming effeft. The city re- 
 maining in full view for aconfiderable diftance, 
 and beautifully diminifhing in flow grada- 
 tion, formed fo pleafing a fubjeft; that 
 from this fpot I was induced to make the 
 fketch of t( Haerlem from the Amfterdam 
 road," as enclofed in my laft. 
 
 At 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 At Haerlem-Meer, about midway to 
 Amfterdam, we changed boats, and croffed 
 the fluices, which are enormoufly large. 
 Here is a fpacious manfion, called the Caf- 
 tle Zwanenburg, occupied by the direflors 
 of the dykes and water-works of Rhineland. 
 It is in the fineft fituation imaginable : be- 
 hind it lies Haerlem-Meer, and in the front 
 the river Y, fo called from its form : it is 
 an arm of the Zuyder Zee. The high road 
 runs between the two waters ; and you may 
 judge of its beauties, when I tell you that it 
 dverlooks a lake of prodigious extent on one 
 fide, and ou the other a river of the:firft 
 confequence in Holland ; the water of which, 
 it is worthy of remark, generally rifes (to ap- 
 pearance) four or five feet higher than the 
 country around it. 
 
 This famous city, and, as it is termed, 
 mart of the world, is fituated on the ri- 
 vers Amftel anjj Y; from the firft of 
 
 which 
 
( m ) 
 
 which it derives its name. It is nine miles 
 in circumference, enclofed with a very deep 
 fofle about eighty feet wide, and a rampart, 
 faced with brick, defended with twenty-fix 
 baftions ; and it is remarkable, that it has as 
 many windmills. It has eight handfome 
 gates of ftone. The city is built in a femi- 
 circular form, and from its marfhy fituation 
 is raifed on piles ; an undertaking that hardly 
 any other than Dutch induftry and perfe- 
 verance could have accompliihed. 
 
 Carriages with wheels, except for the 
 ufe of the nobility and gentry, were not fuf- 
 fered here for many years after its eftablifh- 
 ment. A fley, as the Dutch term it (the 
 French a traineau or pot de chambre) is now 
 much in ufe : it is the body of a coach, with- 
 out wheels, drawn on a fledge with one horfe, 
 and goes at the rate of three miles an hour. 
 The driver walks clofe to the door, holding a 
 rope, as a rein to guide the horfe, and a pipe, 
 
 as 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 as he fays, to purify the air. The following 
 fketch will explain the nature of this car- 
 riage, a mode of conveyance better fuited 
 to the gravity of the Hollander than the 
 
 fons of the whip in our country. The 
 vehicle will hold four perfons, but not 
 very commodioufly. The fare is reafon- 
 able, being only eight flivers to any part of 
 the city till ten at night, twelve ftivers till 
 midnight, and fixteen from thence till day 
 break : if kept in waiting, the price is eight 
 ftivers per hour. 
 
 The 
 
( i2 9 ) 
 
 The beft ftreets are Keyfers or Emperors 
 Graft, Heere or Lords Graft, and Princes 
 Graft : they are chiefly inhabited by bankers 
 and principal merchants. Moft of the ftreets 
 are exceedingly narrow ; fome of great traffic 
 not more than fixteen or feventeen feet wide. 
 The fquares hardly deferve the name. An 
 infinite number of ftone bridges are thrown 
 acrofs the canals, which interfect the town at 
 right angles. They are in general deep - y but 
 the ftench arifing from them, in fummer is 
 infufferably offenfive : and hence that immo- 
 derate life of tobacco with which they eter- 
 nally fumigate themfelves, in the [< of pu- 
 rifying the air and correcting the noxious 
 quality of their damps. From thefe caufes 
 and the fogs to which a fituation in the midft 
 of a morafs, muft neceflarily be fubjeft, a 
 Dutchman's taciturnity forbids his com- 
 plaining 5 fo that all his waking hours are li-n 
 lently employed in carting forth the filthy 
 puff of this weed to fecure himfelf againft 
 Vol. I. R the 
 
( *3° ) 
 
 the more blafting ftench of the canal : thus 
 in philofophy, one poifon is employed as the 
 antidote to another. I mean to apply this re- 
 mark only to the lower order of the people. 
 
 Of the bridges, that crofs the Amftel, the 
 handfomeft is built of brick : it has thirteen 
 arches, and commands a fine view of the 
 city as well as of the river, which is wide and 
 handfome towards Utrecht.* 
 
 The Admiralty, dock, ftores, and maga- 
 zines for various purpofes, are well deferving 
 your attention. The great clufter or foreft 
 of fhipping to be feen from the quay, which 
 is a full mile in length, makes a magnificent 
 appearance. The houfes are very inferior to 
 the Bombpies at Rotterdam. 
 
 Since the year j6oo the commerce of 
 
 * See the view at the beginning of this letter. 
 
 this 
 
( i3i ) 
 
 this city has encreafed with a rapidity almoft 
 beyond belief ; it was about this time that 
 their firft fleet failed for the Eaft Indies, and 
 many other parts of the world, to which be- 
 fore they had been ftrangers. 
 
 This city is faid to contain near three 
 hundred thoufand perfons, and was the lafl 
 town of this province that embraced Calvi- 
 nifm. In 1204 a fmall caftle only, called 
 Amftel, flood on this fpot, afterwards it be- 
 came a fifhing village, and by induftry and 
 contingent circumftances, (among which the 
 
 {hutting up the navigation of the Scheld is 
 not the leaft) it ruined the trade of Antwerp, 
 and gradually became the great mart that it 
 now is. 
 
 At night we were entertained with a 
 Dutch play, which for aught I know was 
 well enough : the houfe is very plain, and 
 but ill lighted. I felt myfelf unfortunate in 
 
 R 2 not 
 
( } 
 
 not arriving here one night fooner, to have 
 enjoyed the fight of the Dutch Hamlet, a 
 character which was performed laft Saturday ; 
 and, according to the country report, is better 
 filled and much fuperior to ours. Judge 
 what improvement the elegant and fublime 
 paffages of our immortal bard can derive 
 from the guttural rumbling of the Dutch 
 language ! By what means they contrive 
 to excel us in the reprefentation of thefe 
 interefting and natural fcenes, I do not pre- 
 tend to conje&ure ; but an admirer of the 
 mode, in which the Englifh drama is con- 
 duced, will not be eafily made to believe 
 that it can be effected, by thofe mechanical 
 aids, under which, they tell us here, the im- 
 paflioned fcene between Hamlet and his 
 mother is exhibited ; when the hero ftarts at 
 the imagined appearance of his father, his 
 wig, by means of a concealed fpring, jumps 
 from " the feat of his diftracted brain," and 
 leaves poor Hamlet as bare as a Dutch willow 
 
 in 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 in winter. I do not vouch for the truth of 
 this ftory, but, certain it is, the charafter of 
 the Ghoft is entirely omitted in the reprefen- 
 tation : he is either above or below their no- 
 tice. It reminds me of a fimilar licence 
 taken in one of our country theatres in which 
 it muft be admitted, that we fairly beat them. 
 The hero of the night being indifpofed, when 
 Hamlet was to be performed, an apology was 
 made, accompanied with a requeft that the 
 audience would permit the play to go on 
 without the character. 
 
 In our return we vifited one of the Mu- 
 fico's or licenfed Brothels. Our flay was 
 but fhort, the uglinefs and impudence of the 
 women foon caufing us to make a precipitate 
 retreat. The number of thofe houfes is in- 
 credible. A chandelier is lighted up in the 
 middle of the room, at the farther end of 
 which are placed a fleepy fidler and harper, 
 who play, if neceffary, till morning: you 
 
 pay 
 
( *34 ) 
 
 pay a florin at entrance, and fee all that is 
 neceflary through immenfe clouds of tobacco 
 fmoak. No indecency is permitted $ and I 
 am told it is not uncommon to meet a fober 
 citizen and his wife (particularly at the time 
 of the annual fair) introducing a virtuous 
 young woman, their daughter, merely to 
 fhew the horrid tendency of immorality ; 
 imagining with the poet, that 
 
 <c Vice is a monfter of fo frightful mien 
 " As to be hated, needs but to be feen." 
 
 This may be Dutch policy, but the ex- 
 periment is furely dangerous - y as the follow- 
 ing couplet of the fame elegant author more 
 fully illuftrates : 
 
 " Yet feen too oft, familiar with her face, 
 w We firft endure, then pity, then embrace/* 
 
 It is true that the Spartans publicly ex- 
 hibited their flaves when drunk, to expofe the 
 
 de- 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 deformity of drunkennefs and deter their 
 youth from the pra&ice of it. With a loath- 
 fome obje£t before their eyes, the dignity of 
 our nature humiliated and nothing to invite, 
 no paffion could be inflamed : but the cafe 
 of intoxication and the fpecies of licentiouf- 
 nefs before alluded to is widely different. 
 
 The fituation of thefe wretched females 
 is lamentable beyond defcription : immured 
 within the walls for life, and only permitted 
 to breathe a purer air one day in the year, 
 they are then attended by their tyrant keeper, 
 who never fuffers them out of his fight. 
 But fomewhat too much of this. We retired 
 to our hotel. 
 
 The Rafp-houfe or Bridewell is worthy 
 notice : here the wretched culprit is chained 
 to a block, and employed in cutting and 
 rafping Brazil wood. In paffing we faw a 
 miferable creature, who afked charity through 
 
 a barri- 
 
( ) 
 
 a barricadoed cellar window ; he had before 
 been imprifoned in the houfe and was now 
 fentenced to fix weeks additional confinement 
 in this cellar for ftealing fome of the wood, 
 piled in the yard to make his fire, where he 
 was incefTantly to pump or drown, as the 
 water was generally up to his fhoulders. 
 Dreadful as this punifhment appears, (and to 
 intimidate and deter is one of the firft ends 
 of punifhment) it is even more juft than for 
 fo flight offences and by which the peace of 
 fociety is fo little difturbed, to fubjeft to the 
 pain of Death; a law in theory at leaft, 
 however tempered with humanity in pra6lice, 
 difgraceful to the criminal code of our own 
 country. The entrance to this building is 
 worthy notice : it is adorned with fculptured 
 figures well executed by Keyzer of Amfter- 
 dam ; and is faid to be the beft piece of work- 
 manfhip of the kind in this city. We looked 
 into the new church, which is a large hand- 
 fome building : the organ is inferior only to 
 
 that 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 that at Haerlem : the founding board and 
 pulpit are moft laborioufly decorated with 
 carving in the Gothic ftyle, but defigned with 
 little tafte. To this redundancy of ornament 
 might be added much more; as I am informed 
 there are many bafkets-full yet inapplied. 
 The fcreen which divides the chancel is of 
 Corinthian brafs, and is really handfome. 
 The monument of the famous De Ruyter is 
 in this church : it is a cumbent figure in 
 marble, of indifferent workmanfhip, A 
 fmall monument is likewife erefted to the me- 
 mory of the famous poet Vondel, called the 
 Dutch Shakfpeare. 
 
