HOLLAND is a Country so near and so well known to yours , that I should , perhaps , have said nothing of it , had not your express Commands obliged me to it ; in compliance therefore with your desires , I will endeavour to give you an Idea of this rare Country , with a particular Account of the Cities I saw there . As to the rest , Holland hath so many particulars worth your Observation and View , that I think it impossible you should decline making a Voyage thither : The Passage over is but short , and you will have a thousand opportunities to render it convenient . But being persuaded , that you will not fail , one day , to satisfie so reasonable a Curiosity , I shall not entertain you so largely as I might , with an account of those charming Provinces , wherein I have formerly , for a long time , sojourned .

We observed , from our Vessel , as we approach'd these Coasts , that the nearer we came , we perceived the tops of the Trees , and the summits of the Steeples , as if they issued out of a Land sunk under Water . In short , Holland is universally flat and low , like one continued Meadow . 'T is cut into Canals , and large Ditches , to receive and drain the Waters , which otherwise would soak the Lands like drunken Tosts ; there are but few Places that can be Cultivated . A Country like this is not naturally Habitable ; yet , Industry , constant Labour , and the Love of Profit , have brought it into such a State , that there is not in the World , one so Rich , and so well Peopled , proportionably to its extent * * Pufendorf . Others pretend that the Seven Provinces together do not contain more than Two Millions of Inhabitants . It is difficult for a private Person to learn the certainty of those kind of things . See Vossius . : Some do not stick to averr , that this little Province alone , includes more than Two Millions and Five Hundred Thousand Souls .

The Cities are as it were † † The Vnited Provinces have one City of the first Rank , viz. Amsterdam . Above twenty of the second Rank , which may compare with the great Cities of France , after Paris . More than Thirty of the third , which equal Parma and Modena . Above two hundred great Towns , and more than eight hundred Villages . G. L. link'd together , and we may say that they are all of a sparkling Beauty . The more we consider them , the more agreeable we find them . * * There is no less curiosity and neatness in their Ships than in their Houses . This Cleanliness extends throughout : You may find it in the Stables , where the Cows Tales are tied up with a little Cord to the Roof , least they should defile themselves . They wash all , and scowre all the Walls , Moveables , and Vtensils of Houshold-stuff . Great care is taken to keep their Houses neat and fine , both within and without , they Wash them , and Paint the very Bricks over , from time to time ; so that they always look new . The Doors and the Cross-bars are commonly revested with hewn Stone or Marble ; the inside of the Shops , and lower Rooms , even with the common Tradesmen , are also commonly lined with square Tiles . The Glass-Windows all shine like Chrystal ; every Window hath its Shutters , which are commonly painted red or green , and make altogether a mixture most pleasant to the sight .

The Streets are so clean , that the Women walk abroad in Slippers all the Year . The Canals every where are adorned with two rows of Trees , which make a delightful Shade , and a delicate Walk on each side the Streets . You have here almost a general Idea not only of the Cities , but also of the Towns and Villages , for the same Order and Neatness is to be seen throughout .

The most usual way of Travelling , is by the Canals , and nothing is so convenient . The Boats are drawn by Horses , and they go off at set hours . You are therein conveniently seated , against Storms of Rain or Wind : So that you change the Country , without knowing almost that you are out of the House . When the Canals are Frozen , the Skates and the Sledges — are instead of the Boats ; and this new way of Travelling is a second Pleasure . Those who slide skilfully on Skates will out-run the Post-Horses , some will undertake to go a League in ten Minutes . Thus you see how commodious their Canals are , but this is not all the convenience they receive , by the drain of their Waters ; they are also useful for Traffick , and transport of Goods as well as Men. The Earth which they take out , raises the Banks , and makes the ways more fit for Foot-Men ; they serve both for Enclosure and Ornament . In some Places they have plenty of Fish .

Abundance of things are naturally wanting in Holland : But Foreign Countries plentifully supply them with Corn , as well as Wines and all other Necessaries for Life . All the World knows how far their Trade extends : And it may well be said , that as it in part gave the original Strength to the State , so it is still its principal or only support . Every Man in Holland is a kind of Amphibious Creature , equally accustomed both to Sea and Land . I remember I have read it in a good Author : That this sole Province hath more † † The number of Vessels in the common Opinion is esteemed so great , that it is thought to equal all the rest of Europe together . Card. Bentivoglio . Pufendorf saith the same , and others have writ that the Vnited Provinces have as many Ships as Houses . I cannot think any Person hath exactly Calculated them , every one speaks as he imagines , or hath heard , so that little heed is to be given to Discourses of this nature . Shipping than all the rest of Europe .

It is true , that if on one side the Sea is the cause of all the Riches of Holland , it must also be confessed , that it hath sometimes caused terrible Damages . It is stopped with Banks of Earth , which we call Dams , and all care imaginable is taken to maintain them . They have Mills to empty the Water , and use all imaginable Industry to prevent Mischief , or to remedy it when it hath happened . Yet some places of these Banks are often broken , and the rolling of the Waves makes most furious Ravages . So that as to the * * On the 17th of April , 1420. one hundred thousand People were drowned at Dort , or thereabouts . There were fifteen Parishes drowned . Seb. Munster . The Sea carried away 121 Houses of the Villages of Scheveling , and 1574. ( S. Parival ) at this day the Church is near the Sea , whereas formerly it was in the midst of the Village . Sea , they may well use the Device of a Torch Reversed . That which feeds me kills me . This , Sir , is the fatal Mischief of Holland , a strange inconveniency , of which all that can be said is , That they labour to help it as much as they can ; but can never restore the drowned Cities , nor the lives of many Millions of Men who have , from time to time , perished by these Deluges .

