The times., 1899-10-29
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OF Orange has held the answering loyalty
Of the Dutch people. He says in regard to
the latter.
Stress has been laid especially upon the per
sistence with which the iuGividuasm Of The
Dutch has been displayed throughout their p
htiCa history. More remarkable still, however
ard more naturally impressed upon our minds
al the pres MT moment. IS the vitality o. the
House ut Orange. "Orlnig boveU! was the cgv
with which the Dutch went into their long Lat
lie with Spain. the cry that time after time since
tlJn has TCSoundeI through their cities and as I
write these pages. the words leduing 10 al
Dutch lips and the sentiment that inspires them
lS nlinE an Dutch hearts. The genius OF tge
House OF Orange is 60 be ''ou top! Three CtE-
turtles ago. this noble family. al the head of win d
was woman Of singuiarly simple and sterling
character. true mother Of him who lie
Father William 20 his people emerged above the
political horizon OF Europe. BY the sacrifice OF
maHy sons, II ondearcd itself 10 a nation.
Through succession Of warriors and statesmen
of the first order il consolidated It's and its
. c0uutry's position. With leap, Orange became
Holland. and Holland became one q the great
powers. The hold of the young Queen
upon her people Is altogether singular. She IS
their petite pet Of their fancy With her
personality they are only slightly acquainted.
She has been brought up by a WISE mother IN
strict seclUsioH. Her people believe that she has
grown into woman Of strong and independent
viii. patriotic. cultivated as Dutchwomen are
cultivated, homely as they are homely. But Of
her real personality little is known TO her peo-
pie, and by unwritteH law the Dutch press is
prevented from protesting TO instruct them fur
thgr. 4 Young Queen IS the throne
ruling over happy and contented and patriotic
people az the head Of nation that at this
spCl0Us moment shows signs Of remarkable
quichenlng Of industry and science and art and
literature; secure ia her place IN her peoples
hearts. because she is Of the family of Orange
fer whose services the Dutch have ever shown
themselves atectionatcy and enduringly CRATE
fal.
Considerable space is given to the never
cCasing war which the HOllanders silently
wage with the sea and the rivers It is
difficult to realize that. as the author puts
il, life, liberty, and happiness in Holland
depend on a difference of half an inch in
the height of the waters. 1t is easy to see
how, as he says, most of the charaCteris-
tics Of the Dutch have been developed by
the nature Of their country. They have
been taught caution, skill, and mathemati-
cal eyaCtness by the peril of the waters;
the presence Of the cleansing element at
their very doors has developed cleanliness
in the humblest household; the land
scape, with its silver and emerald, and its
monotony of outline, has caused all brill
liant colors to appear in the dress and fur
nituTe Of the people; and aptitude for trad
ing has come Of the fishermen and boat
men on the one hand and the small farm
ers on the other. Where people must make
a living off a tiny farm. hardly more than
croft, they are apt to be good bargainers.
curious chapter is that on Breda pris-
on. describing the system of isolating con-
viets. which is most elaborate, though hui
man ingenuity manages to circumYent it
mere or less. The isolation is almost as
complete as that described by Kennan in
his paper on Russian fortresses. Curiously
enough, cases Of insanity resulting from
this solitary confinement treatment are
rare. Perhaps this is 10 be accounted for
by the fact that most of the sentences are
short Instead Of being a punishment for
special offences, as in cur country solitary
confinement is here the condition of every
convict. whether sentenced for twenty
four hours or for five years.
Almost at the end OF the book is a chap
ter on the National Gallery, but so much
has already been written about this by
other authors that Mr.. Meldrum wisely
gives but small space to it. Indeed, the
country itself, as he describes it, seems
one great picture gallery. He gives a little
tine 70 the description of the various femi-
nine head-dresses, each of which is shown
in picture. 1t is to be hoped that Dutch
women will not soon abandon their pic
turesque white caps and gold ornaments
The modern sailor hat would be very
poor reward for such a change. New York:
Dodd, Mead & Co. So