 The work-houfe contains near twelve 
 thoufand perfons, who are admitted of all 
 nations 5 the neatnefs and good manage- 
 ment of this place is beyond defcription. 
 In one of the apartments is a large pidlure, 
 very finely painted, by Rembrandt, con- 
 taining portraits of the firft promoters of 
 Vol. I S this 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 this charity; and another equally fine, of 
 the fame fize and fubjeft, intended as a 
 companion, by Van Dyck. Part of this 
 building is devoted to the reception of poor 
 females not thofe who have only deviated 
 from the nicer rules of virtue, and whofe 
 ftars, perhaps, " were more in fault than 
 " they;" but thofe, who loft to all fenfe 
 of fhame, had abandoned themfelves to an 
 open ft ate of proftitution. 
 
 In the Surgeons-hall is a fine picture 
 by Rembrandt ; the fubjeft, a diffeftion : 
 It contains portraits of the profeflbrs and 
 principal members of the college, large as 
 life, in half length ; and is executed in his 
 beft manner. The effeft of it is aftonifii- 
 ing ; and yet, judicious and indeed indif- 
 penfible as it was to make fuch a fubjeft 
 the ornament of fuch a place, we cannot 
 but regret that fo noble a fpecimen of art 
 cannot be dwelt upon without difguft by 
 
 any 
 
( 1 39 ) 
 
 any other than a medical eye. There are 
 feveral other pictures of merit in the fame 
 apartment, particularly fome by Cornelius 
 Trooft. 
 
 The exchange is an oblong of two hun- 
 dred feet by one hundred and twenty-four, 
 and will contain from fix to feven thoufand 
 people. It is built on two thoufand piles, 
 and has galleries all round, fupported by 
 forty-five pillars of the Doric and Ionic or- 
 ders. From a window above we faw it full. 
 The appearance of fo many perfons, with 
 each an orange cockade in his hat, had ra- 
 ther a whimfical efFe6V. There is no other 
 theatre on the globe, in which fuch an he- 
 terogeneous mixture of nations could be pre- 
 fented, each tugging at the property of his 
 neighbour, while 
 
 " With equal hafte to feveral ways they run, 
 " Some to undo, and fome to be undone." 
 
 S 2 Yet 
 
( 14° ) 
 
 Yet to fhew, that avidity of wealth is 
 not always the predominant paflion of a 
 Dutchman, I am informed that about a 
 twelvemonth ago, on the Prince and Prin- 
 cefs of Orange appearing at a window with- 
 in the Exchange, fuch was the real or fup- 
 pofed amor patriae, that the merchants, ex- 
 cept a few Englifli and Jews, inftantly 
 quitted the place and their purfuits, and left 
 the Prince and Princefs in quiet pofleffion. 
 
 We are now preparing for the French 
 Play or College, where we have tickets 
 from a fubfcriber, without which you can- 
 not be admitted; but as a ftranger you 
 will find no difficulty in being accommo- 
 dated. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 LET 
 
( *4i ) 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 AMSTERDAM. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 Af TER having determined laft 
 night on going to the French play, we 
 ordered a traineau (which I defcribed in 
 a former letter) to convey us thither. The 
 novelty of the vehicle excited in us fome 
 laughter; and at the play we were well 
 entertained. The petite piece was Midas; 
 which, though well performed, is in point 
 of poetical compofition, much inferior to 
 ours. The pit or parterre is very commo- 
 dious, having comfortable feats with con- 
 venient low backs $ and, thefe being, as we 
 have already obferved at Rotterdam, regu- 
 larly numbered, all crowding and difTatif- 
 faftion is prevented. This theatre is un- 
 der 
 
( 142 ) 
 
 der the controul of the fubfcribers ; who, 
 after defraying the expence of the houfe and 
 the players falaries, which, in comparifon 
 with ours, are very trifling, apply the re- 
 fidue to charitable purpofes. No inhabi- 
 tant of the city, who is not a fubfcriber, can 
 be admitted ; tickets being transferable only 
 to ftrangers. 
 
 This morning after breakfaft we viewed 
 that ftupendous building, the Stadt-houfe, 
 It is built from a defign of Jacob Van 
 Campen, a famous Dutch architect. The 
 firft ftone was laid Oftober the 28th, 1648, 
 and it was finifhed in 1655. Its firft foun- 
 dation is on piles, which are faid to confift 
 of fourteen thoufand ; and coft one hun- 
 dred thoufand pounds fterling. The build- 
 ing is of a fquare form, two hundred and 
 eighty-two feet in front, two hundred and 
 fifty-five in depth, and one hundred and 
 fixteen in height. It has feven fmall por- 
 ticos, 
 
( i43 ) 
 
 ficos, reprefenting the feven provinces. 
 Wanting a grand entrance, its general 
 effe£l is much diminifhed ; and its facade 
 is equally hurt by the contiguity of the 
 Weigh-houfe. In the front are three enor- 
 mous bronze figures, reprefenting Juftice, 
 Strength, and Wealth. On the top of the 
 pediment is the ftatue of Atlas, bearing a 
 globe on his fhoulders. Within the pedi- 
 ment is a handfome hiftoric baffo relievo in 
 marble. The apartments within are fpa- 
 cious, elegant, and expenfive - 7 having a vaft 
 profufion of marble pillars, inlaid floors, 
 cornices, richly carved, feftoons of flowers, 
 and bas reliefs finely executed in different 
 coloured Italian marble. The various parts 
 of this building are well adapted to the fe- 
 veral obje£ls of its intention. It has with- 
 in itfelf all chambers and offices calculated 
 for the difpofal of every branch of bufinefs 
 relative to the State ; fuch as the Treafury, 
 Senate^ and alfo the Courts of Juftice in 
 
 which 
 
( 144 ) 
 
 Which the magiftrates fit every day from 
 ten till one. At the top of the building 
 are feveral citterns, with conveyances for 
 water to every apartment, in cafe of fire* 
 Beneath this ftru6ture, within a vaulted 
 labyrinth, is the famous Bank ; which is 
 never opened but in the prefence of a bur- 
 go-mafter. The immenfe wealth of this 
 bank has been rated at upwards of thirty 
 millions fterling, in cafh, bullion, and jew* 
 els. It is a lingular circumftance, that 
 the old Stadt-houfe, with many of its ar- 
 chives and regifters, was deftroyed by fire 
 in 1655, the year in which this edifice was 
 completed. 
 
 The coup d'ceuil from the top of the 
 building is very extenfive : a fall view of 
 the city, diftant rivers, and villages, with 
 a beautiful profpeft of the fea, amply repay 
 the trouble of afcending to fuch a height. 
 Here is an excellent fet of chimes, confifling 
 
 of 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 of about forty bells, tTiat play every quarter 
 of an ^our. 
 
 Within are fome good piftures, by 
 Vanderhelft, an artift of extraordinary me- 
 rit, and in many refpe£ts equal, if not fu- 
 perior, to Van Dyck : they are principally 
 portraits, or fubjefts in which little more 
 is neceflary than excellence in that line. 
 One, which contains fome capital portraits, 
 reprefents a league of amity or friendly in- 
 tercourfe between the States and Spain; in 
 which the ambafTador of the latter comes 
 forward to fhake hands with a burgo-maf- 
 ter : another is upon the fubjefr of military 
 exploits 3 both much in the ftyle of Van 
 Dyck. In the fame apartment is a charm- 
 ing piflure by Rembrandt. 
 
 By Philip Van Dyck, a native of this 
 city, here is a large work, very juftly ad- 
 mired. It was painted about the middle 
 Vol. I. T of 
 
i i 4 6 ) 
 
 of the laft century/ and confifts of por-* 
 traits of all the principal perfons of the 
 town, moft admirably grouped : in the back 
 ground is a portrait of an old man, the 
 head of which is in an excellent ftyle, and 
 nearly animated. A very great fum has 
 been offered for this chef d'oeuvre. 
 
 In the burgo-mafters apartment is a 
 charming pifture, by John Lievens, repre- 
 fenting Fabius Maximus getting off his 
 horfe to receive his fon on being created 
 a burgo-mafter. In the adjoining room 
 are two very good hiftorical piflures by 
 Ferdinand Boh 
 
 The immenfe fum expended upon this 
 ftately pile is fcarcely credible : it is faid 
 to have been more than two millions fter- 
 lingj which confiderably exceeds the coft 
 of our cathedral of St. Paul's, or of the 
 palaces of Verfailles, or the Efcurial. But 
 
 expence 
 
( *47 ) 
 
 expence was not here the confideration 5 
 for, in this national undertaking, the fpi- 
 rit even of the Hollander was roufed ; and 
 with becoming ambition he was fo eager to 
 difplay the magnificence of commerce, that 
 
 ,a Gold and his gains no more employ'd his mind." 
 
 In this city you will find many collec- 
 tions of cabinet-pi£tures, well deferving at*- 
 tention, among which is that of Mr. Gel* 
 jdermafter, the Portugueze Conful; at whofe 
 houfe we were elegantly entertained, and 
 whofe colle&ion is formed with more tafte 
 than any I have yet feen: indeed from a 
 view of his own charming drawings it is 
 impoffible he can exhibit an indifferent 
 pidture. His politenefs and attention can 
 only be equalled by the happy fele&ion 
 he has made : in the number of them are 
 three exquifite flower-pieces by Van Huy- 
 fom, perhaps the beft he ever painted 5 a 
 fine landfcape, by Paul Potter j feveral by 
 T 2 Gerarp 
 
( i 4 8 ) • 
 
 Gerard Douwj an exquifite fea-piece by 
 Vandeveldt in his beft Dutch ftyle; and a 
 landfcape by Teniers, &c. 
 
 At the houfe of Mr. Cornelius Ploos 
 Van Amftel, ftrangers are received with 
 the greateft politenefs, and the palate of 
 the amateur will have a rich repaft. His 
 colle&ion confifts of about a hundred pic- 
 tures, forming a cabinet of the firft excel- 
 lence in merit and prefervation : amongft 
 the moft diftinguiflied I would point out 
 a converfation, by Terburgh; and the 
 church of Delft, by Emanuel De Witt, 
 furpaffing any thing I have feen of thofe 
 matters ; the brilliancy of light breaking 
 through the windows, and interfering the 
 pillars of the building, produces a won- 
 derful effe6l ; five pi6lures by Vander Hyde, 
 in his beft manner 5 a view of Amfter- 
 dam, acrofs the Y, by Jacob Ruyfdael; a 
 converfation by Peter de Hooge 5 and feve- 
 
 ral 
 
( *49 ) 
 
 ral by the old matters, particularly a Saint 
 Nicholas, faid to be painted in the begin- 
 ning of the ninth century. The whole 
 forms an affemblage worthy their owner, 
 whofe tafte and love of the fine arts have 
 given him place as an honorary profeffor 
 in the gallery at Duffeldorp, and made him 
 dire£tor of the academy of drawing in this 
 city. Among his drawings, which confift 
 of about fix thoufand, will be found the 
 beft works of the Italian, Flemifli, Dutch, 
 French, and Englifh fchools; particularly 
 of Raphael, Julio Romano, Van Huyfum, 
 and Trooft; whofe daughter this gentle- 
 man obtained in marriage. Among his 
 numerous colle&ion of prints are the beft 
 works of Berghem, Both, Vifchier, Marc 
 Antonio Goltzius, Albert Durer, Michael 
 Angelo, and Rembrandt. The works of 
 the laft artift are complete, and were form- 
 ed by that great mafter for his own col* 
 leCtion. 
 