It is not without some regret that I disturb your former and more pleasing Idea's ; but I fansie that to apprehend things well , we must know both what 's for , and what 's against them . Nor is this the only defect . For the Air is no where very good . Sometimes in the fairest Weather it suddenly becomes Cold , and this inequality admits of no great difference between the Summer and Winter Cloaths . † † The Gabel of Salt is the least considerable ; Salt costs but two Pence or three Pence the Pound , of sixteen Ounces . The greatest Imports are on Wine , Beer , and Corn. The Impositions are great , which partly cause the dearness of Victuals : But the People of this Country who are born under the Yoak , and whom their great Trade hath made live at ease , scarce think of it . I confess I should not long admire those continued Meadows of which Holland is composed : They seem very fine for a few hours , but one grows weary of their perpetual uniformity . And I am perswaded the variety of your Province of Kent , must be far more grateful .

We were at the same time surpris'd and charm'd at the first thing which we observ'd at our arrival at Rotterdam . This City having this singular Qualification , that many of its Canals are broad and deep enough to receive the greatest Vessels , nothing can compare with the effect produced by the extraordinary mixture of Chimnies , tops of Trees , and Streamers of Vessels . One is astonished at the Port to behold so rare a confusion , as is that of the tops of the Houses and Trees , and Penons of the Masts , one cannot tell whether it be a Fleet , a City , or a Forest , at least one sees a thing seldom heard of , a Convention of those three things , the Sea , the City , and the Campagne .

ROTTERDAM . Rotterdam is not accounted as one of the Principal Cities of the Province , because it hath not been always in such a flourishing condition as we see it at this day ; but without doubt it ought to be the second of the first Rank , whereas now it is but the first of the second . It s Port is most commodious and fair , and is always fill'd and encompass'd with Shipping , and its Trade increases daily . It is very large , well Peopled , rich and pleasant , and hath the neatness I have represented ; the situation is flat , as you are to suppose of the rest of the Cities .

The Magazines for the equipping of Ships . The Town-house , aad that of the Bank , are all most stately Structures . When you come into the Glass-house , you see them at work on little enamell'd Bowls , and I know not how many Children's Baubles , with which they drive a great Trade amongst the Savages . Also near this you have the curious Works in Paper of the Sieur Van Uliet , as Ships , Palaces , and whole Landskips in Basso relievo , all as they say done and made out with the point of a Pen-knife .

There are at present two French Churches at Rotterdam ; which the Magistrates take care particularly to see furnished with Ministers of exemplary Merit . It is certain , that this City is become famous for its Learned Men , as well as by its Trade and Beauty . It is this which bestowed on us , the Novels of the Republick of Learning , a work so accepted and esteemed : I might even say , a Work which is ready to be lamented , since the Indisposition of the Author gives us reason to fear ; he will be no more able to apply himself to so painful an undertaking ; I am informed that Mr. Basnage de Beauval intends the continuation . He is indowed with a great deal of Learning , an extraordinary Wit , and all the sharpness which can be thought necessary for the well-ordering such a Work .

Erasmus was born in Rotterdam , Octob. 27. 1467. he died at Basil , June 12. 1536. They erected a Statue of Wood , An. 1540. one of Stone , Anno 1557. and at last that of Brass , which is seen this day , Anno 1622. The brazen Statue of Erasmus is in the Place called the great Bridge . This Statue is on a Pedestal of Marble , encompassed with Rails of Iron . Erasmus is in a Doctors Habit , with a Book in his Hand . Hard by you may see the House in which he was born , it is a very little one , having this Distich wrote on the door .

Being for some Reasons induced to visit a Village called Leckerkeck , three Leagues distant from hence , upon the River Leck , I will impart to you three or four curious things which I observed there .

The Lord of the Place told us , That the Salmon Fishing , the fifth part whereof only belongs to him , yielded him formerly twenty thousand Francs per annum , and oft-times more . And that the Salmon having left it by degrees , that Revenue is so strangely diminish'd , that it scarcely defrays the Charge of the Fishery in many Years , so that he had given it over , only lying under a necessity to maintain the Right . Formerly also the Salmon spawned before Dordretcht in such multitudes that the Maid-Servants of that City , made their Bargains not to be compelled to eat it above twice in the Week , but at present they are rid of that trouble .

We went to see a Country Woman there , who last Year was brought to Bed of Six Sons , there were four of them Baptized , the Eldest of which lived four Months .

A Maid of the same Village carried a Musquet Seven Years , without being discovered what she was . She went always by the name de la Bonto , which Name she was Mustered by , and at present she is a Maid-Servant in the House of the Lord of that Place .

Some Years since died in this place , Gueret Bastiense , a Fisherman , who was eight Foot high , and weighed 500 Weight , though he was very lean . We were in his House , the Doors whereof are very high , where they showed us many of his Cloaths and Things .

The Post hour obliges me here to finish this Letter ; be perswaded , Sir , that I will omit nothing which I believe proper for your satisfaction . And if Time shall not permit me to particularize many things , assure your self my accounts shall be without Partiality , after I have got an exact Information . I am ,