FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  
eld a Presbyterian Church. I asked him if Napoleon troubled the English settlers during the war. He said that, provided they conformed quickly to the laws and regulations, they experienced no persecution. Upon my asking if it was at all necessary to conceal his extraction, he exclaimed, "What, conceal my extraction, deny my country? Not for all the Emperors in the world. No, I have too much conscience and independence. To be sure, I was obliged by law to pray for the health and prosperity of Buonaparte every Sunday. But what signified that? God Almighty understood very well what I meant, and that I heartily wished his death all the time." By long residence in Holland, he had adopted a good portion of Dutch impenetrability and slowness. He assured us nothing short of a week could give us the least chance of seeing the curiosities of Amsterdam, and when I told him that we were (according to our common custom of early rising) to be in North Holland by 6 o'clock in the morning, and had seen all by 11 o'clock which occupies a Dutchman's whole day, and gave him a few instances of our mode of operation, he threw himself back, raised his cocked hat to examine us more thoroughly, put his arms akimbo and exclaimed, "How do you support human nature. It must expire under such fatigue," and I found it quite impossible to convince him that my health for the last month had been infinitely better than usual. But, after all, I fear you will find me growing old. I had a compliment paid to my grey hairs, in coming from Utrecht, which must be mentioned. The fat Alchymist, above mentioned, squeezed himself into Edward's place in the Diligence; on remonstrating to a young Dutch gentleman who spoke French, he replied, "Que c'etait vraiment impoli mais que c'etait un viellard a qui on devait ceder quelque chose, et je vous assure, Monsieur, comme vous etes aussi un peu age si vous aviez pris ma place je vous l'aurais cede." In Amsterdam there is little to be seen but the Palais, in which there is a splendid collection of Flemish pictures--two or three of the finest of Rembrandt--and without exception the most splendid room I have seen in Europe. It is the great Hall of audience; King Louis[92] has fitted up everything in grand style. We went over what the Dutchmen cry up as an object which it would be unpardonable not to see--the Felix meritus, a sort of Lecture room with some wretched museums attached. I found nothing to interest me but a capit
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
splendid
 

health

 

Holland

 
mentioned
 
Amsterdam
 
exclaimed
 

extraction

 

conceal

 

gentleman

 

Diligence


remonstrating
 
Lecture
 

impoli

 

viellard

 

unpardonable

 

vraiment

 

Edward

 

replied

 

meritus

 

French


growing
 

interest

 

compliment

 
attached
 

museums

 
Alchymist
 
squeezed
 

wretched

 

Utrecht

 

coming


quelque

 

finest

 
pictures
 
Flemish
 

Palais

 
collection
 

Rembrandt

 

audience

 

Europe

 

exception


fitted

 

assure

 
Monsieur
 

object

 
devait
 
aurais
 

Dutchmen

 

prosperity

 
Buonaparte
 

signified