HAGUE, a town in Holland, and the seat of the Dutch government, 10 miles south-south-west of Leyden, 14 south west of Amsterdam, and about 3 florin the coast. It is ge nerally termed by geographers a village, because it has no municipal rights, and is not surrounded with walls ; but it contains at least 38,000 inhabitants, and is one of the most elegant cities in Europe. It formed originally a part of the domains of the Counts of Holland, under the name of Graven Haag, Counts Hedge, which may perhaps account for its humble appellation of village. William 11. Comte of Holland, removed his court from Gravesande to this place in 1250; from which time it has always been the seat of government, and in a political sense the metropeiis of the United States. It stands in a drier soil, and a more ele vated situation, than most other towns in Holland ; and its atmosphere is therefore accounted more pure and health ful. The environs are delightful ; and the approach to it extremely beautiful. The road, shaded on both sides by lofty rows of trees, is sufficiently broad to admit four or five carriages abreast, and so level, that not the smallest inequality of surface is to be perceived. On one side flows the_ canal covered with boats, and ornamented by nume rous handsome villas on its banks ; and directly in view of the traveller appear the lofty edifices of the Hague, with the beautiful forest scenery on the right of the town. The streets are generally spacious, and the meanest of them ex tremely clean. They are decorated with trees, canals, and tasteful bridges. They are paved with a kind of light-co loured bricks, which have a gay appearance, and which are so closely joined together, that no interstices can be per ceived to harbour any species of dirt. The Voorhout, which is accounted the principal street, is about half a mile in length, with a mall in the middle, and contains a number of elegant buildings, in the purest style of architecture. But the Vyverburg is the most beautiful part of the city, and forms an oblong square, with a line of magnificent buildings on one side, and a large basin of water on the 'other. The palace of the Stadtholder consists chiefly of old buildings, erected at different periods, without any re gularity of design, and is surrounded by a canal, with (11..itv bridges. The French church is noted as being the burying place of several Counts of Holland ; and in its vicinity is a line garden in imitation of that of Vauxhall. To the east and south of the town are many beautiful meadows and handsome country seats ; and the trees are so disposed as to give the country the appearance of being better provided with wood titan it is in reality. On the west side, leading
to the fishing village of Scheveling, is a beautiful avenue, nearly two miles in length, and 20 paces in breadth. It tuns in a perfectly straight line, and is shaded on each side by oaks, beeches, and limes of an astonishing size, so close ly and skilfully planted, as to have the appearance of an im pervious forest. The utmost care is taken to preset ye this magnificent grove from injury ; and cautions are fixed up at short distances, denouncing the severest penalties against offenders. On the north side, about a mile from the town, is a noble wood, about two English miles in length, and nearly one in breadth, and full of the finest walks and most pleasing views. The palace called Maison de Bois, a house of retirement for the Stadtholdcr, has nothing remarkable in its appearance or situation, but resembles the residence of a plain country gentleman. During the time of the Ba tavian republic, it was converted into a receptacle for the national cabinet of paintings ; and, to the disgrace of the government, one suite of its apartments was occupied by the keeper of a tavern and brothel. The gardens belong ing to this palace are kept with great care as a public pro menade ; but they are laid out in the worst taste. Every thing is unnatural and artificial, stagnant canals, puerile bridges, flower-beds of every conceivable form, and trees cut into the most fantastic shapes. One of the principal curiosities at the Hague was the prince's cabinet of natu ral history, and museum of rare productions, which con tained an excellent selection of shells, insects, and birds, besides a great variety of toys from the East Indies. It had been removed to Paris ; but is now probably restored along with the other pillaged property of the nation. The only species of trade of any consequence carried on at the Hague, consisted in the publication of continental produc tions, particularly of French books; but this literary traffic was completely extinguished by the revolution ; and from the absence of the court, the city was falling rapidly into decay. By the recent restoration of the old government, its empty palaces have been re-occupied ; and its former affluence and splendour may be expected to return. East Long. 4° 18' 47", North Lat. 52° 4' 30". See Trotter's Me moirs of Fox ; Fell's Tour in Holland ; Owen's Travels, i. ; and Sir J. Carr's Travels in Holland. (q)