Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/457

I OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. 413 m /Voni various ports of Holland down to the year 160!2, when the parties conducting these enter- prises united to the formation of -d joint stock com- pany. The restricted income of a republican go- vernment, and, at the same time, the necessity of combining for security against the hostility of Spain, naturally gave rise to this measure, one pro- bably indispensable in that early and rude period of commerce and government ; but which, as well with the Dutch as other European nations, has since, by its example, had so pernicious an influence upon the commercial history of the East. The early period of the Dutch history of the In- dies consists in a complication of their commercial transactions, — their wars with the Spaniards or Por- tuguese, their broils with the English, — and their aggressions upon the natives. Their conduct in their wars w^ith the Spaniards always did honour to their courage, and often to their moderation. In their transactions with the English, it is difficult to say which party was least to blame, unless we pro- nounce in favour of that which had the smallest power of aggression. On both sides the mean and bad passions which were excited by avarice, and by commercial and national rivalry, were carried to an unexampled extent. In their transactions with the natives, the Dutch, while restrained by prudential motives, by their weakness, and the competition of fo- reigners, pursued a moderate course j but as soon as