LETTER LI.
SIR,Amsterdam, Dec. 7, 1732.
Since the Weather is set in for Frost, I keep my Station upon the Ice, to see the People slide upon Skates; a favourite Exercise of the Dutch, in which they acquit themselves with marvellous Dexterity. These Skates are a very little smooth Piece of Wood, like a Weaver’s Shuttle, except that the Part on which the Heel and the Sole of the Shoe rest most, is a little broader. The Remainder of it is slender and crooked at the End, that the Iron which is underneath may the better cleave the Snow, and that they may with the more Ease surmount the Obstacles and little Hillocks in the Ice, over which they pass with great Rapidity, but not without Danger of breaking their Legs or Arms, and often of being drowned. The Dutch are less exposed to these Inconveniencies than others, because they are most expert in the Art; for they learn to skate when they can scarce go alone. This is rather the Diversion of the common People, and of the lusty young Fellows, than of the Gentry, or of Men full-grown. These go in Sleds, after the Manner of our Country, which is what they call here Narren; i. e. to play the Fool: And indeed, to consider it duly, I think ’tis a right Name for it.
The Place where I take the Air, is upon the River of Amstel, without the Gate of Utrecht,
where I see several Thousands of People scudding along upon Skates, so fast that they seem to fly. If one of these Skaters was to be seen in Swisserland, I know not whether he would not suffer the Fate of Brioche, the Puppet-Show Man, whom the People of those Cantons burned for a Conjurer.
These Skaters are a great Relief to me; for to tell you a Secret, I am quite sick of this City, which really is not a Place for a Man to live in, that is not concerned in Trade; and a Foreigner especially, knows not how to bestow himself. He can find nowhere to go but to some sorry Coffee-house, or melancholy Walk. In the one he is sure to be incens’d with Tobacco, and stunned with wretched Commentaries upon News-Papers or the Price of Pepper and Ginger; in the other he is as solitary as a Hermit. Their Comedies are but a poor Relief to such as don’t understand Dutch, which besides is a Language that I think is not very fit for the Stage, any more than ours. I thought the Actors pitiful, and the Habits trifling; but the Decorations are fine, and the Theatre spacious and magnificent. I can’t imagine why the Magistrates will not let French Comedies be acted in their City, where I think they would do more Good than Harm; for they would help to polish the Youth, and would undoubtedly keep them from that Temptation to Debauchery, to which Idleness, and the Difficulty of knowing where to spend the Evenings, naturally incline them. I heard d’Argenson, the late Keeper of the Seals say, he had observed, while he was Lieutenant of the Police at Paris, that there were more Disorders and Debaucheries committed in that City, during the Fortnight at Easter, when the Theatres were shut up, than were committed in four Months, while all Shows were
kept open. I doubt not but it would be the same at Amsterdam, where there is a numerous Youth, for whom the Parents are blindly complaisant, and ready to kill the fatted Calf; so that being left to their own Devices, and having in general but few Maxims of Education, they run with the Stream of their Passions into all Extravagancies. These young Fellows, who prefer the Exercise of driving a Chaise before all others, set up in the mean Time for fine Gentlemen; but how well they perform their Part, I leave you to think.
The Assemblies, or Societies, as they are here called, have nothing that is engaging. You see very fine Faces there, but not a Tongue moves, at least to a Foreigner, the very Sight of whom seems to frighten them. Here they drink Tea, or play a Game at Ombre, or Quadrille, and afterwards go in quest of a Supper.
