6

HAGUE.

statue of Erasmus . The houses of themerchants are very magnificent, and provethe former opulence of this industriouspeople: that of the late French commis-sioner of police contains some tolerablepaintings of the Dutch school. The de-testable oppression of Buonaparte was hereexercised, in throw ing into the mad-housemany devoted beings who were suspectedof disaffection, where they were treatedwith the utmost cruelty; many of themwere never heard of more.

After passing a few days very pleasantlyat Rotterdam , we set out from thence forthe Hague . This place being the residenceof the court, contains all that is gay in Hol-land . We found the Hotel de Belle-vuepleasantly situated opposite the park. Thenovelty of the situation, which would notbe remarked in any other country thanHolland , renders it a pretty town, especi-ally that part of it which looks upon thewood. Embosomed in this wood standsthe palace called the Chateau de Bois,which, besides the beauty of its situation,