385 



early tide, fo <ns to reach the old town of 

 Amfterdam before breakfaft. — We accordingly 

 arrived at feven, in time to take coffee with 

 Mynheer — le vieu fifcal, with whom we 

 afterwards fhared a more folid breakfaft a la 

 Hollandoife. Our vifit was divided between 

 the fifcal^ and the do St or ^ (M. Scholten,) both 

 of whom received us with great urbanity, 

 and invited us to prolong our ftay at the old 

 town. 



The fifcal is 61 years of age, and al- 

 though his youthful days are pad, he is {till 

 active and alert. He walked with us to M. 

 Scholten's, and the different parts of the town, 

 during the morning, and was very attentive 

 and facetious, meaning to be good company — 

 but fadly fatigued us with an inceffant flow 

 of fenile garrulity. He knew but little French, 

 and although more fluent in Latin, it was 

 neither claffical, nor always intelligible. At 

 dinner he took his glafs rather freely, as we 

 afterwards learned was his too common cuf- 

 tom. He now became officious and trouble- 

 fome in his attentions, and at length grew un- 

 pleafant and querulous. He profefljsd a high, 



VQ&» II, C G 