Those Societies, or Clubs, where there are no Ladies, are still worse. In these they smoke and drink in Abundance, talk of Trade or Politicks; and at such Times, woe be to those Powers that have forbid the Importation of Dutch Toys into their Dominions. The only Remedy here against Chagrin, is Reading, of which a Man may have his Heartful; for Amsterdam is not only the Centre of the Bookselling Trade, but here are Book-sellers, that are very ready to lend Books to such, who, like myself, cannot be at the Charge of a Library. I divide my Time between Reading, the Coffee-house, and taking the Air, the latter of which I use very moderately, one being obliged to go so far for it, that I think of it at least four times before I set out. The Canals, such as the Heers-Gracht, and the Keizers-Gracht, are pleasant Walks in the Town, because they are planted with Trees; but they are indifferently paved. Upon these two Canals, live Persons of the greatest
Distinction, or rather those of the greatest Wealth in the City.
One of the finest Walks in it is the Bridge, which joins the Rampart from one Side of the Amstel to the other. ’Tis six hundred and fifty Feet in Length, and seventy in Breadth; and here one enjoys an admirable Prospect, which is the only one perhaps that can be compared with the View from Pont-Royal at Paris.
The Admiralty, with its Precinct, forms a little Town. ’Tis one of the Arsenals of the Dutch Navy. Here one actually sees Seventy Men of War, and Materials for building a much greater Number. With the Leave of the Venetians, their Arsenal, so much boasted, is by no means comparable to this, with regard to Naval Stores.
The Admiralty Office is so near the India Company’s Warehouse, that I am tempted to give you some Account of a House which contains such a Treasure. ’Tis a very great Structure of several Stories, distributed into divers Chambers, or Rooms, where there is a prodigious Quantity of all manner of Spices, of which the most common Sorts lie in Heaps as Corn does in our Granaries. There are also a great many other Things of Value; and in a Word, every Thing, be it ever so precious, that comes from the Indies. After I had walked about an Hour in this Warehouse, I was, as it were, embalmed with the Odour of all the different Spices, which made my Head ake exceedingly, or else I should have thought myself metamorphosed into a Mummy; but jesting apart, I fancy that were a Carcase to be deposited in this House, it would be free from Corruption. The India Company is properly a Republick, within the Republic itself. It arms, disarms, raises and disbands Officers and Soldiers, without being accomptable to the State. It maintains
a Governor in the Indies, who lives there with more Pomp and Grandeur than his Masters do here. As a Neapolitan Lady at Madrid wish’d Philip IV. that he might one Day be Viceroy of Naples, so it might be said to a Director of the East-India Company, I wish you may be one Day Governor of Batavia.
I don’t give you an Account of the Houses of Correction, nor of the Hospitals, of which here are a great Number well founded, and well maintained, because I have an extraordinary Antipathy to Prisons, and dread the very Name of an Hospital, to which however I perceive that I am making great Strides; but it will be Time enough for me to give you an Account of those Mansions, when I have fixed my Quarters there. A Description of a Synagogue would not, I believe, be material to you; therefore I shall only acquaint you, that here are two, one for the Portuguese Jews, which is very fine, the other for the German Jews. They are both Jews alike, but differ in their Taste and Sentiments. The Portuguese Jews are the handsomest of the two, for they shave their Beards, and some of them are very genteel. I was shew’d one the other Day, who was a smart young Fellow, and might, have cut a Figure among the Petits-Maîtres. I was told, that he had been educated in our Religion, and that he seemed to be fond of it; but being at Paris, in the Retinue of M. ***, Ambassador of ***, he ran away from that Minister’s Service, and came to Amsterdam, where he turned as staunch a Jew as if he had never heard the Name of Jesus Christ.
Near the Jews Quarter there is the Garden of Simples. I am not Botanist enough to tell you what Plants it contains; but have been assured, that ’tis one of the finest in Europe for foreign
Plants, which, considering the great Trade that is carried on by the Dutch, is not improbable.
When I have told you, that the public Walk, which they call The Plantation, is near this Garden, and that it consists of several fine Rows of Trees, one of which is cut out in the Shape of a Fan, I shall think that I have not omitted giving you the minutest of my Remarks on the Inside of Amsterdam.
