so universally received, that the spilling of the salt was a bad omen; as it was supposed to forebode the breach of that friendship, of which the conjunct participation of salt was the symbol.
It would appear, however, that the symbol itself had been pretty generally diffused among the nations. We are informed, that, to this day, the eating of bread and salt together is a symbol of friendship among the Muscovites. Stuck. Antiq. Conviv. p. 270.
Those who would wish to have further information in regard to this ancient custom, may, besides the writer last quoted, consult Pierii Hieroglyph, fol. 221, D.; Pitisci Lexic. vo. Sal.; and Potter's Antiquities of Greece, loc. cit.
I may afterwards supply you with a few remarks on the singular custom of using bread and salt as the instruments of adjuration. Antiquus.
SKETCHES OF FOREIGN SCENERY AND MANNERS.
No IV.
I left Haarlem yesterday evening, and in about three hours found myself in Amsterdam, the greatest city of Holland, and at one time the emporium of European commerce. I perambulated the streets, &c. this morning. It is a dull, and in my opinion, an uninteresting place. The canals are certainly very spacious, and the streets well and pleasantly shaded by rows of goodly trees; but to a stranger who knows not, and does not desire to know, any thing about mercantile matters, it must necessarily be stupid. In forming an estimate of any object, much depends upon the state of the observer's mind at the time. During my short stay in this town, the heavens wore a gloomy aspect, the weather was damp and raw, the streets were dirty, and the hotel in which I lodged partook in a considerable degree of all these qualities; by which means, the impressions of cheerfulness, cleanliness, and comfort, which I had received during the preceding part of my journey, were in some degree effaced. There are, however, I have no doubt, many objects in Amsterdam well worthy of attention.
The ci-devant Stadthouse, now the Palace, is a grand building, and magnificently fitted up. It contains three large rooms full of paintings, chiefly by the Dutch masters. I was much pleased by six or eight of them, particularly the Rural Scenes, with cattle, by Paul Potter; and the Evening School, by Gerard Dow. This last I should have preferred to any of the others. There is also a large picture by Vandyke, which contains several figures. In it there is the head of an old man, for which, it is said, the burgomasters were offered seven thousand florins. It is calculated that this building cost upwards of thirty millions of guilders. It was founded in the mud, upon 13,659 large wooden piles, and measures 282 feet in front, by 235 in depth, and 116 in height, exclusive of the tower. It is situated in the great square of the city, which is sufficiently spacious to afford a proper view. In this dwelling Lewis Bonaparte, while king of Holland, resided. Of the mildness, equity, and humanity, of this man, every one speaks well. He seems to have been a pretty general favourite. Although the Prince of Orange may be in some respects popular, I hare never heard any one mention the name of the present king. I went through the whole of the Palace, which is finished chiefly with marble, and most superbly furnished. The grand hall is a magnificent apartment, and with the exception of Il Salone, the Town-hall of Padua, is the finest I have ever seen. Besides the paintings before-mentioned, I remember another with which I was much delighted. It represents a meeting of Dutch gentlemen, upon what occasion I do not remember. Of this painting, however, it is said, that Sir Joshua Reynolds declared it to be the finest and most characteristic thing he had ever seen, and that any man might tell what each of the persons represented was going to say.
I visited the house possessed by a society called Felix Meritis. It was founded about the year 1777, by some opulent lovers of science, among whom was the well-known Van Swinden. This society, I am informed, is composed of five classes. The attention of the first is directed chiefly to the improvements in commerce, naviga-
