5

but here there seems to be no such feeling. The subjects of the great painted saloon are handled in the most masterly style. They are chiefly taken from the history of the Orange family, among which we particularly noticed the introduction of the Infant Son of William First, who was massacred at Delft. There is also a fine triumphal battle-piece. We were informed, that Louis Bonaparte having some intention of opening an additional door in the saloon, he was of fered a sum in florins for two or three figures in that part of the picture proposed to be displaced, which was equal to about five thousand pounds in Sterling money, such is the estimation in which they are held.

On our return to the Hague we visited the gallery of paintings, where a very fine exhibition is made. But the most remarkable is a cattle-piece by Paul Potter painted in 1647, which had just been newly returned to the Hague, with other spoils of Bonaparte, from Paris, and, as may be supposed, they were received with great delight by the Dutch. We next visited the Parliament House, which appears to consist of one great apart ment, with an audience chamber for the King and Privy Council adjoining. The throne has a superb canopy, and the chair of the Speaker or President is also very neatly fitted up. The members appear to sit at a number of separate tables or benches, covered with green cloth, each table being provided with ink-stands set upon pewter plates, and a small wooden platter containing Holland sand, with a little horn spoon for lifting it. Their accommodation is, of course, much more commodious than the members of either House of Parliament in England, where every one must be astonished at the whole system of parsimonious economy which is observable in the establishment of St Stephen's Chapel. But we had much to regret that the Court was at this time sitting at Brussels. The whole house at the Hague does not seem to be much larger than the English House of Lords. The burgomasters have a neat gallery opposite to the throne, and there is also a similar one for the public, placed opposite to the rostrum or Speaker's place. The throne appears to be lower than the Speaker's chair, which has a bad effect.

Unfor

The fish-market is very commodious and complete, and there are, besides, several other public establishments at the Hague, which a longer residence would have invited to a particular examination. The Hague, upon the whole, is a very handsome and well laid out town, and its streets are very cleanly kept. It is said to contain about 35,000 inhabitants. Some of the streets are spacious, and there are several tolerably handsome squares laid out with trees, and everywhere abundance of water. tunately, however, the canals are stagnant, and are thickly covered with green stuff. Many plans have been agitated for producing a current of water through this town, by taking off a stream up the country from the Meuse, but this must either be attended with a very large expence, or the place would be subjected to inconveniences, both from the waters of the river and the ocean. The inhabitants of the Hague have quite an English appearance, compared with other Dutch towns, and it is a circumstance here very observable, that the inhabitants near the seat of a Court are uniformly more polished in their address and manners than those at a distance. The square where the principal houses are built is neatly laid out with gravel walks, lined with rows of trees. Here the royal residences of the King and Prince of Orange are built, the houses of the ministers, ambassadors, and other public functionaries, and also the theatre, &c. &c. It is now intended, however, that the king's palace shall not continue to be encumbered with the houses of a square, and a separate mansion is accordingly fitting up at some distance. In visiting this new house, we were not a little surprised to find a canal still going through the royal gardens, and the foundation of one of the gable walls actually faced up with slabs of rough marble from Germany, to defend the palace from the rude attacks of the boats and barges navigating the canal, which, though not much used to appearance, is still open to a compartment of the city.

In the evening, the theatre being open, we were afforded an opportunity of seeing a French comedy, which was finely got up, and the actors went through their several parts

Such are specimens of the singular but expressive similes which recur so constantly in the pages of Dante! Found of so steep ascent, that nimblest In the course of this difficult ascent

man

Sordello." Each the other then embrac'd.
Ah slavish Italy! thou inn of grief,
Vessel without a pilot in loud storm,
Lady no longer of fair provinces,
But brothel-house impure! this gentle
spirit,

Ev'n from the pleasant sound of his dear
land

Was prompt to greet a fellow-citizen
With such glad cheer; while now thy
living ones

In thee abide not without war; and one
Malicious gnaws another, ay of those
Whom the same wall and the same moat
contains.

Seek, wretched one! around thy sea-coasts
wide;

Then homeward to thy bosom turn, and mark

If any part of thee sweet peace enjoy, &c.

As it was now the approach of night, Sordello, who undertakes to guide his countrymen as far as was permitted him, proposes that they should rest till morning in “ a place of pleasant sojourn," where "some spirits sate apart retired." This place of retreat and its inhabitants are thus beautifully described:

Betwixt the steep and plain a crooked
path

Led us traverse into the ridge's side,
Where more than half the sloping edge

expires.

Refulgent gold, and silver thrice refin❜d,
And scarlet grain and ceruse, Indian wood
Of lucid dye serene, fresh emeralds
But newly broken, by the herbs and
flowers

Plac'd in that fair recess, in colour all
Had been surpass'd, as great surpasses less.
Nor nature only there lavish'd her hues,
But of the sweetness of a thousand smells
A rare and undistinguish'd fragrance
made.

"Salve Regina," on the grass and
flowers

Here chanting I beheld those spirits sit."
The appearance of two angels fol-
lows, and the hour of their coming is

marked by some of those images of deep sentiment, which have so fine an effect amid these mysterious visions, and recal us so exquisitely, from time to time, to human thoughts and affections.

Now was the hour that wakens fond desire

In men at sea, and melts their thoughtful heart,

Who in the morn have bid sweet friends
farewel,

And pilgrim newly on his road with love
Thrills, if he hear the vesper bell from far
That seems to mourn for the expiring day:"
When I, no longer taking heed to hear,
Began, with wonder, from those spirits to
mark

One risen from its seat, which with its

hand

Audience implor'd. Both palms it join'd
and rais'd,

Fixing its steadfast gaze toward the east,
As telling God, "I care for nought be

side."

"Te Lucis Ante," so devoutly then Came from its lip, and in so soft a strain, That all my sense in ravishment was lost. And the rest after, softly and devout, Follow'd through all the hymn, with upward gaze

Directed to the bright supernal wheels.
Here, reader! for the truth make thine

eyes keen:

For of so subtle texture is this veil,
That thou with ease mayst pass it through
unmark'd.

I saw that gentle band silently next
Look up, as if in expectation held,
Pale and in lowly guise; and from on
high

I saw forth issuing descend beneath
Two angels with two flame-illumin'd
swords,

Broken and mutilated of their points.
Green as the tender leaves but newly born,
Their vesture was, the which by wings as

And polish'd, that therein my mirror'd In accents blended with sweet melody.