ong
deemed _the_ organ of Europe, but is now supposed to be excelled at
Friburg. We heard it during service several times, and in a voluntary.
It unquestionably is an instrument of great sweetness as well as power.
It has five thousand pipes. The church is lofty, and looks plain enough
after what we have seen in Antwerp. Of course, we went to see the
statue of Coster, who is said to have been the inventor of printing in
1420-28, twelve years before Guttemberg made his experiments. The Dutch
are strong advocates for their inventor; but I think evidence in favor
of metal type lies with the man of Mayence.

You may be sure that, when we were so fortunate as to be here early in
June, we did not fail to go into the nurseries and gardens, and see the
hyacinths, tulips, narcissuses, anemones, ranunculuses, &c. We went to
the extensive grounds of Mr. Krelage, the first florist of Holland, No.
146 Kleine Houtweg; and here we were greatly delighted. The tulips were
exceedingly fine, and under cover they receive as much attention as if
they were babies. The hyacinths surpassed in beauty and variety any
thing we are accustomed to. I noticed a double blue, called Gloria
Mundi; Van Speyk, L'Importante, same color; Goethe, double yellow;
L'Eclair, crimson; and Emicus, white, which were particularly beautiful.
But we were all, perhaps, most pleased with the extensive beds of
anemones and ranunculuses, which rarely do well in our hot climate, and
here flourish in a humid atmosphere. Certainly they are the prettiest
flowers I ever saw; but they lack perfume. Here we saw them by
thousands. The exquisite order and condition of these large gardens
pleased us much. The young gentleman who kindly devoted three hours to
us spoke English well, and was very courteous and attentive. I have
brought away a catalogue of the flowers, with the prices. The soil of
Harlem is every where a deep sand, and every thing appears to flourish.

The vicinage of this place is very pleasant; and we rode for two hours
through a noble wood, fringed with sweet villas, and made a visit to a
palace built by the great banker, Hope, of Amsterdam, and which was the
residence of King Louis Bonaparte. It is now a picture gallery, and
contains some good historical pictures, and many fine small ones, of the
best artists of Holland. I think the boys forgot to tell you that, at
the Hague, we found the annual exhibition of paintings by the living
artists of Holland, just opened