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with the most pressing invitation for me to come and see him
at any rate on my return. My Baggage & I were then conducted
over the water and lodge safe in the Inn. I got a dark
Kind of a room but it answers my purpose very well.
It happens to be Kermes time. It beg This fair began
the day I came & will continue a week. The common people
on this occasion here are more noisy in their mirth than I have
ever seen them any where else. In the boat I came over in
there were perhaps 40 or 50: 10 of whom women as well as men
were bawling with all their might as many different airs.
The fair itself does not differ in general from other great fairs
except that there is much more money spent in proportion to the
number of people in diversion of one kind or other.
A Dutchman whom the loss of a penny stiver has deprived of half a
night's sleep at any other time will now spare no expence
in his diversions He is now not unkike an English Sailor
on pay day: I have not observed any thing mischievous
or purposely troublesome in the behaviour of the lower class of
people but at the same time the most perfect inattention to
the rank of those of superior rank
When I As soon as I had unpacked my cloakbag and
the and got a little to order I went with Mr Strachan in
Change. There we learnt that Mr Cranford was out of
Town and not expected home this week. His an under partner to
whom I gave the letter offered me any letters to the some other
places I should be going to. I believe I shall take one
There too I saw Mr Anslie. Mr Strachan told
were engaged to dinner he therefore asked us to te
and go to an invitation of Vauxhall which they
licensed only during this time. I was introduced
Murdoe a capital Merchant who asked us to dine
him the next day. We dined at my Inn where Mr Strachan
had promised to meet his fellow voyageurs in the Packet.
In the afternoon we went to Mr Anslie's I gave my letter
from Dr Cogan to Mrs Innies who is a quasi-widow and
Sister to Mr Anslie. He is a considerable Merchant chiefly
in the Smirno trade he has a brother who resides there
and another who lives at Amsterdam. He has another
sister unmarried but of a certain age who lives with him
also. The 2 ladies are both belles esprits and may perhaps
be ranked with in that class of females who have a superfluity
of understanding and acuteness as having no proper object to
exercise it on. In the evening Mr A walked about conducted me to those
parts of the City with me which I had not seen before; and from
the observations he made he appeared a man of more than
ordinary understanding. Strachan was engaged for some time
but we joined company again at the french coffee house and
and went home with Mr A to supper. at a little before eleven
we sallied out for the Vauxhall. The Quasi Widow being
the more engaging of the 2 sisters as well in person as in manners
you may suppose I wished to attatch myself for her for leaving
the other sister for my friend Strachan: but as mortal frail
fmortals are subject to dmistakes & disappointments I mistook
one Sister for the other at our setting out, and when my
service was offered it was too late to change.
It must be confessed that this was but a very humble imitation
of Vauxhall but all seemed to be very much
pleased with it. The music was english and very tollerable
but no Vocal. If there were 5 or 600 persons male
and female there were at least 200 smoaking their pipes
and endeavouring to feast as many senses at a time as
possible. Conceive a fine dresst Beau a sword by his side
a cane and his hat in one hand, a pipe in holding his
pipe with the other, a lady held of each arm and jostled
about on all sides. I longed exceedingly to ask a man see
observe a man thus occupè prepare to take his
pinch of snuff. Here as every where else Burgomasters and
the meanest Peasants were jostling together in one mass
distinguishable only by their dress. Anslie and his Sisters
both promised me letters to their brother at Amsterdam
who I understand from Strachan as well as from A may
assist me in my Shipbuilding enquiries.
Thursday the 2d. Strachan & I dined by invitation at
a Mr Murdoe's a capital English Merchant. He had some se
sons & daughters, The manners of the family as well as the
dinner was quite in the English fashion and that not of
but conducted with rather a vulgar kind of politeness.
As soon as we could after dinner Strachan & I went
to the private Shipbuilder's yard to whom I had a
ter from Decourt. I found him like english Ship-
ghts & mysterious mechanics in general jealous
self sufficient and as secret as possible with
to some certain branches of his business but such
luckily are those that I am less dSollicitous about
get some little fees from his relating to the
construction of Trekschuits which is what he most
famous for. He had one then building for the city
of Harlem. He had no large Vessels in hand, but
there were several building in a Yard adjoining
his. When we left him we went boldly into the
others without asking any formal permission and
by this means I saw as much as I could see except that
the workmen were keeping holliday at the Kermes.
I am quite There is an amazing variety of
Vessels at this place that the Dutch
Naval Architecture deserves much more of my
attention than I had intended to have bestowed on it.
Our friend Strachan i devotes himself almost entirely
to me and offers to use his utmost endeavours
to procure for me all information possible at
all times when he shall have opportunities. He
desires me to give him my queries in writing to leave
with him, and I shall construct a pump accordingly.
He was g took me to the house of the most famous
Ship painter Mr who had taken a great deal
of pains to study Naval Architecture to enable him
to exercise his art with the greater accuracy. He
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Identifier: | JB/538/367/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 538.
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1779-09-03 |
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538 |
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367 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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