These people paint their houses every year--not in conformity with any written law, but upon a universal feeling that that is what should be done.

To this very pretty habit is largely due the air of fresh gaiety that their towns possess.

Middelburg is of the gayest.

Greenest of all, as I have said, is perhaps Zaandam.

Sometimes they paint too freely, even the trunks of trees and good honest statuary coming under the brush.