writers had their day with the translators; after these, German and English literature attracted their attention: and even down to the present time, though original writing asserts its pre-eminence, there seems a great bias in the Dutch literati for the business of translation.

HOOFT and VONDEL are to be regarded as the patriarchs of the Belles Lettres in Holland. HooFT was the first who cultivated the Dutch Muses. To him both poetry and prose are equally indebted. He bestowed great attention on the purity and refinement of his native tongue. In this respect much had been done even before Hooft, especially by the literary societies of Holland. It is objected, that the anxiety of purifying and refining the language was carried too far: but this extreme, if such it was, was capable of being modified, and reduced to reasonable bounds; and it afforded the materials for a language possessed of all those qualities which fit it for the purpose of literature. The origin of Dutch literature may be fixed about the beginning of the 17th century; for Hooft, (Pieter Cornelisroon Hooft,) whom we place at the head of it, was born (at Amsterdam) in the year 1581, and lived to 1647. He had formed himself on the model of the ancients, and also by the example of the literature of Italy, a country in which he resided in his youth. From Hooft it would be easy to bring down the history of Dutch literature to the present time; but this is not our purpose. We intend to give some information concerning the productions of that literature, and of its extent and character. To answer that end, it will, after those introductory observations, be proper to divide it into certain heads or classes, and enumerate the writers who have distinguished themselves under each.

Beginning with POETRY, as the literature of every nation does in its origin, we will specify the several branches in which it is concerned; not, however, preserving that order in which those branches may historically be supposed to have followed one another; but adopting an arbitrary series, merely to facilitate a survey of the whole Let us begin with the simplest and plainest kinds of poetry.

I. THE ESOPIC FABLE. In this department, not much originality is to be found. The fables of La Fontaine and Gellert exist in translations. Schonck (1729) has published fables and tales; but has scarcely done more than imitated La Foutaine. The Park of Animals "Warande des Dieren") by Vondel, may be referred to this head; but it cannot be considered as a good specimen in this line of composition, as the next species of poetry, of this plain and simple description, may be regarded.

II. TALES AND NARRATIVES, in verse. For those of a serious east, we have the following writers: Jacob Catts, (1557-1660.) his style is easy and natural; Jacob Bellamy, (1757-1786,) a writer of great genius, rather sentimental in the fashion of the German school; William Bilderdyk, (1756, and now living,) a man of the highest talent, and eminent in every department of elegant literature. For light and humorous narrative, we have Hubert Poot, (the Burns

of the Dutch, 1689-1733); Elizabeth Wolff (or, according to her maiden name, Eliz. Bekker, 1738-1804); and again the illustrious Bilderdyk.

III.-ALLEGORICAL POETRY. In this branch of poetry we find some very respectable names: Roemer Visscher (who died 1620); Zachary Heins (1570—1640); Peter Hooft (1581-1647), whom we have called the patriarch of Dutch literature; Vondel (1585— 1679), his great cotemporary; Catts, before mentioned; Van der Veen (about 1640); John de Brune (1585-1658); Joachim Oudaan (1628-1692); Smits (1702-1752); Henry Tollens, of our times.

IV.-PASTORALS. In these the Dutch are not greatly distinguished. Their poets are: Krul (b. 1602); Moonen (1644–1711); John · Baptista Wellehens (1685-1726); De Haan (1707-1748); Tollens; Adrian Loosjes (b. 1761); M. G. Paape.

V.-EPIGRAM. Roemer Visscher; Spiegel (b. 1549); Fockenbroch (1695); Huygens (b. 1596); Hooft; Vondel; Wetsterbaan (1599-1670); Jeremy de Decker (1610-1666); John Six (16101700); John Voss (b. about 1620), witty, but low; Bruno (b. about 1666); Gerard Brandt (1626-1685), may be looked upon as the best Dutch epigrammatist; Adam Simons published poems, containing epigrams, in 1805.

VI. SONNET. Hooft introduced the Sonnet from Italy. The subsequent writers are: Vondel, who excelled in it; Huygens; Mary Tesselschade Visscher, and her sister Anne Visscher, (daughter of Roemer Visscher); De Decker; Isaac van Nuyssenburg (17381775); Porjeere (in his miscellaneous poetry, Digtmengelingen, 1791).

