AMSTERDAM. 229 



world, are now content to hold their municipal councils in 

 apartments comparatively dull, dirty, and incommodious. 

 We could not help remarking, that the open area surround- 

 ing the palace is not kept in a neat or even cleanly state ; 

 while the spaces in front of private residences in the prin- 

 cipal streets are in the trimmest order. The proportional 

 smallness of the main door, and the want of a portico, did 

 not fail to strike us, and immediately recalled to our recol- 

 lection our having long ago read some just criticisms to 

 that effect. We readily procured admission ; and at once 

 pronounced the Marble Hall to be by far the finest public 

 room we had ever beheld. But a detailed description of 

 the interior of the building has been thought worthy of 

 occupying two splendid volumes in folio ; and we could 

 add nothing to the abridged accounts to be found in every 

 book descriptive of Holland. The view of Amsterdam 

 from the roof is interesting ; here only did we form a cor- 

 rect estimate of the multitude of shipping in the port. Ha- 

 ving lately seen the comparatively deserted harbour of Ant- 

 werp, we could not help reflecting on one cause of the 

 contrast, and regretting the injustice done to the Braban- 

 tines in the closing of the Scheldt. In a tower on the 

 roof is a set of musical bells, the chimes of which are excel- 

 lent ; very superior indeed to those of St Giles's at Edin- 

 burgh. 



On leaving the Palace, we turned a little to the left, to 

 inspect what is called the New Church, but which is in 

 reality an old Gothic building, dedicated in former times 

 to St Mary and St Catherine. The most striking orna- 

 ment is a monument to the memory of the bold De Ruy- 

 ter, who once sailed up the Medway, and took temporary 

 possession of Chatham and Rochester (towns through 

 which we had lately passed), — an exploit more daring and 



