Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 001.djvu/254

254

Sketches of Foreign Scenery and Mdniicrs.

LJune

honoured even the echoes of the Tyrol. I understand that the music of the synagogue is very fine, though I unfortunately had not an opportunity of hearing it.

With regard to the dress and general appearance of the inhabitants, such of the higher classes as I have seen are very similar to the Scotch and English. The head-dress of the ladies, however, is usually more highly ornamented, and seems to partake in some measure of the French fashion.

During my short stay here, I took a walk into the country, and was amply repaid for my trouble by the amusement which it afforded me. The appearance of the middle and lower ranks, particularly at some distance from any considerable town, is entertaining beyond all description. The sight of any little girl of six or seven years old, attired in her Sunday's costume, is quite sufficient to excite one's laughter for a month. She moves within the massy folds of some apparently antiquated gown, and beneath the far-spreading brims of a prodigious straw bonnet, with the grave deportment of a woman of seventy years of age; and with this appearance every look and every gesture corresponds. During a short excursion in one of the Dutch stage-coaches, many of which are furnished with three rows of seats in the interior, I found myself seated behind a venerable old lady, who seemed so far declined into the vale of years, that she was obliged to hold the arm of an elderly domestic who sat beside her. On arriving at our destination, I of course offered my arm to assist her feeble and emaciated frame in descending from the vehicle. My attention was first excited by the infantine beauty of the little hand which was presented to me; and you may judge of my surprise, when, on raising my head, instead of the wrinkled visage of a superannuated woman, I beheld the smiling countenance of a rosy child, with bright blue eyes and beautiful flaxen hair.

The head-dress certainly forms the most singular part of a Dutch country-woman's attire. This is, for the most part, not inelegant, and is frequently very rich and costly. It consists of different substances, and variously hhaped and modified, according to the taste of the individual. Having never attempted the description of a female dress, I fear I shall be guilty of many mistakes and inaccuracies, if I commence with so difficult and unaccustomed an object. Nevertheless, with the full conviction that what I am now writing will never fall into the hands of any Dutch lady, who, severe in youthful and rotund beauty, might expose my ignorance to the world, I shall briefly state my ideas on the subject. In the first place, then, I am of opinion, that immediately upon the head there is a small hoed or cap, probably made of linen and bordered with broad lace, which lies close upon the forehead, and depends upon the back of the neck, where it is fastened by means of a small curl, or twist of tho hair, and gold bodkins. The most characteristic feature of this head-dress, however, consists of a broad-semicircular piece of gold, which embraces the hinder part of the head, and terminates in golden knobs or plates, of about the size of a halfpenny, at both temples. Near the ear, this singular appendage is deflected for an inch or two, and at the extremity of this deflexion there are usually suspended large and richly worked ear-rings, of gold, silver, mother of pearl, &c. varying in splendour and magnificence according to the wealth and importance of the bearer. Such parts of the head as are not secured by this metallic covering, are adorned with patches of black or coloured silks; and over the whole there is imposed a cap of lace and cambric, beautifully intermingled, through the interstices and open stitching of which, the golden ornament and coloured substances which border it are distinctly visible. Sometimes, instead of the golden plates over each temple, there are black patches of a substance resembling leather, but of the nature of these I do not mean at present to hazard a decided opinion. Besides what I have stated, there are, no doubt, many accessories of lesser import, but what I have detailed are the more prominent and striking characters.

In regard to the golden ornament before mentioned, the vulgar proverb must be kept in mind, that it is not all gold which glitters. That piece of dress, among the poorer people, is either gilt, or made of silver. The wealthier classes, however, have it of fine gold, sometimes richly carved and ornamented with precious stones