there are others of great excellence, as (324.), a Landscape, with a white Horse.-Teniers: (280.) Temptation of St. Anthony.-(278.) A Peasant drinking and smoking. Ferdinand Bol: (33.) Portrait of Admiral de Ruiter.- Miereveld: (173, 175.) Portraits of William I. and Maurice, Princes of Orange.-A. Van der Venne: (296.) Portrait of William I., taken after his death.-Lievens: (160.) Portrait of Vondel, the Poet.- Terburg: (281.) A Lady in White Satin talking with a lady and gentleman. Her back only is seen, but the whole attitude shows that she is struggling with her feelings. (See Kugler, § LV. 5.)(282.) The Ministers at the Congress of Munster.- Hondekoeter: (112, 113. 115, 116.) Several pictures of fowls, game, rare birds, &c., unequalled in their class probably in the world. One of the most remarkable is that known as "the Floating Feather" (119.), in which a Pelican is introduced with Ducks swimming. Van Huysum : (129, 130.) Fruit and Flower pieces. Weenix: (307. 309.) Dead Game. Snyders: (262, 263.) Dead Wildfowl. All perfect specimens of these various artists.-Gaspar Crayer: (54.) The Adoration of the Shepherds. (55.) A Descent from the Cross. Cuyp (59.) and Both: (35, 36.) Some admirable landscapes. Jan Steen is perhaps nowhere seen to greater advantage.―(269.) A Baker at a Window, and a Boy blowing a Horn to let the neighbours know that the Rolls are ready. (270.) A Village Quack.(266.) The Fête of St. Nicholas, an occasion when the Dutch every year make presents of bonbons to their children who behave well, while the naughty ones are left without any thing, or receive a whipping. story is admirably told in this picture, which is a chef-d'œuvre of the master.

The

The Museum also contains one of the most remarkable collections of prints in Europe, particularly rich in the Dutch and Flemish masters, formed by Mr. Van Leyden, and purchased by Louis Buonaparte, K. of Holland It occupies 200 portfolios.

In the Spin-house, or prison for female offenders, in the Nieuwe Prinsen Gracht, are several pictures and portraits of directors of the establishment, by Rubens and Vandyk, exceedingly fine, and well worth notice.

There are several first-rate Private Collections of pictures in Amsterdam : that belonging to M. Six (Heerengracht, bij de Vijzelstraat, No. 4005.) contains Rembrand's portrait of the Burgomaster Six, painted with great power and effect; and of Madame Six, a wonderful picture.-G. Dou, A Girl with a Birdcage, exquisitely finished. -Metzu, A Fishwife.. Cuyp, Sunny Landscape, ships and water; —an a moonlight view.-V. der Neer, Moonlight.- Hobbema, Landscape. dael, Ditto.- Wynants, Ditto. Potter, Cattle; good. - Jan Steen, A Jewish Marriage. Weenix, Dead Game. These were painted for the places on the walls which they occupy, and hang in their original black frames.

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The cabinet of M. van der Hoop (Keizersgracht, bij het Molenpad, No. 5934.) is also first-rate; it is most tastefully arranged in his elegant mansion. He has an excellent Landscape by H. Vandevelde, with figures of the painter and his family; and one of the finest Ostades known, from the cabinet of the Duchesse de Berry. The gallery of Mr. van Loon contains first-rate pictures of the Dutch school; and that of Mr. van Brienen many fine specimens of it. These two galleries may perhaps be seen by applying, by letter, to the owners, or, in their absence, through Mr. J. de Vries, a broker in works of art.

Amsterdam is remarkable for the number and extensive bounty of the Charitable Institutions which it supports, for the most part, by voluntary contributions of its benevolent citizens. It is recorded, that when some one in conversation with Charles II. prognosticated speedy ruin to the city from the meditated attack of Louis XIV.'s armies, Charles, who was well acquainted with the country from a long residence in it, replied, "I am of opinion that Providence will preserve Am

sterdam, if it were only for the great charity they have for their poor." This city alone, it is said, numbers no fewer than 23 institutions of benevolence, including hospitals for the reception of the aged and infirm, the insane, orphans and widows, foundlings, &c., some of them attached to the churches of peculiar religions, others open to all sects, without distinction. At one time more than 20,000 poor people received their daily bread and board from charity.

Some of the almshouses, such, for instance, as the hospital for Protestant old men and women, on the Amstel, look more like princes' palaces than lodgings for poor people. The Burgher Orphan Asylum receives 7 or 800 children, boys and girls, until they are 20 years of age; and before they are sent out into the world they are instructed in some trade or profession. They are well taken care of, and are very healthy.

The orphan children of the different asylums are generally distinguished by a particular dress: those of the Protestant Burgher House (in which Van Speyk was brought up) wear black and red jackets; the girls of the Roman Catholic Orphan House wear black, with a white band round the head: the orphans educated in the Almosoniers' Orphan House are dressed in black, and wear round the left arm the colours of the town-a black, red, and white band, with a number. The intention of these costumes is to prevent their entrance into playhouses, gin-shops, or other improper places; a severe penalty being inflicted on persons who should admit children thus attired.

