Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-30
LETTER FROM HOLLAND.

A WASHINGTON BOY AMONG THs purca-A oUAIS7
LOW COUNTRY T0ws-DUrcH AIT, PAST AM
FREsENT.
lCo7Tesponde5lcs Of The EcPni7g StGr.l
DoBDRECHT, HOLLAND. Sept, 1880.
We arrived here three days ago, and ar;
thoroughly charmed. This g queer Old Dutet
town,-the Oldest In the Netherland Their
are houses still standing which are more thar
five hundred years old. and a great many ar;
built with steep gables, with the most wonder
full old forms you can imagine. Dordrecht, or
the river Mas, is the Venice of Holland. Three
canals. formed like horse Shoes each set within
the other. and each joining the river at either
end, which at Dordrecht is called the river Mar
wade, make IL town on the water.
AS 1Cr ourselves, we have nice rooms facing
the river with the shipping in full view. Aboul
eighty steamboats, pass up ana down the Maa;
daily. While hundreds of small craft are anch
/ ored In front OF our windows constantly afford
ing olIortunity for study, while others sail IL
and out among them, with patched sails, some
DfOHn, some orange. and white and red ones
are also numerous and very conspicuous. Many
OF them are rusty With age. The queer-shaped
huiis are oiled until the beautiful color5 OF The
wood is seen, z. nerally hogilg rusty reddish
at short distance. They also use great deal
or green paint In the decorations OF their
vesS els.
We often go over to Swlnndrecht, small VII:
lage opposite and TO the west OF Dorrirecht. and
lock back upon the town, and at the many col
mass of homogeneous color seems melted toge-
Their and harmonized When the setting sun
throws thin glaze OF worm color over ALL it Is
indeed beautiful There are too. numerous
windmills here. One can see 10 any direction
long line OF them, running of into perspec-
tive, until they are lost in the distance and AL.
tuning monot0nously, obeylng the will OF the
lazy breeze.
From my WINDOW / can see across the river.
and can run my eve over miles OF level plain .he
view unobstructed, with the exception of a line
nr nv 10 ne
distant dyke. Here and there bitches and canals
gliSten In the sum. Spotted cows In the mead
o"s feed, and can be seen far over the plain. By
looking closely In the evening one can see the
farmers, approaching the cows, wearing yokes
with queer shaped brass cans attached 70 each
cid These they I'LL with the milk and early In
the morning come these farmers in their boats.
each with his good vrau pulling al oar. The
BOATS gllSten as the sun Shines on the bright
cans OF milk as they turn the corner and pull
nard up the canal TO their customers. The
people mere are queer aud picturesque In ap-
pearance. Everything Is bright. Boats with
coiored sails. buildings with colored bricks with
red tile roofs reflected In the water, and the
costumes 20 strange and odd. that abundance
or material ior artists lies on every side. the
women wear ole large brass or gold coil pin
over each ear, with white flowing caps, the
most curious looking things | ever saw. They
are very pain;able, indeed, aud / hope to get
many characteristic sketches Of these people.
We are now right In the midst OF the greatest
school or painters who have ever lived. They
certainly produce the most beautiful art heae
am charmed beyond bounds by the countr,
and by the art. The Dutch artists OF today
are most wonderful artists, and can be classed
among the greatest painters OF modern times
They are followers OF the French school. in a
sense. They think well OF the school of D9u-
blgny, Cor0t. and the men of that school, who
which those men began, In a mastery Way'
Wnlle the French are In measure, losing ft out
OF their hold. While In France 1 wondered
much that | did not see work that would
hI,t a
Know that that art was nearly lost by them.
and had been picked up and carried on by the
Dutch. We find this Is the case, and the work
that these men are doing, In such a quiet way.
Is truly wonderful.
We took a trip through Holland, going to
Amsterdam, Harlem, Leyden and the Hague,
anu In 1t saw more that interested me than
during any trip ever took IN my life. What
great painters they We're and are We have
been able TO study the Dutch school, both Old
and new. We found one man, pupil of Rem.
brandt, whom / think was one OF the greatest
men of his time. His name was Nicholas Macs.
He was In his works, marvel Of simplicity.
simplicity OF notJ, as In his old woman, with
nfted hands, saying grace at an almost empty
table; simplicity OF treatment, fidelity to ma
ture. He chose to portray the simplest natures,
and therefore the greatest characters. He
Of the homnest and simplest kind. But, 50 lar.
Rembrandt seems to be the greatest man /
have found. In every way he was wonderful.
The greatest eteher. the greatest painter. He
fDg OF modern art, is any school better
than the Dutch? We must paint
cur sge. The highest art seems to
NE TO be that which. with the simplest mate
RAILS, teaches the beauty and goodness which
Gcd has placed close at hand, and everywhere.
Many strain to initiate or copy old masters, and
OTHER men. IL man copies anotnerS work he
can only, at the best arrive at the excellence of
his master. He can not SurpasS him. II he
works himself out ne has, at least. chance to
soar as high as his nature allows him to 60 All
N ol1
tiers is that they were original. American
students should not content themselves TO
paint foreign subjects forever. There is lust as
gcod range In our country as In any in the
world, and 1t is a field that has seldom been
handled with strength or seriousness.
G. R ID.