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present use for; whereas he that spends yearly what he receives, if he pays but the fiftieth part to the publick, it goes from him like that which was necessary to buy bread, or clothes, for himself, or his family.

This makes the beauty and strength of their towns, the commo diousness of travelling in their country by their canals, bridges, and causways, the pleasantness of their walks, and their grafts in and near all their cities; and, in short, the beauty, convenience, and Sometimes magnificence of their publick works, to which every man pays as willingly, and takes as much pleasure and vanity in them, as those of other countries do in the same circumstances among the pos sessions of their families, or private inheritance.

To conclude this section, Holland is a country, where the earth is better than the air, and profit more in request than honour; where there is more sense than wit; more good nature than good humour; and more wealth than pleasure; and where a man would chuse ra ther to travel, than to live; shall find more things to observe than de sire; and more persons to esteem than to love. But the same quali ties and dispositions do not value a private man and a state, nor make a conversation agreeable, and a government great: Nor is it unlikely, that some very great king might make but a very ordinary private gentleman, and some very extraordinary gentleman might be capable of making but a very mean prince.

SECT. VII.

Of their Religion, the number of Sects among the People, particus larly in Amsterdam.

THE great care of this state has ever been to favour no particular or curious inquisition into the faith or religious principles of any peaceable man, who came to live under the protection of their laws, and to suffer no violence or oppression upon any man's conscience, whose opinions broke not out into expressions, or actions, of ill con sequence to the state. A free form of government either making way for more freedom in religion; or else, having contended so far them. selves for liberty in this point, they thought it the more unreasonable for them to oppress others.

The Roman Catholick religion was alone excepted from the common protection of their laws, making men (as the law-makers believed) worse subjects than the rest, by the acknowledgment of a foreign and superior jurisdiction: Yet such has been the care of this state, to give all men ease in this point, who ask no more than to serve God, and save their own souls, in their own way and forms; that what was not provided for, by the constitutions of their government, was so, in a very great degree, by the connivance of their officers, who, upon certain constant payments from every family, suffer the exercise of the Roman Catholick religion in their several jurisdictions, as free and easy, tho' not so cheap, and so avowed, as the rest. This, I suppose, has been the reason, that though those of this profession are very nu merous in the country among the peasants, and considerable in the

cities; and not admitted to any publick charges; yet they seem to be a sound piece of the state, and fast jointed in with the rest, and have neither given any disturbance to the government, nor expressed any inclinations to a change, or to any foreign power.

Of all other religions, every man enjoys the free exercise in his own chamber, or his own house, unquestioned, and unspied. And if the followers of any sect grow so numerous in any place, that they affect a publick congregation, and are content to purchase a place of assembly, to bear the charge of a pastor, or teacher, and to pay for this liberty to the publick; they go and propose their desire to the magistrate of the place where they reside, who inform themselves of their opinions, and manners of worship; and, if they find nothing in either, destructive to civil society, or prejudicial to the constitutions of their state, and content themselves with the price that is offered for the purchase of this liberty, they easily allow it; but with the condition, that one or more commissioners shall be appointed, who shall have free admission at all their meetings, shall be both the observers, and witnesses of all that is acted or preached among them, and whose testimony shall be received concerning any thing that passes there, to the prejudice of the state; in which case, the laws and executions are as severe, as against any civil crimes.

Thus the Jews have their allowed synagogues in Amsterdam and Rotterdam; and, in the first, I think, all sects, that are known among Christians, have their publick meeting-places; and some, whose names are almost worn out in other parts, as the Brownists, Familists, and others. The Arminians, though they make a great name among them, by being rather the distinction of a party in the state, than a sect in the church; yet are, in comparison of others, but few in number, though considerable by the persons, who are of the better quality, the more learned and intelligent men; and many of them in the government. The Anabaptists are just the contrary, very numerous, but in the lower ranks of people, mechanicks and seamen, and abound chiefly in North Holland.

The Calvinists make the body of the people, and are possessed of all the publick churches in the dominions of the state, as well as of the only ministers or pastors, who are maintained by the publick.

