which is extremely clean, well fashed, and cufhioned, is provided with a table, lookingglafs, and every other convenience:-if you wish to take wine, you are fupplied with gob. lets and glaffes--if tea or coffee, the cups, 'faucers, and warm water, like Edwy's Fairy Banquet,

"Come with a wish,

"And with a with retire."

This, without all doubt, is, in Summer, the most agreeable method of making the tour of the Provinces, as it not only affords you an opportunity of furveying the most beautiful villas, gardens, and pleafure-grounds, (most of these being near the banks of the canals) as, likewife of the voluptuous paftures, and of the fine herds that graze on them; but of staying any number of hours, or days, you choose in the towns, cities, or villages, that most please you, with the advantage of quitting one refting-spot for another almoft every hour of the day.

At entering each town of destination, your luggage is committed to the care of one of the porter men or women, for the inn, if you defire to stop to the Commiffary, fhould it be your

defire to proceed-and the boat-mmsters have contrived, that foon. after your arrival at one place, a fchuyt is ready to fet off for another; fo that you are never detained by any wheedling landlord, unless at your own option! In a word, the paffage boats here form a chain, of which each schuyt is a link, by whofe connexion with the reft, you make, with as little trouble as poffible, the circuit of the Provinces.

At Delft, for inftance, where I will now fuppofe you landed, there are fchuyts, which carry you to Rotterdam, by one canal; to the Hague, by another. That to Rotterdam fets off every hour in the Summer, nearly from funrife, till long after funfetting; and in Winter from eight in the morning to feven o'clock. at night; in the roof, the price is eight ftivers; in the other part five;-boxes and trunks, nearly as much as yourself. If your deftination be the Hague, there is a barque goes every half hour in the Summer, and its starting is announced here, as elsewhere, by the tingling of a bell line to aw

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Should your route be Amfterdam, and ལས་

you

prefer going, at once, by water, you will find at Delft, a barque that goes every day at three

in the afternoon, during the Summer; and arrives at half paft fix the next morning. In winter-January and February, at least they fet off only three times in the week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; returning also, on the fame days from Amfterdam. These barques are very commodious; take large freights of goods for the tradesmen; have an excellent cabin, in which are good beds, where you fleep as in your own chamber; and the expence is only three guilders three ftivers each perfon. If you take the whole roof, which accommodates fix perfons and fix beds, fifteen guilders must be paid, and fifteen stivers; but, if the captain is not excluded, the price is only twelve guilders twelve ftivers; fome thing more than the usual charge of à guinea. Chongs

Taking with you-a basket of provision, and

a bottle or two of wine, this is an excellent way of getting to the capital of Holland, if you can reconcile yourself to paffing by night, fome of the intermediate ornaments and labours of the country. You fave, however, the trouble of paffing from fchuyt to fchuyt, and shifting luggage, as by Leyden, Haerlem, &c. but then again, you miss the furvey of those beautiful towns, unless you take them on your return.

VOL. II.

D

Thus,

Thus, gentle traveller, having conducted you to Delft, which is a centrical point in the feven Provinces, I might confider the dues of urbanity and compatriotifm fairly performed, and leave you to yourfelf, wifhing, that whatever be your tract, fatisfaction may be the refult. But before we part, I have other services to render you: the first of which shall be to fet you right, with respect to the money of the country; a tafk which has not yet been accurately performed.

This, however, must be the object of another letter. The prefent has carried you over fo many difficulties, I think you will readily allow me a refpite; and, poffibly, if you really happen to have encountered them on the day you peruse this advice, you may be glad of a little repofe yourself: for of all kinds of fatigue, that which is attendant on the eager purfuit of pleasure, wearies us the moft.

LETTER

LETTER XXIX.

TO THE SAME.

IN the description of the different monies used in the United States, I propose as nearly as poffible, to give you an estimate of their value in English currency.

SILVER COINS.

A Doyt: Is about half a farthing.

A Stiver. Something more than a penny at par. For instance, twelve ftivers are equal to a fhilling: at many placés, however, they will not give more than ten ftivers for a fhilling: therefore, the less a perfon brings of filver coin from England the better. A ftiver, is a little piece of the fize of a filver penny; but is

of bafe metal.

Dubbeltje. This filver coin, of the same metal, is exactly double the value, and is extremely handy in small change. I, therefore, recommend the traveller to get about five fhillings

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