 We 
 
( is© ) 
 
 We were likewife introduced to the 
 houfe of Mrs. Hope, a widow lady ; who 
 has an excellent collection of cabinet pic- 
 tures, all by the beft matters, and in fine 
 prefervation. In Baron GolPs collefHon^ 
 among many beautiful pictures, will be 
 found the portraits of the Kings of England 
 in chiaro fcuro by the Chevalier Vander 
 Werff, on paper, in oil, moll exquifitely 
 finifhed : he has likewife two drawings of 
 flowers by Van Huyfum about five inches 
 fquare, of fuch exquifite quality, that he 
 paid feven thoufand guilders for the two, 
 
 Baron De Smeth has an extenfive ca~ 
 binet of the beft mafters, particularly Wil- 
 liam Vandevelt, Vander Hyde, &c. all of 
 which are happily chofen. 
 
 The cabinet of Mr. De Vos confifts 
 principally of the Dutch and Flemifh fchools, 
 and is extenfive and well chofen. Here is alfo 
 
 a pi&vjre 
 
( i5i ) 
 
 a pifture by Hobbima, in his beautiful filver 
 tone of colouring, of ineftimable value. 
 
 Mr. Versteig's colleflion is formed 
 from the Italian and Dutch mailers of the 
 firft clafs : his drawings by Grand Jean, a 
 native of this city, fomewhat in the ftyle of 
 Both, confift of views from nature and 
 are well deferving the admiration of the 
 connoiffeur. 
 
 Mr. Tersteeg has an extenfive col- 
 le&ion of piftures and drawings by the beft 
 mafters. 
 
 Mr. B. De Bosch, and his brother Mn 
 I. De Bofch, have each fome beautiful cabi- 
 net piftures : in the collection of the former 
 will be found a moft charming drawing of 
 Adrian Oftade, and two by Van Huyfum, 
 perhaps the beft he ever made. 
 
 Mr 
 
( *5* 3 
 
 Mr. Clemens Van Hal's coileclion 
 is formed of fome good modern, as well as 
 the beft of the old mafters, in the Dutch and 
 Flemifli fchools. 
 
 Mr. Van Eyl Sluiter's cabinet con- 
 tains many fine pi&ures and drawings. 
 
 Mr. Van Dyck's is principally formed 
 of drawings. 
 
 Mr. Maarseveen, to his cabinet of 
 well chofen drawings, has added fome choice 
 Delft ware, painted by Ruyfdael, Verboom, 
 &c. &c. 
 
 To thefe colle&ions you will find eafy ad- 
 miffion, as a ftranger and admirer of the 
 fine arts. 
 
 The following names are among the firft 
 living artifts of eminence here. 
 
 Mr. 
 
C iS3 ) 
 
 Mr. Buys, excellent in hiftory painting, 
 and a dire£tor of the academy -> Mr. Vin- 
 keles, an engraver of great merit, a dire&or 
 likewife of the academy; Mr. Van Bruffel, 
 a painter of very great excellence in flowers, 
 in the ftyle of Van Huyfum ; Mr. Van 
 Drielft, eminent in landfcape, in the ftyle 
 of Ruyfdael ; Mr. Cats, landfcape and cattle, 
 in the manner of Adrian Vandevelt ; Mr. 
 Ekles, converfation, in the ftyle of Metzu ; 
 Mr. Dupre, a native of this city, whofe 
 drawings are much admired, is now at Rome ; 
 and Mr. Meyer, a painter of landfcape, 
 whofe defigns and drawings would credit any 
 artift, a native alfo of this place, but now 
 refident in London. 
 
 I shall clofe this letter with a brief 
 fketch of the lives of a few matters of high 
 eminence, who were born here ; felefted from 
 a long lift of names, moft of whom had 
 very confiderable merit in their profeflion, — 
 Vol. I. U William 
 
( 154 ) 
 
 William Vande Velde, who ranks firft in 
 efteem as a painter of fea views, was born 
 here in 1633 : he received his earlieft rudi- 
 ments in the art from his father, who, 
 though of fome eminence, was much his in- 
 ferior. When the father quitted Holland 
 for England, the fon was placed under that 
 elegant painter, Simon De VJieger; but he 
 foon outftripped his mafter; and on his 
 works being fent to the Court of London, 
 James the Second was fo pleafed with them, 
 that he fettled a confiderable penfion on this 
 young artift, who foon followed his works to 
 England. His piftures are fo well known, 
 that it is almoft needlefs to point out their 
 beauties. Truth in the reprefentation, and 
 tafte in the choice of his fubje&s, form their 
 grand chara6teriftics. Beautiful tranfparency 
 of colouring, and charming grouping in his 
 figures, conftitute all together fuch complete 
 fpecimens of ait, as are, and probably ever 
 will remain, unrivalled. This exquifite paint- 
 er. 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 cr died in London on the 6th of April, 
 1707. 
 
 John Van Huysum, a firft rate painter 
 of fruit and flowers, was born in this city 
 on the 5th of April, 1682. The celebrity 
 of his works drew the attention of moft of 
 the princes in Europe; whofe cabinets are 
 enriched at a very great expence with the pro- 
 ductions of this artifl: : and they are no lefs 
 admirable for their exquifite high finifhing, 
 than for their great truth, and clofe fimili- 
 tude to nature. His flowers were fo like the 
 originals, that the Dutch connoifleurs, who 
 furniflied him with their rareft roots, began 
 to think the merit of their purfuit in that 
 way would be leffened by his fkill in copying 
 them. It is not unreafonable to fuppofe, 
 that the prevailing tafte for flowers and the 
 high excellence of their cultivation in this 
 country, were circumftances that contibuted 
 towards giving him that fignal fuperiority 
 
 U 2 which 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 which he attained in this branch of the art ; 
 He died at the age of fixty-feven. 
 
 A very fine painter of landfcape, Ifaac 
 Moucheron, was born here in 1670. He 
 received his inftru£tions from his father, Fre- 
 deric, whom he greatly excelled •> and, having 
 loft him at an early age, he determined on vi- 
 fiting Italy, where his tafte and knowledge 
 in the art foon increafed; and he eftablifhed 
 a fame in reprefenting and embellifhing na- 
 ture, which will ever infure his works a place 
 in the cabinets of the curious. He died at 
 the age of feventy-four. 
 
 An artift as Angularly eminent in his 
 profeffion as unfortunate in the whole hiftory 
 of his life was John Griffier, born here in 
 1656. The accident of birth and fortune 
 placed him in a carpenter's fliop ; but his 
 genius and ambition leading him to higher 
 purfuits, his firft efforts in art were made in 
 
 the- 
 
( 157 ) 
 
 the humble chara6ter of a painter of Dutch 
 tiles. But his fkill having attra£ted no- 
 tice, he foon met with patronage, and was 
 put under the tuition of Roeland Rogman, 
 here, by the affiftance of Lingleback, 
 Adrian Vande Velde and others of great 
 eminence, he foon became matter of his 
 profeffion, and being of a rambling turn, 
 embarked for England, where he painted 
 many pidtures, and acquired both reputa^- 
 tion and property. Having married there, 
 and afterwards with his family fet fail for 
 Holland, in a veffel he had purchafed at a 
 great price, he was in his voyage fhip- 
 wrecked, and with his family reduced to 
 beggary. A feries of misfortunes after- 
 wards attended this ill-fated artift; and 
 he quitted this world at the age of feven- 
 ty-three, as full of miferies as of years, 
 and as diftinguifhed by his poverty as his 
 talents : He left behind him a fon of very 
 
 con- 
 
( i58 ) 
 
 confiderable merit as a painter, who was 
 born in England. 
 
 That charming artift, Adrian Vande 
 Velde, was a native of this city, born in 
 1639. He was a difciple of Wynants j 
 and his biographers fay of him, that he 
 never pafTed a day without making a de- 
 fign or painting on fome fubjeft from na- 
 ture. His excellence in landfcape and fi- 
 gures verifies this affertion - 9 for more truth, 
 tafte, and brilliancy of effe£l are not to be 
 found in any other painter in that branch 
 of the arts. The high prices his pi£tures 
 How bring fliew the great efteem, in which 
 they are held by the connoiffeur. 
 
 It is extraordinary, that a landfcape 
 painter fhould have produced fo many 
 works of merit in hiftory, as are to be found 
 by this artift, I ftiall only particularize 
 
 a de- 
 
( *S9 ) 
 
 & defcent from the crofs, which he paint- 
 ed for an altar in the Catholic church at 
 Amfterdam. With fuch rare talents in 
 his profellion, and ftill more to be ad- 
 mired purity of morals, and amiable qua- 
 lities in fociety as a man, we cannot but 
 regret his early death at the age of thirty- 
 three. 
 
 I cannot clofe this letter without 
 mentioning another artift of very diftin- 
 guiflied talents in landfcape, particularly 
 moonlight fcenery, Eglon Vander Neer, 
 born here in 1643. Nature performed 
 much for him, but neceffity feems to have 
 added a fpur, and to have had a fhare in 
 his improvements. Twice left a widower, 
 and encumbered with no kfs than twenty- 
 five children, it was neceffary that great 
 application to his profeffion ftiould make 
 him, as it did, equally fuccefsful in every 
 branch of the art that he undertook : his 
 
 flowers 
 
( i6o ) 
 
 flowers and plants, portraits and conver- 
 fations (which he painted in the ftyle of 
 Terburgh) are all equally efteemed, and 
 admitted into the choiceft cabinets in Eu- 
 rope. He died at the age of fixty, having 
 had the honour of producing as a pupil, 
 that great painter the Chevalier Vander 
 Werff. 
 
 I have written till I have become me- 
 lancholy almoft, as well as weary, and 
 begin to look upon my epiftle in the light 
 of a chronicle of mortality, for fuch it is, 
 and of the moft painful nature; fince its 
 principal office has been to bear record to 
 the difficulties and diftreffes which envied 
 genius too often ftruggles with in paffing 
 through life, and to the humiliating truth 
 that it is confounded at laft without dif- 
 tinftion in the common mafs, and muft 
 wait the hour that is appointed to all men. 
 This honeft Prior knew (and for the fake 
 
 of 
 
( *** ) 
 
 of giving you, at leaft, two good lines in 
 one letter, I will conclude with his own 
 words), 
 
 <c Alike muft ev'ry ftate, and ev'ry age, 
 M Suftain the univerfal tyrant's rage." 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 Vol. h X 
 
 LET. 
 
