There are several literary societies in Amsterdam, which are supported with equal spirit and liberality. The Felix Meritis is the principal public institute; it is supported by private subscriptions: no money is paid upon admission; foreigners are admitted with a subscriber’s ticket, but no native can be received unless he is a subscriber. This place is a large building, containing some fine apartments, particularly the music-room, which, during the concerts, is much resorted to by the most opulent and fashionable families, many of whom play, with the assistance of professional performers. There are also rooms devoted to philosophy and the arts. In the painting-room I was shown some works of the modern Dutch painters, which were not above mediocrity; they appear to have lost that exquisite art of colouring, which so eminently distinguished their predecessors. This circumstance is very singular, considering how many ingenious artists this city has produced, amongst whom may be enumerated the three Does, Griffier, Schellinks, the celebrated Adrian, and William Vandervelde, &c. M. Smit, and Mr. De Winter, very opulent merchants, have a fine collection of paintings. Mr. Van Brenton has also a valuable cabinet, in which are the only Venetian pictures supposed to be in Holland; and in the surgery is a noble picture by Rembrandt. CHAPTER XVIII. THE DUTCH THEATRE ... THEATRICAL TRAFFIC ... THE RONDELL ... SINGULAR VILLAGE OF BROCK ... SAARDAM ... COTTAGE OF PETER THE GREAT ... CLIMATE, DIVISIONS, AND POPULATION OF HOLLAND ... JOURNEY TO ZEYST ... DUTCH FOND OF COFFEE ... SMALL FARMS ... PICTURE OF A DUTCH PEASANT’S NEST ... EFFECTS OF INDUSTRY ... PALACE OF SOESTDYKE ... PYRAMID RAISED IN HONOUR OF BONAPARTE ... SOCIETY OF HERRENHUTHERS ... THEIR HOUSE AND INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS DESCRIBED.