THE BATTLE-FIELD.

13

memorial; as though the event needed such a remembrancer! As a work of art this monument is very fine; surmounted by the bronze Belgic lion cast from cannon taken in the engagement. But the worst part of the affair is, that a considerable quantity of soil has been taken from that part of the field where the last attack took place, for the purpose of forming the mound, so that the original feature of the ground is destroyed. The bodies of the troops lying in the removed soil have been placed in the centre of the mound. The lion on the summit is a beautiful piece of workmanship, and, with the pedestal of stone, forms a gigantic work of art. The impotent efforts of the French soldiery to destroy it, on their late march into Belgium, are ludicrous. The utmost their malice could do was to strike off a few corners of the pedestal. The view from the lion is extensive ; the tract of country to Quatre-Bras, Nivelles, Wavre, &c. being well laid open. The soil of Waterloo is of a loose sandy nature, bearing excellent crops, and being well cultivated..

On our return to Brussels we entered the church of Waterloo, the walls of which are covered with tablets and monuments recording the names of hundreds of our brave countrymen and allies who fell in the arms of honourable death. The images

14

RETURN TO BRUSSELS.

of the Virgin and Child here were very badlypainted figures of wax, dressed in dolls' clothes of glazed gingham and tinsel. We re-entered Brussels at two o'clock.

CHAPTER III.

BRUSSELS.

THE exterior of the principal theatre of Brussels is imposing: a colonnade surrounds it, on the plan of the Opera House in London. The performances are very respectable, and are often assisted by Parisian stars of the first magnitude.

To-day we strolled into the church of St. Gudule, a cathedral-like edifice, well situated on the brow of a hill. The western front is a beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture; and with its broad flight of thirty-nine steps, has a commanding appearance. When we entered the church, a great number of persons, principally females, were kneeling before the Virgin and their favourite

16

CHURCH OF ST. GUDULE.

saints, each apparently absorbed in silent and heartfelt devotion.

However I may differ from these people in religious matters, it is impossible to deny that the catholics of the Continent are more observant of their religious duties than the protestant people of England. At Ostend we saw numbers going into church at the early hour of five, to perform their matin's offices.

The tapestry hung in the choir of St. Gudule, representing various legends, is very beautiful; there are also some fine paintings of the old masters. Twelve statues of the Apostles, as large as life, are admired; so also are the nave and the sixteen chapels that adorn the church, and the sepulchre of the Dukes of Brabant; but the greatest lion of all is an exquisitely-carved pulpit of wood, by the famous Henry Vanbruggen of Antwerp, made in 1699. The piece represents the expulsion of Adam and Eve, and the consequences of their sin. Adam stands accompanied by the eagle and ostrich, denoting the vices of man; Eve is surrounded by parrots, monkeys, and peacocks-a waggish hit of the carver, to illustrate what he considered to be the foibles of woman. Fruits and flowers fill up the picture. We turned again and again to this elaborately-finished design: it is very

PICTURE GALLERY.

17

beautiful, and the tourist to Brussels should not 'omit seeing it.

The exterior of this church, as well as those of many others on the Continent, are sadly marred by having wretched hovels and houses built against them. It is extraordinary that the catholic priesthood, so refined in taste as they generally are, should, for paltry pittances of rent, stultify the grandest conceptions of architects.

From the cathedral we sauntered to the Museum of Paintings. Here we revelled among the works of Philip de Champagne, Carlo Dolci, Thyssens, De Clerk, Van Dyk, and Rubens. There are some delicious bits by Teniers and Ostade, and a very large representation of the "Siege of Tournay," by Van Der Meulen. The great boast of this institution is the possession of seven paintings by the mighty Rubens. Several of these display some of the finest touches of this great master. The forcible, and often startling boldness, the noble designs, the grandeur of detail, and the poverty of classic delineation, point out to those who run, the works of Rubens. The florid colouring, so peculiar to this painter, in my opinion often detracts from the general impression. Were we to meet some of his female beauties in the streets, we should ascribe the "roseate hues" to the in