The continent in 1835 : Sketches in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Savoy, and France ; including historical notices ; and statements relative to the existing aspect of the Protestant religion in those countries

Front matter

ill n m m m

8Ȥ8flffi

Ji

Preface

He who ventures to add to the list of travels, over regions that have become familiar to so many who leave their native shores in quest of health, or relaxation, may, perhaps, hazard, from some, the imputation of vanity, or presumption.

Others may be disposed to a more lenient construction of his motives: — he received, it may be, intense gratification from many of the objects which came under his observation : — they appeared to him invested with as great a charm of novelty, as though no one had trodden the same ground before him ; and this might have been the impulse which prompted him to compose his journal on the spot, and afterwards to begin transcribing it, — originally with the view of fixing in his mind, by a permanent record, scenes which he might never more revisit. After some attention had been devoted to this review of his notes, the impression might easily be felt, that he had materials for a volume, which might gratify some indulgent friends, — especially if they themselves had thrown into the scale, the weight of their own expressed wishes for some details.

In a manner similar to this, the author has been induced to submit the following pages to the candor of his readers; and it occurred to him that by adding some compendious historical notices, connected with the several countries, he might render the publication in somo degree instructive to Young People; and that by interspersing an ordinary subject with references to that which, of all others, is the most momentous in its bearing on the welfare of nations, and of individuals — the State and Progress of Religion, his work might not be destitute of a Moral Use.

If the author has expressed himself freely respecting the Roman Catholic religion, or the tenets that have been avowed by many of tho Protestants on the Continent, he has taken the common liberty of giving utterance to his own views of Truth : — but it is his entire conviction that no body of men ought to suffer any inconvenience whatever, as members of the State, on account of their religious opinions, — or their mode of worship, so long as tho latter does not necessarily involve, in itself, some overt breach of public order, or morality. Argument and persuasion are the only proper weapons of Truth, and perfect Religious Liberty is tho bost arena on which she may achieve. her triumph*. To withhold equal civil rights, benefits, or advantages, from any portion of our fellow-men, on account of religion, is bigotry, intolerance, and persecution: — to regard all icligious opinions alike, is incompatible witk maintaining tho idea of a revelation. 1*

Letter I. Page

Voyage ; and its contrast with one in August 1833— Landing in Belgium—Ostend — Siege of 1601 — Travelling — Romanism in Belgium — Military mass at St. Peter's — English Church — Sunday Evening — Canal, and country — Bruges — Nunnery — Churches — Academy — Former prosperity, and subsequent decay of the city — Passage to Ghent — Superstition — Approach to Ghent — Ancient grandeur of Belgium — Ghent — Its vast size — Costume — Churches, and charge for funeral masses — Town-house — Grand Mass at the cathedral in honour of Leopold's accession — Splendour of the church — Costly pulpit — Anecdote of Napoleon and the Ghent clergy — Public library and garden — Charles V.'s cannon — Trade 1

Letter II

Road to Antwerp through the Pays de Waes— Traces of the seige of 1832— Changed feeling towards the Catholic clergy, and remark of Bishop Hall — Expense of travelling — Passage across the Scheldt from the Tete de Flandre — Antwerp — Hotel d'Antoine — Former vast trade, and wealth— Cathedral— Q,uin tin Matsys— Church of the Dominicans, and its Calvary, and Purgatory— Church of the Jesuits — Museum — Citadel — Bombardment of the city by the Dutch in 1830 — Seige and capture of the citadel by the French in 1832; — Impressive effect of contrast — Waelham — Mechlin — Cathedral ; its massy pulpit — Vilvorde — William Tyndale — Anticipations from the rail-road system — Brussels — Hotel de Brabant — Passport — Town-house — St. Gudule — Extraordinary pulpit — Jubilee of two hundred and fifty years in honour of the Tres- Saint Sacrement de Miracle; and the origin of this festival — Ignorance — Manner m which devotions are sometimes performed — Notre Dame — St. Jacques — Park — Peter the Great — Palace of the Prince of Orange — Palace of the States General — Museum — Universite Libre de Belgiqus 17

