Prev | Current Page 253 | Next

Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall), 1868-1938

"A Wanderer in Holland"

The work was
faithfully accomplished, and for a long time Naarden ceased to exist."
The Naarden of to-day sprang from the ruins. Mendoza's comment upon
the siege ran thus: "The sack of Naarden was a chastisement which
must be believed to have taken place by express permission of a
Divine Providence; a punishment for having been the first of the
Holland towns in which heresy built its nest, whence it has taken
flight to all the neighbouring cities". None the less, "the hearts
of the Hollanders," says Motley, "were rather steeled to resistance
than awed into submission by the fate of Naarden"; as Don Frederic
found when he passed on to besiege Haarlem and later Alkmaar.
To Muiderburg, between Naarden and Muiden, I have not been, and
therefore with the more readiness quote my indispensable author:--
In summer is Muiderberg by its situation at the Zuiderzee a favourite
little spot and very recommendable for nervous people. The number
of those who sought cure and found it here is enormous. It is the
vacation-place by excellence. There is a church with square tower
and organ. About the tower, the spire of which is failing, various
opinions go round how this occured, by war, by shooting or storm.
The beautiful beech-grove in the center of the village, where a lot
of forest-giants are rising in the sky in severe rows, is a favorite
place, in the middle of which is a hill with fine pond.


Pages:
241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265