Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 125.djvu/268

254 noblemen. The menu was, however, decidedly longer, though its French was not more perfect than what we see on our fashionable tables. There was the same wonderful variety of wines, of which the Dutch, however, partake honestly, thus disproving our idle fears that a mixture will prove headachy. But the most marked difference in both dinners from ours was this: that, owing to the great profusion and length of the courses, as well as the intense fever for making speeches, the toasts began when dinner was about half over, and thus it required all the ability of the officers in waiting at Prince Frederick's to keep silence among the attendants. At the public dinner in Leyden this was not accomplished, and so the speeches were accompanied with a clatter of plates and knives, and an occasional jingle of glasses. But so many were the speeches, and so many the occasions for delivering them, that even the orators bore the interruption most good-humouredly; and many a sly guest made it an excuse for continuing an interesting conversation he had begun with some remarkable neighbour. If the cooking differed at all from the best French method, it was in the greater richness of the condiments, and in the more complete disguising of nature under the cloak of art.

Of course, the proper place to hear the oratorical power of the Hollanders was not at dinner, where the strangers were very prominent, but at the solemn meetings of the university, at the first of which the outgoing rector. Professor Heynsius, made an oration in Dutch, of which a French version was considerately circulated among the strangers when they took their places in the church. Despite the arctic cold of the building which was all the more bitterly felt as the strangers were in state dress, the oration was heard with great attention, and its vigour and boldness greatly praised. It seemed very odd to foreigners to hear from the pulpit of a church an attack on theology of the most vehement kind. "L'ancien ménage la tolère encore," said the orator, "mais le sort qui l'attend ne semble pas douteux dès qu'un nouveau ménage remplacera cellui qui a fait sou temps. Le grand principe de la séparation de l'Eglise et de l'Etat exige sa chute avec une inexorable rigueur. Nous ne le regrettons pas — personne d'entre nous." As is well known, the theological school of Leyden, the school of Scholten and Kuenen, is very advanced and sceptical indeed, yet even granting this, the outspoken boldness of the address was freely criticised by the Dutch themselves. But still the most orthodox thing done at the festival was to give Professor Jowett a theological degree; and they evidently guarded themselves against the suspicion of any such weakness by associating with him Mr. Martineau and M. Athanase Coquerel!

The second state speech was a very elegant address to the assembled deputies in the senate-house, made by the secretary, Professor de Vries, in Latin. The scene was, perhaps, the most striking during the week. In this famous small room, which has been so often praised and cited, were assembled the most various collection of learned men the world has seen together for many a day, while the walls were equally crowded with the long series of splendid professors that had lived and taught in Leyden. Such an occasion might well inspire the orator, who spoke with unusual fire. The answers of the deputies were very poor and brief in comparison; but it must be said in justice to them, that they were intentionally brief, owing to pressure of business and want of time. The third oration was that of the new rector, Professor Buys, at the conferring of the honorary degrees. But this speech being made in Dutch, and without a translation, was hardly appreciable at first hearing without a thorough knowledge of the language. Its irony was subtle, and its style very elegant; indeed, it was declared by the nation to be the speech of the festival; but its very excellence made it too hard for outsiders to understand until they read it.

The general impression made by Dutch eloquence, as compared with that of the other nations was this: that while decidedly pleasanter than German, which is harsh in conversation, and still harsher in public speaking, it was not so pleasant as French, especially those delicate French causeries, which made M. Renan and M. Gaston Paris such favourites whenever they rose. As compared with English speakers, the chief difference seemed to be the prevalence of the habit of learning off by heart — a habit almost universal in Dutch sermons, and obvious enough all through the festival orations, as well in the highest and most venerable authorities, as in the young and nervous student. This practice must have its effect upon the speaker, and must necessarily impair the freshness and grace of 