Letter III

Road through the forest of Soignies — Waterloo— Carnage at this and the preceding battles — Road to Namur — Country near the city — Its situation — Churches, including the Cathedral — Heights — Sunday fair — Fete de la Sainte Vierge — Historical Sketch, from the Roman Invasion — Battle between Caesar and the Nervii — Frankish dominion — Dependence on the Empire — Petty States — House of Burgundy — Spanish connexion and dominion — Charles V. — Philip II. — William of Nassau — Cruel persecutions — Atrocities of Alva — Union of Utrecht — Assassination of William — Ancient opulence of the Cities of Brabant and Flanders — Archduke Albert-— Louis XIV.

IV CONTENTS.

PAGR

and the Triple Alliance — War of the Spanish succession — Peace of Utrecht — Austrian dominion — Incorporation with France — United Kingdom of the Netherlands — Leopold of Saxe Coburg, first King of the Belgians 30

Letter IV

View of Namur— Valley of the Meuse—Huy— Aspect of the country — Liege — Church of St. Jacques, and St. Odilia's veritable eye, ana eau benite— Cathedral — University — Palace of the Prince-Bishops — View of Liege from Belle Vue — Long-continued clearness of the atmosphere — Pavilion Anglais — View from one of the bridges — Dialect—Liege prompt to join in the Revolution of 1830— Causes of the Revolution — Dislike of the Dutch connexion — Preference to France — Effect of the previous French Revolution of 1830 — Taxes of the mouture, and abattage — Political prosecutions — VanMaanen — Acts of violence August 25 — Efforts of the Prince of Orange ineffectual — Provisional government — Dutch troops driven from Brussels — Belgic Congress — Leopold elected king — Manifestation of feeling towards Romish ceremonies — Brief sketch of the history of the Protestant religion in Belgium — Exterminating persecutions — Revival under the Dutch sway — Check it reeeivedin 1832 — Recent efforts — Romish clergy opposed to religious freedom 40

Letter V

Road to Aix-la-Chapelle — Prussian frontier — Germany — Town-house — Mineral waters — Change in the coin — Public walks — Cathedral — Charlemagne — Relics, in the sanctuary — General outline of German history — Conflicts between the German tribes and the Romans — Empire of Charlemagne — Its division — Extinction of the Carlovingian dynasty in Germany — The German empire elective — Houseof Saxony — House of Franconia — House of Suabia — Great interregnum — Rudolph, and the first Austrian dynasty — Second Austrian dynasty, or Lorraine branch — Dignity of the Holy Roman Empire — Effect of the French Revolution, and the subsequent power of Bonaparte — Confederation of the Rhine; and dissolution of the German empire — Austrian empire — Gigantic efforts of Germany against the return of Bonaparte to power, in 1815 — Germanic Confederation* •• 52

Letter VI

Road to Cologne — Juliers — Bergheim — Catholic Subscription for the New Testament, in German — Cologne — The Rhine — Churches — Deutz — Cologne Cathedral — The Three Kings — Churches of St. Ursula, St. Gereon, and St. Peter — Voyage on the Rhine to Bonn — Fieschi — The Seven Mountains — Bonn — Cathedral — Popplesdorf— - Kreutzberg — Protestant Church at Bonn — Church of the Jesuits — King of Prussia's Birth-Day — University of Bonn 65

Letter VII

Description of the Rhine, from Bonn to Coblentz — Drachenfels — Godesburg — Nonnen worth — Rolandseck — Oberwinter — Unkel — Remagen — Apollinarisberg — Erpel — Okkenfels — Linz — Sinzig — Argenfels — Breisig — Rheineck — Hammerstein — Leutesdorf — Andernach — Floating Bridges — Rafts-- Weissenthurm— Neuwied— Engers — Ehrenbreitstein — Coblentz — The Rhine from Coblentz to Maintz — Tombleson' s Views — Ober-lahns tein — Marksburg — Boppai t — St. Goar — Oberwesel — Caub — Bacharach — Bingen — Ellfield — Cassel — Maintz — Drusus Germanicus — Roman Antiquities — Cathedral* •• 77

CONTENTS. V

PAGE LETTER VIII.

