the old times of chivalry. From the TOUR TO THE NETHERLANDS IN THE AUTUMN OF 1793. (Continued from vol. LXXIV. p. 1\24.) MY last letter gave an account of my journey from Bruffels to Aloft, and from thence to Ghent, the capital of Flanders, which, under the fway of the Burgundian Princes, and before the difinemberment of the Ne therlands, was the moft fertile, popu lous, and rich, ofall the XVII provinces. This charming country is bounded on the South by Artois and Hainaut, on the Eaft by Hainaut and Brabant, on the North by the German Ocean and the mouth of the Scheld, which feparates it from Zeland, and on the Weft chiefly by the fea, which divides it from England. Its greateft length is about 25 leagues from Sas de Ghent to the environs of St. Omer, and its greatest breadth abont 20 leagues, from Nieuport to Aloft. Flanders, for upwards of 200 years, had been under the government of military chiefs, named Forefters, who were feudatory vaffals of France, till towards the end of the ninth century, when, Baldwin the Forefter having married a daugh ter of Charles the Bald, king of France, the title of Forefter was changed to that of Count, During the middle I am in hopes of getting leave to go ages, the Counts of Flanders ranked to Bath for a few days to fee my fifter very high in power and wealth among before we go to London, which will the petty fovereigns of the Low Counnot be till the meeting of the parlia- tries, and, by the affifiance of Eng ment. I hope you will foon think of land, often proved themfelves formirevifiting old England; but I imagine dable neighbours to the kings of that my brother and you will fome- France. Towards the end of the 14th times take a ramble in the fummer fea- century, the Houfe of Burgundy fir Jon to France or Germany. The plea- gained a footing in the Netherlands, fures and advantages of travelling are by the marriage of Philip Duke of Bur many, and are attained with lefs dithi gundy, fourth fon of John King of culty, I believe, than people by their France, with Margaret, heiress of fire-fides imagine. Mr. Pitt's account Flanders; and, by a rare concurrence of the accommodations and roads in of fortunate circumftances, in little Spain will hinder my ever vifiting the more than half a century the Houfe of Alhambra, though I fhall have a dif Burgundy acquired the fovereignty of fant respect for it. If there is any almost all the Netherlands, which, in hing in which I can be useful to you the end of the 15th century, was transhere, I beg to receive your commands. ferred to the Houfe of Auftria, by the I defire my most affectionate love to my marriage of Mary, the fole heirefs of brother, and to my nephew and god- the Houfe of Burgundy, to the Arch fon my beft withes; and I defire that duke Maximilian. The rich poffeffions he will be a Roman, and not an Italian. of Mary of Burgundy," fays Dr. RoI beg him to back as far as before bertfon, in his Hiftory of Charles V. the ruin of Carthage for his morals. Mr. Montagu's best relpects attend you, my brother, and Mr. Richardion, to had been defined for another family, the having been contracted by her fa ther to the only fon of Louis XI. of whom I defire leave to prefent mine. France;, but that cap monarch, I am, dear Madamn, your most affec- her family, indulging his hatred territory territory by force, than to fecure the whole by marriage, and by this mif conduct, fatal 10 his pofterity, he threw all the Netherlands into the hands of a rival.". And in the vales of Cantium, on the banks Pleafant Norvicúm and Colccft pia's towers; blanch'd." ders caure at length to be divided be After various turns of fortune, Flan Under the three first Princes of the uftrian line, Flanders and the adjacent provinces were pre-eminent in arts, commerce, and manufactures. Many beantiful arts, which had been introduced from the Eaft by the Venetians, were carried by the Flemings during that period to great perfection. They were unrivalled in the arts of embroi-tween three powers, the Auftrians, the ery and tapestry, in the various French, and the Dutch in which branches of jewellery, in the fabricks late it was at the time I vifited the of velvet, latin, and damafk and: country. It is now fcarcely difcernible they lay claim to the invention of the on a map of the French empire. The manufacture of gilded or figured leannexation of Belgium to France, and ther, and the art of painted glafs; but the fubjugation of Batayia, are alarmthe woollen trade was the grand fource ng confiderations to Britain. Unlels whence Flanders at that period derived the wings of France are clipped, I fear her wealth; and, to confer honour on we must not indulge the hope of per this lucrative branch of commerce, manent independence; and I am perPhilip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, fuaded that no territorial arrangements fituted the illuftrious order of The on the Continent could be fo condneive Golden Fleece. At the abdication of ture, as the reunion of the Nether to our interefts in the prefent conjuncCharles V. Flanders had arrived at the pinnacle of its glory; its fertile and lands