preservation as others that may be seen in the Netherlands。 The
commercial bustle of the place seems considerable； and it contains
more beer…shops than any city I ever saw。
These beer…shops seem the only amusement of the inhabitants； until；
at least； the theatre shall be built； of which the elevation is now
complete； a very handsome and extensive pile。 There are beer…shops
in the cellars of the houses； which are frequented； it is to be
presumed； by the lower sort； there are beer…shops at the barriers；
where the citizens and their families repair； and beer…shops in the
town； glaring with gas； with long gauze blinds； however； to hide
what I hear is a rather questionable reputation。
Our inn； the 〃Hotel of the Post；〃 a spacious and comfortable
residence； is on a little place planted round with trees； and that
seems to be the Palais Royal of the town。 Three clubs； which look
from without to be very comfortable； ornament this square with
their gas…lamps。 Here stands； too； the theatre that is to be；
there is a cafe； and on evenings a military band plays the very
worst music I ever remember to have heard。 I went out to…night to
take a quiet walk upon this place； and the horrid brazen discord of
these trumpeters set me half mad。
I went to the cafe for refuge； passing on the way a subterraneous
beer…shop； where men and women were drinking to the sweet music of
a cracked barrel…organ。 They take in a couple of French papers at
this cafe； and the same number of Belgian journals。 You may
imagine how well the latter are informed； when you hear that the
battle of Boulogne； fought by the immortal Louis Napoleon； was not
known here until some gentlemen out of Norfolk brought the news
from London； and until it had travelled to Paris； and from Paris to
Brussels。 For a whole hour I could not get a newspaper at the
cafe。 The horrible brass band in the meantime had quitted the
place； and now； to amuse the Ghent citizens； a couple of little
boys came to the cafe and set up a small concert： one played ill on
the guitar； but sang； very sweetly； plaintive French ballads； the
other was the comic singer； he carried about with him a queer；
long； damp…looking； mouldy white hat； with no brim。 〃Ecoutez；〃
said the waiter to me； 〃il va faire l'Anglais； c'est tres drole！〃
The little rogue mounted his immense brimless hat； and； thrusting
his thumbs into the armholes of his waistcoat； began to faire
l'Anglais； with a song in which swearing was the principal joke。
We all laughed at this； and indeed the little rascal seemed to have
a good deal of humor。
How they hate us； these foreigners； in Belgium as much as in
France！ What lies they tell of us； how gladly they would see us
humiliated！ Honest folks at home over their port…wine say； 〃Ay；
ay； and very good reason they have too。 National vanity； sir；
woundedwe have beaten them so often。〃 My dear sir； there is not
a greater error in the world than this。 They hate you because you
are stupid； hard to please； and intolerably insolent and air…
giving。 I walked with an Englishman yesterday； who asked the way
to a street of which he pronounced the name very badly to a little
Flemish boy： the Flemish boy did not answer； and there was my
Englishman quite in a rage； shrieking in the child's ear as if he
must answer。 He seemed to think that it was the duty of 〃the
snob；〃 as he called him； to obey the gentleman。 This is why we are
hatedfor pride。 In our free country a tradesman； a lackey； or a
waiter will submit to almost any given insult from a gentleman： in
these benighted lands one man is as good as another； and pray God
it may soon be so with us！ Of all European people； which is the
nation that has the most haughtiness； the strongest prejudices； the
greatest reserve； the greatest dulness？ I say an Englishman of the
genteel classes。 An honest groom jokes and hobs…and…nobs and makes
his way with the kitchen…maids； for there is good social nature in
the man； his master dare not unbend。 Look at him； how he scowls at
you on your entering an inn…room； think how you scowl yourself to
meet his scowl。 To…day； as we were walking and staring about the
place； a worthy old gentleman in a carriage； seeing a pair of
strangers； took off his hat and bowed very gravely with his old
powdered head out of the window： I am sorry to say that our first
impulse was to burst out laughingit seemed so supremely
ridiculous that a stranger should notice and welcome another。
As for the notion that foreigners hate us because we have beaten
them so often； my dear sir； this is the greatest error in the
world： well…educated Frenchmen DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE BEATEN
THEM。 A man was once ready to call me out in Paris because I said
that we had beaten the French in Spain； and here before me is a
French paper； with a London correspondent discoursing about Louis
Buonaparte and his jackass expedition to Boulogne。 〃He was