Road to Frankfurt — Hotels — Collections — Monument to the Hessians — Sachsenhausen — Domkirche — Bible Depository — History of Frankfurt — Educational system— Rationalism— Controversies — Secular authority in the Church — Intolerance — Scholastic theology — Thirty years' war — Early opponents of the scholastic system — Pietism — Degeneracy of Pietism — Bengel and Storr — German philosophy — Its connexion with theology — Leibnitz — English Deists — French literature — Frederic II. — Nicolai — Eclecticism — Neological tendencies — Semler — Kantian philosophy — Scientific theory — Nature-philosophy — Philosophy of sentiment — Hegel's Idealism — Infidelity of Rationalism — Periodicals — Bretschneider's distinction — Opponents of Rationalism — Schleiermacher — Progress of the doctrines of the Reformation — Frankfurt — Maintz — Berg — Bremen — Hamburgh — Mecklenburg — Hanover — Brunswick — Weimar — Saxony — Prussian Saxony — Wdrtemberg — Prussia — New Liturgy.. ... 88

Letter IX

Watch-towers— Darmstadt— -The Schloss — The Bergstrasse— Auerbach — Smoking — Huge grasshoppers — Storks — Neuenheim — Heidelberg — Churches — Ravages of war — The Castle — The University — Durlach — Carlsruhe — Lutheran church — Schloss — Radstadt — Baden-Baden — Castle-dungeon — Mineral waters — Visitors — Ulm — Rustic wedding — Kehl — Strasburg — Cathedral — Romish ordination — Marshal Saxe's monument— Preserved bodies — Freiburg — Miin-

ster — Approach to Switzerland 112

Letter X

Basle — Miinster-Kirche — University — Costume — Automatic figure — Bishopric of Basle — Swiss disturbances after the late French Revolution — In the Canton of Basle, in 1833 — Journey Jo Luzern — Storm on the Hauenstein — Olten — Lake of Sempach Luzern — Costumes -^-Fracas — Sketch of Swiss History — Helve tii — Rhaeti — Romans — Burgundians — Alemanni — Ostrogothe — Franks — The Kingdoms of Lower, and Upper Burgundy, and of Aries and Burgundy — House of Zahringen — Rudolph — Albert — The Three Swiss and William Tell — Battle of Morgartan — Battle of Sempach — Swiss Confederation — Effect of French Revolution — Helvetic Republic — Act of Mediation — Restoration of Swiss Independence — Constitution of the Swiss Cantons — Political Parties * • • • \2Q

Letter XI

Fall of the Rossberg — Lake of the Four Cantons — Alpnach — Valley of Sarnen — Saxeln — St. Nicholas de Flue — Alpine Thunder-storm — Lake of Lungern — Village of Lungern — Swiss Cottages — The Briinig Alp— Vale of Oberhasli — Lake of Brientz— Tracht— The Giessbach — Interlachen — Grindelwald — The Glaciers — Avalanches. 154

Letter XII

Valley of Lauterbrunnen— The Jungfrau— The Staub-bach— Interlachen— English Chapel— Vicinity of Interlachen— Hofstetter's Pension— Awkward situation on the Aarderberg— Unterseen — The Jungfrau— Road to the Valley of Frutigen— Chalets— Village of Frutigen Kanderthal— Kandersteg— Advice of Guides 173

Letter XIII

Departure from Kandersteg for the Gemmi— Mannschaft— Ascent— —Schwarbach— Canton of Wallis— Snows of the Gemmi— Dauben

VI CONTENTS.

