Dutch Life in Town and Country | Page 4

on an average is a little higher in summer and a little lower
in winter than in the eastern part of England; but certainly there is in
the southern part of the country a softness in the air which is enervating,
and in such places as Flushing snow is seldom seen, and does not lie

long. But the same thing is seen in Cornwall. Hence this climatic
influence is not a sufficient reason in itself to account for the
undeniable and general 'slowness' of the Dutchman. It is to be found
rather in the history of the country, which has taught the Netherlander
to attempt to prove by other people's experience the value of new ideas,
and only when he has done so will he adopt them. This saps all
initiative.
There is a great lack of faith in everything, in secular as well as
religious matters, the Dutchman will risk nothing, for four cents' outlay
he must be quite certain of six cents in return. As long as he is in this
mood the country will 'mark time,' but not advance much. The
Dutchman believes so thoroughly in being comfortable, and, given a
modest income which he has inherited or gained, he will not only not
go a penny beyond it in his expenditure, but often he will live very
much below it. He would never think of 'living up to' his income; his
idea is to leave his children something very tangible in the shape of
guldens. A small income and little or no work is a far more agreeable
prospect than a really busy life allied to a large income. All the
cautiousness of the Scotchman the Dutchman has, but not the enterprise
and industry. With his cosmopolitanism, which he has gained by
having to learn and converse in so many languages, in order to transact
the large transfer business of such a country as the Netherlands, he has
acquired all the various views of life which cosmopolitanism opens to a
man's mind. The Dutchman can talk upon politics extremely well, but
his interest is largely academic and not personal; he is as a man who
looks on and loves desipere in loco.
The Dutchman is therefore a philosopher and a delightful raconteur,
but at present he is not doing any very great things in the international
battle of life, though when great necessity arises there is no man who
can do more or do better.

Chapter II
Court and Society

Society life in Holland is, as everywhere else, the gentle art of escaping
self-confession of boredom. But society in Holland is far different from
society abroad, because The Hague, the official residence of Queen
Wilhelmina, is not only not the capital of her kingdom, but is only the
third town of the country so far as importance and population go. The
Hague is the royal residence and the seat of the Netherlands
Government; but although, as a rule, Cabinet Ministers live there, most
of the members of the First Chamber of the States-General live
elsewhere, and a great many of their colleagues of the Second Chamber
follow their example, preferring a couple of hours' railway travelling
per day or per week during the time the States sit, to a permanent stay.
Hence, so far as political importance goes, society has to do without it
to a great extent. Nor is The Hague a centre of science. The universities
of Leyden, Utrecht, and Amsterdam are very near, but, as the Dutch
proverb judiciously says, 'Nearly is not half;' there is a vast difference
between having the rose and the thing next to it. In consequence the
leading scientific men of the Netherlands do not, as a rule, add the
charm of their conversation to social intercourse at The Hague.
High life there is represented by members of the nobility and by such
high officials in the army, navy, and civil service as mix with that
nobility. Of course there are sets just as there are everywhere else, sets
as delightful to those who are in them as they are distasteful to
outsiders; but talent and money frequently succeed in making serious
inroads upon the preserves of noble birth. This is, however,
unavoidable, for the Netherlands were a republic for two centuries, and
the scions of the ancient houses are not over-numerous. They fought
well in the wars of their country against Spain, France, and Great
Britain, but fighting well in many cases meant extermination.
On the other hand, two centuries of republican rule are apt to turn any
republicans into patricians, particularly so if they are prosperous,
self-confident, and well aware of their importance. And a patrician
republic necessarily turns into an oligarchy. The prince-merchants of
Holland were Holland's statesmen, Holland's absolute rulers; two
centuries of heroic struggles,