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1) Sept. 9. 1779 (last date)
I believe my "Bibliotecha Navalis" is left with you let
me have a copy of it. You may add to it "Orbis Maritimisive
"rerum in mari et littoribus gutarum generalis Historia"
Authore Claudio Barth: Moristo divionensi Divione 1643.
It is in folio a pretty large folio and has many cuts
very well executed. My friend Strachan has just made me
a present of it. It is not worth my while to lug it
about with me; therefore it will be sent to you when opportunity
offers.
I found our friend Decourt Master of a very good house and to all
appearance in a very good way of business. His family consists
of a Mother and a Sister who has a daughter about 6 years old and
is a Widow. Her husband died lived only a twelvemonth after they
were married and died on the Wedding day. Partly perhaps from that
circumstance of the day She is as yet inconsolable. I went first
to the Red Lion where I had been recommended as the nearest if
not quite the best Inn and as one at which I should meet with
somebody who understood french or english. This I had not the good luck
to do but I contrived to make them understand that I wanted to be
conducted to Mr Decourt.
But I believe I told gave you in my last
some short account of what I had done at Dordrecht.
After having seen 2 or 3 of those immense floats of Timber
which were my chief objects in going, I dined with Decourt.
In the evening when I had dispatched y my last letter to you
we went to a Glass house there is there chiefly if not solely
for the blowing of bottles. I there learnt how these iron
tubes with which they blow through were made. This if you
remember I was very inquisitive about when we were at the
Glass house in Whitefriars a2 or 3 years ago. They made us some
nicknacks of glass by dropping it red hot into water; which if you
hold fast in your hand a break a very small piece of them, they
burst into a powder and give a sensation like an electrical
shock but without the least danger even from the pieces of
glass: which appears a little extraordinary.
I slept at the Inn for notwithstanding
the good house perhaps there was not a spare bed.
On Saturday morning we went to the Mint where all
Mint
the money of the Province of Holland is coined. They were
then employed in making 2 Stiver pieces of which I saw
the whole operation. The milling the edges of any coin
I understand it is never permitted for anybody to see.
Dock-Yard
We went from thence to the Shipbuilding Yard where
I got several queries answered; but there was but little
to be seen.
We went afterwards to the top of a Windmill from
which we could look down upon the whole of the City and its
environs. What strikes one exceedingly is to see the quantity
of ground about the City laid out in Gardens. There is
scarcely one Tradesman in the whole place but who has a
garden out of the Town, 'tis true they have not a bit in it.
W Those who can afford it have their country
houses as well as Gardens all within the distance of perhaps
a mile and ½. We went into one which we thought appeard to be
afforded a true specimen of the dutch taste. This had
a house to it and we found the Master of it at home with
2)
whom Decourt was acquainted. He spoke English a little
and behaved to us with great politeness for a dutch man.
a pipe was the first thing he offered us which Dec: accepted.
He shewed us the whole of his garden and pressed
me to come the next day to drink tea and supp with him
but I could not think of staying so long in that place.
He had got some Broccoli plants but did not know
how to cut them. Some had run to flower for seed and he was for
eating the flowers. There is a great deal of fruit in all their
gardens. They seem to prefer fruit trees to any other except
where the gardens are excedingly large; they then must have
their boccages. There are a great number of buildings in
their gardens for seats and Summerhouses, and they are
vastly fond of little ponds or at any rate glass globes
of gold fis & Silver fish.
As I understood there was
an ordinary at the house I lodged at, I wished to dine there
to see a little more of the manners of the people so I
asked Decourt to dine with me. The Landlord sat
down at table himself with us and took good care to help
himself. They charged 1 gilder 16 Stivers a head for
dinner and a Gilder for a bottle of wine between us.
In the afternoon we went to see a Collection of anima
and Insects belonging to a Mr Knogh. It is said to
be an exceding good one. The man appears to be very
sure well informed in that subject and very ingenious
I talked with him about torpid swallows. He tells
me I shall certainly meet with them and probably
in the Snow or even ice. He has often seen them sting
together in a cluster 8 or 10 of them feet to feet
buried in the ground or under water, and that when
brought into a very warm room they revive. Thi
appears to me somewhat wonderfull, but I am not
Naturalist enough to judge of it. I may probably
execute myself or rather get executed Mr Barrington's
commission.
Decourt took me also to a man whose
name is Cornelis Knipers. He is by trade a house
Painter but has painted some flower & fruit pieces
and some imitations of marble sculpture which
to me appeared very excellent Decourt speaks
them as excedingly extraordinary and he should be a g
judge as he paints excedingly well in miniature
himself. I have He shewed me a miniature of his Mother
which he has done as great a likeness as possible.
At Dordrecht there is a Magazine [Storehouse] in
which all the Pontoons or tin boats are kept whi
belong to the States or at least to Holland. There ar
men who are particularly trained up to the making
them and Managing them. It is absolutely forbid
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Identifier: | JB/538/372/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 538.
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1779-09-09 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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