It is hardly to be imagined, how all the violence and sharpness, which accompanies the differences of religion in other countries, seems to be appeased or softened here, by the general freedom, which all men enjoy, either by allowance or connivance. I believe the force of commerce, alliances, and acquaintance, spreading so far as they do in small circuits, such as the province of Holland, may contribute much to make conversation, and all the offices of common life, so easy, among so different opinions, of which so many several persons are often in every man's eye; and no man checks or takes offence at faces, or customs, or ceremonies, he sees every day, as at those he hears of in places far distant, and perhaps by partial relations, and comes to see late in his life; and after he has long been possessed by passion or prejudice against them. However it is, religion may pos sibly do more good in other places, but it does less hurt here; and

VOL. IX.

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wherever the invisible effects of it are greatest and most advanta geous, I am sure, the visible are so in this country, by the continual and undisturbed civil peace of their government, for so long a course of years, and by so mighty an increase of their people, wherein will appear to consist chiefly the vast growth of their trade and riches, and consequently the strength und greatness of their state.

SECT. VIII.

Of their Way of Trade, and Manner of Increase in Wealth.

It is evident to those, who have read the most, and travelled farthest, that no country can be found either in this present age, or upon record of any story, where so vast a trade has been managed, as in the narrow compass of the four maritime provinces of this commonwealth: Nay, it is generally esteemed, that they have more shipping belongs to them, than there does to the far greater part of Europe besides. Yet they have no native commodities towards the building, or rigging of the smallest vessel; their flax, hemp, pitch, wood, and iron, coming all from abroad, as wool does for cloathing their men, and corn for feeding them. Nor do I know any thing properly of their own growth, that is considerable, either for their own necessary use, or for traffick with their neighbours, besides butter, cheese, and earthen wares. For havens, they have not any good upon their whole coast: The best are Helvoetsluys, which has no trade at all; and Flushingue, which has little, in comparison of other towns in Hol. land: But Amsterdam, that triumphs in the spoils of Lisbon and Antwerp (which before engrossed the greatest trade of Europe and the Indies) seems to be the most incommodious haven they have, being seated upon so shallow waters, that ordinary ships cannot come up to it, without the advantage of tides; nor great ones, without unlading. The enterance of the Tessel, and passages over the Zudder Sea, is now more dangerous, than a voyage from thence to Spain, lying all in blind and narrow channels; so that it easily appears, that it is not a haven that draws trade, but trade that fills an haven, and brings it in vogue. Nor has Holland grown rich by any native commodities, but by force of industry; by improvement and manu. facture of all foreign growths; by being the general magazine of Europe, and furnishing all parts with whatever the market wants or invites; and by their seamen, being, as they have properly been called, the common carriers of the world,

It appears to every man's eye, who hath travelled Holland, and observed the number and vicinity of their great and populous towns and villages, with the prodigious improvement of almost every spot of ground in the country, and the great multitudes constantly employed in their shipping abroad, and their boats at home, that no other known country in the world, of the same extent, holds any proportion with this in the numbers of people; and, if that be the great foundation of trade, the best account, that can be given of theirs, will be, by considering the causes and accidents that have served to force and invite so vast a conflunce of peeople into their country; the civil wars, calami,

However, out they went, under this wise conduct; but, before they went out, old Grisle, his whelps, and his lap-dogs (for I call them his, because, as I told you but now, they were most of his own getting) thought it convenient, for their better security, to muzzle all the mastiffs, and tie them fast in a strong line of passive obedience and non-resistance; and, as soon as that was effectually done, then out they went all together.

And, all the way they went, old Grisle, his whelps, and his lap. dogs, did frisk, and skip, and leap, and bounce, and yelp, being all over-joyed, that they should see some sport anon (for most of them had never seen a bear before in their lives) and oh! how they whip. ped the bear about, and swinged him off, all the way, in their own fancies!

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Says old, proud, impotent, self-conceited, empty Grisle: Gentle men whelps, and gentlemen lap-dogs, courage! here is confusion to the bear. Huzza! shew yourselves to be but what you are, viz. 'true whelps, and right lap-dogs, and I desire no more: for, by your 'assistance, I have power enough to beat all the bears in France. I have been a whelp and a lap-dog myself in my time, as well as the best of you all: And, to my certain knowledge, an English whelp, or lap-dog, is able to grapple with a French bear at any time; wherefore, we need no scouts to go before, to bring us notice of the bear's approach; for, as soon as he comes within hearing of your terrible yelping, he will be glad to retire fast enough of his own ac cord, I warrant you: Therefore, courage my beloved whelps and lap-dogs! here's confusion once more to the bear!—huzza! yelp! yelp! yelp!'

