INHABITANTS. 478 



The country to the south of Friesland, from the Yssel to the Rhine, was 

 formerly held by Salian Franks. The villages of Saleheim and Windoheim, 

 referred to in the Salic Law, still exist as Zalk and Windesheim. Oldenzaal, 

 the supposed capital of these Franks, lies farther to the east, near the German 

 frontier. Towards the close of the fourth century Saxons first made their 

 appearance in this region, for many of the Franks had gone to the south, in 

 search of a more fertile country than is Gelderland. Batavi from Hesse occupied 

 the alluvial country between the Rhine and the Waal, still known as Betuwe. 

 As to the Zeeuwen of Zealand, those descendants of Menapians, Frisians, and 

 Saxon rovers, they have long looked upon themselves as a distinct people. They 

 are distinguished by tall stature and supple limbs, no less than by their softness 

 of speech. Gallic tribes, the kinsmen of the Wallons, occupied Limburg and 

 Brabant. On passing from Holland into Brabant, we can hardly fail to be struck 

 by the change in the nature of the people. The men are bigger, fairer, and 

 fresher complexioned ; the women stronger and less nimble. In temperament 

 they are more impetuous, and being for the most part Roman Catholics, they 

 also differ from other Dutchmen in religion. 



It has been noticed that the boundaries of the geological formations approxi- 

 mately coincide with the ethnological boundaries in the Netherlands. The 

 lowlands in the Delta of the Rhine are inhabited by Low Germans of very 

 mixed origin, the Hollanders of the Saxon stock are confined to the sandy 

 tracts, whilst the Frieslanders hold the alluvial lands. The provinces in which 

 the origin of the population is most diverse are more especially known as Holland. 

 It is there that most of the large towns are found, and the greatest events in the 

 history of the Netherlands have been enacted. 



On the islands of Urk and Mai-ken we still meet with the remnant of an 

 ancient race, differing from the inhabitants around not only in customs, but 

 likewise by the shape of the skull. The natives of TJrk rarely marry outside 

 their kindred, but far from consanguineous marriages having proved detrimental, 

 they are, on the contrary, distinguished for strength and broad shoulders, and 

 increase rapidly 



Holland formerly attracted many immigrants. Belgium, during the War of 

 Independence, sent men like Heinsius, Jordaens, Franz Hals, Elzevir, and 

 Lemaire, whose works have shed a lustre upon the country of their adoption. 

 French Huguenots introduced various branches of industry. The number of 

 Jews is large, the majority being of German origin ; but those of Spanish or 

 Portuguese extraction form a sort of aristocracy amongst their co-religionists, 

 and up to the beginning of this century the use of Portuguese was retained in the 

 synagogues. 



The audacity and perseverance which the Hollanders have exhibited in their 

 struggles against an invading ocean entitle them to our respect, for few nations 

 can boast of having won the land they live in. The Dutchman * is slow to 



* " Dutclimen " originally included all Germans. The Hollander still calls his language Nederduitsch, 

 or Low German. 



