art, and science, and a tone of keen and delicate satire, which at once refined and made them readable.  It is remarkable that almost the whole of the Latin writings of this period abound in good taste, while those written in the vulgar tongue are chiefly coarse and trivial.  Vondel and Hooft, the great poets of the time, wrote with genius and energy, but were deficient in judgment founded on good taste.  The latter of these writers was also distinguished for his prose works; in honor of which Louis XIII. dignified him with letters patent of nobility, and decorated him with the order of St. Michael.

But while Holland was more particularly distinguished by the progress of the mechanical arts, to which Prince Maurice afforded unbounded patronage, the Belgian provinces gave birth to that galaxy of genius in the art of painting, which no equal period of any other country has ever rivalled.  A volume like this would scarcely suffice to do justice to the merits of the eminent artists who now flourished in Belgium; at once founding, perfecting, and immortalizing the Flemish school of painting.  Rubens, Vandyck, Teniers, Crayer, Jordaens, Sneyders, and a host of other great names, crowd on us with claims for notice that almost make the mention of any an injustice to the rest.  But Europe is familiar with their fame; and the widespread taste for their delicious art makes them independent of other record than the combination of their own exquisite touch, undying tints, and unequalled knowledge of nature.  Engraving, carried at the same time to great perfection, has multiplied some of the merits of the celebrated painters, while stamping the reputation of its own professors.  Sculpture, also, had its votaries of considerable note.  Among these, Des Jardins and Quesnoy held the foremost station.  Architecture also produced some remarkable names.

The arts were, in short, never held in higher honor than at this brilliant epoch.  Otto Venire, the master of Rubens, held most important employments.  Rubens himself, appointed secretary to the privy council of the archdukes, was subsequently sent to England, where he negotiated the peace between that country and Spain.  The unfortunate King Charles so highly esteemed his merit that he knighted him in full parliament, and presented him with the diamond ring he wore on his own finger, and a chain enriched with brilliants.  David Teniers, the great pupil of this distinguished master, met his due share of honor.  He has left several portraits of himself; one of which hands him down to posterity in the costume, and with the decorations of the belt and key, which he wore in his capacity of chamberlain to the archduke Leopold, governor-general of the Spanish Netherlands.

The intestine disturbances of Holland during the twelve years’ truce, and the enterprises against Friesland and the duchy of Cleves, had prevented that wise economy which was expected from the republic.  The annual ordinary cost of the military establishment at that period amounted to thirteen million florins.  To meet the enormous expenses of the state, taxes were raised on every material.  They produced about thirty million florins a year, independent of five million each for the East and West India companies.  The population in 1620, in Holland, was about six hundred thousand, and the other provinces contained about the same number.