Every one now began to laugh, and the baron and his friend seemed ashamed of themselves. An honest burgher, who was in the room, cried out, with a look of contempt, the prank is really well recompensed. Another pitied the poor Jew, and thought it very inhuman to have sent a child, shaking with an ague, so many miles to no purpose; for every one perceived that the poor boy would have got nothing, and after having long sought for Mr. Vanderk, he must have returned back with his wares. At last the jokers, with very serious faces, paid Robert the five guilders, and to take off part of the odium from themselves, they desired the boy to keep his basket and wares, which they could make no use of. Your brother ordered the boy a warm breakfast, and paid his fare back to the Hague. We were then called to go on board again, and the baron and his friend were cured of their airs for that day at least. What a long letter I have written! Permit me, however, to assure you, that I am your most humble servant. WILLIAM. LETTER XXV. CHARLES _to_ EMILIA. My friend William has acquitted himself so well, that I have very little more to say of our late excursion. I shall soon be with you to tell you all, as our voyage to England is fixed for the end of next month. Your brother is grown very idle, and our time is almost entirely lost in amusements. We walk, or ride, from one village to another; go to the play, pay visits, &c. Yet, now I think of it, I cannot call it time lost, I endeavour to get all the information I can respecting the customs and dispositions of the people I am now with. I shall send them to Dr. Bartlett, and as he has been frequently in this country, he will rectify my mistaken opinions when I return. Indeed, I wish to see as much as I can, for I should be ashamed, when any one asked me what I had seen in Holland, to be only able to speak of the air, the ground, the sun, the houses, the fields, the cattle, without being able to add, that the air is warmer or colder, the houses better or worse built, the fields more or less fruitful than in England; in short, not to be able to give a discriminating account of the country and the manners of the people. I will now give you a slight sketch. The Dutch appear to me to be sincere and honest; they have the politeness of the French without their levity. Their peasantry and mechanics are the most industrious set of people I have ever seen, and so honest, that it is as safe in the evening and night in the streets as in the houses. We hear of no duels, murders, or robberies; nor any of those dreadful vices which prevail so much in England, or of those barbarous diversions which please the mob in our country. We never hear of a boxing match for money; nor do they fight cocks, or bait bulls; so that they appear to be a mild people.