under a feparate monarchy. I well-cultivated plains its large and uched upon this fubject in a former magnificent cities, and continued fuc-letter (vol LXXIV. p. 189); and it is reffion of towns and villages: its fine a point of which I earnestly hope our calles aud frately abbeys; the induf Statemen will never lose fight. try, ingenuity, and wealth of its inhabitants, all confpired to render it, perhaps, the mof delightful pot in Europe. From the acceffion of Philip the Second, the waters of bitterness began to flow over that devoted conntry. The oppreffions of that unfeeling defpot and merciless bigot difperfed In my laft letter I noticed the great perfection to which Agriculture lins been carried in Flanders; where, was told, the Jaud never lav fallow, and the faruis in general were of finall have been induced to think that the extent. Snce writing that letter, I information I had received, with repest to the occupiers of the foil, was the Flemuifh merchants and manufac turers, and drove vast numbers of them not quits accurate, and that the Fleinto England, where they enjoyed remith pealants were more contented and pole and comfort under the foftering happy than fome parts of my letter care of Queen Elizabeth, and laid the might lead your readers to fuppofe. I foundation of our prefent fuperiority tleman who was educated in know an English Roman catholie gen in the woollen trade, as Dyer thus fings in his beautiful poem The Fleece:" that Country, and who gives a very different account of the peafantry of Flan ders from what had been communicated to me, and it is but juftice to whom I alluded, to oppose to the ohthe landlords and ecclefiafticks to fervations of the anonymous Tourift, quoted in my last, the following infor handmation from a book publifhed the fame year by a gentleman who had refide:Į Jong in the country: "The rural Our day arofe Then from fair Antwerp an industrious late by the pen of the learned and caudid Popifh hiftorian Du Pin. Cor nelius Janfenius was of Hult, in Flaw ders. When he had gone through hit firft findies at Ghent, and finished his courfe of philofophhy at Louvain, he tied the Hebrew, Greek, and Laun languages, being perfutiled that they were neceffary for the perfect under tanding of the Holy Scriptures, to the fludy of which he refolved to apply himself. He taught divinity for 12 years in the abbey of Tongerloez, ni fcene prefents here pleafing profpects on all tides, fields crowned with fruitful crops, meadows covered with numerous herds, neat and commodious farm-houfes fet firgly of in groupes, cheerful and crowded villages embowered among trees, and divided from each other by fall intervals: Between fuch fair landfcapes wind the rivers or extend the clear canals of Flanders and Brabant. The bounty of the land is diffufed in decent compe tence through all the multitude that inhabits it; and the looks of the lathe order of the Prenonfiratenfes; and bourer, his wholefome fare and neat dwelling, express that he has his fhare of that plenty with which his industry Towns the fields. In this country the peasant no less than the lord poffeffes rights that may not be invaded with Inipunity. Confcious of his privileges, the Flemish peafant refumes his toils, bor repines whilft the laws fecure to him his property in that field which he cultivates. For fome time paft the most valuable thanufacture of Flanders has been derived from its flax, which is allowed to be fuperior to that of any other country in Europe, and furnishes the materials for their fine linen and their beautiful lace during that time he wrote his Evange Tical Concord, with a Commentary, which he had read in lectures to the canons, regular of that abbey. He was afterwards curate of St. Martin's, in Courtray, and performed the functions of that curacy for near 12 years. When he came back to Louvain, he took Ins doctor's degree, and got the deanery of St. James's. Then he was fent by Philip I to the Council of Trent, and at his return was named, in 150s, firtt bifhop of Girent. When he had wor thily flied that polt for eight years, he died at Gent, April 11, 1576, aged 60. Janfenius wrote a Paraphrafe on the Palms and Notes on the ProLet me now call the attention of verbs, Ecclefiafticus, the Canticles,, your readers to the city of Ghent. This and the Book of Wifdom. His chief large and populous place ftands at the work is his Concordia 'Evangelica; and diluance of four leagues from the fea.we may fay that he is one of the ablett It is washed by the Scheld, which, in conjunction with other inferior rivers and Canals, divides the town into a number of iflaris, that give it a picin resque appearance; and the eve of a franger is immediately attracted by the bleaching fields which lie within the walls, and furnish employment and fubfiftence to great numbers of the inhabitants. There were also many fine and fpacious gardens within the walls, and not fewer, I was told, than 300 bridges. The population of Ghent Ivas faid to be 70,000, which bofe no proportion to its circunference. Many traces of the former grandeur of this city were conspicuous in its