VII. DESCRIPTIVE AND DIDACTIC POETRY. In both, the Dutch are eminent; they seem particularly to suit the calm and contemplative disposition of that people, who are not surpassed in this species of composition by any other nation. The first attempts, both in the descriptive and the didactic, are by Peter Heyntz (15371597); Huygens already excelled; he was followed by several others, such as Herckmans (praise of navigation, 1635); Reinier Anslo (1622-1669), wrote a poem on the plague of Naples; Westerbaan, descriptive; John Antonides, with the additional name Van der Goes, from his native place (1647-1684). He may be looked upon as the most distinguished in this department of poetry. His Ystroom (a descriptive poem in four books, of the river Y, on which Amsterdam is situated) is a classical production; besides this he wrote the Peace of Breda. The following names, in the descriptive, are to be added: Caspar Brandt (son of Gerard Brandt, 16851696); Bruin (1671-1733); Smits (1702-1752); De Marre (1696-1763); Van der Pot (1704-1783); De Haas (1708-1761); Huyzinga Bakker (1718-1801); Trip (1713-1783); Simon van Winter (1718-1795); John Maquet (1798); Helmers (a good poet

of the present day); and the celebrated Bilderdyk. The foregoing were chiefly descriptive. The following are didactic, serious, and moral: Anna Byns (in the 16th century); Coornhert (1522-1590); Spiegel (1549-1612, mentioned before); Hugo Grotius (15831645); Vondel; Catts (mentioned before); Huygens (mentioned before); Bruin (see before); Schim (b. 1695); Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken, after her marriage called Van Winter, (b. 1722; she married Simon van Winter, the poet, in the year 1768). This is the greatest Dutch poetess. We have to add to this class, Kasteleyn (1750-1793); Rhynvis Feith (b. 1753 or 1754, probably still living), a very distinguished poet, and eminent in this department.

VIII. SATIRE. In this the Dutch are not great; it does not snit their taste and disposition. The names to be mentioned are: Vondel; Jeremy de Decker; and a poetess, Juliana Cornelia de Lanoy (1738 -1782). We may subjoin to this division PARODY and TRAVESTY, in which Fockenbrock alone deserves to be named, having thus exhibited the Æneid. The attempts of Schonck at similar compositions are not worth much.

IX. POETICAL EPISTLES. Vondel may be considered as the first who cultivated this mode of writing: for though there exists a letter of Hooft's, written from Italy, before his time, this is not sufficient to deprive the former of that merit. He was surpassed by Poot, who may be said to be classical in this composition. Christiana Leonora de Neuville (b. 1713), imitated the French writers, especially Voltaire. Elizabeth Wolff (maiden name, Bekker), also wrote in this department. Jacob van Dyk (b. 1745) is moreover to be mentioned.

X-ELEGY. Here we have first the name of Vondel, who is the founder of this poetry in Holland. Some of his elegies are excellent. Much commendation is also due to De Decker. The other poets are: Heemskerk (about 1650); Wellehens, Poot, Nieuwland (1764-1794); Adam Simons, Jacob van Dyk.

XI.-HEROIDS. By this is to be understood that sort of poetry which is so called among the works of Ovid. Hooft imitated Ovid. Vondel gave to this composition a religious character, by applying it to the Saints. The two Dutch poetesses Mrs. Van Winter (maiden name, Van Merken), and Elizabeth Wolff (maiden name Bekker), have composed in this line: the Andromache of the latter may be reckoned among this class, and is perhaps the best production which that poetess has left. The poet Nomsz must be added to

this division.

XII.-LYRIC POETRY. Taking this denomination in its most extensive sense, we must make several subdivisions, viz.

1. Religious Poems and Hymns. Here are to be named, Daniel Heinsius (1580-1655); De Decker; Vollenhove (1631-1708); Poot; Boddaert (1694-1760); Oudaan; Trip; and the later ones, who most excelled, Feith, Van Alphen, Van de Kasteeten, Van

den Berg, Petronella Moens, Bilderdyk. Some of these composi tions are intended to be used in churches; for example, some of Feith's, Van Alphen's, Van den Berg's. Those of Kamphuizen (1586 -1626) are exclusively destined for that purpose.

2. Lyric Poetry strictly so called, or the Ode. Again Fondel stands foremost. The choruses in his tragedies are productions of the highest order in Lyric composition. Oudaan, the two Van Harens (brothers, especially the younger, called Anno Zevier), De Lanoy (a lady), Kasteleyn, Nieuwland, belong to this class. The ode has been cultivated, with eminent success, by the poets of the present age, particularly by Feith, and Bilderdyk; besides whom the following names are distinguished: Helmers, Loots, Vereul, (two, Abraham and John Jacob); Petronella, Moens, Tollens, Immerzeel, Nieuwenhuizen, Adam Simons.

