314

DUTCH AGRICULTURE.

riant gardens; nor did I ever see so many persons living within so small a space, except in an encampment. An experienced English agriculturist who had visited Holland, informed me that he thought the Dutch farmers did not. sufficiently dress their land. The vegetable soil is in general so thin, that trees in exposed situations are usually topped, to prevent their being thrown down by the wind. In that part of Holland which I am describing, on account of its being well sheltered, there is a large growth of wood. Upon leaving the romantic and exquisitely picturesque village of Baren, we entered the royal chace, which occupies a vast track of ground: in this forest the trees are generally poor and thin, but I saw some fine beeches amongst them. On the borders of this chase are two country villas, in the shape of pagodas, belonging to a private gentleman, the novelty and gaudy colouring of which served to animate the sombre appearance of the forest behind.

In the evening we reached the principal inn at Soestdyke, lying at the end of a very long avenue in the forest, chiefly filled with young oaks, a little fatigued with the tedium produced by the heavy roads through which we had waded; however, after some refreshing tea taken under the trees, near the house, we proceeded to view the palace, formerly a favorite sporting chateau of the Orange

PALACE OF SOESTDYKE.

315

family. A tolerable plain brick house on the left of the entrance, composed the lodge, and after passing through a large court, we ascended by a flight of steps to the principal entrance of this palace, if palace it may be called, for a residence more unworthy of a prince I have never seen. The only part of the house in any degree deserving of notice was the ball, the sides of which were decorated with the emblems of rural recreation, the implements of husbandry, and all the apparatus of hunting, fishing, and shooting, tolerably well executed. The rooms were principally white-washed, and destitute of furniture: the windows were large, and the panes of glass very small, fastened with lead, such as are used in cottages: in short, the whole palace presented the appearance of a country mansion in England of the date of Charles the First, deserted by the family to whom it belonged, and left to the care of the tenants who rent the estate to which it belongs. Nothing could be more dreary and desolate. The king and queen partook of a cold collation here a short time before I visited it, provided by the family who rented the place of the state, and occupied it when we visited it. I was not surprised to hear that the royal family staid only one hour, during which they scarcely ventured out of a large naked room at the back part of the house, called the grand saloon: one of the young princes gave a son of the gentleman who occupied the premises, an elegant watch

316

A MOONLIGHT RAMBLE.

set round with brilliants. I could not help reflecting a little upon the disgust this visit must have given to the queen, ho had just arrived from Paris, and from all the voluptuous and tasteful magnificence of the new imperial court. The palace is surrounded by a ditch half filled with green stagnant water, the dulness of which was only relieved by the croaking of a legion of undisturbed frogs. The gardens and grounds, which abounded with hares, are very formally disposed into dull, unshaded, geometrical walks. After supper, a brilliant moon and cloudless night, attracted us into one of the most beautiful and majestic avenues of beeches I ever saw, immediately opposite the palace: as

we sat upon a bench, looking through an opening upon the bright bespangled heavens, the description of our divine bard stole upon my mind:

Look how the floor of heaven

Is thick inlaid with patterns of bright gold!

There's not the smallest orb, which thou behold'st,

But in its motion like an angel sings.

Merchant of Venice, Act V. Scene 1.

In this wood are several genteel country-houses, many of which were formerly occupied by those who belonged to the Orange court. The inn here is much frequented, the accommodations of which are good, by the people of Amsterdam, who frequently make parties to it; and it is

the great resort of those married couples fresh from the altar, until the honey-moon is in her wane.

In the morning about five o'clock we set off for Zeyst, or Ziest, and passed through a large tract of champagne country, interspersed with short brushwood, the dull monotony of which was at last relieved by a vast pyramid, erected by the French troops who were encamped in the immense open space in which it stands, amounting to 30,000 men, under the command of General Marmont. On the four sides are the following inscriptions:

INSCRIPTION ON THE GRAND FRONT.

"This pyramid was raised to the august Emperor of the French, Napoleon the First, by the troops encamped. in the plain of Zeyst, being a part of the French and Batavian army, commanded by the Commander in Chief, Marmont."

INSCRIPTION ON THE SECOND FRONT.

Battles gained by the Emperor.

The battles of Montenotte, de Dego, and Millesimo, of Mondovi, the passage of the Po, the battle of Lodi, the engagement of Berguetto, the passage of the Mincio, the battles of Lonato, of Castiglione, of the Brenta, of St. Georges, of Arcola, of la Favourite, of Chebreis, of Sediman, of Montabor, of Aboukir, of Marengo,

Wherever he fought he was victorious.

Through him the empire of France was enlarged by one

third.

He filled the world with his glory."

INSCRIPTION ON THE THIRD FRONT.

"He terminated the civil war; he destroyed all cabals, and caused a wise liberty to succeed to anarchy; he reestablished religious worship, he restored the public credit, he enriched the public treasury, he repaired the roads and constructed new ones, he made harbours and canals, he caused the arts and sciences to prosper, he ameliorated the condition of the soldiers-the general peace was his work.”

ON THE FOURTH FRONT.

"The troops encamped in the plains of Zeyst, making part of the French and Batavian army, commanded by the general in chief Marmont, and under his orders, by the generals of division, Grouchy, Boudet, Vignolle, the Batavian Lieutenant, General Dumonceau, the Generals of Brigade, Soyez, &c. [here follows a long list of the names of the other officers, too tedious to enumerate; also a very long list of the different divisions of the regiments to which the above officers belonged,] have erected this monument to the glory of the Emperor of the French, Napoleon the First, at the epoch of his ascending the throne, and as a