( *** ) 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 S A ART) AM. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 We rofe early this morning 5 and, ' 
 though the weather was not very promifing, 
 it did not put us from our purpofe; we 
 therefore walked to the quay, and taking a 
 boat, eroding the Y, about a mile in width, 
 to a fmall Ferry-houfe, called in Dutch, 
 Tolhuis ; firft ordering a carriage to con- 
 vey us to Broek, a village in North Hol- 
 land, about nine miles diftant. The mills 
 of the morning difpelled apace, 
 
 u And earth relenting felt the genial ray/' 
 
 We purfued our journey with encreaf- 
 ing pleafure, till we reached Buykfloot, a 
 
 fmall 
 
( «*8 ) 
 
 fmall neat village, commanding a charming 
 view of Amfterdam. A little farther on, 
 we pa{Ted a large mill and magazine for 
 gunpowder; which introduced a converfa- 
 tion and fome ridicule, pointed at the in- 
 terefted chara6ler of the Dutch, who, un- 
 able to refift the temptation of gain, fup- 
 plied us during the laft War with that ar- 
 ticle againft themfelves: on this occafion 
 the fagacious driver obferved with Dutch 
 cunning j that it was true, they had fold us 
 gunpowder, but it was equally true, that 
 it had lain in their warehoufes fo long a 
 time, that it was good for nothing. Af- 
 ter a very fine ride upon an excellent road, 
 commanding a delightful profpe£l and full 
 view of Saardam on the left, with its army 
 of windmills, and on the right the river Y, 
 richly crouded with (hipping, we arrived 
 at Broek, the wealthieft village in Holland; 
 and in fcenery the mod pifrurefque and 
 whimfical I have ever feen, or that perhaps 
 
 X 2 is 
 
( *H ) 
 
 is any where to be found : and being di- 
 vided by fmall canals and neat bridges, it 
 reminds one more of the gaudinefs of a 
 village in China, than any thing fo near 
 home. The houfes ftand feparate, and 
 are principally of wood, fluted and paint- 
 ed in variegated colours: they have fmall 
 gardens before the doors, which are moft 
 grotefquely difpofed and decorated with va- 
 rious coloured tiles, fhells, glafs beads, &c. 
 and the walks in them are of deep fand 
 and not paffable, but laid out merely for 
 fhew. The houfes are covered with glazed 
 tiles, and are regularly painted every year. 
 The trees are cut into moft ample order. 
 Carriages feldom pafs through the ftieets, 
 except thofe of the inhabitants ; and, 
 fhould a horfe leave any trace behind, a 
 fervant regularly comes out with a fievc 
 and fand, to wipe out the injury. A 
 ftranger at firft fight would imagine the 
 place uninhabited : I do not recolleft, in 
 
 two 
 
I 
 
 ( i6s ) 
 
 two hours, feeing more than feven or eight 
 females, and thofe too old for the eye to 
 dwell long upon. The young ones immedi- 
 ately retreat to their houfes, on the appear- 
 ance of a ftranger. 
 
 A singular cuftom is bferved, not 
 only in this village, bat all over North 
 Holland^ that in the front of each houfe 
 they have a door, whkh is never opened 
 but on the day of their marriage, and on 
 the day when the folitary inhabitant is re- 
 moved to 
 
 " That undifcover'd country, from whofe bourn 
 w No traveller returns." 
 
 I must obferve to you, that in no 
 part of Holl nd is the funeral fervice faid 
 over the deceafed; but here the clerk be- 
 comes the parfon, and, laying the Bible on 
 the coffin, proceeds to read fome chapters 
 
 relative 
 
( 166 ) 
 
 relative to the briefnefs of man's exiftence. 
 The body is then placed in a boat on the 
 canal, and attended to the place of inter- 
 ment by a folemn proceffion of relations, 
 friends and acquaintance. We procured 
 admiflion to the infide of one of the houfes 
 of this Angularly whimfical people, and 
 found it in trimnefs and exa&nefs quite 
 of a piece with the out — In its furniture 
 there was the fame neatnefs, and it was fo 
 tricked out with baubles of ornaments be- 
 yond number, fhining floors, ftiining tables 
 and chairs ; in fliort, every thing fo vieing 
 with the looking-glafs in refle£tion, that 
 it puts you in fear of broken bones every 
 ftep you take* 
 
 After making a fketch of the prin- 
 cipal part of this village, which commands 
 a fine view of Amfterdam, we left this 
 Angular fpot, and returned to Buikfloot in 
 our way to Saardam, which is about eight 
 
 miles* 
 
( m ) 
 
 miles. It is a very considerable village, 
 in North Holland, faid to extend fix miles 
 on the bank of the river; and is perhaps 
 one of the greateft magazines of fhip-tim- 
 ber and naval ftores in Europe : of wind-* 
 mills it certainly is, as it contains near 
 three hundred: fome of them are employ- 
 ed in fawing timber, at which forty or fifty 
 boards can be cut at the fame time ; others 
 are ufed for making paper, in which the 
 whole procefs, from cutting the rags and 
 cleaning them, to their application through 
 the mould, and picking out the flaws, 
 which is the work of women and children, 
 is compleated and others for cutting to- 
 bacco-leaves : thefe are laid in large troughs 
 ranged in the mills, and, by the falling of 
 perpendicular pieces of timber, with a chop- 
 per fixed at one end and cogs at the other, 
 are caught in a wheel as it turns, and divid- 
 ed into fmall particles. 
 
 This 
 
( i68 ) 
 
 This place, though lefs quiet than 
 Broek, partakes of all its Angularities. The 
 inhabitants are very rich, and very retired, 
 yet live with much hofpitality, and indulge 
 in the richeft exhilarating wines, and moft 
 luxurious tables. The drefs of the women 
 is plain and neat, but with a profufion of 
 gold ornaments about the neck, forehead, 
 and hair, which is formed into fmall fpiral 
 ringlets, not unlike the head-dreffes of Sir 
 Peter Lely. The Angularity of this fafliion, 
 added to a regular and pleafing fymmetry of 
 features, with great fimplicity and unaffect- 
 ed manners, renders them by no means un- 
 pleafing: yet the inordinate ufe of coffee, 
 which they take from fix in the morning 
 till ten at night, gives them a pallidnefs of 
 Countenance, which greatly diminiflies their 
 attractions. Laughable as it may feem, a 
 fafe expedient to infure the affeftions of the 
 lower clafs of thefe laffes, is to provide your- 
 felf with gingerbread. The firft queftion 
 
 the 
 
( *f9 ) 
 
 the lover is afked after knocking at the door, 
 when the parents are fuppofed to be in bed, 
 is, cc Have you any gingerbread ?" If he re- 
 plies in the affirmative, he finds little diffi- 
 culty in gaming admiffion j a fecond vifit in- 
 fures his fuccefs, and the lady yields. 
 
 The dreffes of the men are generally 
 black and dark brown. I have endeavour- 
 ed in the enclofed fketch to give you a 
 clearer idea of the appearance of both 
 fexes. 
 
 Two hundred bridges are faid to be 
 thrown acrofs the canals here. 
 
 The church is very neat; and a large 
 picture over the weft door of it perpetuates 
 a fingular fubject. A woman is reprefented 
 in the air, as having been tolled by a bull, 
 when far gone with child, and delivered in 
 that fituation ; the child lying dead on the 
 ground. The hulband, in coming to the 
 Vol. I. Y affift- 
 
( *7° ) 
 
 affiftance of his wife, was likewife attacked 
 by the bull ; and all the parties are faid to 
 have been killed in the conflict. 
 
 By the pains taken to perpetuate this 
 ftrange anecdote, it certainly was, and it 
 now is credited. On a flat ftone beneath is 
 a Dutch epitaph on the fubjeft. 
 
 Hier onder 1yd de Moer en Vaar, 
 En't ongebooren by Mai Kaar. 
 
 Observe, my dear friend, I do not 
 vouch for the truth of this wonderful hif- 
 tory. 
 
 This place is rendered famous by the 
 refidence of Peter the Great, Czar of Muf- 
 covy, about the year 1696, in the humble 
 character of a fhip-builder. As the ftory 
 cannot better be told, I will give it you in 
 Voltaire's own words, from PHiftoire de 
 TEmpire de Ruffle fous Pierre le Grand, 
 ch. ix. 
 
 " Le 
 
( i7i ) 
 
 " Le Czar prit un habit de pilote, en 
 alia dans cet equipage au village de Saar- 
 dam, ou Ton conftruifait alors beaucoup 
 plus de vaiffeaux encore qu'aujourd'hui. 
 Ce village eft auffi grand, auffi peuple, 
 auffi riche, & plus propre que beaucoup 
 de vi!!es opulentes. Le Czar admira cette 
 multitude d'hommes toujours occupes ; 
 Tordre, l'exactitude des traveaux ; la ce- 
 lerite prodigieufe a conftruire un vaifleau, 
 et a le munir de tous fes agres 5 & cette 
 quantite incroyable de magafms, de ma- 
 chines qui rendent le travail plus facille 
 & plus fur. Le Czar commenga par 
 acheter une barque, a la quelle il fit de fes 
 mains un mat brife - 9 enfuite il travailla a 
 toutes les parties de la conftru6tion d'un 
 vaiffeau, menant la meme vie que les ar- 
 tifans de Saardam s'habiilant, fe nouriflant 
 comme eux travaillant dans les forges, 
 dans les corderies, dans ces moulins 
 dont la quantite prodigieufe borde le vil- 
 lage, & dans les quels on fcie le fapin & 
 Y 2 *«b 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 " le chene, on tire l'huile, on fabrique 1c 
 " papier, on file les metaux du&iles, II fe 
 " fit infcrire dans le nombre des charpentiers 
 <c fous le nom de Pierre Michael off. 
 " On l'appellait communement Maitre 
 " Pierre, Petre Bas - y & les ouvriers d'abord 
 " interdits d'avoir un fouverain pour com- 
 " pagnon, s'y accoutumerent familierement. 
 cc Tandis qu'il maniait a Saardam le com- 
 <c pas et la hache, on lui confirma la 
 nouveile de la fciffion, de la Pologne," 
 " &c. 
 
 The hut where he refided, with all its 
 appurtenances, remains entire : a fketch of 
 it is enclofed, 
 
 We faw here a great many ftorks : they 
 are birds of paffage, and we feem to know 
 little of whence they come, or whither they 
 go ; but it is certain that they have made 
 Holland a favourite refidence. The Dutch, 
 who are particularly attentive to their pre- 
 
 fervation, 
 
( *73 ) 
 
 fervation, retain the old idea, that they will 
 only exift in a republic: I hardly need fay, 
 they are to be found in mofl towns on the 
 continent, where the fituation is low and 
 marfliy. The ftork is a large bird, about 
 the fize of a crane; its plumage is quite 
 white, except on the extremity of the wings, 
 a fmall part of the head, and the thighs, 
 which are a dark brown : its beak and legs 
 are red. It feeds on frogs, fifties, and fer- 
 pents, and generally lays from two to four 
 eggs, which are in fize like thofe of a goofe. 
 Their return to this part of the world is 
 about the beginning of March, when they 
 immediately fet about building their nefts, 
 which they form of twigs and faggots ; ge- 
 nerally taking up their refidence at the chim- 
 ney tops, where frames are prepared for their 
 reception, as defcribed in the drawing of 
 Wouverman's houfe at Haerlem. 
 
 The 
 
( *74 ) 
 
 The Dutch fay they annually drop an 
 egg or young one out of their neft, which is 
 called a mark of gratitude. I was credibly 
 informed of a Angular inftance of their cha- 
 rity, or rather fuperftitious attachment to 
 one of thefe young windfalls. Having in 
 this parental aft of gratitude had its leg fo 
 miferably crufhed, that it was out of the 
 power of furgery to reftore it to its natural 
 ftate, they contrived to replace it with a 
 wooden one fo dexteroufly, and attended 
 to it with fo much care, that it furvived the 
 operation near thirty years. 
 
