Limburg

Luxemburg

Artois

Flanders

These provinces lately made a part of the French empire. They now, as formerly, exist under a separate gov

ernment.

HOLLAND.

THIS country comprehends that part of the ancient Belgie Gaul, which was long distinguished by the name of the SEVEN UNITED PROVINCES.

Situation, Extent, Boundaries. Holland is situated be. tween 51 and 54° north latitude, and between 78 and 82° east lon. 500 miles long and 100 broad. Bounded north and west by the German ocean; east by Germany; south by the Catholic Netherlands and France.

Divisions and Population. The civil divisions of this country, are seven provinces, viz. Holland, Overyssel, Zealand, Friesland, Utrecht, Groningen, Guelderland, and Zutphen, beside the Texel and other islands. Hol land contains 113 cities or large towns, 1400 villages, and 2,355,000 inhabitants; its military force, in 1801, was 22,384 men.

General Appearance. The soil of the country is so soft and marshy, that, but for the constant care in forming and making ditches and canals, it would be hardly capable of cultivation; some part of it lies even lower than the sea, from which it is secured by dykes or dams. The meadow grounds are rich, and generally under water in the winter.

Rivers. The chief rivers of Holland are the Rhine, the Maese, the Scheldt, and Vecht. The Rhine is one of the largest rivers of Europe. Soon after it enters Holland, it is divided into several branches, forming a number of islands, which constitute a considerable portion of Holland. Near Arnheim it is divided into two branches, one of which takes the name of Yssel, and falls into the

Zuyder Zee. The other branch is again divided, and the larger branch falls into the Maese under the name of the Leck; while the Rhine, with a very small portion of its waters, is lost among the canals about Leyden, without falling into the sea by its proper name.

The Maese rises in France, and after receiving the greatest part of the Rhine it divides into a variety of branches, and empties into the German Sea. The Scheldt also rises in France; and after passing the city of Antwerp, is divided into two branches, called Eastern and Western Scheldt, both of which are lost among the islands of Zealand.

Seas. The German ocean, which washes the northern shores of Holland, is here called the North Sea; in contradistinction to which, a large gulf, which separates North Holland from Friesland, is called the Zuyder or South Sea. With this is connected the lake of Haerlem by a creek called the Y.

The chief harbors of Holland are those of the Texel, Middleburg, Flushing and Amsterdam. Manufactures and Commerce. The chief manufactures of Holland are linens, pottery, leather, wax, snuff, sugar, starch, paper, woollen, and silk. The commerce consisted formerly in spices and drugs from their settlements in the East Indies. The inland trade with Germany by the canals and the Rhine, is almost the only branch of commerce which escaped the ravages of war.

Language and Literature. The language is a dialect of the German. The education of youth is not so much attended to here, as in some other countries. There are large and celebrated Latin schools at Rotterdam, Middleburg, Groningen, &c, Holland has five respectable universities; those of Leyden, Utrecht, Hardewyck, Franeker, and Groningen. There is an academy of Sciences at Haerlem.

Manners and Customs. The Dutch are an industrious and persevering people, patient of hardships, and extremely neat in their dwellings. A humane regulation requires all innkeepers and apothecaries to keep a printed paper, containing rules for recovering persons apparently drowned. Liberal rewards are given to those who expose them.

selves to save others.

Religion. The Hollanders generally embrace the doc trines of the Reformation, or, as they are usually styled, Calvinism; but Jews, Anabaptists, and Roman Catholics are numerous. A free exercise of religion is allowed to all persuasions except the Roman Catholics.

Government. Holland is a republie. In May, 1805, a treaty was made between France and Holland for the establishment of a king; and in June following, Louis Bonaparte, with great ceremony, was proclaimed king of Holland, by his brother Napoleon; but he has since abdicated his throne. Holland was divided into eleven departments, and annexed to France by order of the gov-ernment. It is now an independent government.

Cities. All the cities of Holland have an appearance of grandeur and neatness, which attracts universal admi ration. The houses are of brick, lofty and elegant, the windows large and numerous. The streets are surprisingly clean, and adorned with rows of trees; between which canals extend in all directions.

AMSTERDAM, a port of the Zuyder Zee, is the chief city. It ranks among the first cities of Europe, containing 217,024 inhabitants. The docks and arsenals are extensive, and the Stadthouse is the most magnificent building of the kind in Europe.

