In the Southern Countries, a Sort of little Cakes or Wafers are carry’d about the Streets, which the Priests say are Gods: But what is most surprizing, the very Bakers themselves, who shew you the Flour of which they were made, will take their Oaths upon it, that the World was created by these Wafers. The _English_ are very fond of Liberty, and are subject to nobody but their Wives. As to their Religion, it is hard to say what it is, for they take up an Opinion one Day, and throw it aside the next. I imputed this fickle Disposition to the Situation of the Country. For the _English_ live upon an Island, and being a maritime People, partake much of the Nature of the inconstant Element that surrounds them. The _English_ are very sollicitous about the Health of every one they meet, so that a Man would take them all to be Physicians. But that common Question, _How do you do?_ I found to be only an empty Form of Speech, and a Sound without any Sense or Meaning in it. Many of these Islanders take so much Pains to improve their Minds, and polish their Understandings, that at length they intirely lose them. Towards the North, there is a Republick consisting of seven Provinces. These go by the Name of the _United Provinces_, tho’ there is but little Sign of Concord or Unity amongst them. The People here boast of their Power, as if the whole Authority of the Republick was lodg’d in their Hands; and yet the Populace are no where more excluded from publick Employments, and the supreme Power is vested in a very few Families. The Inhabitants of these Provinces are deeply attentive upon heaping up Riches, which they make no Use of; so that while their Purses are full, their Bellies are empty. They seem to live upon Smoke only, which they suck in thro’ a Tube or Pipe, which is made of Clay. It must be allow’d, however, for the Honour of this Nation, that they are the neatest of all People, for they take great Care to wash every Thing except their Hands. In the Cities and great Towns in _Europe_, a Watch is kept in the Street by Night. The Watchmen go their Rounds every Hour, and wake People out of their Sleep, by wishing them a good Night. Every Country has its peculiar Laws, and its peculiar Customs likewise, which are ofttimes diametrically opposite to those Laws. For Example: A Wife, according to the Laws, ought to be subject to her Husband; but according to Custom, she has a Right to govern him. Those who live most luxuriously, and consume the greatest Quantity of the Products of the Earth, are held in most Esteem in _Europe_; and only Husbandmen, and such as supply Materials for the Luxury of the Great, are treated with Contempt.