Israel, by Brankhorst; and Solomon, by Flink, an artist whom I have formerly praised, devoutly asking of Heaven the inestimable gift of wisdom. The marble chimney-pieces of this apartment are ornamented with some exquisitely sculptured historical basso-relievos; and over the doors are some pleasing imitations of basso-relievos, by J. de Wit, the artist who decorated with similar productions the great eating-room at the House in the Wood.
An apartment very unworthy of their transcendent excellence, contains a large picture, by B. Vanderhelst, of the feast given by the burgomasters of Amsterdam to the ambassadors of Spain, on account of the peace of Munster; a pacification which sheathed the sword that had for eighty years desolated the Netherlands: and a similar subject by Vandyke; for the head of an old man, in which piece, the sum of seven thousand florins was offered. I endeavoured to discover some extraordinary merit in the head, to justify the price which was offered for it to be cut out, but without success.