ROTTERDAM, on the Maese, is a great commercial city, of the size of Boston, having 33,800 inhabitants. LEYDEN, an inland city, with 30,955 inhabitants, is the seat of the principal university, and is celebrated for having produced several eminent characters in science and literature. The HAGUE, is an open village, famous as the seat of government, and the residence of the Stadtholder; it has 38,433 inhabitants, and 6164 houses.

HAERLEM, which has 21,360 inhabitants, MIDDLEBURG, and FLUSHING, are large commercial cities. U TRECHT is a handsome city, with 32,294 inhabitants, and is the seat of an university. There are many other towns, distinguished for neatness and population..

AA 2.

SWITZERLAND, OR HELVETIA.

UNDER this name modern geographers include all the country occupied, not only by the Swiss, or Thirteen Cantons of the league, but by other states in alliance with or subject to them; in which sense, the greatest extent from east to west will be about 180 miles, and from north to south 140. On the north it is bounded by Suabia, south by Savoy and Italy, west by France.

General Appearance. Switzerland may justly be considered as the most elevated land in Europe, as many principal rivers take their rise here, and run in different directions to the extremity. The greater part is composed of mountains, with narrow vallies between them: these mountains are composed of stupendous rocks, piled on each other, and are from 4,000 to 10,000 feet in height. One peak in St. Gothard's mountain, is computed by Du Cret to be 16,500 French feet.

Divisions and Population. Before the late revolution, Switzerland was divided into 13 cantons, exclusive of their allies; viz. Lueern, Uri, Schweitz, Underwalden, Zug, Friburg, and Soleure, which are Catholics. The protestant cantons are Zurich, Bern, Basle, and Schaff hausen. The number of inhabitants is reckoned at 1,638,000. Glarus and Appenzel contain both religions.

Lakes and Rivers. The principal lakes are those of Constance, Geneva, Lucern, Zurich and Neuchatel. The most considerable rivers are the Rhine, Rhone, Aar, Arve, Reuss and Inn.

Productions. The chief riches of Switzerland consist of excellent pastures, in which many cattle are bred and fattened; the goats and chamois feed on the mountains and in the woods.

Manners and Customs. The men are strong and robust. The women are tolerably handsome, and in general very industrious. The peasants retain their old manner of dress, and are content to live upon milk, butter and cheese; some of the mountaineers never have any bread.

Cities. The principal cities of Switzerland are BASIL, on the Rhine, 15,060 inhabitants; ZURICH, on the lake. of the same name, 10,353; and LAUSANNE on the lake of

Geneva, 9,965. There are colleges at Bern, Lausanne, Zurich and Lucerne.

Historical Remarks. A definitive alliance subsisted between France and several of the Swiss cantons for more than a century to the great advantage of both. These republicans found in that monarchy a steady, faithful, and generous friend. In 1777, the alliance was renewed in the city of Soleure, and extended to all the cantons. From this period, till the commencement of that disastrous revolution, which was effected by the intrigues of the French, the Swiss were so much wiser than any of the other European powers, that they preserved a peace uninterrupted, except by some internal disputes, which were speedily terminated. Their history, therefore, during this period, is comprised in a few words. While other nations descanted on the blessings of peace, liberty, and property, amidst the curses of war, taxes, and oppression, these happy people quietly enjoyed all these blessings. The situation of Switzerland during the late revolution formed a striking contrast to this. It is, (said a writer treating on this subject,) "correctly and energetically drawn in the picture of Athens, left us by a writer of the middle ages after the invasion. It is the empty and bloody skin of an immolated victim. She has nothing left but rocks, and ruins, and demagogues." After the revolution of 1797, the old government of Switzerland was changed, the thirteen independent governments were abolished, and the name of Switzerland changed to that of Helvetia. By the constitution of May 29, 1801, Switzerland was divided into seventeen departments. It is now again an independent government.

SPAIN.

Situation, Boundaries, Extent. THE kingdom of Spain lies between 36 and 44° north lat. and between 66 and 78° east lon. It is bounded north by the bay of Biscay; northeast by the Pyrennees, which separate it from France; east and south by the Mediterranean; southwest and west by Portugal and the Atlantic; 700 miles long and 500 broad.

Divisions. Spain contains the provinces of Old and New Castile, Andalusia, Arragon, Estramadura, Galicia;