Series 02: Journal of a tour in Holland, 12 February - 22 March 1773 - No. 0014

[Page 14]

The Hague

of those who formerly formed the Doele or Society to whom the house belongd at that time people of the first rank in the country.  Our room tho Lighted by a fire at one End & a stove at the other was intolerably Cold about 100 midlingly [middlingly] dressed people which we were told was not a thin assembly were there the musick intolerably indifferent & stunningly Loud.

Their only singer was an intolerably bad Italian Bass who sang many songs very ill & among the rest that Elegant air in il Philosophe - done done which in the mouth & with the action of a Bass made surely a most ridiculous figure so much for dutch taste.

After dinner we returnd to Count Bentink & suppd with him in company with Mr Allemand Professor of Nat.Hist. at Leyden.

19. This morn early we went to a Mr. Meuschen a man who deals a little (by commission as he calls it) in Natural curiosities. in his Collection was nothing worth notice among his Commissiond wares were, a Maldive nut out of which the