the capital city of the province of Holland and of the United Netherlands, is seated on the river Amstel and an arm of the sea called the IJ. The air is but indifferent, on account of the marshes that surround it, and render the city almost inaccessible: but this inconvenience is abundantly compensated by the utility of its commerce, which the port serves greatly to promote; for it will contain above a thousand large ships.

In 1204, it was nothing but a small castle, called Amstel from the name of the river, which its lords made a retreat for fishermen, who at first lived in huts covered with thatch: but it soon became considerable, and had a bridge and towers built about it, inasmuch that it rose to a small city; though, till the year 1490, it was surrounded with nothing but a weak pallidio. The walls were then built with brick, to defend it from the incursions of the inhabitants of Utrecht, with whom the Hollanders were often quarrelling; but some months afterwards it was almost reduced to ashes. In 1512, it was besieged by the people of Guelderland; who, not being able to take it, set fire to the ships in the harbour. In 1525, an Anabaptist leader, with 600 of his followers, got into the city in the night-time, attacked the town-house, and defeated those that made any resistance. At length they barricaded, with wool and hop-sacks, the avenues to the market-place, where these enthusiasts were polled; and so put a stop to their fury till day appeared, at which time the citizens fell upon upon them on all sides, and forced them to retire into the town-house, where most of them were cut to pieces. About ten years after, there was another tumult raised by a parcel of fanatics, consisting of men and women, who ran about the streets stark naked, and had a design of making themselves masters of the town-house. Their shrieks and cries, which were dreadful enough, soon alarmed the inhabitants, who seized the greatest part of them, and gave them the chastisement they deserved.

Amsterdam was one of the last cities that embraced the reformed religion. It was besieged by the Hollanders in 1578, and submitted after a siege of ten months. One article of the capitulation was, a free exercise of the Roman-catholic religion; but this was not observed by the Protestants; for they soon drove the ecclesiastics, monks, and nuns, out of the city, broke the images, and demolished the altars. From this time it became the general rendezvous of all nations and of every sect, which raised it to that degree of grandeur and opulence it now enjoys. The inhabitants were often obliged to enlarge the bounds of their city, and in 1675 it was increased to its present extent. It was surrounded with a brick wall, and a large ditch, 80 feet broad, full of running water. The walls were fortified with 26 bastions, on each of which there is now a windmill. There are eight gates towards the land, and one towards the water.

Amsterdam being seated in a marshy soil, is built on piles of wood, for which reason no coaches are allowed, except to great men and physicians, who pay a tax for that privilege; and all kinds of goods are drawn on sledges. It stands so low, that they would be exposed to inundations, if they did not secure themselves by dikes and sluices. The finest streets are, the Keyfar's Graft, or Emperor's Canal; the Heer Graft, or Lords Canal; the Cingel; and the street of Haerlem. The principal canal is remarkable for its houses, which are magnificent structures, of an equal height. Here are three prodigious sluices, and a great number of canals, which cross the city in many parts, and render the streets clean and pleasant. The canals are deep, their sides are lined with hewn stone, they have generally rows of trees planted on each side, and many stone-bridges over different parts of them.

The finest is that called the Ammarack, which is formed by the waters of the Amstel, into which the tide comes up, and on the sides of which are two large quays. This canal has several bridges. The principal is that next the sea, called Pont-Neuf; or the New Bridge: it is 660 feet long, and 70 broad, with iron balustrades on each side; it has 36 arches, of which 11 are very high, and eight are flat up to inclose the yachts. From this bridge there is a most charming prospect of the city, port, and sea. The port is a mile and half in length, and above a thousand paces in breadth: it is always filled with a multitude of vessels, which look like a forest, or rather a floating city. The streets in general are well paved, and the houses built of brick or stone. Towards the sides of the haven, the city is inclosed with great poles driven into the ground, which are joined by large beams placed horizontally. There are openings to let the ships in and out, which are shut every night at the ringing of a bell. Amsterdam is computed to be half as big as London; and the number of houses are said to amount to 26,035.

The public buildings are very magnificent. The stadt-house was founded in 1648; it is built upon 14,000 wooden piles; and its front is 282 feet long, its sides 255 feet, and its height to the roof 116. There is a marble pediment in the front, wherein a woman is carved in relief, holding the arms of the city; she is seated in a chair, supported by two lions, with an olive-branch in her right hand; on each side are four Naiads, who present her with a crown of palm and laurel, and two other marine goddesses present her with different sorts of fruit; besides, there is Neptune with his trident, accompanied with Tritons, a sea-unicorn, and a sea-horse. On the top stand three statuettes in bronze, representing Justice, Strength, and Plenty. On the top of the structure is a round tower, 50 feet above the roof, adorned with statues, and an harmonious chime of bells, the biggest of which weighs about 7000 pounds, and the next 6000; they are made to play different tunes every month. It has not one handsome gate, but only seven doors to answer to the number of the United provinces. On the floor of the great hall are two globes, the celestial and terrestrial, which are 22 feet in diameter, and 69 in circumference; they are made of black and white marble, and are inlaid with jasper and copper. In general, all the chambers are enriched with paintings, carvings, and gildings. While this stadt-house was building, the old one was set on fire, and consumed with all the archives and registers.

Under the stadt-house is a prodigious vault, wherein is kept the bank of Amsterdam, where there is vast quantity of ingots both of gold and silver, as also bags, which are supposed to be full of money. The doors are proof against petards, and are never opened but in the presence of one of the burgomasters. The prisons for debtors and criminals are likewise under the stadt-house; as also the guard-room for the citizens, wherein the keys of the city are locked every night. At the end of the great hall is the schepens or aldermen's chamber, where civil causes are tried. Besides these, there are the chambers of the senate and council, the burgomaster's chamber, the chambers of accounts, &c. In the second story is a large magazine of arms; and on the top of the building are six large cisterns of water, which may be conveyed to any room in the house in case of fire, to prevent which the chimneys are lined with copper.

