Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-02-18
From the New York kickesbocsef
BROCK; or the Dutch Paradise.
nj okorrRKr cnsros.

/. has been matter OF DISCUSSION ana
controversy among the plous and the
learned, as 10 the situation of the terres.
trial paradise from whence our first pa
rents were exilei. This question has been
m, To rest by certain OF the faithful in
Holland, who have decided IN favor oiihe
village of Brock, about six miles from Am.
s,erdam. 1t may not, they observe, cor.
respond in all respects TO the description OF
the Garden Of Eden, handed down from
days of yore, but i, comes nearer 10 their
ideas of a perfect paradise than any ether
place on earth.
This euogium induced me to make
some inquiries as 10 this favored spot, IN
the course OF sojoarn at the city Of AM
s,erdam, and the information procured
fully justified the enthusiastic praise ! had
heard. The village OF Brock is situated
in Waterland, in tue midst Of the greenesl
and richest pastures OF Holland, may say,
of Europe. These pastures are the source
of It's wealth, for il IS famous for its diaries,
and for those oval cheeses which regnle
and perfume the whole civilized world.
Tho population consists OF about SIX hun.
dred persons comprising several families
which have inhabited the place since time
immemorial. and have waxed rich on the
products Of their meadows. They keep
all their wealth among themselves; inter-
marrying, aud keeping oil strangers at
wary distance. They are hard money
people, and remarkable for turning III.
penny the right way. Il is said to have
been an old rule, established by one OF
the primitive tinanciers and Legislators of
Brock, that no one should leave the wi.
lage with more than six gulders in his
rocket. or return with less than ten q
shrewd regulation, well worthy the a:ten.
ton of modern political economists, who
are so anxious to fix the balance of trade.
What, however, renders Brock so per.
feet an elysiom, in the eyes ofall true ilol-
landers, is the matchless height to which
the spirit OF cleanliness is carried there.
Il amounts almost TO religion among the
inhabitants, who pass the greater part oil
their time rubbing and scrublng, and paint.
ing and vanishing each housewife vies
with her neighbor in her devotion to the
scrubbing brush, as Jealous Catholics DO
in their devotion TO the cross /; and II -
said, a notable housewife Of the place IN
days of yore, is held in pious remem-
brnnce, and almost canonlzed as SAINT,
for having died Of pure exhaustion and
chagrin, in an Intellectual attempt to scour
a black man white. e8
These particulars awakened my ardent
curiosity to see place which | pictured
to myself the very foun,an.head OF GER
tain hereditary habits and customs preya-
lent among the descendants Of The original
settlers of my native State. laccordngy
lost DO time in performing pilgrimage 10
Brock.
Before | reached the place, | beheld
symptoms OF the Tranquil character OF its
inhabitants. A little clump- built boat was
in full sail along the lazy bosom OF ca.
nal, but its sails consisted OF the blades OF
two pad lies stood on end, while the navi-
gator sat steering with paddle IN the
stern, crouched down like toad, with a
slouched hat drawn over his eyes. pre-
sumed him 10 be some nautical lover, on
the way to his mistress. After proceeding
a little farther, came in SIGHT OF the hnr.
Dor or port Of destination OF this drowsy
navigator. This was the Broken Nicer,
an artificial basin, or sheet of olive green
water, tranquil as mill-pond. On this
the village of Brock is situated, and the
borders are laboriously decorated with
flowers-beds, box trees clipped into all
kinds ofingenious shapes and iancies, ana
little lust houses, or paviions.
| alighted outside Of The village, tor no
horse nor vehicle is permitted to enter It's
precincts, lest it should cause detilement
TO the weIl-scoured payements. Shaking
the dust off my feet, therefore, prepared
10 enter, with due reverence and circum.
spection, this sanctum sanctorum OF Dutch
cleanliness. enteled by narrow street,
paved with yellow bricks, laid edgo-wlse,
and so clean that one might eat from them.
Indeed, they were actually worn deep, not
by the tread of feet, but by the friction OF
the scrubbing. brush. ).
The houses were built Of wood, and all
appeared to have been freshly painted, OF
green, yellow, and other bright colols.--
They were separated from each other by
gardens and orchards. and stood at some
little distance from the street, with wide
areas or court yards, paved in mosaic,
with variegated stones, polished by ire
qucnt rubbing. The areas were divided
from the steet by curiously wrought rail.
ings, or halustrades, OF iron, surmoun'ed
with brass and copper balls, secured INTO
dazzling efIulgence. The very trunks OF
the trees in front OF the houses were by the
same process made to look as if they had
been vanished. The porches, doors, and
window-frames of the houses were OF ex.
otto woods, curiously carved, and polished
Gks costly furniture. The front doors
are never opened, excepting on chrislen-
ings, marriages, or funerals: on all orci-
nary occasinns v,sttnrS enter by the back