 I cannot conclude without telling you 
 how fumptuoufly we fared in this village at 
 dinner. The fineft perch I ever faw of about 
 two pounds weight, to make water zoodje, 
 or zooky, a glafs of excellent Rhenifh to 
 wafh them down, a clever North Holland 
 lafs, tricked out with a world of neatnefs, 
 
 to 
 
( *75 ) 
 
 to attend us, were a feaft for an Emperor ; 
 and with health and good fpirits to enjoy 
 any thing, to crown all, we clofed the day 
 in good humour and feftivity. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
( 176 ) 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 UTRECHT. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 We left Amfterdam early yefter- 
 day morning. The weather was delightful, 
 and the fcenery from the banks of the river 
 increafed in verdure and pi£turefque beauty, 
 as we advanced towards this city. About 
 midway is a pleafant village, called Nieuwer 
 Sluice, where we flopped to take refrefh- 
 ment. Here the canal increafes confidera- 
 bly in width, and its borders are proportion- 
 ably enriched with buildings. 
 
 The villas are principally occupied by 
 the merchants of Amfterdam, whofe coun- 
 try retreats are not amongft the leaft of their 
 
 enjoy- 
 
( 177 ) 
 
 enjoyments. In the decoration of their 
 grounds no expence is fpared, to convince 
 us 5 that they 
 
 <c In trim gardens take their pleafure." 
 
 Near the village of Loennen, which ap- 
 pears at a fmall diftance, is a fpot, called, 
 from being inhabited by thofe feftaries, the 
 Anabaptifts Heaven. They are of great 
 confequence throughout the province of 
 Holland, being wealthy and numerous - 9 have 
 great Angularity in their manners ; are not 
 unlike the quakers with us 5 and are famed 
 for not giving a direft anfwer. One Menno 
 Simons, a leader of this fe6l about the mid- 
 dle of the fixteenth century, travelling, in 
 company with many other perfons, was pur- 
 fued by a body of foldiers, who, interrogating 
 the party, if Menno Simons was among 
 them, he took on himfelf to repeat the 
 queftion, and on the company replying in 
 Vol. I. £ the 
 
( ) 
 
 the negative, he cried out, " all here prefent 
 " fay, Menno Simons is not here : by which 
 means he efcaped his purfucrs. Near 
 Utrecht we paffed through Maarfen, a large 
 village, principally inhabited by Portugueze 
 Jews ; who were not fuffered to take up their 
 refidence in that neighbourhood, till within 
 the laft two years. After a pleafant pafTage 
 of about eight hours, we landed at this place, 
 which may be termed an elegant city, and is 
 principally inhabited by perfons of opulence 
 or diftinftion. It is fituated on the old 
 Rhine, and is remarkable for the purenefs and 
 falubrity of the air. In 1672 Louis XIV. 
 who captured the city, and laid heavy con- 
 tributions on its inhabitants, was fo pleafed 
 with the lituation, that he kept his court 
 here near twelve months : but the Dutch 
 did not feem equally pleafed with him for 
 we are told they had once made a refolution 
 to abandon the province, and tranfport them- 
 felves and their effefts to the Eaft Indies, 
 
 The 
 
( 179 ) 
 
 The Mall is efteemed the fineft in Europe, is 
 near a mile in length, and has a road for 
 carriages on each fide, bordered with a triple 
 row of trees. The entrance is through a 
 noble ftone gate. Louis, during his refi- 
 dence here, frequently exprefied his wifli to 
 convey this Mall to Verfailles. 
 
 The cathedral appears to have been a 
 fpacious and magnificent ftru£ture, if we 
 may judge from the Dom or Tower; which 
 is perfeft, and is almofl: all that remains of 
 the edifice. It is near four hundred feet in 
 height, and commands an extenfive view of 
 forty or fifty towns,* 
 
 The church is faid to have been deftroy- 
 ed by a violent hurricane : and fuch is the 
 ignorance and credulity of the lower clafs of 
 
 * The annexed view of the fpire, or, as it is termed, 
 Dom Tower, was made at a fmall diftance from the town, 
 near the Water-gate. 
 
 Z 2 the 
 
( *8o ) 
 
 the people here, that they relate a ftory of a 
 fiftierman, who, at the time, faw the build- 
 ing make its tranfit through the air. 
 
 The Anatomical Theatre and Univer- 
 fity, which are confiderable, are objefts wor- 
 thy your attention. 
 
 Utrecht has the honour of giving 
 birth to a great and worthy chara6ler, Pope 
 Adrian the Vlth, born in 1549. His claf- 
 fical knowledge he acquired at this Univer- 
 fity, and his philofophical at the College of 
 Louvain : he received his degree of Do6lor 
 in Divinity in 1491, the expence of which 
 was defrayed by Margaret, fifter to Ed- 
 ward IV. of England, and is faid to have 
 been confiderable* The houfe where he 
 refided is yet ftanding, and is a fine Gothic 
 building. Its ba(To-relievos and ancient or- 
 naments will greatly intereft the curious 
 traveller. 
 
 This 
 
( i8i ) 
 
 This city gave likewife birth to the very 
 accomplifhed Anna Maria Schurman, whofe 
 extenfive knowledge in the languages was 
 only equalled by her fuperiar tafte and Ikill 
 in painting, and every other branch of the 
 graphic and elegant arts. This juftly cele- 
 brated woman was born in 1607, and died 
 at the age of feventy-one. She was vifited 
 by that elevated and fingular chara6ler Chrif- 
 tina, Queen of Sweden ; who lavifhed on her 
 the higheft encomiums for her fuperior ta- 
 lents and excellence in every refined accom- 
 plifhment. 
 
 Sir Antonio More was born here in 
 15 19 : his excellence as a portrait painter is 
 well known to every amateur. He refided 
 a long time in England, and, from the high 
 prices he received for his pictures, may be 
 pronounced an artift of the firft confidera- 
 lion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
( i8 2 ) 
 
 Cornelius Polemburg, a painter of 
 high rank, was likewife born here in 1586. 
 He ftudied under feveral matters, and, vifiting 
 Italy, became charmed with the works of 
 that divine painter, Raphael ; whofe chafte 
 and tender manner foon caught his atten- 
 tion. After his return from Italy he became 
 the favorite of Rubens, who refided with 
 him a confiderable time. His works were 
 much admired by that accomplilhed and li- 
 beral encourager of the fine arts, Charles 
 the Firft ; who paid him very high prices 
 for feveral of his piftures. The excellence 
 and peculiar merits of this painter are too 
 well known to need farther defcription. He 
 painted to the laft day of his life, which 
 was in 1 660, in his 74th year. 
 
 The two brothers, John and Andrew 
 Both, were born in this city : they were dif- 
 ciples of Abraham Bloemart, by whom they 
 were advifed to vifit Italy, where John form- 
 ed 
 
( m ) 
 
 cd his excellent manner from Claude le Lor- 
 raine, and Andrew, from Bamboccio. They 
 painted in conjunction, and accorded as well 
 in the art as in fraternal affe&ion. The 
 landfcape and figures of thefe great matters 
 feemed to be the work of the fame hand. An- 
 drew was unfortunately drowned while with 
 his brother at Venice in 1 650 5 when grief oc- 
 cafioned the furvivor to return to Utrecht, 
 where he purfued his art with unabated in- 
 duftry and fuccefs. The grandeur and rich- 
 nefs of fcenery, with the happy €ffe£t of 
 light and fhadow, produced in the landfcapes 
 of this charming artift, render his works of 
 ineftimable value, and caufe them to be eager- 
 ly fought after by the connoifleur. 
 
 A painter of landfcape of great merit, 
 Abraham de Heufch, was a native of this 
 city : he ranks defervedly high in his profef- 
 fion, and to the amateur his works will be 
 a fufficient eulogy. 
 
 JOHH 
 
( i »4 ) 
 
 John Glauber, adifciple of Berghem, 
 was born here in 1646. An early difpolition 
 for travelling led him, even from the great 
 works of his matter, to contemplate the ftill 
 greater works of nature ; and he made Italy 
 his reiidence for a confiderable time. On 
 his return he vifited Amfterdam, where he 
 became intimate with that fkilful artift, Ge- 
 rard Laireffe > in whofe houfe, which was an 
 academy of arts, he refided : and a ftronger 
 proof of his Ikill in landfcape painting can- 
 not be very eafily adduced, than that his 
 works had enough of merit to entitle them 
 to the affiflance and embellifhments they 
 received from the pencil of this artift, who 
 inferted moft of the figures in his landfcapes. 
 They are too well known to need any far- 
 ther comment. 
 
 I shall mention only one other artift, 
 Anthony Waterloo : and though the honour 
 of giving him birth is claimed by others, and 
 
 is 
 
( 5f| ) 
 
 is at befl: a doubtful queftion, yet as he long 
 made this city, which is in the number of 
 thofe that claim the honour, his favourite 
 refidence, I know no better place in which I 
 could notice his unqueftionable excellence. 
 His landfcapes are clofe copies after nature, 
 without the affectation or trick of art to fet 
 them off. His objects are generally woody 
 fcenes, embellifhed with water and cattle 
 frequently added by Weeninx and others* 
 His drawings are not lefs admired than his 
 pictures ; and his etchings, in point of free- 
 dom and beauty of fcenery, remain unrival- 
 led. Though his works produced good 
 prices, and were univerfally coveted, he 
 died in great want at the hofpital of St, 
 Job near this city. 
 
 I am rather difappointed in my enqui- 
 ries after colle6tions of pictures in this place, 
 that of Mr. Van Breukelwaard being the 
 only one I have met with. It is felefted 
 Vol. I. A a with 
 
( i86 ) 
 
 with tafte - y and his colle&ion of natural cu- 
 riofities is not inferior. 
 
 Having viewed every thing worthy our 
 attention here, we made a little excurfion 
 this morning to Zieft, about nine miles dif- 
 tant. The houfe was built as a hunting feat 
 by William III. it ftands in the midft of a 
 fine extenfive wood, and is furrounded by a 
 moat. The gardens are in a ftyle fuperior 
 to any we have yet feen : the walks are 
 beautifully fliadcd, enriched with ftatues, and 
 embelliftied with large bafons of water and 
 jets d'eaux. Its former owner, Count Zin- 
 zendorf, who was of the fe£l of Moravians, 
 applied a great part of this building, with 
 fome land contiguous, to the ufes of thofe 
 fe6larifts. Here they have eftablifhed ex- 
 tenfive focieties, forming themfelves into dif- 
 tinfl parties, the married and unmarried. 
 They appear to lead a temperate and harmlefs 
 life, are fimple in their diet, and zealous in 
 
 their 
 
( i»7 ) 
 
 their religious purfuits. They carry on a 
 confiderable trade in a variety of articles, 
 fuch as filver, tin, leather, cloths, &c. all of 
 which, they fay, are manufaftured by them- 
 felves : but I fufpe£t moft of them are from 
 England, France, &c. The cuftom among 
 them of fixing the price on every article, 
 from which no abatement is made, is wor- 
 thy of example. The profits of their wares 
 form a common bank, which is applied to 
 their mutual advantage. The neighbouring 
 village and adjacent country are exceedingly 
 pleafant, and will alone repay you for going 
 a few miles out of your intended route* 
 
 On our return to Utrecht we made a cir- 
 cuit of the city, and vifited the gardens of 
 Madame Zetervelt, juft without the Amfter- 
 dam gate. She is the widow of an opulent 
 filk-thrower. They were conftru&ed about 
 fifty years ago, at a confiderable expence, 
 and are worth noticing. The bufts and 
 A a 2 ftatues 
 
( i88 ) 
 
 ftatues are by Jacob Crefcant, a ftatuary of 
 much merit. The bas reliefs are well exe- 
 cuted ; and the groups of boys, in the hifto- 
 rical fubje£ts, defer ve commendation. 
 