The bourse, or exchange, where the merchants assemble, is all of free-stone, and built upon two thousand wooden piles; its length is about two hundred feet, and its breadth one hundred and twenty-four; the galleries are supported by twenty-six marble columns, upon each of which are the names of the people that are to meet there; they are all numbered, and there is a place fixed for every merchandise under some of these numbers. On the right hand of the gate is a superb staircase, which leads to the galleries, on one side of which there are several shops, and on the other a place to sell clothes. It is not unlike the royal exchange in London.

The house belonging to the East-India company contains large magazines, full of the different sorts of commodities brought from the East-Indies. The building was formerly used for the city arsenal. There are are several magnificent new buildings added to it. The directors hold their assemblies there twice a week.

The academy called the Illustrious School, is likewise a very fine building; it was formerly a convent belonging to the nuns of St Agnes. Here they teach Latin, the oriental languages, theology, philosophy, history, &c. The lawyers and physicians have likewise their schools. There are eleven churches belonging to the established religion, and one for English Presbyterians, none besides which are allowed to have bells. Other sects may have churches, except the Roman-catholics, who meet in private houses without molestation. The Jews have two fine synagogues, one for the Portuguese, and the other for the Germans. Some of the churches are very stately buildings, but not so remarkable as to deserve a particular description.

Besides these, there are several hospitals, or houses for orphans, for poor widows, for sick persons, and for mad people; all which are regulated with much prudence. The Rasph-House, which was formerly a nunnery, is now a sort of a work-house for men that behave ill. They are commonly set to saw or rasp Bradwood; and if they will not perform their task, they are put into a cellar which the water runs into, where if they do not almost constantly ply the pump, they run the risk of being drowned. There is likewise a spinhouse for debauched women, where they are obliged to spin wool, flax, and hemp, and do other work. All the hospitals are extremely neat, and richly adorned with pictures. They are maintained partly by voluntary contributions, which are raised by putting money into the poor's-boxes fixed up all over the city; and partly by taxing all public diversions, as well at fairs as elsewhere. Likewise every person that passes through any of the gates at candle-light pays a penny for the same uses. These charities are taken care of by certain officers called deacons. The governors are nominated by the magistrates out of the most considerable men in the city.

The common sort have places of diversion called Spiel-Houses, where there are music and dancing. They are much of the same kind as the hops which were so frequent about London. If strangers go there, they must take care not to make their addresses to a woman that is engaged to any other man.

This city is governed by a senate or council, which consists of 36 persons, called a Vroedtshap, who enjoy their places for life; and when any of them dies, the remainder choose another in his stead. This senate elects deputies to be sent to the States of Holland, and appoints the chief magistrates of the city, called Burgomasters, or Echevins, who are like our aldermen. The number is twelve, out of which four are chosen every year to execute the office, and are called Burgomasters-regent. Three of these are discharged every year, to make room for three others. One of the four is kept in to inform the new ones of the state of affairs, and also presides the three first months in the year, and the others three months each; so that, when they are in this office, they may be compared to the lord-mayor of the city of London. These alterations and appointments are made by their own body. They dispose of all inferior offices which become vacant during their regency. They have likewise the direction of all public works, which regard the safety, tranquility, and embellishment of the city. The keys of the famous bank of this city are in the hands of these magistrates.

The college consists of new burgomasters or echevins, who are judges in all criminal affairs, without appeal; but in civil causes they may appeal to the council of the province. There are two treasurers, a bailiff, and a pensionary. The bailiff continues in his office three years; and searches after criminals, takes care to prosecute them, and sees their sentence executed. The pensionary is the minister of the magistracy, is well versed in the laws, makes public harangues, and is the defender of the interests of the city. The city of Amsterdam contributes to the public income above 50,000 livres per day, besides the excise of beer, flesh, and corn; which in all amounts to above one million six hundred thousand pounds sterling a-year. This is more than is paid by all the rest of the provinces put together; and yet Amsterdam bears but the fifth rank in the assembly of the States of Holland, with this distinction, that whereas other cities send two members, this sends four.

The militia of Amsterdam is very considerable; they have sixty companies, each of which has from 200 to 300 men. Jews and Anabaptists are excluded from this service, not being admitted to bear arms. But they are obliged to contribute to the maintenance of the city-guard, which consists of 1400 soldiers; as also to the night-watch, who patrol about the streets, and proclaim the hour. Besides these, there are trumpeters on every church-tower, who sound every half hour; and if there happens a fire, they ring the fire-bell, and show where it is. The inhabitants have excellent contrivances to extinguish it speedily.

The trade of Amsterdam is prodigious: for almost the whole trade of the East-India company centres in this city, which besides carries on a commerce with all the rest of the world, infomuch that it may be called the magazine or store-house of Europe. They import a vast deal of corn from the Baltic, not so much for present consumption, as to lay up against times of scarcity. The richest spices are entirely in the hands of the East-India company, who furnish all Europe therewith. They have vast quantities of military stores, with which they supply several nations; which is owing to their engrossing most of the iron works on the Rhine and other great rivers that run into Holland. The longitude of Amsterdam is 4° 30' E.; the latitude, 52° 25' N.

Amsterdam, is also the name of an island in the south seas, said to have been discovered by Tasman a Dutch navigator, but not taken notice of in our later discoveries.