more general observations.

Fell, for example, was embarrassed by the very formal politeness
of the nation. "The custom of bowing in Holland," he writes, "is
extremely troublesome. It is not sufficient, as in England, that a
person slightly moves his hat, but he must take it off his head,
and continue uncovered till the man is past him to whom he pays
the compliment. The ceremony of bowing is more strictly observed
at Leyden and Haarlem, than at Rotterdam or The Hague. In either
of the former cities, a stranger of decent appearance can scarcely
walk in the streets without being obliged every minute to pull off
his hat, to answer some civility of the same kind which he receives;
and these compliments are paid him not only by opulent people, but by
mechanics and labourers, who bow with all the gravity and politeness
of their superiors."

Such civilities to strangers have become obsolete. So far from
courtesy being the rule of the street, it is now, as I have hinted
in the next chapter, impossible for an English-woman whose clothes
chance to differ in any particular from those of the Dutch to escape
embarrassing notice. Staring is carried to a point where it becomes
almost a blow, and laughter and humorous sallies resound. I am told
that the Boer war to a large extent broke down old habits of politeness
to the English stranger.

When one thinks of it, the Dutch habit of staring at the visitor until
he almost wishes the sea would roll in and submerge him, argues a
want of confidence in their country, tantamount to a confession of
failure. Had they a little more trust in the attractive qualities
of their land, a little more imagination to realise that in other
eyes its flatness and quaintness might be even alluring, they would
accept and acknowledge the compliment by doing as little as possible
to make their country's admirers uncomfortable.

"Dutch courage," to which I refer below, is not our only use of Dutch
as a contemptuous adjective. We say "Dutch Gold" for pinchbeck,
"Dutch Myrtle" for a weed. "I shall talk to you like a Dutch
uncle" is another saying, not in this case contemptuous but rather
complimentary--signifying "I'll dress you down to some purpose". One
piece of slang we share with Holland: the reference to the pawnbroker
as an uncle. In Holland the kindly friend at the three brass balls
(which it may not be generally known are the ancient arms of Lombardy,
the Lombards being the first money lenders,) is