 On returning to our inn, we looked into 
 the Botanic Garden, which afforded fome 
 entertainment. The vulgar idea, that the 
 Aloe is not in perfe&ion till it is an hundred 
 years old, is here refuted -> as we faw two, 
 averred to be not more than forty, in full 
 bloom. 
 
 We are now preparing to purfue our 
 route to Breda, whence you fhall hear from 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 LET- 
 
\ 
 
( m ) 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 BREDA. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 E continued our journeyyefterday 
 evening towards this city, and in our way fer- 
 ryed acrofs the Rhine at Vianen on the confines 
 of Guelderland ; where the pi&urefque beauty 
 of the fcenery was fufficient inducement to 
 take up the pencil and make a flight out- 
 line of what prefented itfelf, which, though 
 fimple, is ftrongly chara&eriftic of the cir- 
 cumjacent country. Vianen is a privileged 
 town, and ferves as an afylum for debtors ; 
 who, reaching this place, live fecurely under 
 the proteftion of the magiftrates. Owing 
 to the fmallnefs of the duties exafted, every 
 article of merchandize and neceffary of life 
 is here remarkably cheap, A few miles far- 
 ther, 
 
( i9° ) 
 
 ther, at the village of Vreefwyk, we again 
 ferryed over the Rhine, after which the road 
 became fo infufferably bad, as to render it 
 fcarce paflable with four horfes. The pro- 
 fpe£t around was bleak and barren, with no 
 objeft to relieve the eye, but the river at a 
 diftance, which now and then appeared be- 
 tween ill-fhapen hills of fand. With little 
 variation of this dreary fcenery, we arrived 
 at Gorcum about fix in the evening. 
 
 We found little here worthy the notice 
 of a ftranger : the city is pleafantly fituated 
 on the rivers Merwe and Linge, on the bor- 
 ders of which ftands the caftle of Louveftein 
 which I mentioned in a former letter, as 
 having been the place of confinement of 
 Hugo Grotius. Ledenburg, Secretary of 
 State at Utrecht, was likewife condemned 
 to travel this road and inhabit this caftle; 
 but the horrors of the torture, afting upon 
 a feeble conftitution, induced him, as he ob- 
 
 ferved 
 
( i9i ) 
 
 ferved in a farewell letter to his wife and fa- 
 mily, to find a fhorter way to Heaven. 
 
 His words ran thus — " Je f9ais qu'on 
 " me veut juger fur des points et des pointil- 
 u les qu'on me veut tirannifer ; C'eft pour- 
 " quoi j'ai choifie un plus court chemin pour 
 <c aller a Dieu ; d'ailleurs on ne peut pas 
 " confifquer, les biens d'un corps mort." — ■ 
 Soon after writing this letter he put an end 
 to his exigence, by cutting his throat. 
 
 Admiral Askew, in the year 1666, 
 after being made prifoner by Admiral De 
 Ruyter, was like wife confined here. 
 
 This city was taken from the Spaniards 
 about the year 1570 by the free corps of the 
 Prince of Orange. After its capture, their 
 leader, Herman de Ruiter, a butcher, was 
 left to guard the citidel with only twenty- 
 four men. The Spaniards, rallying their 
 
 troops, 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 troops, again attacked the place. The hero, 
 being determined to hold his conqueft, after 
 lofing both his legs defired his trunk might 
 be placed in fand, which would aft as a ftyp- 
 tic to his wounds, defended himfelf in this 
 fituation, fword in hand, till being no longer 
 able to refift, he fet fire to a train of gun- 
 powder and blew himfelf into the air. 
 
 This place, though fmall, has produced 
 fome painters of much excellence. John 
 Vander Heyden, an artift of great merit in 
 high finifhed buildings, was born here in 
 1637 and in the neatnefs and precifion of his 
 execution ftands unrivalled : he refided fome 
 time in London, where he painted views of 
 the Royal Exchange, Monument, &c. His 
 figures were generally inferted by Adrian 
 Vande Velde, which add confiderably to the 
 value of his works. A bible is faid to have 
 been painted by this laborious artift not lar- 
 ger than the palm of the hand, yet fo mi- 
 nutely 
 
( 193 ) 
 
 nutely touched that the characters on the 
 leaves were diftin£tly legible. The works 
 of this eminent painter bring immenfe prices. 
 During his refidence in Amfterdam in 1672, 
 he is faid to have been the inventor of pipes 
 for fire engines, as they are now in ufe. Be- 
 fore they were introduced into this city, the 
 annual damage from fire, according to his 
 computation, amounted to three hundred and 
 forty-one thoufand fix hundred and feventy 
 guilders, and now, on the average, not more 
 than three thoufand fix hundred and fe- 
 venty. 
 
 Having ordered a carriage to take us 
 to Breda, we walked to the ferry-houfe, on 
 the banks of the Maes ; where the fcene was 
 fo beautiful and interefting as to induce me to 
 give a faint reprefentation of it in the en- 
 clofed drawing. 
 
 In eroding the river, which was a fail of 
 Vol. I. B b about 
 
( »94 ) 
 
 about twenty minutes, the fleeting objects on 
 the water could not fail to attraft the pic- 
 turefque eye. The church, feen in the dis- 
 tance, is in the city of Workum. Should 
 you feel the pleafure in contemplating thefe 
 feeble attempts to reprefent what I enjoyed 
 from the fcenery, my utmoft wifh is gra- 
 tified. 
 
 Landing on the oppofite fhore, alas! 
 how changed the fcene ! Through a dreary 
 road, without profpeft, or the fight of a hu- 
 man being for near four-and-twenty miles, 
 which took us feven hours to accomplifh. 
 Not a fingle houfe to afford the leafl accom- 
 modation in the journey, till we reached 
 Breda; the entrance to which is by eroding 
 three wide fofses, over which are drawbridges 
 leading to a handfome ftone gate. 
 
 Breda, the capital of Dutch Brabant, 
 is well fortified, and encompaffed by the 
 
 rivers 
 
• 
 
( i95 ) 
 
 rivers Aa and Merck. The citadel is built 
 in a triangular form, and is well garrifoned. 
 The caftle is a handfome fquare building 
 with four towers, furrounded by the two 
 rivers. It was built by King William. The 
 rooms are fpacious and lofty : their principal 
 ornament is tapeftry, which contains a feries 
 of the Princes of Orange on horfeback, as 
 large as life; each feeming to vie with the 
 other who fhould firfl flart from his dreary, 
 thread-bare abode. The pi6lures here are 
 beneath notice. The gardens and park in 
 the vicinage are not unpleafant. The en- 
 trance, or court-yard to this building, is fpa- 
 cious and magnificent. The church is a 
 large, handfome ftru6lure: its fpire is lofty 
 and beautiful. Within is a handfome mo- 
 nument in black and white marble, eretted 
 to Anglebert, the fecond Count of NafTau, 
 and his Countefs : they are lying on a mat 
 of marble, well executed. Over the figures 
 is a marble flab, bearing trophies and en- 
 Bb 2 figns 
 
( 196 ) 
 
 figns of war, fupported by four kneeling 
 figures ; faid to be Julius Csefar, Hannibal, 
 Philip of Macedon, and Metellus Regulus. 
 I doubt the information of our oracle - 9 as, 
 with all due refpeft to Count Anglebert, I 
 queftion whether the four great chara&ers 
 above alluded to would condefcend to go on 
 their knees to bear either boots or fpurs, 
 for all the combined greatnefs of the Houfe 
 of Naflau. Imagination may trace " the 
 €C noble duft of Alexander, till he find it 
 " flopping a bung-hole and indeed there 
 is no faying u to what bafe ufes" a Dutch 
 courtier might be difpofed to make thefe 
 great men ftoop. The fculpture of the mo- 
 nument is faid to be hy Michael Angelo 
 Buonorati : this I much doubt, for though 
 there are parts, particularly the extremities 
 of the figures, not unequal to him, yet 
 other parts are fo inferior, that I conceive 
 that divine artift could not have executed 
 the work. 
 
 The 
 
( 197 ) 
 
 The circular building to the right of the 
 church, as defcribed in the annexed draw- 
 ing,* is the caftle here mentioned as built by 
 King William ; the ftyle of the archite6lure 
 befpeaks the period of its erection. 
 
 Being Sunday, the people are flocking 
 to the church, which is facing our inn. 
 The women's drefs is very Angular, being 
 covered with a long black cloth veil, fur- 
 rounding the head, and reaching to the 
 ground ; the reft of their apparel is extremely 
 neat. Here are many Roman Catholics, 
 though the eftablifhed religion is Protef- 
 tantifm. 
 
 This place feems more famed for arms 
 
 * It was with fome difficulty I prevailed on myfelf to 
 attempt the inclofed fketch, as the military are exceedingly 
 jealous on thefe occafions ; and, I believe, had the centi- 
 nel, who was near me, been a veteran in the fervice, in- 
 ftead of a raw recruit, I mufl have defifted. 
 
 than 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 than arts; as I have in vain endeavoured 
 to inform myfelf of either collections of pic- 
 tures or artifts. We ftiall therefore quit this 
 fcene, as foon as poflible, for Bergen-op- 
 Zoom ; which I fear will be equally barren 
 of that information which I know affords 
 you the moft pleafure. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
( *99 ) 
 
 LETTER XV, 
 
 BERGEN. OP-ZOOM. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 THROUGH a very heavy rain, 
 and roads, if poffible, worfe than any we 
 had before paffed, we are fafe arrived at this 
 place, perfeftly in union with ourfelves. 
 The rugged ways and ills of life may 
 fometimes tend to humanize and temper the 
 mind ; as, in a pifture, a rude fore-ground, 
 well managed, gives additional beauty to the 
 ferenity of the diftance, and harmonizes the 
 whole. You will obferve, this opinion is form- 
 ed before a good fire, not in a dangerous road, 
 furrounded by a thick, hazy atmofphere; 
 yet, bad as the road is, I muft return (in my 
 mind's eye) about fix miles, merely to men- 
 tion a whimfical fign we faw at a fmall vil- 
 lage 
 
( aoo ) 
 
 lage called Rofendael. It was a tree, bear- 
 ing fruit, and the branches filled with little 
 naked urchins, feemingly juft ripened into 
 life, and crying for fuccour* Beneath a wo- 
 man holds up her apron, looking wiftfully 
 at the children, as if intreating them to 
 jump into her lap. On inquiry, I found it 
 to be the houfe of a fworn midwife, with 
 this Dutch infcription prefixed to her name : 
 
 « VANG MY, IK ZAL ZOOT ZYJST." 
 That is, « Catch me— I'll be a fweet boy/' 
 
 This true mode of procreation, fo truly 
 whimfical, pkafed me not a little. I took 
 the pencil, and beginning to make a (ketch 
 of this laughable fubjeft, was, in an inftant, 
 furrounded by all the gaping boors in the 
 village, who, by their diftorted countenances, 
 feemed as if the 
 
 " Frightfull'ft grinner 
 " Should be the winner." 
 
