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windows；boats　where　families　live；　or　walks　down　the　Plantage；　with　the　zoological　gardens　on　the　one　hand　and　rows　of　beer…gardens　on　the　other；　or　round　the　great　docks；　or　saunters　at　sunset　by　the　banks　of　the　Y；　and　looks　upon　flat　North　Holland　and　the　Zuyder　Zee。

The　palace　on　the　Dam　（square）　is　a　square；　stately　edifice；　and　the　only　building　that　the　stranger　will　care　to　see。　　Its　interior　is　richer　and　more　fit　to　live　in　than　any　palace　we　have　seen。　　There　is　nothing　usually　so　dreary　as　your　fine　Palace。　　There　are　some　good　frescoes；　rooms　richly　decorated　in　marble；　and　a　magnificent　hall；　or　ball…room；　one　hundred　feet　in　height；　without　pillars。　Back　of　it　is；　of　course；　a　canal；　which　does　not　smell　fragrantly　in　the　summer；　and　I　do　not　wonder　that　William　III。　and　his　queen　prefer　to　stop　away。　　From　the　top　is　a　splendid　view　of　Amsterdam　and　all　the　flat　region。　　I　speak　of　it　with　entire　impartiality；　for　I　did　not　go　up　to　see　it。　　But　better　than　palaces　are　the　picture…galleries；　three　of　which　are　open　to　the　sightseer。　　Here　the　ancient　and　modern　Dutch　painters　are　seen　at　their　best；　and　I　know　of　no　richer　feast　of　this　sort。　　Here　Rembrandt　is　to　be　seen　in　his　glory；　here　Van　der　Helst；　Jan　Steen；　Gerard　Douw；　Teniers　the　younger；　Hondekoeter；　Weenix；　Ostade；　Cuyp；　and　other　names　as　familiar。　　These　men　also　painted　what　they　saw；　the　people；　the　landscapes；　with　which　they　were　familiar。　　It　was　a　strange　pleasure　to　meet　again　and　again　in　the　streets　of　the　town　the　faces；　or　types　of　them；　that　we　had　just　seen　on　canvas　so　old。