PAGE See— Glaciers-; View of the Pennine Alps from the Gemini— Descent —Activity of the mountain- guides, in bounding along the edges of precipices — The Valley — Leuker-Bad — Avalanches — Journey to Leuk — Valley of the Rhone — Romantic view of Leuk — Romanism — Charnel-house Chapel — Costume — Valley of the Rhone— Sion — Recent Avalanche from the Dent Blanche — Goitres — Martigny — Deluge of 1818 — Upper and Lower Valais. 184

Letter XIV

Ascent of the Forclas — Trient — The Tete Noire — Savoy ; the Valorsine — Romanism — Sight of Mont Blanc — Valley of Chamonix — Glaciers, de Tour, d'Argentiere, and Des Bois — Chamonix — Moonlight — Sound of Avalanche — Mont Blanc — Ascents — Ascent of Montanvert — The Merde Glace — Chamois-hunting — TheBouquetm 198

Letter XV

Chamonix — Superstition — Effect of Alps-«-Road lo Servoz — View of Mont Blanc — the Needle of Varens — Fall of Chede — Romanism — View of Mont Blanc from Salienche — The Cholera — Cascade of Arpenas — Cluse — Bonneville — Savoyard History — Attempt of Polish Refugees, in 1834, to produce revolution — Religious State of Savoy- • • •- 213

Letter XVI

Lake of Geneva, and the Jura mountains — The city — Administration of the Eucharist in the Cathedral — Magnificent views— Library of the Academy — Museum — The Cathedral — Calvin — Rousseau — Voltaire — Circle of Light — Centenary of the Reformation, August 1835 — Church of Geneva — Seceders; Eglise du Temoignage — Societe Evangelique — Religious Institutions — Genevan History 221

Letter XVII

The Lake of Geneva — Jerome Bonaparte— Lausanne— Gibbon— Head of the Lake — Castle of Chillon — Rousseau — Vevay — Quadrennial fete— Edmund Ludlow— Biille— Freyburg— The Cathedral— Romanism — Liberty taken with Scripture — The Hermitage — The Suspension Bridge — Extraordinary Situation of Freyburg — Mixture of Languages — Alemanni, and Franks — Road to Bern — Costume — Bern — Its beauty — Cathedral — Bears — Arsenal — Public Buildings — Road to Soleure — Capuchin friars — Canton of Bern — Costume — Magnificent views of the Northern Chain — Last sight of the Alps • 232

Letter XVIII

Canton of Soleure — The City — Cathedral of St. Ursus — Romanism — The Weissenstein — Pass of the Jura — The Jura mountains — Isolated masses — Hollstein — Swiss cookery, and dinners — Liechstall — Basle — Swies Travelling— Punishment for distributing religious Tracts in Schwytz — French Church — Missionary College — Religion in Switzerland — Present State and Prospects — Education 251

Letter XIX

Departure from Basle — Huningen — St. Louis — Alsace — History — Douane — Mullhausen — Befort — Vesoul — Langres — Chaumont — Nogent — Provins — Nangis — Road to Paris — Military Operations

and events of 1814 • • • * 263

Letter XX

Sketch of French History— Feudal divisions — Franks — The Merovingian Dynasty— Clovis — Maires du Palais, and.RoisFaineans^

CONTENTS. Vll

Carlovinman Dynasty — Pepin — Charlemagne — Charles the Bald — Charles le Gros — Capetian Dynasty — Hugh Capet — Feudal System—Philip II.— Louis IX. or St. Louis— Philip III.— Philip IV.— Valois Branch of the House of Capet— Charles IV.— Philip VI.— Wars with England — Charles VI. — Charles VII. — Joan d'Arc — Louis XL — Charles VIII. — Orleans Branch of Capet — Louis XII. — Second House of Valois Capet— Francis I.— Francis II. — Religious Wars — Persecution of Protestants — Charles IX.— Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day — Bourbon Line— Henry IV.— Louis XIII. Richelieu— Louis XIV— Mazarin— Louis XV.— Louis XVI. 269

LETTER XXL

Causes of the Revolution of 1789- Inadaptation of the political System — The Press— The Reformation— Revival of Classical Literature — Louis XIII. — Louis XIV.— Louis XV. — Finances— Romish Religion — Examples of Revolutions — Philosophers — Taxation — Corruption of Manners— Character of Louis XVI. — The Queen's Court — Situation of the Parliaments and the Sovereign — Assembly of the Notables — Riot in St. Antoine— The States General — Storming of the Bastile — Riot at Versailles — The Federation— Riot in the Champ de Mars— Constituent Assembly — 20th June— 10th of August, 1792— Committee of Safety— Massacre of Prisoners— National Convention — Mountain Party — Reign of Terror — The Directory — The Consulate— The Empire— Fall of Bonaparte 276