But old Grisle had scarce ended these words, nor was the yelping quite ceased, when lo! all on a sudden, the unexpected roaring of the bear quite surprised, dashed, astonished, and stunned the whole pack of mongrels; which made old Grisle shrink in his tail between his legs, and hang down his head (and if it had been hung up, not a half. penny damage) and made all the whelps and lap-dogs begin to whine and whimper about him, and fawn upon him, with wagging tails, clapped in behind, lank ears before, couchant heads, and tears in their eyes. But, on the other side, it made the brave mastiffs prick up their ears, and drew rage and foam from their mouths, and fire from their very eyes, to be at the bear. Bless me! what a difference there is, between right true-bred mastiffs, and whiffling curs!

(For you must know, the great bear was, by an unexpected hurri cane, driven to a bay, fresh-water bay, or else he had seized, and hugged old Grisle, and all his whelps and lap-dogs, just as the devil hugs a witch, before they had been aware of it, and was there confined in Lob's pound, and tied as fast, as a bear to a stake; which made him suck his paws, and fret in his grease, and roar after that hideous manner.)

However, old Grisle was forced, by the rage and importunity of the mastiffs, to go and shew them the bear: And, to give the devil his due, he did shew them the bear, and that was all: For, when he plainly perceived, that the French were really there with their bears,

he immediately took all possible care, to stand at a distance enough, out of harm's way; and out of the way of doing harm to any, but the forward mastiffs.

But had the first, second, and third-rate mastiffs been then let loose, when they were fresh and untired; and when they had a strong direct gale to carry them, to the bear's very nose; they would cer tainly have torn him to pieces in a trice. For he was so hemmed in, on every side, that he could not stir one way or other; neither could any of the mastiffs have been there lost or sunk, they being then, at the mouth of the best kennel, or port, in Europe: When, at the same time, the bear was above a hundred leagues from his den. And besides, there was another strong party, or two, of stout third, fourth, and fifth-rate mastiffs, out at the same time, to have intercepted the bear in his way, if, after the first mastiffs tearing him, he should have endeavoured to make his escape home. Here were all the advan. tages, that heaven and earth could grant, at once; and all the favourable opportunities, that man could ask, or that God need grant: and nothing wanting but courage, conduct, skill, and honesty, to accomplish the utter destruction of the bear for evermore. Never had spa

niel such an opportunity of losing his own name, and gaining the reputation of a mastiff; and never had whelps and lap-dogs such an opportunity, to ingratiate themselves with, and gain the applause and esteem of all mankind, as well as of womankind and children. But I find the poet is in the right on it, who says:

Naturam expellas furcá licet, usque recurret.

Nature recoils, and, though you hang the dog,
Yet he will die, just as he liv'd, a rogue.

For, as soon as old Grisle, his whelps, and his lap-dogs, espied the vast bulk of the bear's body, the wideness of his jaws, the largeness of his paws, and the length of his claws, as if they had seen raw-head and bloody-bones, they turned all as white presently, as my lady's night-trail.

But by the thundering noise of the mastiffs, and by the powerful help of brandy, being somewhat roused out of their fainting fit, they began at last, though it was long first, to recover a little out of their clammy sweat and then they called a council, as they called it. And there, you might have seen all the whelps and lap-dogs lying panting round old Grisle, and looking up to him, in this time of need, and he looking down upon them again, with most pitiful countenances, on both sides; and, all the while, making a most intolerable stink, for fear of the bear: Nay, such a strange stink, that I am forced to hold my nose, even now, whilst I am speaking of it; and to cry,' Out, ye stinking curs! Faw! out, and be hanged! Faw! out, for shame, and make room for the mastiffs!'

However, at long-run, old Grisle made a shift to open his jaws, and held them open, a long while, without speaking ever a word, for he well knew, they understood his meaning by his gaping: Yet, at last, with much ado, and with as much hesitation, trembling, and shaking, as if he had been in the house of commons, he broke silence,

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