SECTION II.

GENERAL SURVEY OF HOLLAND.

FROM Dusseldorf our travellers still continued their journey in a northern direction, through a sandy country, till' they arrived at Wesel, a large dirty town, where they only changed horses, and late in the evening they arrived at Arnheim. 66 Suppose," said the Doctor, 66 we take a survey of the country we are about to traverse.

"The northern provinces of Holland are low and very level, exhibiting the appearance of an extensive drained marsh, varied with deep broad rivers and numerous canals in general, abounding with rich pastures and fine groves of trees: it is defended from the ocean by dykes. In Flanders the western districts are remarkably level; the south-east has extensive forests, and a few elevations. Canals are very numerous; the principal of which are Brussels, Ostend, and Ghent. In the east the air is salubrious, and the seasons are more settled than in England; in Brabant, and along the coast, the weather is often foggy.

"The exports and imports of this country were, until lately, similar to those of England; scarcely a production in which they did not traffic, or a manufacture that was not successfully carried on. Their home commodities are plenty of butter, cheese, hemp, flax, corn, wine, madder, and tobacco.-Delft-ware, tobacco-pipes, and paper.

"Holland produces also some few minerals: such as nitre, lead and copper, in Namur; iron and slate in Hainault; sulphur and slate in Limburg and Luxemburg, and coals in "Its chief ports are Amsterdam, notteruam, south of Walcheren, Helvoetsluys, south of Voornland, Sluys, Nieuport, and Ostend.

"The population of Holland was lately computed at little more than two millions and a half. But by the peace of 1814, the Stadtholder, now King of the Netherlands, ha gained to the Seven United Provinces, the Belgic Provinces and the Duchy of Luxemburgh, consisting altogether of the most fertile countries in Europe, and inhabited by seve millions of wealthy and industrious people. I need not men

tion the names and capitals of the Seven United Provinces. You of course know them.

"Holland is intersected with innumerable canals, which, for number and size, may be compared to our public highways. By them a great inland trade is carried on with France and Germany. In summer they are constantly crowded with boats of pleasure or of traffic; and in winter, when they are frozen over, the inhabitants travel on them with skates, and perform long journies in a very short time.

"Its universities are Leyden, Utrecht, Groningen; Harderwicke, north-west of Guelders; Franeker, north-west of Friesland.

"The university of Leyden is particularly celebrated for its colleges, medicinal garden, anatomical theatre, astronomical observatory, and valuable library; the students are less numerous than formerly. About 1600 men are employed in manufacturing cloths and stuffs, which are said to be the best in Holland.

"In 1574, Leyden sustained a very severe siege from the bigoted and oppressive Spaniards; during which, famine and pestilence carried off 6000 of the inhabitants. As a reward for their gallant defence, it was left to their choice either to be exempt from all taxes for several years, or to have an university founded; they chose the latter.

"As I have marked down our route, I will mention those towns worthy of notice, which we shall not visit, and first upon the list is Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, raised and supported by commerce, was, until lately, one of the most opulent and enterprising cities of Europe. It is nearly semicircular, and the site is so marshy, that the houses are chiefly supported on piles. The public buildings, the numerous canals, the streets planted with rows of trees, the cleanliness of the houses, the accommodations for commerce, all are worthy of attention and imitation. It has about fifty places of public worship, of these eleven churches are of the established religion, which is Calvinism.

"Rotterdam, at the confluence of the Rotte and the Mass or Merwe has an excellent harbour, and is very eligibly situated for commerce, for which it has most excellent accommodations; trade and riches, next to those of Amsterdam. This city is remarkable for the size and beauty of its build

ings, fine deep canals, and a bronze statue of the celebrated Erasmus.

"Haerlem is also a large and populous town, with open streets and fine canals. It manufactures silk, velvet, linen,. thread, and tape. Its lake, about 14 miles in diameter, liesbetween this town, Amsterdam, and Leyden; it is navigable but subject to dangerous storms.

"We cannot even visit the celebrated village of the Hague, which vies with the most celebrated cities in Europe for beauty, extent, agreeable walks, and great trade. It isabout two miles from the sea, and surrounded by a fertile and agreeable country.

"Middleburg, situated nearly in the middle of Walcheren Island, where so many of our brave fellows lost their lives in the late war, is connected with the sea by a deep canal, which admits the largest vessels. It is a rich commercial city, the squares and public buildings are magnificent, but the island is unhealthy.