Letter XXII

Paris— Messageries — Situation, and general appearance — The Seine- Bridges— Quays — Extent — Mode of numbering houses— Camera Obscura — Views from the Bridges— Purity of the atmosphere- Want of planted squares— Barrieres— Boulevards— Passion for amusement— French character— Execution — Effect of events- Palais des Thermes— Palais Royal— Tuileries — Place du Carrousel —The Louvre— Place VendOme— Place Louis Quinze— Magnificence— Arc de l'Etoile— Hotel des Invalides— Churches — NOtre Dame, etc. — The Luxembourg— ;Bourse— Jardin du Roi— The Pantheon— Gobelins — Glaces— Resolution of 1830 299

Letter XXIII

Religion in France— History of Protestantism — Persecutions— Present state of Protestantism— Institutions, and exertions— Toleration— Moral state of France— Infidelity— Romanism— Demoralization of the capital— Versailles -St. Cloud— Mont Calvaire— Ruel— St. Denis— Amiens. 331

SKETCHES ON THE CONTINENT, in 1835.

Letter I

Voyage; and its contrast with one in August 1833— Landing in Belgium Ostend— Siege of 1601 — Travelling — Romanism in Belgium — Military mass at St. Peter's — English Church — Sunday Evening — Canal, and country — Bruges — Nunnery — Churches — Academy — Former prosperity, and subsequent decay of the city — Passage to Ghent — Superstition — Approack to Ghent — Ancient Grandeur of Belgium— Ghent — Its vast size— Costume — Churches, and charge for funeral masses — Town-house—Grand Mass at the Cathedral in honor of Leopold's accession — Splendor of the church — Costly pulpit— Anecdote of Napoleon and the Ghent clergy — Public library and garden — Charles V.'s canon — Trade,

My dear Friend : An evening in July, 1835, saw our party on board the Earl of Liverpool steam-boat; with the advantage before us of sleeping away a part of the voyage. I rose at an early hour, and found that we had advanced far down the river, and were rapidly gliding on, with the water as smooth as glass, and every prospect of a delightful passage to Ostend. How different the scene — when, two summers ago, some of us crossed the same sea, from Antwerp to the Thames, at the commencement oi that awful storm which bestrewed the shores of the Channel with the wrecks of so many vessels, and caused so many human beings to drink death in the briny wave ; and among the rest, the unhappy convicts who crowded the decks of the Amphitrite ! — Then a wild, ominous blackness, and a chill whistling blast, at the outset of our voyage, were the presages of a sea that ran fearfully high, and swept over our deck, so as to imprison us all closely in the cabin ; while the rapid and thundering pulsations of the steam engine contending with the fury of the adverse winds and waves, the heaving and straining of the vessel, and her incessant rolling

8 SEA STORM OF 1838.

and clashing with the billows — added considerable apprehension of danger to the distressing malady of the sea. — Night then closed on an increasing storm, and the friendly beacons looked dim on the shore, long ere we were permitted to reach it — having escaped, by the gracious providence of Heaven, the more hair-breadth danger that awaited the passengers in the Talbot, from Ostend, whom the merest casualty had prevented us from joining ; and who, after bearing all the brunt of the storm for two whole nights and the intervening day, were wrecked in the harbour from which they had set out ; some being washed into the sea out of the small boat, though happily without loss of life.

