284 HORTICULTURAL TOl'K. 



In the Museum of Paintings, we saw several very large 

 pieces, by celebrated Dutch masters, which had formerly 

 graced the walls of the Stadt-House, but had been dismiss- 

 ed from the Palace ; particularly the night-watch of Am- 

 sterdam by Rembrandt, and a party pledging each other in 

 a friendly cup after concluding the treaty of Munster, by 

 Van der Heist: this last, our conductor mentioned (and 

 we believe correctly), was highly praised by Sir Joshua 

 Reynolds. A night-school, by Gerard Douw, is remark- 

 able for exhibiting correctly and beautifully the effects of 

 several different lights, on the youthful and homely faces 

 of the scholars : this picture, we were told, was valued 

 at 20,000 florins. 



In the Kiesergragt is a large and rather handsome edi- 

 fice, with columns of the Corinthian order ; but the words 

 Felix Meritis under the pediment, in large gilt letters, do 

 not produce a happy effect. This is the title of a public 

 establishment, which, in some respects, resembles in principle 

 the Society of Arts in the Adelphi, London : meritorious 

 artists and others being rewarded for their discoveries and 



lation. To begin with the lowest :— the Doyt (formerly well known in Scot- 

 land) is a trifling copper coin, equal to half a farthing nearly. The Stiver is 

 a small thin coin, of base metal, resembling silver, =; a penny, or little more. 

 The Doubletie, also of base metal, is double the stiver, or = 2d, The Sest- 

 haffy of base metal, is a good deal larger than our sixpence, but only equal 

 to 5d. in value. The Schelling is like the sest-half, but has an asterisk im- 

 pressed on it, — 6d. The Guilder or Florin, of good silver, is equal to 20 

 stivers, or Is. 8d. nearly: this is the most common silver coin, and gene- 

 rally used as the standard of value. The Dalder, or 30 stiver piece, = half 

 a crown, is also a common coin. The' Rix-daldcr or dollar, = 52 stivers, or 

 LI. Id. likewise very frequent. Besides these, a 13 stiver piece, a 28 sti- 

 ver piece, and a 3 guilder piece, occasionally occur. The Dutch coinage 

 Kccms at present in a very debased and imperfect state, worse than the En~ 

 £l)->h mu before the year 1816*. 