3. Songs, and light Erotic Poetry. Though this kind of poetry might not be supposed to suit the temper of the Dutch, according to the phlegma imputed to them, yet there is hardly any which they have more happily cultivated. Their earliest poet, Hooft, possesses extraordinary merit in this composition. Several other names are to be subjoined to his, viz. Reael, Joncktys, Westerbaan, Sweers, Van Someren, Luiken, Dullaert, Brockhuizen; and Poot, Bellamy, and Tollens may be said to have excelled.

4. Ballads, in the strict sense of the word, we do not find among the Dutch; yet there are what may be called popular songs, by Agatha Decker (a lady, b. 1741), and Elizabeth Wolff. These songs are of a higher character than the ballad: they do not descend to that humble level which the ballad seems to propose to itself.

5. Romance has not succeeded well in Holland, though the productions of Feith and Bilderdyk, in this style, are entitled to credit, Rau and Bellamy may also be named under this head.

XIII.-EPIC POETRY. In this field the Dutch Muse has afforded some estimable productions. They are of two kinds, those which have derived their subjects from sacred history, and those which are formed on other arguments. Of the first description are, The Life of Abraham, by Hoogvliet, in 12 books; Versteeg's Moses, in 12 books; Van Dyk's Deliverance of Israel from Egypt, in 6 books; Steenwyk's Gideon, in 6 cantos; Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken's (afterwards Mrs. Van Winter) David, in 12 books. Of subjects not taken from the Bible, we have the following poems: William III., by Rotgans; Friso, by William van Haren, in 10 books; a poem called De Geuzen, and turning upon the foundation of Dutch independence, by Zevier van Haren, in 24 cantos, (re-edited jointly by Feith and Bilderdyk, with an improved versification); Steenwyk's Claudius Civilis, in 16 cantos; Van Merken's (afterwards Van Winter) Germanicus, in 16 books; William I. and Maurice of Nassau, by Nomsz.

XIV. HEROIC SONG, in the style of Addison's Campaign and Voltaire's Bataille de Fontenoi. In this we have the names of Vondel,

Antonides, Oudaan, Schermer, Van Alphen, Bellamy, Feith, Loots, Vereul, Tollens.

XV.-DRAMATIC POETRY. In one branch of it, Tragedy, the Dutch may be said to have been successful; but not so in Comedy, which appears to be less suited to the character and talents of the nation. Without entering into the history of the Dutch drama, we will enumerate the authors under those two heads, Tragedy and Comedy.

1. Tragedy. The great names in this division are, Vondel, Feith, and Bilderdyk. Hooft may be considered as the father of Tragedy, or of the Dutch drama in general; for he wrote both tragedies and comedies, and left four of the former and three of the latter. But Vondel unquestionably must be regarded as the greatest tragic poet. He composed in the ancient style, with choruses; but these compositions are master-pieces in their kind. They have been alluded to above, when we spoke of Lyric Poetry. Vondel's language is very fine. His best pieces are, Gysbrecht van Amstel, Jephtha, and Lucifer. To Vondel's, or the old school, belonged John Voss, Gerard Brandt, Oudoan, Verhoek, Antonides van der Goes (who is also simply called Antonides). After this the French period of the drama succeeded, during which the Dutch, with that propensity to copy their neighbours which is peculiar to them, exchanged their original compositions for imitations of the French stage. Catharine Lescaille (Amsterdam 1649-1711) and Andrew Pels set the example; forming their tragedies upon the models of Rotrou and Corneille: it was fol lowed by Mauritius, Boddaert, Feitama, Marre, Huydecoper, Zweerts, Puter, Hoef. This imitation prevailed for some time; then it was abandoned, and the writers sought more for originality. This merit is first to be attributed to Van Winter, and his wife, formerly Van Merken: after them Juliana Cornelia de Lanoy, Kasteleyn, Styl, Nomsz, and in our days, Feith, Tollens, Loosjes, and Bilderdyk, successfully pursued that path.

2. Comedy. In this the Dutch have not done much the productions scarcely deserve to be mentioned. Langendyk (1683—1756) is looked upon as the best comic author, and he is not great. The other names that occur, if we begin with the oldest, are Bredero (1585-1608), Hooft, Huygens, John Vos, Pluymer, Hoef, Hartsert, Sels, Styl, Nomsz, Loosjes. Genuine comedy is almost entirely supplanted, on the Dutch stage, by that mixed composition called, in a subordinate sense, the Drama. Sels and Loosjes may be adduced as principal writers in the latter.

PROSE.

As late as the 17th century there was scarcely a book written in Dutch prose. Hooft may be considered as its founder. He published in it letters and history. He studied to write the language with the ut most degree of purity, anxiously abstaining from every foreign word