l in cleanliness and paint. The number of
windmills is quite astonishing; it would require an army of Don
Quixotes. I counted myself upwards of 130 in and close to the town; they
say there are 1,200. Windmills seem great favourites with the Dutch. In
the Diligence near Utrecht my neighbour roused me by a sudden
exclamation, "Oh la vue superbe!" I looked, and beheld 14 of them in a
Dyke! and yesterday, on asking the Laquais de place if we should see
anything curious at Saardam besides the Czar's house, he replied, "Oh
que, oui--beaucoup de Moulins!" Peter the Great's house is a small
wooden cottage close to the town, remarkable for nothing but having been
his.

[Illustration: SAARDAM.

_To face page 228._]

Alexander had put up two little marble Tablets over the fireplace,
commemorating his visit to the Imperial residence, on which something
good and pointed might have been inscribed; as they are, it is merely
stated that Alexander placed them on, and that Mrs. Von Tets Von Groudam
stood by, delighted to see him so employed. We returned to Amsterdam by
3 o'clock and left it at 4 for Haarlem. In Protestant countries
Cathedrals are not always open; we found that at Haarlem open and a
numerous congregation listening to a very respectable, venerable-looking
preacher, whose voice and manner, style and action approached
perfection. His eloquence, however, seemed to be in vain, for I observed
many sleepers; and what had an odd effect, though customary in their
country, the men with their hats on; they take them off, I believe,
during prayers, but put them down during the sermon; we ascended the
tower and enjoyed as extensive a view as heart could wish. The sea of
Haarlem is an immense lake separated from the Gulf by a flood gate and
narrow dam. The French had a block house and batteries here. In truth,
Holland does not require above 20 guns to keep out all the enemies in
the world. Different, indeed, are the Dutch from the French in the
facility and liberality of access to their curiosities. It required some
eloquence and more money to induce the key-keeper to let us go up; and
on asking whether the Organ was to play, he assured us it was not, but
that if we wished it, the performer would sound the notes for 16
_shillings_; this was a gross imposition to which we were little
inclined to submit; but luckily, as we were coming down, we heard it
opening its great bellows and re-echoing through the body of the church.
We almost