berty and religion, that it was reared by industry and œconomy, and has flourished by its commerce and fituation. The bigotted maxims of Philip the Second, the introduction of the inquifition, and the erecting fourteen new bishopricks in the Low Countries; the unrelenting rigour of Cardinal Granville, and the fucceeding cruelty of the Duke of Alva, together with the council of twelve, called the Council of Blood, and the execution of Counts Egmont and Horn, were the causes which drove the people to throw off the yoke, and gave rife to the union of Utrecht. Perfevering valour, joined to the political affiftance of other powers, has been the means of preferving their independence, while the decline of the Venetian navy has made them the common carriers of Europe, and the wars of Flanders, and fituation of Holland, have confpired to render it what it now is.The Dutch, likewife, by the fuccefs of their arms against the Portuguese in India, and by their treaties with the natives, in process of time, drew the whole trade of India from Lifbon, which was before the ftaple of the trade. to the east.

Holland, moreover, is most admirably fitutated for the commerce of the Baltic, which includes

Norway,

--

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Ruffia, Poland, and the North coast of Germany, while they fend merchandise into the interior parts of the empire, and Auftrian Netherlands, by thofe watery mines of wealth, to them, the Maes, the Rhine, and the Scheld. Thus you perceive the greatness, and much of the vigour, of this country has arifen from a wonderful concurrence of favourable circumftances — from a long courfe of time-from the confluence of ftrangers, driven either by perfecution, or invited by the credit of their government-from the cheapness of carriage, by medium of their canals from the low intereft of money, and dearnefs of land, which confequently turn fpecie into trade-from particular traffic carried on at particular places, each town valuing itself for fome branch of trade: as for inftance-Delft for the Dutch porcelain, Sardam for fhip-building, Rotterdam for the Scotch and English trade; Amfterdam for that of the Straits, Spain, and the Eaft-Indies; and the whole province for the herring fishery. They are alfo indebted much to their intenfe application to their navy, to the vast nurseries, for their failors, and to their oriental acquifitions. Such are the circumstances that have confpired

¥3

confpired to make this little Republic the admiration of the world.

When I next write to you, we will refume our sketches of the ancient inhabitants, the founders and forefathers of this fingular country: particularly in their exercises, cuftoms, dreffes, and habitations, in all which we shall discover a much stronger refemblance to our own progenitors, than all our good countrymen may be difpofed to allow. Affuredly, my worthy compatriots ought to be the most grateful people to the Great Fountain of all good things of any upon the face of the earth, for the ftay-at-home part of them, which is always the majority, cannot be perfuaded that he has imparted the light of his countenance, or fed with his replenishing hand, any of their fellow-creatures, in a nearly equal degree. The happy island they inhabit has alone, they fuppofe, enjoyed his favour; and to tell them that there are in any other parts of the universe, as bright a fky, as generous a foil, wholesome laws, as beauteous prospects, hearts as brave, hands as ingenious, or heads as wife, would be confidered as amongst thofe liberties, which travellers, like poets, are allowed to take with truth.

I must

I must own the inflammable parts of my nature are apt to take fire, when I hear my friend John Bull thus drefs out for univerfal admiration and homage his idol, Old England, and applying a verfe of Pope, I cannot but afk

"Has God, thou fool! work'd folely for thy good? And I am convinced, my friend, amongst the beft advantages of travel, fhould be reckoned its enabling us to "vindicate the ways of God," by first discovering and then describing the impartiality of his beneficence, not only as to his creatures, but as to the climates appointed for their refidence; and thus proving that he is, "an equal God, the God of all."

ADIEU.

VOL. I.

Y 4

LETTER

LETTER XXIII.

量

TO THE SAME.

YOU justly charge me with a digreffion in my last letter, and at the fame time honourably acquit me. In giving you the history of the prefent flourishing state of the commerce, and its caufes, I have a little anticipated that part of my information, which fhould have been gleaned afterwards: but the obfervations appeared appofite to the place where they are introduced, and I think none of their effects can be loft by your being in poffeffion of them a few pages fooner.

Let us now take up the tangled thread of the early history of the Batavians. Originally Germans, they partook their customs, manners, and language, frequently their names, and commonly their interefts. They were as Yoric would fay of them, "of the first order of fizes," their limbs muscular, their fhoulders broad, their eyes blue; yet their countenances fierce better able to endure the rigours of cold, than the languors of heat; penury than

care;