The Suburbs of this great City, in which ’tis said there are about five hundred thousand Souls (as many as are in Naples) are extremely populous. There are above eight hundred Windmills continually at Work, in grinding Corn, or sawing of Timber. On the other Side of the Harbour, there are several Villages, of which Sardam is the most considerable, not only for its Size, in which it surpasses many Towns, but for the Wealth of its Inhabitants, who are called Peasants, and pretend to be nothing else, tho’ I can’t imagine why; for they trade and make a Figure here upon the Exchange, like the most substantial Merchants, and don’t apply themselves to Agriculture. I have been told, that there are above a thousand Windmills at Sardam, always employed in sawing of Timber; which would have been a rare Field for Don Quixot to have display’d his Valour. That Neatness of which the Dutch are so fond, is cultivated to the greatest Nicety in this Village; and the Amsterdammers themselves cannot but own and admire it.
The Peasants of Sardam dress more like the Citizens of Amsterdam than those of the other Villages in these Parts do, whose Apparel is of a very extraordinary Fashion. They wear monstrous large Trowsers, wide enough to make some People a whole Suit. Under this Trowser there is another Pair of Breeches, and perhaps a third,
or else a Pair of Drawers; and to the two Pair of Breeches which are in Sight, they have solid Plate Buttons bigger than a Crown piece, They also wear four or five Waistcoats, one over the other, which are set so thick with silver Buttons that they perfectly touch one another. Over all this Cloathing they have a dark-colour’d Surtout or Doublet, which keeps them extremely tight downward, and therefore all their Waistcoats ride up, so that they seem to have Breasts like Women. Their Shoes are Seamen-like, or, with Reverence be it spoken, such as are now worn by the French Petits Maitres. They have also silver Buckles, but so large that they are fitter for the Harness of Horses than for Shoes. I assure you, that if the Romans had been dressed like these Peasants, the Carthaginians would have taken a richer Booty in silver Buttons than they did at the Battle of Cannæ, when they took that Heap of Roman Rings. The Women also wear a small Equipage of Gold and Silver. They have gold Ear-pendants, a Bodkin of the same which fastens their Caps, Chains about their Necks, in Form of Pearl Necklaces, great Rings, and in all this there’s no Expence grudged.
The Sardamers are so very much wedded to their ancient Habit, that a Father once refused to own his Son, because having been for some Years in France, he came to wait on him upon the Exchange of Amsterdam, in a Suit of Cloaths bedawb’d with gold Lace. Young Calf, which was the Peasant’s Name, arriving at Amsterdam about Change-Time, went thither, supposing he should find his Father there, in which he was not mistaken, and he ran to embrace him; but the Father pushing him away, ask’d him what he wanted, and told him that he did not think he had the Honour to be known to him, and that probably he was mistaken in his Man. The Son’s calling him Father,
signify’d nothing. Old Calf being inexorable, interrupted him, saying, I your Father! I have but one Son, who is such a Peasant as I am, and not a Lord, as you seem to be. The young Fellow perceived that his Father took Umbrage as his Dress; therefore he went to a public House, sent for Cloaths after the Sardam Mode, and having thus equipped himself, went upon the Exchange next Day, where his Father received him with all the Tokens of the most endearing Tenderness. After that Day, young Calf, who went in France by the Name of de Veau (which is the Signification of his Name translated into French) always continued to dress in this Manner. This gave Occasion some Years ago to a very pleasant Adventure: A Frenchman who had known M. Calf at Paris by the Name of de Veau, coming to Amsterdam, inquired every-where for M. de Veau, who he said was a very rich Nobleman, of high Rank, as he guessed by his Train of Attendants. It was a long Time before he could hear any Tidings of him, because few People knew that young Calf had frenchified his Name in foreign Countries. At length a Frenchman, who was settled at Amsterdam, offered the Parisian to find out his Friend for him. For this Purpose he carried him to the Exchange; and pointing to M. Calf, Stop, said he to him, there’s the Man you are looking for. The Frenchman, who did not know M. de Veau in his Country Garb, thought that his Guide bantered him. Parbleu Mons. said he, I told you plain enough, that the Person I want is a Nobleman, and not a Peasant. M. Calf hearing the Foreigner speak, and knowing him at first Sight, went up to him, and welcomed him upon his Arrival in Holland. The Frenchman knew him instantly by his Voice, but thought himself in a Trance, because he could not imagine how ’twas
possible for a Person whom he had known a Nobleman in France, to be a Peasant in Holland. M. Calf explained the Mystery of it to him however, as far as was convenient, considering the Place where they were, and desired his Company to Sardam. The Frenchman went accordingly, and when he came thither, ’twas a fresh Matter of Surprise to him to see the Peasant had the House and Furniture of a Nobleman. M. Calf shew’d him, that tho’ he had laid aside the Garb, he had not renounced the Politeness of the French, entertained him with good Chear for several Days, and then sent him back highly delighted to Amsterdam.
