The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-21

lOsOphers and statesmen Of the past and the
humble yet proud buTgheTs would not find
themselves amid unfamiliar surroundings.
As far as husbandry and The taste and affec-
ton for husbandry go, Holland was then
: what it is nova country which had made
the most of its soil. The love of gardens Is
positive passion among the Dutch. How
they trim the hedges, the grasses. the crops
down 10 what they would have them. The
trees are regulated into shapes that break
the wind or give shade without lessen
Ing sunshine much for the in
element of growth. lhe owner Of a
villa studies how to erfsconse himself in
a pretty thicket which screens him from
too close scrutiny. and yet leaves him Op-
p0rtunitY TO peer out at windmillS and pass
Ing craft on canals, and he has always bit
OF Hover garden tended with the care of a
parent, and an arbor and patch where
vegetables and fruits come TO maturity and
gladden. his table. 1t is mistake to sup
pose the Dutchman'S notion of duty is to
puff tobacco smoke out of a long stem. He
Is peFtinaelous weeder-out of everything
that interfeTeS with the best application of
materials and the comfort of home. He
welcomes the stOrk in this survey of his
acres. The stork keeps down the frogs in
his polders.
In his fOndness of nature the Dutcbman
brings nature as much as possible into the
town. He is also fond OF art, and every
Dutch town is rich in art. and jealousy
in Europe can say the same? Other coun-
| tries nave capitals, with fine parks and gal
lerles OF pictures and sculpture that concen-
trate all there is of national taste. But
every town in Holland has its botanical
park or garden; most of them have Zooi0gi-
cal gardens richer in selections than any in
this country. and scarcely surpassed by
London and Hamburg; hardly place of a
few thousand inhabitants can be named de-
void Of gallery of pictures, and several
R1ln l1,~-
now would be worth many millions
OF dollars In an open sale. What
priceless treasures in art there are at
The Hague, HARLEM, Amsterdam, Utrecht
and Leyden Art is diffuSed enlighten-
ment in Holland. and not a capitalized
shrine to which worshipers 60 and forget
Thousands of grand pictures have been
stolen or bought out of the Netherlands,
and have enriched other countries beyond
conception of price in the value of their
technique and fidelity 10 the truth of nature.
Coarse IN subject as many of them are, they
are true, and required both perception of
mind and skill of the graphic hand. But
much Of the best work, in spite of English
and French gold, yet remains in Holland.
and Rembrandt. Franz Halls, +. Boil, Macs,
Gerard Dou, Teniers Elder and Younger
and many other great men cannot be missed
In the Netherlands for an estimate of their
work. The State Museum at Amsterdam is
maryelously rich in great paintings, and in
select examples OF pottery. One painting
at The Hague. the famous anatomical les
son, is renowned as a masterpiece OF tech
nique and composition of Rembrandt. 1t
still remains there, but there is much
more celebrated work at Amsterdam by the
same master, 1.-THE SOrte of the Banning
Cock Company" which might we'll fetch
half million dollars IL put on the market.
which it never will be- And there are other
incomparabIy rich works by Van der Helst
and Nicholas Macs, and especially by the
latter most touching picture of woman
who has passed away from life in the act of
prayer with folded hands. Throughout
Holland there is love of painting solemn.
fed by centuries OF teaching and custom.
In every town in Holland of any pre-
tensions to consequence there Is some spot,