"Ghent, or Gand, which is placed at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt, Lis, Lieve, and Möre, and on the canal of Brüges, is one of the largest cities in Europe. It is divided. into 26 islands by the rivers and canals. It trades extensively in linen, yarn, worsted and books. It was the birth place of Charles V.

Brüges is connected by canals with Ostend, Ghent, Sluys, Nieuport, Furnes, and Ypres. It carries on a great trade in wool, cotton, tapestry, and silk stuffs.

"Brüges was formerly the English staple for wool, and the greatest trading town in Europe. It was the centre of communication between the Lombards (merchants from the north of Italy) and the Hanseatic merchants, ( merchants of the associated cities for carrying on and protecting commerce, which was at that time interrupted by pirates). The Lombards exchanged the productions and manufactures of India and Italy, for the commodities of the north. But, in the sixteenth century, the civil wars, occasioned by the tyranny of Philip II. drove the trade, first to Antwerp, and then to Amsterdam.

"Delft has acquired great publicity from its fine earthenware, known by the name of Delft wares. It is clean, well built, has canals decorated with trees, and is defended from the sea by three large dykes. It was the residence of Baron Lewenhoeck, and the birth-place of Grotius..

"Gronningen, about twenty miles from the sea, is handsome, rich, and populous. Its province yields fine pasture, and has a breed of very large horses.

"Namur is large, opulent, and commercial: it manufactures fire-arms, knives, swords, and many other kinds of cutlery. The country in this neighbourhood is mountainous.

"Luxemburg, on the rixer Etz or Alsitz, is a place of great strength; its province is chiefly occupied by the extensive forest of Ardennes. It is rather mountainous and woody, but in general fertile in corn and wine, and has many iron mines.

"Ostend is a strong, thriving sea-port, with a marshy vicinity. Its canal admits ships of large burden to enter with the tide. The damage done to this canal in 1798, in an attack by a body of English troops was estimated at 1,000,000%. Packets regularly pass between this port and Harwich."

Arnheim is a pleasant town, but is famous only for being the birth place of the celebrated David Bech, a pupil of Vandyke. It contains some large churches, but Edward agreed with his friend, in wishing to set off early the next morning for Utrecht. The road to Utrecht is remarkably agreeable. Guelderland is one of the most salubrious, fertile, and romantic provinces of this low country. They were serenaded by nightingales during the whole of their route to Utrecht. They were also delighted with the alternate display of mountain and valley scenes, which they did not indeed expect. Groups of fine cattle reposed under the trees, and as it was early, they saw a quantity of game, which, as the day advances, screen themselves from the eye of man.

Utrecht is beautiful and very healthy; the environs are full of gardens, walks, and groves; it has a celebrated university, and is the chief residence of those who have retired from business.

"That cathedral," said Edward," must have been an extraordinary fine building. What a pity it is it should have been suffered to go to decay. The tower appears the only part which is perfect."

"We will ascend the tower," replied his tutor, "for I understand from its extreme height, (it is 464 feet high,) we may see, if the day is clear, 51 walled cities and towns, and the pyramid erected in honour of Napoleon at Zerst by the French troops under the command of Marshal Marmont.

This stupendous column was completed in thirty days. The height of this monument is 110 feet French."

SECTION III.

ROTTERDAM.-TOBACCO.

FROM Utrecht our travellers proceeded to Rotterdam, and took up their quarters at the celebrated hotel called the Mareschal de Turenne. The streets of this noble city, like those of all principal places in Holland, are adorned with fine rows of trees; the display of the numerous vessels uponthe canals, together with the busy hum of business which is heard on every side, displays the character of the Dutch in its most lively colours; a thorough knowledge of their indefatigable industry, their devoted attention to trade, to which every other feeling gives place, and in which the greater part of their lives are spent, cannot be more forcibly pourtrayed, than by walking along the quays of the numerous canals, where the youth of seventeen and the old man of seventy are engaged with the same ardour in the same pursuits. The style of building in Holland is singular; the houses are, lofty, and filled with large windows, which project forward as they ascend.

"This is something like the style of architecture in our Queen Elizabeth's days," said the Doctor, "few specimens of which are now remaining.'

"So much the better," replied his pupil, "for those projecting windows make the under apartments very gloomy." One of the most beautiful streets in Rotterdam is that called Boom's Quay, which extends along the river, (the Rotte) abont half a mile from the old to the new head, the two places where the waters enter the city.

Our travellers were surprized at being addressed by beggars, as they understood Holland was not infested by them; they were, however, frequently accosted by vagrants, who begged in a low voice, and they invariably noticed that they always avoided a Dutchman.

Holland abounds with charitable institutions, and all beg