noble fquares, fpacious fireets, and magnifi Cent edifices; in and most useful* commentators upon the Scriptures that lived in the 10th century." In my next, I fhall take my leave of Ghent, and proceed to Bruges. The $ CLERICUS LEICESTRIENSIS. PURSUITS OF ARCHITECTURAL B. II. A. U. and felf, like knights good and true to the CAUSE earli hath worn (it feems) Jo maintain, have regularly dared; that is, throw down the gauntlet of defiance (cons tempt); it neceffarily follows that we fhall foon come to "action;" but whos ther in a tragic or a comit way is uns certain. However, I make known that the etching of my own phyfiog nomy is completed, and H. A. U " happy likenelles ( indeed they me very happy performances) must needs Ghent was erected into a bishoprick, "face" only wants a few frones" to 1559, by Pope Paul the Fourth, the ready for exhibition. A pait of fuch the inftance of Philip the Second, king of Spain; and is futragan to the archit epifcopal fee of Mecitlin. The fit bishop of Ghent was Cornelius Janfsnius; and I hall clole this letter with the following particulius of that Pres *The Protestant reader will excufe this eulogy from the pen of a Doctor of he Sorbonne intereft the publick not a little, in Thewing my felf as the pattern of "folly, ill-humour, and ill-manners," and my enlightened friend as the emblem of wifdom, affability, and complaifance." How gentle, how patient, how difpaffionate is H. A. U. in his laft letter, p. 1091 It is me, filly oaf, eavious rogue, that am all violence, all abufe, and all fpleen, because fortooth am difappointed in not being competent to make good my feveral charges for lack of materials to work on, my memoranda being all drawn from the fegions of Fancy, under the dominion of Morpheus. H. A. U. then is de termined not to pull off the vizard" that he has put on with fo much fecu rity as he vainly imagines; and yet there are thoments when he appears uncovered, moments when I catch the mufcles of his countenance; and, I think, I have not tried my art in vain. H. A. U. is wife to plead ignorance about "Popish bishops, gold rings, fil ver chalices, altar-fcrecus, mock abbeys, and thatched cottages.' It would be a hazardous experiment to fet about their expofition after what he has done in this line, and he might chance again 10 burn his fingers. ST. DAVID'S concluded. kind, malign, charitable, unfeeling, holy, finful, to live, to die, to be rich, great, and happy. As I kneeled in humble wife to rent my wishes to the miraculous element, I thus with gentle figh poured forth the workings of my mind. I wifhed never to be deceived in a friend, or that a friend never might be deceived in me; never to change my opinion with regard to Antiquities; and never to give up the hope to fee Ufurpation deftroyed, and Regal order. reftored; to poffefs in decline of years a moderate independency, to find at laft the ftudy of Antiquity become ge neral, and to behold the mönster Innos vation fall! and, as my last wish (is muft be owned the most chimerical, and the most unlikely to come to país,) I fervently defired to receive fome abfolute COMMAND to give in a defign for a Church after the following arrangement, and not to be departed from upon any conditions whatever, either upon the plea of modern improvement or modern tafte. The plan to be a Chriftian crofs, o fland due Eaft and Weft: the uprights and decorations to be after the Pointed ftyle; that there be no odious organ-cafe in the centre of the fabrick (the organ itfelf to be placed on the South fide); no pew lumber (otherwife fleeping pens), and thofe falls, feats, and forms, for the accommodation of the devout, to be fo difpofed that they may not be compelled to turn their backs to the Altar; the Pulpit likewife fo placed that the preacher turn not his back alfo on the Lord's table that no Buzaglio fove, or other contrivance for warming the building, be fet up dis rectly before, or in contact with, the faid facred object, which facred object muft he at the Eaftern extremity of the ftructure; and farther that, upon po confideration of emolument to the paftors of the church, an indifcriminate plling-up of monuments be fuffered, fo as to disfigure and hide the lines of the main work in the dados or windows, or filling-in the arches between one aile and another: that it be uniformly obferved, fuch ftatues as may be deemed worthy a place in the lidly fane be feulptured to the natural fize of thofe eminent perfons to be reprefented, not of gigantic proportions, naked, or in any other veftures than fuch as worn by them when living, holding the idea as barbarous and uncivilized in making Chriftian characters appear the prototypes of Pagan heroes, ftatefmen, and Over the river running between the Weft front of the Cathedral and the Palace, in former times, was a large ftone thrown acrofs to answer the purpole of a bridge, and known by the hame of the "peaking ftone," which was used to cry out with a warning and prognofticating voice when certain people were to walk over it. It is a pity fuch an admonither does not exill at this day, as perhaps I, in venturing to