country folk of other lands, who at the first opportunity flock into the
towns. But the Dutch peasant _is_ a peasant, and does not mix, or want to
mix, with the townsman except in the way of business. He brings his garden
and farm produce for sale, and as soon as that is effected--generally very
much to his own advantage, for he is wonderfully 'slim'--he rattles back,
drawn by his dogs or little pony, to the farmhouse, and relates how he has
come safely back, his stock of produce diminished, but his stock of
inventions and subtleties improved and increased by contact with
housewives and shopkeepers, who do their best to drive a hard bargain. In
dealing with the 'boer' the townspeople's ingenuity is taxed to the utmost
in endeavouring to get the better of one whose nature is heavy but
cunning, and families who have dealt with the same 'boer' vendor for years
have to be as careful as if they were transacting business with an entire
stranger. The 'boer's' argument is simplicity itself: 'They try to get the
better of me, and I try to get the better of them'--and he _does_ it!

If, however, there are these differences between city and city and class
and class, there is one common characteristic of the Dutchman which, like
the mist which envelops meadow and street alike in Holland after a warm
day, pertains to the whole race, viz. his deliberation, that slowness of
thought, speech, and action which has given rise to such proverbs as 'You
will see such and such a thing done "in a Dutch month."' The Netherlander
is most difficult to move, but once roused he is far more difficult to
pacify. Many reasons are given for this 'phlegm,' and most people
attribute it to the climate, which is very much abused, especially by
Dutch people themselves, because of its sunlessness during the winter
months; though as a matter of fact the climate is not so very different
from that in the greater part of England. The temperature on an average is
a little higher in summer and a little lower in winter than in the eastern
part of England; but certainly there is in the southern part of the