LETTER XLV.

TO THE SAME.

Leyden.

AMONGST the pleafant events of

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my Dutch excurfion, is to be enumerated my meeting with a friend, whofe focial manners, and intellectual qualities, without taking his profeffional fkill into the account, though to that I am indebted for the preservation of my health, would have made me quit the scene of our rencontre with regret, had it been even in Siberia, if the feparation had not been folaced by the hope of, again, meeting in England. To this accomplished man, who, you know, has, fince his ftudies, and tra vels, were finished, "bettered this report," to his, own honour, I am indebted for fome valuable hints, refpecting the Leyden university. They will be found in the clofe of this letter, but I will first glean his remarks, on the Dutch, in general; therein, fairly, giving you both fides

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Dr. Pinckard, of Great Ruffel-Street, Bloomsbury

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of the picture; for our features of the country, and people, are not exactly alike.

"Your laudable attempt to rescue the amphibia of this aqueous region, from the charge of inhofpitality," faid the Doctor, after having read my account, "will, at all events, be a novelty. In the execution of it, you will, furely, fall under no fufpicion of plagiarism. The intent is praife-worthy, "and in perfect unifon with your charitable "mind. Prejudice, I am ready to allow, is a "fad bane; and its operation, on the minds "of English tourists, but too general: yet, "there are, I would hope, among our country

men, fome who have removed this moth "from their eyes. Thefe, however, ftill join "the throng in one common opinion of this "race of aquatics." I admitted the opinion; but not its validity, unlefs with very large exceptions.

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"For my own part, although not yet enough "a citizen of the world, to think any other country equal to our happy ifle," continued my friend," nor fo much a stay-at-home trar veller, as to build my faith, wholly, on the reports of hafty journalists; yet I cannot but

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"confefs, after a long refidence among them, "that I have felt myself inclined to enlift with "the multitude, refpecting this prominent ་ feature, in the character of the Dutch people.

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Many instances could I relate to you, that "have come within my own observation, which "would militate, ftrongly, against the defence

your benevolence induces you to plead in "their behalf. On the other hand, it were "but just to acknowledge that I have experi"enced fome fignal marks of hofpitality in "these provinces: but I fear you will, inflexibly, class me among the stay-at-home-the prejudiced-the ill-humoured part of our countrymen, when I tell you, that it has, only, been in fuch English families, whose na"ture has not changed with their change of "abode." "You have been out of luck, my lear Doctor," faid I. "And you," answered he, "have, furely, been peculiarly happy, in "the foeiety you have found, fince your arrival "here, that the excellent fruit, which others "have fought in vain, should seem to present "itself, to you, as the common harveft of the "country." Not as the harvest, but very good pickings, indeed, for a Gleaner, Doctor.

"Some,

"Some, I fear, still firm in their faith, may "be uncharitable enough to fufpect," refumed he, "that the kind Mynbeers, and their Vrowes, "with whom you affociate, had received pri"vate intimation, that so able, and benevolent, "an advocate had journied hither to glean "them. Others, alike adhering to their former

opinion, fpeculating on the title of your in"tended work, will, perhaps, contend that the "numerous clafs, who have preceded you, "have brought to market the real crop of the country; whilst a Gleaner, alone, from bending, and looking nearer to the foil, and re

maining, from the very nature of his labours, longer upon it, hath been enabled to collect "the few blades of hofpitality, fo thinly fcat"tered over the land-and which, having

picked up, you, fo joyfully, bind in your " valuable fheaves."

I fmiled, bowed, and fuffered my ingenious friend to proceed.

"A friend of mine, who has spent more time " in Holland than has yet fallen to the lot, either "of you, or myself, has, fometimes, said to me, " he could almoft imagine, that, like their ha"bits, the language of the Dutch did not admit

"of any term fynonimous to, what is generally "understood by, the English word hofpitality; "and this being the only part of your work "I cannot fubfcribe to, I may confefs to you, "that from the general want of candour and

liberality in their dealings, and the repeated "inftances of penury and avarice, which I "have witneffed, fince the time of my becoming a refident among them, I have, "more than once, been half inclined to think "fo too..

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"At the metropolis, of these states, you will "find a certain portion of the city appropriated "to " to the refidence of the Jews. This part is "called the Jew's quarter of Amfterdam. Were "we to judge from their usual dealings, and "mode of traffick, with equal propriety might "we term the whole country of the Hol

landers, the Jewish quarter of Europe. Even you, I fear, friendly as you are disposed to"wards them, cannot but acknowledge, that,

to deal with a Dutchman, it behoves every "one, to confider himself encountering a Jew, «who will, not only, contend as obftinately for "the last doight, as old Shylock for the pound " of flesh, but who will, certainly, impose, if poffible, and take every unfair advantage."

Juft