Holland, v. 1 (of 2)   By: Edmondo De Amicis (1846-1908)

The following spelling/typographical errors have been changed.

p19 changed "defense" to "defence" for consistency with rest of book.

p74 changed "treschkuit" to "trekschuit".

p180 changed "cites" to "cities".

p194 changed "tactiturn" to "taciturn".

p210 changed "were" to "where" in 'the cell were (changed to where) Philip II. died;'.

Other spelling, grammatical, punctuation and typographic errors have been left as in the original book.

[Illustration: A Dutch Windmill.]

HOLLAND.

BY EDMONDO DE AMICIS,

AUTHOR OF "SPAIN," "MOROCCO," ETC.

TRANSLATED FROM THE THIRTEENTH EDITION OF THE ITALIAN BY HELEN ZIMMERN.

ILLUSTRATED.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

PHILADELPHIA HENRY T. COATES & CO.

COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY PORTER & COATES.

TO PIETRO GROLIER.

CONTENTS.

PAGE HOLLAND 9

ZEALAND 29

ROTTERDAM 57

DELFT 131

THE HAGUE 171

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

VOLUME I.

Photographs taken expressly for this edition of "Holland" by Dr. CHARLES L. MITCHELL, Philadelphia.

Photogravures by A.W. ELSON & CO., Boston.

PAGE

A DUTCH WINDMILL Frontispiece.

DUTCH FISHING BOATS 26

DORDRECHT CANAL WITH CATHEDRAL IN THE DISTANCE 48

IN ROTTERDAM 64

INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. LAWRENCE 80

ON THE MEUSE, NEAR ROTTERDAM 94

THE STEIGER, ROTTERDAM 110

THE STATUE OF TOLLENS 126

NEAR THE ARSENAL, DELFT 134

MONUMENT OF ADMIRAL VAN TROMP 140

STAIRWAY WHERE WILLIAM THE SILENT WAS ASSASSINATED IN THE PRINSENHOF, DELFT 150

REFECTORY OF THE CONVENT OF ST. AGATHA, DELFT 156

OLD DELFT 166

ON THE CANAL NEAR DELFT 174

THE BINNENHOF, THE HAGUE 184

PAUL POTTER'S BULL 198

ON THE ROAD TO SCHEVENINGEN 214

FISHERMAN'S CHILDREN, SCHEVENINGEN 228

THE MAIN DRIVE IN THE BOSCH, THE HAGUE 246

THE VYVER, THE HAGUE 262

HOLLAND.

One who looks for the first time at a large map of Holland must be amazed to think that a country so made can exist. At first sight, it is impossible to say whether land or water predominates, and whether Holland belongs to the continent or to the sea. Its jagged and narrow coast line, its deep bays and wide rivers, which seem to have lost the outer semblance of rivers and to be carrying fresh seas to the sea; and that sea itself, as if transformed to a river, penetrating far into the land, and breaking it up into archipelagoes; the lakes and vast marshes, the canals crossing each other everywhere, all leave an impression that a country so broken up must disintegrate and disappear. It would be pronounced a fit home for only beavers and seals, and surely its inhabitants, although of a race so bold as to dwell there, ought never to lie down in peace.

When I first looked at a large map of Holland these thoughts crowded into my mind, and I felt a great desire to know something about the formation of this singular country; and as what I learned impelled me to make a book, I write it now in the hope that I may lead others to read it.

Those who do not know a country usually ask travellers, "What sort of place is it?"

Many have told briefly what kind of country Holland is.