Sir William Temple (1628–99) was a renowned English diplomat and author, his written works for the most part consisting of short essays. Originally published in 1673, and first published as this Cambridge edition in 1932, the Observations upon the United Provinces of the Netherlands is an ambitious collection covering a diverse range of topics relating to the area. Views are provided on politics, economics and history, together with geology, human character and medicine. The detail and scope of the text confirmed Temple's position as the foremost English authority on Dutch culture. This is a fascinating book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in historiography, historical geography and European history.