 Being 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 Being Sunday, I believe there were not 
 lefs than three hundred of thefe merry faces 
 affembled on the occafion. 
 
 Bergen-op-Zoom is a large town in 
 Dutch Brabant, fituated near the eaftern 
 fhore of the Scheld. It ftands on a fmall 
 eminence, well difpofed by nature, as by art, 
 for defence. It derives its name from Berg, 
 a hill, and Zoom, a river, which runs through 
 the town, and overflowing the neighbouring 
 country, renders it a morafs : the Latins call 
 it Berga fupra Zomam. As the fortifica- 
 tions are the only objefls worthy notice in 
 -this place, we loft no time in difpatching a 
 card to the commandant for permiffion to 
 fee them, which he politely granted, and fent 
 it by the hands of a little merry ferjeant, 
 -who was to be our guide. He had all the 
 gaiete de coeur of Sterne's La Fleur, with all 
 the military integrity of Corporal Trim ; had 
 himfelf ferved during thefiegein 1747, when 
 Vol. L C c it 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 it was taken by Count Lowendahl, not by 
 conqueft. but by the treachery of the old 
 Dutch general, Baron de Cronftrom, againft 
 whom our little ferjeant juftly levelled his 
 whole artillery of abufe, for his bafenefs in 
 betraying bis charge. We were led through 
 fubterraneous paflages, I know not whither, 
 extending, as it is faid, a great diftance be- 
 yond the extremity of the fortifications; 
 where, at every ftep, our little hero fhoul- 
 dered his cane, renewed his battles, and 
 " thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he 
 " flew the flain." In recital, he artfully 
 drew on the French troops, and as happily 
 repulfed them; in fhort, we had the fiege 
 renewed, and every military manoeuvre dis- 
 played, without the lofs of a man. The 
 great Dutch engineer, Cohorn, who con- 
 ltrufted thefe works, would have himfelf re-* 
 joiced to have found fuch an auxiliary. 
 
 Finding the fubterraneous fituation ra~ 
 
 ther 
 
( 2o 3 ) 
 
 ther damp and uncomfortable, we wiflied, 
 like the treacherous governor, to come as 
 quick as poffible to the furrender ; therefore, 
 facing right about, we made a precipitate re- 
 treat, in order to enjoy the fair day-light, 
 and a view of the outfide of this aftonifhing 
 fortification, which is deemed impregnable. 
 
 On the fide towards Antwerp is a grand 
 demi-lune, terminated by a fort, flanked with 
 four redoubts mounted with large cannon. 
 It has the advantage of a canal from the fea, 
 whence they may receive fuccours without 
 interruption from the befiegers. Between 
 this town and the fea there are eleven forts, 
 with many redoubts and palifados on the 
 dyke. Such was the ftrength of this place 
 in 1538, that it repulfed the Duke of Parma 
 with a numerous army, and in 1622, the 
 Marquis Spinola, who in the attempt loft 
 the bulk of his army. I muft tell you, that 
 the treachery of the old governor, Cron- 
 
 C c 2 ftrom, 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 itrom, was rewarded by a clofe confinement 
 for the reft of his life j a fentence not equal 
 to the enormity of his crime, if my infor- 
 mation be true. 
 
 Adieu ! 
 
 END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
( 2°5 ) 
 
 A 
 
 LIST 
 
 O F 
 
 ARTISTS, & c . 
 
 RQTTERDAM, 
 
 Natnes. Dates. Branch of the Art. 
 
 CoLONI Adam .... 1634. Cattle and landfcape. 
 
 Dullart Heyman 1636. Hiftory and portrait. 
 
 [Landfcape, animal?, and 
 Hondius Abraham .... 1638. < 
 
 L converfation. 
 
 MufTcher Michael Van 1645. Portrait and converfation, 
 
 f Markets, fairs, landfcapes, 
 
 OiTenbeckN 1627 J * * 
 
 L and converfation. 
 
 Penteman Peter 1650, Still life. 
 
 C Landfcape, drolls, and 
 
 corps du garde. 
 
 Sachtleven Herman .... 1609. Landfcape. 
 
 Sorgh Hendrick Mar- "1 C Hiftory, converfation, 
 
 tin J L fairs, and markets. 
 
 Verwilf 
 
 Sachtleven Cornelius 
 
( 206 ) 
 Dates. Branch of the Art, 
 
 Names. 
 
 Verwilt Francis I59^» Landfcape. 
 
 Vander Werf Ckev. ") f Hiftory, portrait, and con- 
 
 « , > 1659. ^ 
 
 Adr J L venation. 
 
 .,.-„' 1 . f Portrait,converfation,an4 
 
 Vander Werf Peter ... 1665. < ' 
 
 I hiftory. 
 
 D O R T, 
 
 Bol Ferdinand 161 1. 
 
 JBoonen Arnold 1669. 
 
 Drogfloat 
 
 Gel(jer Arnold De ... 1645. 
 
 Germyn Simon 1650. 
 
 Godewyck Margarita 1627. 
 
 Hoogeftraeten Samuel 1627. 
 Kuyp Jacob Geritz ... 
 
 Kuyp Albert 1606. 
 
 Lavecque Jacob 1624. 
 
 Lecuvv Gabriel J ^43' 
 
 Maas Nicholas 1632. 
 
 Ravefteyn Hubert .... 1647. 
 
 Schajken Godfrey .... 1643. 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 Portrait. 
 
 Landfcape and fairs. 
 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Fruit and landfcape. 
 
 Landfcape and flowers, 
 f Portrait, hiftory, land- 
 L fcape, and ftatues. 
 J Landfcape, battles, and 
 I cattle. 
 
 r Landfcape, cattle, aud 
 L moon-light. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 Cattle. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 Still life and converfation. 
 f Hiftory, portrait, and con- 
 L verfatbn. 
 
 Smits 
 
C 207 
 
 Names* Dates. 
 
 Smits Lodowick . 1635. 
 
 Vanderburgh Adrian 1693. 
 
 Vander Hulft Peter 1652. 
 
 Verlchuring William 1657. 
 
 Van Kalraet, Bart 1 650. 
 
 Verveer Hubert Ary 1646. 
 
 Van Kuick John I53°» 
 
 ) 
 
 Branch of the Art. 
 Hiftory and fruit. 
 Portrait and converfation. 
 Landfcape & converfation 
 Converfation and portrait. 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 Ditto. 
 Ditto. 
 
 D E L FT. 
 
 Eramer Leonard ........ 1596. 
 
 Bronchorft Peter .... 1588. 
 
 Delft Jacob 16 19. 
 
 Deryck Cornelius Pe- ■> r 
 ' (1568) 
 ter j L 
 
 Fabricius Charles .... 1624, 
 
 Frits Peter 
 
 Grimani Hubert 1599* 
 
 KowenburghChriflian 1604. 
 
 Man De Cornelius ... 1621. 
 
 Mirevclt Michael Jan 1598. 
 
 Nees John Van 
 
 Vandervecn Adrian ... 1589. 
 
 Hiftory and rich vafes. 
 Perfpe£tive and hiftory. 
 Portrait. 
 
 Portrait, landfcape, and 
 cattle. 
 
 Perfpe&ive and portrait. 
 Enchantment, &c. 
 Portrait. 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Hiftory and converfation. 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 Portrait. 
 
 Drolls, beggars, &c. 
 
 Verkolie 
 

 { 20o 
 
 ) 
 
 Names. 
 
 Dates. 
 
 Branch of the Art. 
 
 Verkolie Nicholas 
 
 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Vliet Hendrick Van .. 
 
 1608. £ 
 
 Perfpeclive views and 
 portraits. 
 
 
 1602. 
 
 Fruit and Hill life. 
 
 Van Bizelingen Jan 
 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 
 H A G U 
 
 E. 
 
 Appleman Barent 
 
 1 64O. 
 
 Landfcape and portrait. 
 
 
 
 Portrait and converfation. 
 
 Bifchop John De 
 
 1646. 
 
 Hiftory and landfcape. 
 
 
 
 Landfcape. 
 
 Doudyns William .... 
 
 1 63O. 
 
 Hiftory. 
 
 
 1636. 
 
 Animals. 
 
 
 1644. 
 
 Hiftory. 
 
 
 l6ll. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 Laroon Marcellus .... 
 
 
 Hiftory and converfation. 
 
 
 1636. 
 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Netfcher Conftantine 
 
 167O. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 Pierfon Chriftopher ... 
 
 163I. 
 
 Portrait, hiftory, &c. 
 
 Ravefteyne John Van 
 
 1580. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 
 1679. 
 
 Fruit, plants, and flowers. 
 
 Schuur Theod. Vander 
 
 1628. 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 
 Ferweften Auguftm ... 
 
 1649. 
 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Terweften 
 
Names, 
 Terweften Elias 
 Terweften Matthew 
 Van Dieft Adrian .... 
 
 Verheyden Peter Fra. 
 
 Vanderheck Nicholas 
 
 Willing William 
 
 ( 20 9 ) 
 
 Dates. Branch of the Art. 
 
 1651. Fruit and flowers. 
 
 1670. Hiftory. 
 
 1655. Landfcape and cattle. 
 
 1657. 1 
 
 1580. 
 1656. 
 
 Fowls and hunting wild 
 
 beads. 
 Landfcape. 
 Portrait. 
 
 LEY DEN. 
 
 r Perfpe&ive views and 
 
 Baillie David 1584 J 
 
 L portraits. 
 
 Cornelii Lucas 149 5. Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Cramer Nicholas 1670. Portrait and converfation. 
 
 Douw Gerhard 1013. Ditto. 
 
 Enghelbrecht Cor- •) 
 
 [1468. Hiftory and portrait, 
 nelius J 
 
 Leyden Lucas Van ... 1494. Ditto. 
 
 Lievens John 1607. Ditto. 
 
 Metzu Gabriel 1615. Portrait and converfation. 
 
 Mieris Francis, the old 1635. Ditto, &c. 
 
 Mieris John, eldeft fon 1660. Ditto. 
 
 Mieris William, called j r Hiftory, converfation, and 
 
 > 1662. < 
 
 the young j t landfcape. 
 
 Moor Chev. De Karel 1656. Portrait and hiftory. 
 Parcelles John 1597. Storms. 
 
 Vol. I. D d Rozee 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 Names. Dates. Branch of the Art, 
 
 ; ,;-; f r Hiftory, landfcape, poi> 
 
 Rozee Mademoiselle 1632. \ 
 
 L trait, and flowers. 
 
 Slingeland Peter John 7 
 
 J 1640. Portrait and converfation. 
 Van 3 
 
 Sluys Jaques Vander 1660. Converfation. 
 
 Steen Jan 1636. Converfation and drolls. 
 
 Torenfliet Jacques .... 1641. Portrait and converfation. 
 
 Vandervelde William, 7 
 
 wo 10. Sea pieces and lea rights, 
 the old i F 
 
 Van Gogen John .... 1596. Landfcape s and fea views. 
 