There is also a class of Provident Institutions here and in other Dutch towns, called Proveniers Huisen (providers' houses), for the reception and comfortable maintenance of old men and women, who pay a comparatively small sum, proportioned to their age (e. g. from 50 to 55 years, 2000 guilders; 55 to 60, 1500; 70 years and upwards, 500 guilders), for admittance, and are supported in respectability to the end of their days. They form a very suit

able retreat for domestic servants, who by timely savings may obtain an entrance; indeed, masters and mistresses sometimes reward old and faithful domestics by paying for their admission.

The poor throughout Holland are generally supported by voluntary contributions. In all the churches collections are made every Sunday by the deacons, who go round to all present, carrying a little bag attached to the end of a stick, like a landing net, with a monitory bell fixed to it, into which every person drops something suited. to his means.

There are also good institutions for the blind, and deaf and dumb.

The Prisons of Amsterdam were placed upon a good foundation before those of other countries in Europe, and originally surpassed all others. They are now, however, in many respects, inferior to similar improved establishments in England and America.

The Rasp-house was, a penitentiary for the reception of impostors, petty thieves, vagrants, brawlers, &c., and was so called because its inmates were originally employed in rasping logwood. It is now converted into a temporary arrest-house. By one of the original ordinances of the Rasp-house, a refractory prisoner, who refused to execute his allotted task of rasping, was placed in a cell into which water was admitted, which, if not kept under by his own exertions at a pump, swelled over his head, and drowned him.

The Spin-house, or House of Correction for females, contains about 150 inmates condemned to hard labour for periods varying from 6 months to 12 or 14 years. One division of it was formerly devoted to the correction of offences which may rank between a fault and a crime; such as in other countries are punished by the domestic code, but for which family authority is not always sufficiently strict in enforcing punishment; though at the same time the, discipline of a prison would be too severe. Thus a disobedient child, an extravagant wife, or a drunken husband, if their offence were proved against them, and they were sent hither by their friends, were subjected to modified co

ercion and restraint, until, by penitence, and promise of amendment, they should have atoned for their misdemeanours. "Whether these various establishments are capable of relieving the whole mass of human wretchedness which this capital, in common with all large cities, must contain, would require a long residence to determine; but we could not help making the same remark here as in Rotterdam-that in all our rambles we had not met with a drunken person in the streets; nay more, that we had not observed a man, woman, or child in rags, or met with a real object of compassion, in any part of the town; and the only beggars that accosted us, and those were in some of the lower parts of the town, were decrepit old men."- Family Tour in S. Holland.

The Dutch are not altogether absorbed in commerce, so as to be able to devote no time to literature and the arts; witness the society called Felix Meritis, from the first words of a Latin inscription placed upon the building, which is founded and supported entirely by merchants and citizens. The building is situated in the Keisers Gracht. In its nature it bears some resemblance to the Royal Institution in London. It contains a library, museum, collections of casts of ancient statues, of chemical and mathematical instruments a reading-room, and a very fine concert-room and observatory. Lectures are given in various branches of art, science, and literature. Though there is little in the building, perhaps, to take up the time of a stranger merely passing through the city, any intelligent individual, about to reside here, would find it an agreeable resource.

There are many other useful societies, the most prominent being the Association for the Promotion of the Public Weal (Maatschappij tot nut van't algemeen). It was established in 1784, by a simple Baptist clergyman named Nieuwenhuizen, at Monnikendam, and it now numbers 200 offsets or branch societies, and 13,000 members, extending all over Holland. Its object is the instruction and improvement in condition of the lower classes.

1. By promoting the education of the young, improving school books, establishing Sunday schools, and providing for the children after quitting school – establishing book societies and libraries for the poor. 2. By extending information to adults by popular writings, public lectures, and the institution of banks for saving. 3. By the distribution of public rewards to the industrious and virtuous among the poorer classes; bestowing medals on such as have risked their lives in preserving those of others, &c. The head-quarters of this admirable society are at Amsterdam, where an annual meeting of the members is held on the second Tuesday of August. A subscription of 5 or 6 guilders yearly constitutes a member. Its influence had begun to extend to Belgium before the revolution of 1830, but has since been checked and totally suppressed by the priests,

The Promenades are the Plantanje, or plantation, at the end of the Heeren Gracht, surrounded by canals, and not far from the dockyards.

The high bridge over the Amstel, near the place where it enters the town, "in a fine broad sheet of water, and with scarcely perceptible current," is one of the most favourable points for obtaining a view of the town. The Amstel river is a great trunk of navigation. It is embanked, and navigable 11 miles, to the boundary of the district at Amstelmondhard, where it divides into two branches, which unite with numerous canals, both in this district and that of Rhineland. The banks of the Amstel, outside the Utrecht gate, are also much resorted to.

The want of spring-water is a great evil and inconvenience in this large city. The houses are provided with tanks, in which every drop of rain that falls is treasured up: this is used by the better classes for culinary purposes. Drinking water is brought from Utrecht in stone bottles: but the main supply comes from the river Vecht above W Teesp, about 12 miles off, in very large water barges, called Leggers, which may be seen on the various canals; and the poorer classes who have no cisterns are

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