But now all was the reverse — a brilliant sun — a calm, luxurious atmosphere, breathing but a zephyr over the mighty expanse, without sensibly affecting the motion of the vessel ; which moved so steadily along, that but for the sound of the rushing water, we might almost have imagined ourselves propelled across the surface of a vast solid mirror, whose varied and ever-changing tints blended beautifully with the reflected azure of the heavens. An agreeable company of between thirty and forty persons, the placid easy countenances of the helmsman and the sailors, and the quiet leisure air that pervaded the whole party, conspired with the weather to give a character to this voyage, in no way more formidable than that of a trip on the Clyde from Glasgow to Dumbarton, or from London to Richmond on the Thames. — The declining sun was pouring an undiminished flood of golden light upon the sea behind us, when our near approach to the low fiat shore of Ostend, and the foreign appearance of the church, the light-house, and the town-hall, announced that we had measured the gulf which has been the appointed guardian of Britain's independence ; and has proved to her a more powerful defence than a rampart of Alps, or a standing army equal to the hosts of Xerxes. The distance from London is about one hundred and thirty miles, but land was not out of sight more than two or three hours.

This harbor is one of the finest in Europe : and the basin and the sluices, chiefly the work of Joseph II. of Austria, deserve notice. The town itself is very strongly fortified, recalling to the mind the deeds of war, of which it has been the scene — especially that memorable siege, begun in 1601, which ended, after three years, in its capitulation to Albert of Austria, to whom the Netherlands were given with the Infanta of Spain, by Philip II. In enforcing the claim of Albert, 80 000 Spaniards perished in the trenches of Ostend ; 50,000 of the inhabitants, and of the garrison, fell victims to famine, pestilence, and the sword ; and the conquerers were at length masters, not of a town, but of a heap of ruins. Such is the devastation of war I

OSTEND. 9

The walk between the ramparts and the sea is magnificent, and is the great point of attraction during the bathing season; and the sea-view, along an extensive shore of sand, is exceedingly fine. The town is respectable in its appearance, and the size of many of its buildings gives it an imposing air.— Here began that interminable annoyance to the English traveller, the passport and searching system. This settled — and the scramble for us among the inn-keepers' agents over — we were comfortably domiciliated, with about a dozen other English people, at the Cour Imperiale. Some of the party with whom we had crossed the water, set off immediately for Brussels ; and the clumsy and inelegant carriage that was provided for them, drawn by horses of unequal height, very indifferently harnessed, and with rope traces, reminded us that we were no longer in our own land. The large white caps of the women, the hoods of their black cloaks, used instead of bonnets, and the appearance and sound of their wooden shoes, tended to confirm the impression that all around us was foreign.

To the English, who, happily, are not accustomed to see Popery as a national religion, the churches on the continent, almost always open, are objects of curious, and often of painful interest. Belgium, from the times of ihe Spanish dominion, and the terrors of the Spanish sword in support of Romanism, became almost proverbial for bigotry and superstition ; and it may seem extraordinary that the present Pope is reported to have declared, that the two countries which now give him the most satisfaction, are Belgium and America ; — for it is said that in America, the Jesuits have made not a little impression by their schools.

St. Peter's church is showily ornamented in the interior with images and pictures, but contains little that is remarkable. We observed at the altar of the Virgin, many small waxen models of arms, legs, teeth, and the like ; which had been hung up as offerings in her honor, for cures supposed to have been received through her agency : the same was the case at other altars. In this way do these poor devotees worship the creature rather than the Creator ! On the outside of the church, in carved and painted wood, is a horrible representation of purgatory. The poor wretches are seen tortured in a flaming dungeon, and their countenances have a truly piteous expression of beseeching agony. An inscription in Flemish appeared to be an appeal to the compassion of the passer by, to help the miserable souls in purgatory, by money and good works ! There is also outside the north door, in a glass case, an image of the Virgin, as large as life, attired in a flowing white muslin veil ; a long taper is placed on each side, which, if lighted, in so narrow a space, would apparently

10 OSTENB.

expose our lady to no small danger, and might render necessary the manufacture of another goddess. Beneath this case is an inscription, stating that the Holy Virgin is the help of man, particularly in death ! This is the common doctrine of popery, and the Virgin may, without much allowance for figure, be said to be the great idol of the Romish community. There is also, in another case, an image of Christ ; or, in the language of the Catholics, a oon Dieu; and. at each of these two places, as well as at the Purgatory, is a strong chest, with a chink for money : the Virgin, however, seemed to have more visitors than either the Saviour or the tormented souls.