pals, might have been favoured with a few fecret traths in my own way about. Antiquity lovers, Antiquity haters, their friends and their foes; whether I Thould fucceed in my plan of opening the eyes of the generality of my readers to admire the works of paft times, or whether all my labours would prove idle, and useless grow. How many curious circumftances might have been unfolded, as I fhould have been in no hurry to have quitted the proftrate oracle! Although the fpeaking-ftone is no more, the "St. Nun's, or withing well," remains, and in full pofleflion of all its wonted hock of faith, that is, in modern explanation, fuperftition. Who is not a fervent votary to withes? Let them be foft, ftrong, good, bad, eitizens; citizens; understanding at the fame tine that all thefe monumental memo rials be executed in ftrict conformity with the niode of the ftructure, and fo fet up that they make not a diftinct fpecies of embellishment, but one entire whole of the general mafs of Ar chitecture brought forward to ferve for the purpofes, of religious worfhip. In fhort, as withing is the butinefs of our lives, I had remained on my knees unil this time, had not a body of "Jumpers," male and female, and inhabitants of St. David's, drove me from my polition, that they might have the well to themselves, each wifhing (as I was afterwards informed), previous to their fpiritual caperings, that they might have the best in Pembrokeshire a Preacher ! Having completed the purposes of my furvey, paid every vow, and taken leave of the reverend guardians of the church, I turned my back on St. David's, never once looking behind me, and made the utmoft fpeed poflible; home was before me, though far diftant. Had H. A. U. beheld my march, he might have diverted himself at my expence with more propriety than ever, and have found fresh matter to exercife his wit and pleafantry on; for I conceived myfelf as one who was making his efcape from fome calamity, or like one who had forgot to take leave of the governor of his hoftlery. I avoided with fpecial care, as I came near the environs of Roche cafle, not to cast a glance that way, left the "wizard" might catch me within his circle again. At laft, in happy hour, I gained the town of Haverfordwest. Here I was well lodged and well accommodated; things were reverfed in this refpect from what I had experienced in my late quarters. Notwithstanding this bodily comfort, my mind was not at cafe, the fufpicious behaviour of thofe I encountered was fill the fame as heretofore, fo much fo that I had not courage fufficient to make drawings of the cafile. My obfervations are thefe. This building is one vaft pile, defigned in the nobleft ftyle, and placed on an eminence commanding the town, which lies, as it were, grovelling at the bafements of its walls. Indeed, I never faw a caftellated ftructure more commanding, or better conftructed to in is ufed as a prifon; and for its interna ftate read Mr. Neild's account of pri fons in Wales, detailed in this Mifcel lany. There are fome monaftic ruins in the town. My continual tremor for dreaded ills, or more likely imaginary ones, prevented me from vifiting thefe remains. Moft certain, I kept clofe in iny hoftlery, except when I fallied forth to vifit thofe places in the vicinity of Haverfordweft. fet down in my long lift of items, which compelled me fo to do. Neceffity has no law; and the first outfet was to PICTON CASTLE. My reception was as flattering to the "wifhes" of an Artift as could be defired. The noble owner, who here refides in much dignity, gave that attention (maugre my poor Pilgrim's demeanour), which made me forget for the time all troubles paft; and I fet about my furvey with that content of foul fo neceffary to thofe who profefs the delineatory art. This caftle at prefent fhews no more than one oblong mass of building, which may either be the original walls, or fome additional work; fuch making out, as I conceive, the principal part of the pile, that is, the Keep. But this may be conjecture, as all the windows are modern, with common fath-frames; fuch are the door-ways, &c. The principal antient' features are circular towers at the angles of the walls, and others of a larger fweep projecting from the fide walls; the whole work finishing with battlements. The interior has totally fubmitted to modern alterations; fo that little thought is raifed, while partaking of the hofpitality of Picton, of the romantic caftle of old times; but the elegant villa with all its fashionable conveniences alone charm the fenfes. There are no traces of any outworks, fuch as foffes, gateways, &c.; an extensive lawn is on the South fide, and a plantation on the North fide of the building; the Weft end looks between both, and at the Eaft is the entrance from a balluftraded terrace. At a reafonable diftance are the offices, fuch as ftables, &c. The general face of the ground is level; and to the South a beautiful view is had of the fea. AN ARCHITECT. Mr. URBAN, fpire the thought that it must have I Dr. Ducarel to Dr. Gifford. con been 'once impregnable. This fabrick GENT. MAG. January, 1805. cerning |