William Temple

“ Holland, Zealand, Friezland and Groninguen, are seated upon the Sea, and make the Strength and Greatness of this State: The other three, with the conquered Towns in Brabant, Flanders, and Cleve, make only the Outworks or Frontiers, serving chiefly for Safety and Defence of these. No Man can tell the strange and mighty Changes, that may have been made in the Face and Bounds of Maritime Countries, at one time or other, by furious Inundations, upon the unusual concurrence of Land-Floods, Winds, and Tides ”

“ But that which mends the Earth, spoils the Air, which would be all Fog and Mist, if it were not clear'd by the sharpness of their Frosts, which never fail with every East Wind for about four Months of the year, and are much fiercer than in the same Latitude with us, because that Wind comes to them over a mighty length of dry Continent ”

“ One would imagine the Water to have shar'd with the Land; and the People that live in Boats, to hold some proportion with those that live in Houses. And this is one great advantage towards Trade, which is natural to the Scituation, and not to be attained in any Country, where there is not the same level and softness of Soil, which makes the cutting of Canals so easie work, as to be attempted almost by every private Man ”

“ The extreme moisture of the Air, I take to be the occasion of the great neatness in their Houses, and cleanliness in their Towns. For without the help of those Customs, their Country would not be habitable by such crowds of People, but the Air would corrupt upon every hot season, and expose the Inhabitants to general and infectious Diseases ”

“ There is, besides, one very great Lake of fresh Water still remaining in the midst of this Province, by the name of Harlem Maer, which might, as they say, be easily drained, and would thereby make a mighty addition of Land to a Country, where nothing is more wanted; and receive a great quantity of People, in which they abound, and who make their Greatness and Riches. ”

“ For their commodious Seat, as to the Trade of the Streights, or Baltique, or any parts of the Ocean, I see no advantage they have of most parts of England; and they must certainly yield to many we possess, if we had other equal circumstances to value them. ”

“ So the deepness of their Soil, and wetness of Seasons, which would render it unpassable, forces them, not only to exactness of Paving in their Streets, but to the expence of so long Cawsies between many of their Towns, and in their High-ways. As indeed, most National Customs are the Effect of some unseen, or unobserved, natural Causes, or Necessities. ”

“ The same moisture of Air makes all Metals apt to rust, and Wood to mould; which forces them, by continual pains of rubbing and scouring, to seek a Prevention, or Cure: This makes the brightness and cleanness that seems affected in their Houses, and is call'd natural to them, by people who think no further. ”

“ The lowness and flatness of their Lands, makes in a great measure the richness of their Soil, that is easily overflowed every Winter, so as the whole Country, at that season, seems to lye under Water, which, in Spring, is driven out again by Mills. ”

“ And by this easie way of Travelling, an industrious Man loses no time from his Business, for he Writes, or Eats, or Sleeps, while he goes; whereas the Time of Labouring or industrious Men, is the greatest Native Commodity of any Country. ”

“ And this is the greatest disadvantage of Trade they receive from their Scituation, though necessary to their Health; because many times their Havens are all shut up for two or three Months with Ice, when ours are open and free. ”