INCIDENT- 217 



arid wood ducks, wliicli were suspended fiom my 

 gun, to their acqiusitions. This offer was kindly 

 accepted. A general and desultory conversation 

 ensued, and we arrived in a short time at a small 

 village, and on ascending the steps of an elegant 

 house, I was congratulated by my new friends on 

 m\' entry into Oldenbarneveld. In the course 

 of an hour^ dinner was served up, I sat down and 

 enjoyed a treat worthy to be compared to the 

 Symposior of Plato. I soon found that these 

 venerable friends were emigrants from Holland — 

 that they were men of highly cultivated minds, 

 and polished manners — and that they had selected 

 their habitations in this place, where they en-* 

 joyed 



«' An eleg^ant sufficiencyj content, 

 Retirement, nn-ai quiet, friendship, books, 

 Ease and alternate labor, useful life, 

 Prog'ressive virtue and approving Heaven," 



The elder of these gentlemen had received the 

 best education which Holland could afford. He 

 was brought up a clergyman, and at the com- 

 mencement of the American revolution, he be- 

 came its enthusiastic and energetic advocate, and 

 wrote an able w ork in vindication of its character 

 and conduct. In the struggles which subsequent- 

 ly took place in his native country, he sided with 

 the patriots. His friend held a high military 