In　the　Low　Countries；　the　porters　have　the　grand　title　of　commissionaires。　　They　carry　trunks　and　bundles；　black　boots；　and　act　as　valets　de　place。　　As　guides；　they　are　quite　as　intolerable　in　Amsterdam　as　their　brethren　in　other　cities。　　Many　of　them　are　Jews；　and　they　have　a　keen　eye　for　a　stranger。　　The　moment　he　sallies　from　his　hotel；　there　is　a　guide。　　Let　him　hesitate　for　an　instant　in　his　walk；　either　to　look　at　something　or　to　consult　his　map；　or　let　him　ask　the　way；　and　he　will　have　a　half　dozen　of　the　persistent　guild　upon　him；　and　they　cannot　easily　be　shaken　off。　　The　afternoon　we　arrived；　we　had　barely　got　into　our　rooms　at　Brack's　Oude　Doelan；　when　a　gray…headed　commissionaire　knocked　at　our　door；　and　offered　his　services　to　show　us　the　city。　　We　deferred　the　pleasure　of　his　valuable　society。　　Shortly；　when　we　came　down　to　the　street；　a　smartly　dressed　Israelite　took　off　his　hat　to　us；　and　offered　to　show　us　the　city。　　We　declined　with　impressive　politeness；　and　walked　on。　The　Jew　accompanied　us；　and　attempted　conversation；　in　which　we　did　not　join。　　He　would　show　us　everything　for　a　guilder　an　hour；for　half　a　guilder。　　Having　plainly　told　the　Jew　that　we　did　not　desire　his　attendance；　he　crossed　to　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　kept　us　in　sight；　biding　his　opportunity。　　At　the　end　of　the　street；　we　hesitated　a　moment　whether　to　cross　the　bridge　or　turn　up　by　the　broad　canal。　　The　Jew　was　at　our　side　in　a　moment；　having　divined　that　we　were　on　the　way　to　the　Dam　and　the　palace。　　He　obligingly　pointed　the　way；　and　began　to　walk　with　us；　entering　into　conversation。　　We　told　him　pointedly；　that　we　did　not　desire　his　services；　and　requested　him　to　leave　us。　　He　still　walked　in　our　direction；　with　the　air　of　one　much　injured；　but　forgiving；　and　was　more　than　once　beside　us　with　a　piece　of　information。　　When　we　finally　turned　upon　him　with　great　fierceness；　and　told　him　to　begone；　he　regarded　us　with　a　mournful　and　pitying　expression；　and　as　the　last　act　of　one　who　returned　good　for　evil；　before　he　turned　away；　pointed　out　to　us　the　next　turn　we　were　to　make。　　I　saw　him　several　times　afterward；　and　I　once　had　occasion　to　say　to　him；　that　I　had　already　told　him　I　would　not　employ　him；　and　he　always　lifted　his　hat；　and　looked　at　me　with　a　forgiving　smile。　　I　felt　that　I　had　deeply　wronged　him。　　As　we　stood　by　the　statue；　looking　up　at　the　eastern　pediment　of　the　palace；　another　of　the　tribe　（they　all　speak　a　little　English）　asked　me　if　I　wished　to　see　the　palace。　　I　told　him　I　was　looking　at　it；　and　could　see　it　quite　distinctly。　　Half　a　dozen　more　crowded　round；　and　proffered　their　aid。　　Would　I　like　to　go　into　the　palace　？　　They　knew；　and　I　knew；　that　they　could　do　nothing　more　than　go　to　the　open　door；　through　which　they　would　not　be　admitted；　and　that　I　could　walk　across　the　open　square　to　that；　and　enter　alone。　　I　asked　the　first　speaker　if　he　wished　to　go　into　the　palace。　Oh；　yes！　　he　would　like　to　go。　　I　told　him　he　had　better　go　at　once；…　…they　had　all　better　go　in　together　and　see　the　palace；it　was　an　excellent　opportunity。　　They　seemed　to　see　the　point；　and　slunk　away　to　the　other　side　to　wait　for　another　stranger。

I　find　that　this　plan　works　very　well　with　guides：　when　I　see　one　approaching；　I　at　once　offer　to　guide　him。　　It　is　an　idea　from　which　he　does　not　rally　in　time　to　annoy　us。　　The　other　day　I　offered　to　show　a　persistent　fellow　through　an　old　ruin　for　fifty　kreuzers：　as　his　price　for　showing　me　was　forty…eight；　we　did　not　come　to　terms。　One　of　the　most　remarkable　guides；　by　the　way；　we　encountered　at　Stratford…on…Avon。　　As　we　walked　down　from　the　Red　Horse　Inn　to　the　church；　a　full…grown　boy　came　bearing　down　upon　us　in　the　most　wonderful　fashion。　　Early　rickets；　I　think；　had　been　succeeded　by　the　St。　Vitus'　dance。　　He　came　down　upon　us　sideways；　his　legs　all　in　a　tangle；　and　his　right　arm；　bent　and　twisted；　going　round　and　round；　as　if　in　vain　efforts　to　get　into　his　pocket；　his　fingers　spread　out　in　impotent　desire　to　clutch　something。　　There　was　great　danger　that　he　would　run　into　us；　as　he　was　like　a　steamer　with　only　one　side…wheel　and　no　rudder。　　He　came　up　puffing　and　blowing；　and　offered　to　show　us　Shakespeare's　tomb。　　Shade　of　the　past；　to　be　accompanied　to　thy　resting…place　by　such　an　object！　　But　he　fastened　himself　on　us；　and　jerked　and　hitched　along　in　his　side…wheel　fashion。　　We　declined　his　help。　　He　paddled　on；　twisting　himself　into　knots；　and　grinning　in　the　most　friendly　manner。　　We　told　him　to　begone。　　〃I　am；〃　said　he；　wrenching　himself　into　a　new　contortion；　〃I　am　what　showed　Artemus　Ward　round　Stratford。〃　This　information　he　repeated　again　and　again；　as　if　we　could　not　resist　him　after　we　had　comprehended　that。　　We　shook　him　off；　but　when　we　returned　at　sundown　across　the　fields；　from　a　visit　to　Anne　Hathaway's　cottage；　we　met　the　sidewheeler　cheerfully　towing　along　a　large　party；　upon　whom　he　had　fastened。

