Here we hired a coach for Briel, but were forced to hire a wagon also, to carry a box which one of us could have carried on his shoulders. At Briel we took a boat to Rotterdam. We had not been long there when Mr. Bennet, a bookseller who had invited me to his house, called upon me. But as Mr. Loyal, the minister of the Scotch congregation, had invited me, be gave up his claim and went with us to Mr. Loyal's. I found a friendly, sensible, hospitable, and, I am persuaded, a pious man. We took a walk together round the town, all as clean as a gentleman's parlor. Many of the houses are as high as those in the main street at Edinburgh; and the canals, running through the chief streets, make them convenient, as well as pleasant, bringing the merchants' goods up to their doors. Stately trees grow on all their banks. The whole town is encompassed with a double row of elms so that one may walk all round it in the shade.
Saturday, 14.--I had much conversation with the two English ministers, sensible, well-bred, serious men. These, as well as Mr. Loyal, were very willing I should preach in their churches; but they thought it would be best for me to preach in the Episcopal Church. By our conversing freely together, many prejudices were removed and all our hearts seemed to be united together.
In the evening we again took a walk around the town, and I observed 1) many of the houses are higher than most in Edinburgh. It is true they have not so many stories; but each story is far loftier. 2) The streets, the outside and inside of their houses in every part, doors, windows, well-staircases, furniture, even floors, are kept so nicely clean that you cannot find a speck of dirt; 3) there is such a grandeur and elegance in the fronts of the large houses as I never saw elsewhere; and such a profusion of marble within, particularly in their lower floors and staircases, as I wonder other nations do not imitate. 4) The women and children (which I least of all expected) were in general the most beautiful I ever saw. They were surprisingly fair and had an inexpressible air of innocence in their countenance. 5) This was wonderfully set off by their dress, which was simplex munditiis, plain and neat in the highest degree. 6) It has lately been observed that growing vegetables greatly resist putridity: so there is a use in their numerous rows of trees which was not thought of at first. The elms balance the canals, preventing the putrefaction which those otherwise might produce.
One little circumstance I observed, which I suppose is peculiar to Holland: to most chamber windows a looking-glass is placed on the outside of the sash, so as to show the whole street, with all the passengers. There is something very pleasing in these moving pictures. Are they found in no other country?
Sunday, 15.--The Episcopal Church is not quite so large as the chapel in West Street. It is very elegant both without and within. The service began at half-past nine. Such a congregation had not often been there before. I preached on "God created man in his own image" [Gen. 1:27]. The people seemed, "all but their attention, dead." In the afternoon the church was so filled as (they informed me) it had not been for these fifty years. I preached on "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" [I John 5:11]. I believe God applied it to many hearts. Were it only for this hour, I am glad I came to Holland.
One thing which I peculiarly observed was this, and the same in all the churches in Holland: at coming in, no one looks on the right or the left hand, or bows or courtesies to anyone; but all go straight forward to their seats, as if no other person were in the place. During the service, none turns his head on either side, or looks at anything but his book or the minister; and in going out none take notice of anyone, but all go straight forward till they are in the open air.
After church an English gentleman invited me to his country house, not half a mile from the town. I scarcely ever saw so pretty a place. The garden before the house was in three partitions, each quite different from the others. The house lay between this and another garden (nothing like any of the others), from which you looked through a beautiful summerhouse, washed by a small stream, into rich pastures filled with cattle. We sat under an arbor of stately trees, between the front and the back gardens. Here were four such children (I suppose seven, six, five, and three years old) as I never saw before in one family; such inexpressible beauty and innocence shone together!
In the evening I attended the service of the great Dutch church, as large as most of our cathedrals. The organ (like those in all the Dutch churches) was elegantly painted and gilded; and the tunes that were sung were very lively and yet solemn.
Monday, 16.--We set out in a track-skuit [river boat] for the Hague. By the way we saw a curiosity: the gallows near the canal, surrounded with a knot of beautiful trees, so the dying man will have one pleasant prospect here, whatever befalls him hereafter! At eleven we came to Delft, a large, handsome town. Here we spent an hour at a merchant's house, who, as well as his wife, a very agreeable woman, seemed both to fear and to love God. Afterward we saw the great church, I think nearly, if not quite, as long as York Minster. It is exceedingly light and elegant within, and every part is kept exquisitely clean. The tomb of William I is much admired; particularly his statue, which has more life than one would think could be expressed in brass.