The principal sources of commercial wealth to Holland arose from her herring and Greenland fisheries, which employed a great portion of her population. The superior manner in which the Dutch pickle and preserve their herrings is peculiar to themselves, nor has it been in the power of England, or any other country, to find out the secret which lies, it is said, in the manner of gilling and salting those fish. The persons who are acquainted with the art, are bound by an oath never to impart it, hitherto religiously adhered to, and the disclosure of it is moreover guarded against by the laws of the country. This national source of wealth has been greatly impeded, in consequence of the Dutch having no herring fisheries of their own, but being obliged to seek them on the English coast at the proper season, where, particularly off Yarmouth, the herring shoals have been known to be six and seven feet deep with fish. The permission granted to the Dutch fishermen, to prosecute their occupation unmolested on our coasts, notwithstanding the war, was frequently withdrawn by our cruisers. Last year a private agreement took place between the two countries, and the indulgence was renewed, by which the Dutch were very abundantly supplied with their favourite fish: so much esteemed is it, that the first herring cured was always presented to the stadtholder, and opulent families have been known to give seven shillings, and even a guinea, for the first herrings brought to market. CHAPTER XVII. FORMER COMMERCE OF THE DUTCH ... BATAVIA ... ANECDOTES OF NATIONAL FRUGALITY ... EXCHANGE AND BANKING BUSINESS ... COMMERCIAL HOUSE OF MESSRS. HOPE ... JEW FRUIT-SELLERS ... MARINE SCHOOL ... THE RASP-HOUSE ... THE WORKHOUSE ... THE PLANTATION ... PRIESTS HOW SUPPORTED ... PARISH REGISTERS ... THE POOR ... LITERARY SOCIETIES ... FELIX MERITIS ... MODERN DUTCH PAINTERS.