Page:A Tour Through the Batavian Republic.djvu/70

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58
TOUR THROUGH

theatres of the British metropolis, is an intolerable abuse. In Rotterdam, as in all the great cities of Europe, there are brothel's for the reception of licentious women; but these persons seclude themselves from the public eye, and it requires some acquaintance with vice to discover their retreats.

The state of religion at Rotterdam is nearly the same as before the revolution. On Sundays the churches are well attended; and though the ministers in general are suspected of being attached to the stadtholder's party, I could not learn that they were treated even by the most violent republicans with disrespect, much less with personal indignity, or any severity that bordered the least on persecution. The pastor of one of the churches, a zealous stadtholderian, who, apprehensive for his safety, fled from Holland on the approach of the French, returned to Rotterdam a few days ago (with the permission of the government), on the invitation of his parishioners, and preached his restoration sermon, which was said to contain more politics than religion, and those by no means