Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
138 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND.
refpectable of all the Dutch towns. We faw here a number of curiofities, and among
others, a hippopotamus or fea-cow, which had been brought from India. In the anato-
mical mufeum they fhow a quantity of preparations, fo numerous, that a catalogue of
them would be fufiicient to filla large volume.
From Leyden we travelled to Amfterdam and faw Haarlem on the road, where we
obferved a large church: we arrived at Amfterdam in the evening. This city of cities,
fo renowned throughout the whole univerfe, may well be confidered a matter-piece.
‘The houfes are magnificent, the ftreets fpacious, and the canals extremely large, with
their banks fringed with trees,. which mixing their verdure with the various colours
with which the houfes are painted, form one of the moft delightful. fcenes in the world,
The city appears double. One can fee it in the water, and the refleCtion of the
palaces in the canals renders this place a charming refidence. The town-houfe.is
fituated on the dam; this ftru€ture might have been reckoned one of the fineft in
Europe, if the architect had not been deficient in the plan, and had made fome diftin@ion
betwixt the windows and the entrance, which it is neceflary to look for on all fides,
and often to enquire for. We afcended the ftairs of the building, where we faw a
magazine of arms, anda very fine chime of bells. From the fpire, we obferved
Utrecht, which was the place that bounded the conquelt of the King. The houfe of
correction is one of the moft ufeful eftablifhments I know, it contains all the females
of infamous character, who are fhut up in it, for a certain time, and obliged to work.
Perhaps there is no town in the world, Paris excepted, where there is fo much de-
bauchery, as in Amfterdam. However, there is this difference between them, that
in this city, there are certain diftricts, where bawds refide, and maintain, in their
houfes, a certain number of girls. The’gentleman is fhown into a chamber, which
has a communication with a number of fmall ones, of which he pays for the entrance.
The portrait, and the price of the lady which the chamber contains, are fixed above the
door ; the choice is left to the gentleman ; but the lady will not venture out till the
price is paid, and if the portrait has flattered, fo much the worfe for him.
The work-houfe is another receptacle for vicious perfons and children, whofe
parents have been unable to reclaim them, where they are employed to grind cinna-
mon. ‘There is in the great church of Amfterdam a chain of immenfe value, on ac-
count of the excellence of its workmanfhip. At Amfterdam, and throughout Hol-
land, all kinds of religions, except the Catholic are tolerated ; this exception is an
example of their good policy, as they are convinced, that if ever the Catholics ace
quired power, it would be a great check to their liberty, and might prove its deftruc-
tion. One fees here, Lutherans, Calvinifts, Armenians, Neftorians, Anabaptifts,
and Jews, who are more powerful in this place, than in any other country: Their
fynagogue here is infinitely fuperior to that of Venice. The India houfe, which is
without the city, fhows clearly, that it belongs to the richeft merchants in Europe.
They were building here avery fine fhip, which was to fail for India in a month.
We went to fee their fhips of war, which had no very refpectable appearance, and 1 did
not diltinguifh one, which was equal in beauty to our own. ‘They difapprove of
quarter-galleries, which are frequent with us, and fuppofe that they obftruct the fhip’s
motion, but this addition, fo far from being any diladvantage, is, I find, extremely
ufeful to the officers, and ornamental to the veflel. At Amfterdam, we lodged at
Chellier’s, at the Place Royale, in Kalverftraat.. We knew M. de Refwic, who is
defcended of one of the firft families in Holland, and who in the late wars, expended
large fums of money. He fhewed Mifs Hornia, his miftrefs, heirefS to a very fine
fortune, and, like him, a Catholic. We faw them together at the opera, at the re-.
I prefentation
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
