juftice, and no more than justice, to the performers, let me dare to extend the principle of equity to the audiences of Holland, from whofe hearts, as it were by the common confent of nations, pity, paffion, and every capacity of fympathy has been excluded; other countries proudly and felfifhly deeming them heavy as their atmofphere, and torpid as their lakes. This imputed apathy has paffed into a proverb, infomuch that when any remarkable ftupor attaches to a man's character in any other country, he is pronounced, by way of ftigma, as dull as a Dutchman. That there is a general appearance, and that there may be a general languor and lethargy in this people, till ftrongly excited, is certain; but when the proper objects of the powerful emotions are called forth either by real or fancied events, I have never seen in any country, heads or hearts more replete with found fenfe or good feeling; nor did there ever fit, at the theatrick phenomena of the stage Mrs. Siddons, Mr. Garrick, or Monfieur Le Kain-an auditory who feemed to have a better fenfe of what was fublime, or a finer touch of what was beautiful, than the audiences of Amfterdam and the Hague, whenever I have been a fpectator. In truth, the Dutch have, on the fcore of infenfibility been fo much. the the derifion of other nations; that they may very fairly apply the words of Shakespeare's celebrated Jew, and say to infulting foreigners, “Hath not "a Dutchman eyes? Hath not a Dutchman hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? Fed with the fame food? Hurt with "the fame weapons, fubject to the fame difeafes, "healed by the fame means, warmed and cooled "by the fame winter and fummer as an Englishman, Frenchman, or Spaniard is? If you prick “him, does he not bleed? If you tickle him, "does he not laugh? If you poison him, does he "not die ?" And in good truth, when we perceive how very little the fpirit of candour influences one nation in its judgment of another, we may farther justify the Venetian merchant in his exclamation O Father Abraham, what thefe Chriftians are!" fince a very fmall proportion of Chriftian charity would lead us to fuppofe "There may be fome virtue "Ev'n amongst Saracens." What apology, then, fhall be found for men of travel, who not only bring over with them, but take back the narroweft prejudices against every other other people? None can be offered; and we can only avoid cenfure by filence-a fufficient proof you will allow, that I have not recommended candour without feeling its benign influence. Adieu. LETTER XXXVI. TO THE SAME. THE Prince, Princess, and whole House of Orange always attend the theatre, but without any pomp, and altogether as republicans. Indeed the fombrous afpect of the play-house, from that almost universal complaint, want of light, gives them to the audience only in fhadow: there is literally but half a pound of candles to illume the royal box, and amidst this darkness vifible, they fit fo much incog. as fcarcely to be distinguishable from the chairs they fit on. Two maids of honour, and two pages form their play-house fuite, and they make their exits and their entrances with very few marks of affent or difapprobation. Round the body of the house are hung about a dozen reflecting lamps, which emit rather a glare than a pleafant light. The ftage itself, however, is fufficiently luminous, which is certainly of the moft most consequence to that part of the audience who come to fee; and I only mention it as a defect, as it obfcures thofe who come to be feen. And Holland is by no means without its votaries who wish to be admired; yea, and can boaft its coquettes of both fexes. Not that these make the theatre a frequent fcene of their vifitation.-It is rather facred to a tête-à-tête than a publick exhibition, though it is more ufually the refort of people who go fimply to be amufed. Juft while f have opportunity, let me refcue the characters of the Dutch beaux,-I will affure you" fuch things "are" from the want of what would be looked upon in the city of Amfterdam as at London, an unpardonable deficiency. Know then there are many fair ladies* entreteniar'd in a very high style of magnificence. Many young Hollanders, yea and old ones too, are fashionable enough to have and to take care it fhould be known that they have a female of as great expence as beauty in their train, and all commercant as they are, contrive to ftrike a bargain between bufinefs and pleasure, erecting a temple as well to Venus as to Plutus. Some there are who, contented with the reputation of keeping the mistress, and the eclat of divorcing the wife, never vifit the former but in publick by way of exhibition; and though by habit or paffion • The French fashion word for keeping. attached |