CHARLES WATERT0N, ESQ. XXxiii 



Beautiful, indeed, is the former sedgy marsh 

 of Holland, and rich the people who have 

 drained and fertilised it. There is a placidity 

 and frankness in the Hollanders which at once 

 gain the good will of the traveller, on his first 

 appearance amongst them. The uniformity of 

 their country, and the even tenor of their 

 tempers, appear as though the one had been 

 made for the other. You may walk the streets 

 of Rotterdam from light to dark without en- 

 countering any thing in the shape of mockery 

 or of rudeness. I could see nobody pressing 

 forward with a hurried pace up the street, as 

 though the town were on fire behind him ; nor a 

 single soul whose haughty looks would give me 

 to understand that I must keep at a respectful 

 distance from him. No bird ever preened its 

 plumage with more assiduity than the house- 

 maid in Holland removes every particle of dust 

 and dirt from the facade of her neat and pretty 

 dwelling. It seemed to me that she was at 

 work with her water-pail and broom from the 

 beginning of the week till late on Saturday 

 night. 



Had the sun shone with sufficient warmth 

 and brightness, I could have fancied myself in 



b 



