SPANIARDS. 
DUTCHMEN. 
191 
Inhabitants of Spain. 
The Spaniards want neither inclination nor capacity for the 
sciences, but have hardly any opportunity of ac<|uiring any true learn- 
ing or knowledge, at least in their schools and universities. They are 
admired for their secrecy, constancy, gravity, patience in adversity, 
and loyalty. They are also said to be true to their word, great 
enemies to lying, and so nice and jealous in point of honour, that 
they will stick at nothing to wipe off any stain that is cast upon it. 
Among their vices and defects are reckoned their pride, and contempt 
of foreigners, their indolence, laziness, lust, bigotry, and credulity in 
believing the feigned miracles and legends of their monks. They are 
also extremely passionate, jealous, and vindictive, and are noted, 
above any other European nation, for despising and neglecting agri- 
culture, arts, and manufactures. 
Manners and Character of the' Dutch. 
The Dutch boors or husbandmen are very industrious, but heavy 
and slow of understanding. The seamen are a plain, blunt, but rough, 
surly, and ill-mannered sort of people. Their tradesmen are some- 
thing sharper, and make use of all their skill to take advantage of 
those they deal with. Every class of men is extremely frugal. All 
appetites and passions run lower and cooler than in other countries, 
avarice excepted. Quarrels are very rare, revenge is seldom heard 
of, and jealousy scarcely ever known. It is very uncommon for any 
of the men to be really in love, or even to pretend to it ; nor do the 
women seem to care whether they are or not. People converse pretty 
much upon a level here, nor is it easy to distinguish the man from 
the master, orthe maid from the mistress ; such liberties do they allow 
their servants, or rather are obliged to allow them, for they may 
not be struck or corrected, but the dispute must be referred to the 
magistrate. 
The Dutch are tall and strong built, but both men and women have 
the grossest shapes that are to be met with any where. Their garb, 
except among the officers of the army and some few others, is exceed- 
ingly plain, and the fashions change as seldom as in Spain. The men 
are addicted to drinking, which some think necessary to this foggy 
air, both for their health, and the impovement of their understanding. 
Among their diversions, that of skating in winter is one of the chief. 
It is amazing to see the crowds in a hard frost upon the ice, and their 
dexterity in skating ; both men and women darting along with incon- 
ceivable velocity. The Dutch are remarkable for their cleanliness ; 
nothing can exceed the neatness of their houses, towns, and 
villages. Many of them have distinguished themselves by their 
learning, and some even by their wit and ingenuity ; witness Eras- 
mus, Grotius, &c. The Dutch excel also in painting and engraving, 
particularly the former ; and some of them have been no contemptible 
statuaries. 