It was Saturday evening when we arrived at Ostend. On the following morning, previously to attending the Protestant service, we again looked into the church to witness the Catholic worship. A regiment of soldiers marched in, with drums beating, and took their position in the middle aisle. At the moment when the priest appeared in his gorgeous mantle at the aitar, bowing in solitary pomp before the holy symbol, the drums saluted him with a sort of rappel, which continued for some time. The effect, viewed as connected with the professed worship of God, was irreverent in the extreme. Mass began, and the soldiers still wore their caps, and appeared totally indifferent to the service, as though it were not meant for them. The officers, especially, in their gay regimentals, seemed very smiling and careless. The service was the military mass, and was very short ; for, in these parts, soldiers appear to be a sort of privileged beings ; even religion must accommodate itself to their convenience; and it is too evident that their profession is but ill-adapted to cherish habits of devotion. They certainly did not seem to take the smallest interest in what was going on, any more than if they had been keeping guard in a Hindoo temple : the people in general, however, with whom the church was filled, were apparently very devout. It is impossible not to pity the people ; — they so often appear simple and sincere : but to believe that the priests do not know better, is felt to be a somewhat greater demand on charity ; though we should never forget to make allowances for their very exclusive and bigoted education.

We now repaired to the English Episcopal church — a plain, neat place, without galleries, but containing a small organ, and capable of holding about three hundred persons ; which is more than double the number that was present. The sermon was practical and useful, and was delivered in a very distinct and becoming manner. There is a pew in this church appropriated to the king ; and we were told that when Leopold comes to Ostend, he appears to join devoutly in the Protestant service. The Archbishop of Mechlin, however, was employed to baptize the heir apparent to the Belgian crown : this was one

CANAL TO BRUGES. 11

of those compromises, in a Protestant Prince, which may be regarded, perhaps, as a necessary piece of worldly policy ; but even the stability of a throne is dearly purchased by such a sacrifice. — Many of the shops were open, and others half-open, during the day; but in the afternoon, all semblance of the Christian sabbath appeared to be thrown off; the coffee-houses and public-places were crowded ; and, later in the evening, all the children and young girls of the place seemed to be gathered together for the purpose of dancing.

Early on the following morning, we were on our way to Bruges, on board the Elegante Messagere, a very convenient vessel, drawn along a magnificent canal, by horses on its bank, through a very flat, but rich and well-cultivated country. Not far from Ostend, were pointed out the remains of one of the old mills for sawing timber, of which there were twenty in a row, during the period of the Belgic wealth and industry ; but the French destroyed these machines, or took away their works, at the time of the great revolution. Yet, though the trade, and the glory of the olden days of Belgium, are departed, the fertility of nature remains, and our eyes were greeted by the plenteous harvest, now standing in luxuriant sheaves in the beautiful corn-fields ; while, here and there, the sound of the mountain-bell was obeyed by neatly-dressed worshippers, repairing along the banks of the canal to church. Protestants might learn many lessons from Roman Catholics ; and among the rest, their habit of early devotion.

Bruges pleased us much : it is situated in a rich plain, about twelve miles from Ostend ; and is a very fine city, — exceedingly clean, and with a considerable appearance of business. The lofty and curious tower of the Town-House, in the spacious square, is a striking object, consisting of two structures, — the lower being square, and supporting another which is octangular ; and the brilliant and musical carillon, or chimes, the finest it is said in Belgium, which are continually telling in shrill, yet harmonious tones, of the lapse of time, unite with the antiquated and sombre grandeur of many of the buildings, to lend to the scene an impression of romance. In the convent of St. Jean, to which we obtained admission, some beautiful old paintings were shown, which carried us back four hundred years, into the midnight depths of superstition. The dress of the nuns presented another unaltered feature of the Romish dominion over mind and conscience. In the gallery of the gloomy chapel, which is paved with black and white marble, the inmates, who are in number twenty-two, were chanting in a tone which sounded dolorous and servile, and any thing but the accent of happy, cheerful piety : it was like the mechanical responses of charity children, but vastly more plaintive ; and we fancied that these poor recluses could not