Studio: international art (1.1893)

Sketching Grounds.

No. III.—Holland

to have found it very inconvenient not to be able to erbaps seated in one of them is a woman prepar

get round his island in a boat, so at an enormous ing some vegetables, who looks as if she had

expense he cut it in two with a canal, but judging stepped out of one of the old canvases. Yet this

by the small amount of traffic and the great ex- nation, which in the course of centuries does not

pense of working it, I should say that as an invest- alter the shape of its garments, the breed of its

ment it could be little better than the Panama horses, or the build of its carts, thinks nothing of

Canal. changing its religion and its system of government

The Dutchman loves his dykes, canals, bridges, in a few days,
and quay sides. I have heard that there is a town Middelburg is certainly the most interesting
in South America which the Dutch built hundreds town on the island of Walcheren. It should be
of years ago which is just a little piece of Holland seen on a Thursday, which is market day, when
carried across the Atlantic, for there, on a stretch you can note all the characteristic costumes of the
of mud and sand, he set to work to make his towns and villages
artificial waterways, drawbridges, and windmills ; for miles round
he gave himself all this trouble in spite of the whole collected in the
of the continent of South America being close at market-place over-
hand for him to colonise. He probably thought looked by the
that there was not much use in having a vast con- splendid old town
tinent if you could not live with what you loved hall. The jewel-
and valued most. They say that half a million lery that the
pounds annually would not cover the cost of peasants wear on
keeping the dykes of Holland in repair, so you see such days is per-
the Dutchman has to pay heavily for his fun. fectly wonderful,

You will be surprised to hear that this little and it is all of
bisected island, which is many feet below the sea beautiful design. Here is a sketch of a silver
level, and which you would think not worth having buckle such as is worn by the man, either as a
at a gift when you see the enormous works that are pair or four in a row showing below the waistcoat,
constructed, and the immense expense that is It is a most effective ornament and yet simple,
entailed in keeping the sea from sweeping over it, being made up entirely of circles or parts of circles,
is in reality the one spot in all Europe that excepting for the few lozenge shapes which are so
Germany most longs to possess. If you look at placed as to make two zig-zag lines. The design
the map you will see what an important position it is probably of very ancient origin,
really occupies. A strong fort built at Flushing I am never tired of strolling along the quays of
would command on one side the whole of the Middelburg under the shady trees with the pic-
Belgian and much of the French coast, and on the turesque houses on each side of the canals. The
other the whole of the Dutch sea-board. If barges drawn up at the quay sides discharging their
Germany had these few square miles of mud she merchandise, the cases and barrels and bales of
would become one of the greatest maritime nations, goods, the rows of earthenware vessels, the corn
But this will not interest you who care nothing for spread out on white cloths to dry in the sun—all
the selfish ambitions of nations. looking so picturesque. And what a contrast does

On your first acquaintance with the Dutch you the scene present to the way in which the same

would say that they were a very conservative sort of thing is done in our big towns, or in New

nation. They still go on wearing costumes that York, where work seems to be turned into a curse,

were worn hundreds of years ago. You are con- whilst here the bustling active life is full of beauty

tinually coming across the same type of face and and interest !

figure that Teniers painted, and there is a man who The politeness of these people is quite touching ;

drives me about who always reminds me of one of you feel at once that they are pleased to see you

Van Eyke's saints. Even the horses do not seem and are anxious to help you, instead of being, as we

to have changed since the days of Wouvermans. too often are, only anxious to avoid a stranger.

You see the same hollow-backed, big-bellied, long You will perhaps see a gentleman standing at the

tailed animals that he painted, and I often notice a window of his house: if you happen to look at

hound that at once makes me think of Snyders. him as you pass by, he will make a bow to you,

Here, too, are the same clean courtyards that and the working men in the fields will all stop and

Peter de Hoogh has made so familiar to us, and lift their hats and give you a greeting as you pass
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