received at Eglintoun； it is true；〃 says the correspondent； 〃but
what do you think was the reason？ Because the English nobility
were anxious to revenge upon his person （with some coups de lance）
the checks which the 'grand homme' his uncle had inflicted on us in
Spain。〃
This opinion is so general among the French； that they would laugh
at you with scornful incredulity if you ventured to assert any
other。 Foy's history of the Spanish War does not； unluckily； go
far enough。 I have read a French history which hardly mentions the
war in Spain； and calls the battle of Salamanca a French victory。
You know how the other day； and in the teeth of all evidence； the
French swore to their victory of Toulouse： and so it is with the
rest； and you may set it down as pretty certain； 1st； That only a
few people know the real state of things in France； as to the
matter in dispute between us； 2nd； That those who do； keep the
truth to themselves； and so it is as if it had never been。
These Belgians have caught up； and quite naturally； the French
tone。 We are perfide Albion with them still。 Here is the Ghent
paper； which declares that it is beyond a doubt that Louis Napoleon
was sent by the English and Lord Palmerston； and though it states
in another part of the journal （from English authority） that the
Prince had never seen Lord Palmerston； yet the lie will remain
uppermostthe people and the editor will believe it to the end of
time。 。 。 。 See to what a digression yonder little fellow in the
tall hat has given rise！ Let us make his picture； and have done
with him。
I could not understand； in my walks about this place； which is
certainly picturesque enough； and contains extraordinary charms in
the shape of old gables； quaint spires； and broad shining canals
I could not at first comprehend why； for all this； the town was
especially disagreeable to me； and have only just hit on the reason
why。 Sweetest Juliana； you will never guess it： it is simply this；
that I have not seen a single decent…looking woman in the whole
place； they look all ugly； with coarse mouths； vulgar figures； mean
mercantile faces； and so the traveller walking among them finds the
pleasure of his walk excessively damped； and the impressions made
upon him disagreeable。
In the Academy there are no pictures of merit； but sometimes a
second…rate picture is as pleasing as the best； and one may pass an
hour here very pleasantly。 There is a room appropriated to Belgian
artists； of which I never saw the like： they are； like all the rest
of the things in this country； miserable imitations of the French
schoolgreat nude Venuses； and Junos a la David； with the drawing
left out。
BRUGES。
The change from vulgar Ghent； with its ugly women and coarse
bustle； to this quiet； old； half…deserted； cleanly Bruges； was very
pleasant。 I have seen old men at Versailles； with shabby coats and
pigtails； sunning themselves on the benches in the walls； they had
seen better days； to be sure； but they were gentlemen still： and so
we found； this morning； old dowager Bruges basking in the pleasant
August sun； and looking if not prosperous； at least cheerful and
well…bred。 It is the quaintest and prettiest of all the quaint and
pretty towns I have seen。 A painter might spend months here； and
wander from church to church； and admire old towers and pinnacles；
tall gables； bright canals； and pretty little patches of green
garden and moss…grown wall； that reflect in the clear quiet water。
Before the inn…window is a garden； from which in the early morning
issues a most wonderful odor of stocks and wallflowers； next comes
a road with trees of admirable green； numbers of little children
are playing in this road （the place is so clean that they may roll
in it all day without soiling their pinafores）； and on the other
side of the trees are little old…fashioned； dumpy； whitewashed；
red…tiled houses。 A poorer landscape to draw never was known； nor
a pleasanter to seethe children especially； who are inordinately
fat and rosy。 Let it be remembered； too； that here we are out of
the country of ugly women： the expression of the face is almost
uniformly gentle and pleasing； and the figures of the women；
wrapped in long black monk…like cloaks and hoods； very picturesque。
No wonder there are so many children： the 〃Guide…book〃 （omniscient
Mr。 Murray！） says there are fifteen thousand paupers in the town；
and we know how such multiply。 How the deuce do their children
look so fat and rosy？ By eating dirt…pies； I suppose。 I saw a
couple making a very nice savory one； and another employed in
gravely sticking strips of stick betwixt the pebbles at the house…
door； and so making for herself a stately garden。 The men and
women don't seem to have much more to do。 There are a couple of
tall chimneys at either suburb of the town； where no doubt
manufactories are at work； but within the walls everybody seems
decently idle。