Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-05-16
HISTO RICAL.
e p
DR., BAIRD's FOURTH LECTURE.

ture a short time since. His subject was Ger
many, including Belgium and Holland" He
took occasion to speak of the general appear
ance of the sky in the high ATTITUDES of the
north of Europe, both during the day and night
in the summer season. The heavens did not
present the deep blue of more southern attitudes.
The sky was of a very light color-pale-with
little if any blue observable. The farther south
you go towards the equator, the deeper becomes
the blue of the heavens, In lat. 70, north, in the
day time, the sky presents a milky appearance,
so light is the color. In lat. 60, in the longest
days, the sun goes down at nine, P. M. and rises
at 3, A. M. AT midnight you can see to read
as well as during the day. The doctor said that
ofen while travelling in Norway, he had at mid
night, while passing through a forest in the wood,
taken a letter from his pocket and read it with
: perfect ease. He had, while in Stockholm and
st. Petersburgh, gone home from visits at mid
night, and experienced most indescribabIe sensa-
tons of sadness and melancholy while passing
through the lone and deserted streets. 1t ap-
peared as ifthe city was deserted, or the citizens
had been cut off by some sudden calamity. 1t
is sometime before one becomes. accustomed to
walking the streets, as light almost as day, at
midnight,
Belgium is a small country-it contains L.
200 square miles, and about 4,O00,0 900 people.
1t is very level except in the south east part,
where it is somewhat billy. The forest of Ar
dennes terminates in this section of the country.
it is very fertile. 1t has more miles of railroad
in proportion to its extent than any other coun-
try. The government does all in its power to
promote internal Improvements. 1t has sevaral
beautiful cities, of which Brussels, Client, and
Antwerp were described. The seige of Antwerp,
by the French, in 1881; was referred to. DR.. B.
said that, at the time Marshal Soult had promis-
ed in the French Chambers Of Deputies that the
keyes of the citadel of Antwerp, strong, and well
fortified as it was, should be laid on his table in
10 days after the expedition started-they were
delivered to the French in % days. Leige, in
the east of Belgium, is the seat of immense iron
manufactures. Common schools are establish
ed by law. The Jesuits have struggled hard to
control them. The religion is Roman Catholic.
About two thirds of the people speak French
the remainder, Flemish, German and Dutch.
The King, Leopold, was spoken of as a man of
great learning; he is e%minently skilled in botany.
Holland is a very level country. 1t contains
about thirteen thousand square miles, and three
millions of inhabitants. 1t differs widely from
Belgium, in that so much of it is covered with
water. The appearance of the country, being
30 level, is very monotonous. This is, however,
somewhat relieved by the trees planted along the
/. banks of the canals. The canals are different
from ours. They are from so to 100 feet wide,
with a row of trees on their Drinks, then a paw
ed street for carriages, then a row of trees, and
fnally a sidewalk for foot passengers. This re-
fers particularly to the canals in cities sand
towns. Some of the streets are two hundred
feet wide. Tie most remarkable canal in Hol-
land is the ship canal from the Zuyder Zee to
the ocean-the country is intersected in all d.
%rections by them, The people are remarkably
neat, and elenly. The people of Amsterdam pos.
sess great wealth. The government of Holland
like that of Belgium, is a limited monarchy, but
the suffering in Belgium is much restricted. The
schools of Holland are good great numbers O
circulating libraries; the religion is Protestant
The most remarkable things in Holland are the
dykes, some of which, the sand hills on the coast
are the work of nature. When the tide goes
out it leaves long tracts of sand coast bare, the
sun dries them, and the wind s~pringing up car.
ries the sand in shore, and forms a line of hill.
along the coast. Upon these hills the inhabi
tants plant such grasses as will grow there, t.
give them assistance to resist the encroachment
of the sea during the heavy gales in the autumn
All along the coast, to a distance of three mile
back from the sea, the land is uncultivated, 81
much sand is blown upon it. There are alsC
lands in Holland which have been reclaimed
from the water, this having been pumped out by
w~indmills, and dykes built around them to keel
it out.
Dr.. Baird spoke of the late king of Holland
and of the troubles of the people during the yea
1889, in consequence of the old kings desire t
marry a Belgian princess to a Roman catholic
He said this feeling often found expression from
the pulpit. The kings chaplain one Sunda
preached a severe sermon against the king
marriage. On going home from church tn
king remarked to the officer in attendance, tina
he had heard his chaplain preach many most ex
cellent sermons; but that day he was SO deaf tina
he could not hear him at al.
Germany is divided into 80 governments
some of which, Prussia, Austria, &c. are large
while others, mere duchies, are very mall TIL
duchy of Detwold contains only IL, 900 inhab
tants. 1t has a hereditary Duke and a Legisl,
ture-the Senate consisting of 5 and the Hous
of ID members. The west of Germany is leve
sandy and poor. In the northeastern section
is rough and mountainous. Education is in a
advanced state in Germany. The commo
school system Of Prussia was established in 1871!
In Austria there is a law which prohibits an
man or woman from being married unless the
can read and write. The Universities in Ge
many are among the best in the world. I'll
king of Prussia is a very learned and able MOI
arch. DR.. Baird described the students of IL
eGarman LniYersities their dress manners &.