The　people　of　Amsterdam　are　only　less　queer　than　their　houses。　　The　men　dress　in　a　solid；　old…fashioned　way。　　Every　one　wears　the　straight；　high…crowned　silk　hat　that　went　out　with　us　years　ago；　and　the　cut　of　clothing　of　even　the　most　buckish　young　fellows　is　behind　the　times。　　I　stepped　into　the　Exchange；　an　immense　interior；　that　will　hold　five　thousand　people；　where　the　stock…gamblers　meet　twice　a　day。　　It　was　very　different　from　the　terrible　excitement　and　noise　of　the　Paris　Bourse。　　There　were　three　or　four　thousand　brokers　there；　yet　there　was　very　little　noise　and　no　confusion。　　No　stocks　were　called；　and　there　was　no　central　ring　for　bidding；　as　at　the　Bourse　and　the　New　York　Gold　Room；　but　they　quietly　bought　and　sold。　　Some　of　the　leading　firms　had　desks　or　tables　at　the　side；　and　there　awaited　orders。　　Everything　was　phlegmatically　and　decorously　done。

In　the　streets　one　still　sees　peasant　women　in　native　costume。　　There　was　a　group　to…day　that　I　saw　by　the　river；　evidently　just　crossed　over　from　North　Holland。　　They　wore　short　dresses；　with　the　upper　skirt　looped　up；　and　had　broad　hips　and　big　waists。　　On　the　head　was　a　cap　with　a　fall　of　lace　behind；　across　the　back　of　the　head　a　broad　band　of　silver　（or　tin）　three　inches　broad；　which　terminated　in　front　and　just　above　the　ears　in　bright　pieces　of　metal　about　two　inches　square；　like　a　horse's　blinders；　Only　flaring　more　from　the　head；　across　the　forehead　and　just　above　the　eyes　a　gilt　band；　embossed；　on　the　temples　two　plaits　of　hair　in　circular　coils；　and　on　top　of　all　a　straw　hat；　like　an　old…fashioned　bonnet）　stuck　on　hindside　before。　Spiral　coils　of　brass　wire；　coming　to　a　point　in　front；　are　also　worn　on　each　side　of　the　head　by　many。　　Whether　they　are　for　ornament　or　defense；　I　could　not　determine。

Water　is　brought　into　the　city　now　from　Haarlem；　and　introduced　into　the　best　houses；　but　it　is　still　sold　in　the　streets　by　old　men　and　women；　who　sit　at　the　faucets。　　I　saw　one　dried…up　old　grandmother；　who　sat　in　her　little　caboose；　fighting　away　the　crowd　of　dirty　children　who　tried　to　steal　a　drink　when　her　back　was　turned；　keeping　count　of　the　pails　of　water　carried　away　with　a　piece　of　chalk　on　the　iron　pipe；　and　trying　to　darn　her　stocking　at　the　same　time。　　Odd　things　strike　you　at　every　turn。　　There　is　a　sledge　drawn　by　one　poor　horse；　and　on　the　front　of　it　is　a　cask　of　water　pierced　with　holes；　so　that　the　water　squirts　out　and　wets　the　stones；　making　it　easier　sliding　for　the　runners。　　It　is　an　ingenious　people！

After　all；　we　drove　out　five　miles　to　Broek；　the　clean　village；　across　the　Y；　up　the　canal；　over　flatness　flattened。　　Broek　is　a　humbug；　as　almost　all　show　places　are。　　A　wooden　little　village　on　a　stagnant　canal；　i