 Venius Otho, or Van 7 
 
 > 1556. Hiftory and portrait. 
 Veen J 
 
 Voys De Ary 1641. Ditto. 
 
 Van Egmont Julius 1602. Hiftory, 
 
 HAERLE M. 
 
 Baan John De 1633. Portrait. 
 
 t Landfcape, cattle, and 
 
 Begu Cornelius 1620. < 
 
 L converfation. 
 
 Berghem Nicholas ... 1624. Landfcape and cattle. 
 
 r Landfcape, converfation, 
 
 Berkheyden Job 1637. < 
 
 y ' L and portrait. 
 
 r Perfpedlive views of pa- 
 Berkheyden Gerard ... 1645. \ , . , 
 
 1 laces and churches. 
 
 Blekers 
 
( 211 
 
 Names, Data. 
 
 Blekers 1635. 
 
 Brakenbury Reinier 
 
 Bray Solomon De .... 1597. 
 
 Bray Jacob De 
 
 Brouwer Adrian 1608. 
 
 Druiverftein Janze 7 
 Aart S ,56+ - 
 
 Dufart Cornelius .... 1665. 
 
 Gaal Barent 1650. 
 
 Gerrard of Haerlem 
 Grebben Peter I 59°« 
 
 HaerlemTfreodoreVan 141 0. 
 
 HaerlemCornelitzVan 1562. 
 
 Helmbreker Theodore 1624, 
 Helft Bartholomew') 
 
 V T ander J 
 
 Hemfkerck Egbert .... 1645. 
 
 Hulftein Cornelius .... 1653. 
 
 Hugtenburgh John Van 1646. 
 
 Kumpen Jacob Van 1658. 
 Koogen Leonard Van- 7 
 
 Laftman Peter 1581. 
 
 Maas Dirk 1656. 
 
 Molyn Peter 1637. 
 
 Moftaert John H99* 
 
 D d 2 
 
 ) 
 
 Branch of the Art. 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Portrait, 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Drolls and converfations. 
 
 Landfcape and animals. 
 
 Converfations and merry- 
 makings. 
 Landfcapes, battles, &c. 
 Hiftory, 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Drolls. 
 Hiftory. 
 Battles. 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Converfation. 
 
 Hiftory. 
 
 Landfcape and battles. 
 
 Landfcape. 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 
 NikKUen 
 
Poft Francis 
 
 ( 212 ) 
 
 Names. Dates. Branch of the Art. 
 
 Nikkelen John Van 1649. Landfcape and flowers. 
 
 Ouwater Albert 1444- Hiftory. 
 
 r Hiftory, portrait, and 
 
 Pinus John 1596. ) 
 
 t- landfcape. 
 
 J" Landfcape, and views of 
 
 the Weft Indies. 
 
 Roeftraeten Peter .... 1627. Portrait and ftill life. 
 
 Ruyfdael Jacob 1636. Landfcape. 
 
 Ruyfdael Solomon .... 1616. Ditto. 
 
 Schyndal Bernard .... 1659. Hiftory and converfation. 
 
 Torrentius John .... 1589. Still life. 
 
 c Hiftory, portrait, conver- 
 YinneVincentvander 1029. K . 
 
 L fation, and landfcapes. 
 
 Vinne Lawrence Van- 
 
 der 
 
 Vroom Henry Cor-} r Sea ports, calms, and 
 
 > 1 566. < 
 
 nelius 3 c ftorms. 
 
 Cattle, landfcape, and 
 portrait. 
 
 Wouvermans Philip 1620. Landfcape, and cattle. 
 
 ^ 1658. Flowers. 
 
 J, 566. J 
 
 Vandenbergen Dirk | 
 
 AMSTERDAM, 
 
 c Hiftory, kitchen utenfils, 
 
 Aerften Peter 1519. ] 
 
 L &c. 
 
 . „ r Landfcape, portrait, and 
 
 Appel Jacob 1680. ) . 1 ' ^ 
 
 c hiftory. 
 
 Barent 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 Names, Dates. Branch of the Art, 
 
 Barent Dieterick .... 1534. Hiftory and portrait. 
 
 Bent John Vander .... 1650. Landfcape. 
 
 Bofch Jacob Vanden 1636. Still life, 
 
 m m f Landfcape, cattle, hunt- 
 Carre Henry 1656.^ 
 
 L ingsandconverfations. 
 
 Carre Michael 1666. Landfcape and cattle. 
 
 Dalens Dirk 1659. Landfcape. 
 
 Does Jacob Vander 1 654. Hiftory. 
 
 {Landfcape, cattle, and 
 portrait. 
 
 Ducart Ifaac 1630. Flowers. 
 
 Eeckhout G. Vander 162 1. Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Edema Gerrard 1652. Landfcape. 
 
 Gerrards , 1607. Hiftory and converfation. 
 
 Graat Barent 1628. Landfcape and portrait. 
 
 Grieffier John the old 1645. Landfcape, ruins, &c. 
 
 Hackaert John 1 635. Landfcape. 
 
 Hooyzaat John I ^ > 54* Hiftory. 
 
 f Flowers, fruit, and land- 
 Huyfum John Van .... 1682. \ 
 
 I fcape. 
 
 Huyfum Jacob Van 
 
 Janfien Cornelius ... 
 Jarden Karel Du 
 Kalf William 
 
 Marcellis Otho 
 
 f Copied his brother's 
 1680. \ V 
 
 L works. 
 
 Portrait. 
 
 1640. Converfation. 
 
 1630. Still life. 
 
 1630 f ^ n ^ e( ^ s ' reptiles, and 
 I plants. 
 
 Mouchcron 
 
( V* ) 
 
 Names. Dates. Branch of the Art. 
 
 Moucheron Ifaae, the 1 
 
 [ 1670. Landfcape. 
 young j 
 
 Myn Herman Vander 1684. Hiftory,portrait,andfruit. 
 
 . , „ f Landfcape and moon- 
 
 Neer Arnold Vander i6iq. < 
 
 ^ i light. 
 
 Neer Hendrick Eglon 1 f Hiftory, portrait, land- 
 
 Vander , J L fcape,andconverfation. 
 
 Paulin Horatius 1648. Hiftory and converfation. 
 
 f Converfation, landfcape, 
 
 Peters Gerrard 1580. < 
 
 L and portrait, in fmall. 
 
 Plaas David Vander .. 1647. Portrait. 
 
 Pool Rachel V an or 7 
 
 \ 1664. Fruit and Flowers. 
 Ruifck 3 * 
 
 Pool Juriaen . 1666. Portrait. 
 
 Rademaker Gerard .... 1673. Hiftory and architecture. 
 
 {Landfcapes and views of 
 {owns in Holland. 
 Roghman Roland .... 1597. Landfcape. 
 
 r Hiftory, landfcapes, and 
 Schellinks William .. 1631. ] 
 
 C fea ports. 
 
 Schellinks Daniel .... 1633. Landfcape. 
 Spiers Albert Van ..... 1666. Hiftory. 
 Spilberg Adriana .... 1646. Portrait. 
 
 Stork Abraham 1708. Sea pieces and Tea ports. 
 
 Streeck Jurian Van .. 1632. Portraits and ftill life. 
 Streeck Henry Van .. 1659. Hiftory and architecture. 
 
 Tombe La 1616. Portrait and converfation. 
 
 Trooft 
 
( 2I S ) 
 
 Names. Dates. Branch of the Art. 
 
 Trooft Cornelius .... 1697. Conversion and portrait, 
 
 Valkenburgh Theo- 7 
 
 ^ J -1675. Portrait and game. 
 
 Vandyck Philip 1680. Portrait andconverfation. 
 
 T , . • f a 1 * r C Landfcape, animals, and 
 
 Vandervelde Adrian 1039. < 
 
 C hiftory. 
 
 Tr . .. T , J Hiftory,portrait,andcon- 
 
 Verkohe Jan 1650. } 
 
 verfation. 
 
 Voorhout John I ^47« Hiftory and converfation. 
 
 Wit Jaques De 1695. 
 
 Weeninx JohnBaptift, 7 C Landfcape, portraits, ani- 
 
 r 1621. j 
 
 called the old J c mals, and flowers. 
 
 Weeninx John, the 7 C Landfcape, animals,hunt- 
 
 i l644 'i ■ « 
 young J K ing, &c. 
 
 Wollers Henrietta .... 1692. Portrait in miniature. 
 
 UTRECHT, 
 
 Bemmel William Van 1630. Landfcape. 
 
 Both John 16 10. Ditto. 
 
 Breenberg Bartholo- 7 ^ C Landfcape, hiftory, and 
 
 mew ^ ^ converfation. 
 
 Bronchorft John Van 1603. Hiftory and landfcape. 
 
 Bunnik John Van .... 1654. Ditto ditto. 
 
 Drillenberg William 7 
 
 c 1626. Landfcape 
 Van J 
 
 Gaud 
 

 ( 2IO 
 
 ; 
 
 Names, 
 
 Dates. 
 
 Branch of the Art. 
 
 
 1570. 
 
 Landfcape and figures. 
 
 
 1636. 
 
 Fifh and ftill life. 
 
 Glauber John 
 
 1636. 
 
 Landfcape. 
 
 Haanfbergen John Van 
 
 164.2. 
 
 Landfcape. 
 
 Heem John David De 
 
 1600. 
 
 Fruit, &c. 
 
 Heem Cornelius De .. 
 
 1623. 
 
 Still life. 
 
 Heufch William De 
 
 1638. 
 
 Landfcape. 
 
 Heufch Jacob De .... 
 
 1657. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Hondekoeter Gilles .. 
 
 1583. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Honthorft Gerard .... 
 
 1592. 
 
 Hiftory and portrait. 
 
 Inghen William Van 
 
 1651. 
 
 Hiftory. 
 
 More Chevalier An- 
 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 Portrait and hiftory. 
 
 Polenburgh Cornelius 
 
 1586. 
 
 Landfcape, caves, and 
 
 grottos. 
 
 Willaerts Abraham .... 
 
 1613. 
 
 Landfcapes and figures. 
 
 GORCUM, 
 
 c Landfcape, cattle, hiftory, 
 
 Blomart Abraham 
 
 I and portrait. 
 
 Camphuyfen Raphael ? ^35 S Landfcape, cattle, and 
 
 Theodore Dirk .... ^ *- moon-light. 
 
 Heyden John Vander 1637. Landfcape. 
 
 r Italian fea ports and mar- 
 Ncft Jacob Vander .... 1627, ] 
 
 L kets. 
 
 Verfchurin^ 
 
( «7 ) 
 
 Names. 
 
 Dates. 
 
 Branch of the Art. 
 
 c Battles, landfcape, and 
 fchunng Henry .... 1627. < 
 
 L huntings. 
 
 r Converfation, landfcape, 
 tman Matthew .... 1650. \ 
 
 L fruit, and flowers. 
 
 BREDA. 
 
 Kay William 
 
 Leur N. Vander . 
 Lis John Vander 
 
 1568. Portrait and hiftory. 
 1667. Kiftory and portrait. 
 1601. Hiftory. 
 
 BERGEN -OP-ZOOM. 
 
 Fouckier Bertrand De 1609. Portrait. 
 
A