The Village of Sardam being in North Holland, I cannot avoid giving you some Account of this Nook of that Province. Here is a perfect Miscellany of Meadows, Canals, Country Houses, Gardens, great Villages, and good Towns, an Uniformity of Beauties, which is only disagreeable by being continued. He that sees one Town or House, sees all, and so of the rest. The principal Towns of this Canton are Horne, Alcmaer, and Enckbuysen, which are all built with the same Neatness, but have nothing of Magnificence belonging to them, except it be the Walks at their Gates. All these Places are so deserted, that it would take up the Emigrants of three or four Bishopricks to people them. Their Trade decays, Amsterdam being the Loadstone that draws all to it. This Part of the Province of Holland is very much infested with Worms which eat into the very Stakes pf the Dykes. The People are in Hopes that the Frost will kill them, and put an End to a Calamity which is one of the worst that can befal this Country. It is not certain how these Insects breed, nor whether it be in the Sea, or in the Timber itself: One would imagine from some
little external Specks of the infested Stakes, these Worms must breed in the Sea, and from thence make their Way into the Wood, no bigger than Needles, after which they grow as big as the Silkworm, and gnaw the Inside of the Timber, in such a Manner that it looks like a Honeycomb. The Spoil they make is said to be in those Parts only of the Stake which are under Water. The Damage they have done to the Dykes is very considerable, and has so very much alarmed the States, that they have prohibited Plays, &c. at the Hague, and ordered public Prayers. A great many People pretend that this Province was visited by such a Scourge fifty or sixty Years ago, and that it was delivered from it by a Sort of Fish, that have never been seen since, which devoured all those Worms. Others treat this as a Fable, and say, that such Insects were never known, much less the Fish by which they were devoured. Be this as it will, several Treatises will shortly be published, to shew the Origin, Nature and Progress of the present Species of Worms. If I am not mistaken, these Books will point out the Method, and the Remedies proper for destroying them; and if any of ’em are printed before I depart this Country, I will not fail to send them to you.
For the rest, I cannot say that I have had any other Satisfaction in my Tour to North Holland than the Gratification of Sight; for Company does not seem to be the Taste of the Country. I never stirred out but every body took me for a very odd kind of a Man: Yet I am no Petit-Maître; nor is there any Thing uncommon in my Make. The Sex in this out-of-the-way Country is very handsome, and here are Country Lasses who have a delicate Complexion, not inferior to the finest Ladies. These Sylvan Beauties are generally fair,
and have such a languishing Look, that I guess they would not prove unkind to any young Faun that courted them. For my own Part, who am too far advanced in Years to attempt an Intrigue with ’em, I content myself with admiring these beautiful Nymphs, whose Favours would perhaps rather mortify than gratify me, and which in either Case, I should not prefer to the Honour of your Friendship; a Thing to me of Price inestimable. Of this I beg the Continuance, and flatter myself, that I deserve it by the Attachment with which I am, &c.
