Part 7

The university was formerly a royal palace, but the lower apartments are now devoted to collections of natural history; the length of the front measures eighty eight yards, and appeared to be about square, with an inner court. On my return, I met with professor Treveranes, and gave him a letter of introduction that I had from Sir W. Hooker. I learned from the professor, that the prince of Salm-Dyck was then in Bonn, attending the scientific meeting, and if I did not see him that evening, I should not be able to see him at all; having a letter of introduction to his highness from Sir W. Hooker, and from Mr. Sabine, and being anxious to see the prince, if possible, I made the best of my way back to Bonn, to the hotel where the prince was stated to be residing; but on enquiring there, finding he had gone out, I immediately proceeded in search of the prince to another hotel to which I had been directed. After waiting some time, I found his highness had not arrived, but was expected very soon. I therefore amused myself in looking through several splendid apartments which were then occupied by a large number of ladies and gentlemen, who meet at this hotel or club-house every night, to supper and various amusements. At last I was informed that the prince had just arrived, when I delivered my letters of introduction, and apologised for intruding at that unseasonable time. The Prince appointed me to be with him at nine o'clock the following morning, when his Highness was pleased to give me a letter to his gardener at Salm-Dyck, directing him to shew me the grounds and collections under his care.

Sept. 20th. After my return from the prince, I made another excursion to the Botanic garden, where I again saw the professor Treveranes, who had not accompanied his learned brethren to Cologne, who to the number of about four hundred had departed that morning for that town.

I took a walk on my return from the Botanic gardens round the environs, and was much pleased by the objects of interest that displayed in different directions. The scenery around Bonn is particularly fine, and some good prospects from a hill, at a short distance from the town; but as I intended starting by the early steam packet, I had not time to reach its summit, although very inviting.

The Cathedral is a very fine building, and its interior handsomely fitted up.

The packet arrived at half-past two o'clock: I took my departure for Dusseldorf, and passed by Cologne, where, I imagine, there must have been several thousand people assembled on the harbour and bridge.

We now changed packets for one of less dimensions and splendour, and arrived at Dusseldorf about half-past ten o'clock. The scenery from Cologne to Dusseldorf was flat, and but little varied; in short Bonn is the termination of picturesque scenery.

At Dusseldorf, I had but little difficulty in finding a hotel, as they were not so much crowded as at Bonn.

Sept. 21st. Started at six o'clock, a. m. for prince Salm-Dyck's Château, which is situated about ten miles from Dusseldorf, on the opposite side of the Rhine, which is crossed in a flat barge, and passes through the ancient town of Neuss, at which place Buonaparte's design of connecting the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse, is nearly completed.

The suburbs of Neuss abound in numerous vegetable gardens, enclosed with well clipt hedges. The ground in this part of the country, is a strong rich looking yellowish loam, and produces strong crops of corn, clover, and potatoes. The road however leading through a part of this country to the prince's palace, is very much out of repair, and appeared to have been neglected for a considerable time.

On arriving at the palace, I immediately found out M. Funck, the prince's gardener, and delivered to him my letters of introduction from the prince, and from M. Otto, of Berlin. The garden ground attached to this residence, contains one hundred and eighty German acres; the surface is considerably varied, and consists of numerous fine trees and shrubs grouped together on the lawn, the rising ground being judiciously planted with the loftiest growing sorts, and kept towards the extremity of the arboretum; amongst these I observed some very fine specimens of beeches and oaks; the beeches were particularly fine.

I saw here the _Gleditschia tricantha_, 50 feet high, and the _Populus Canadensis_ eleven feet in circumference, by about sixty in height; also a fine specimen of _Acer dasycarpum_. The trees in this arboretum are arranged according to the system of _Jussieu_; there is likewise a natural arrangement of herbaceous plants nearer to the palace and green houses. I here observed a good collection of _Pæonias_, but the prince excels most in the _Succulent_ tribe of plants, such as the _Cacteæ_, _Mesembryanthemum_, and _Aloes_.

Although the _Cacteæ_ are very numerous they were not such fine specimens as in the Berlin garden. A sheet of water encloses, in a manner, the greater part of the palace and its offices, and from the windows it has a very fine effect, with its bold sweeping banks extending along the arboretum, where a pretty wooden bridge appears in view. The hothouses are rather in a decayed state; but M. Funck informed me that the prince intended re-building them. In the greenhouse are some very rare specimens of _Yuccas_ and _Aloes_. I understood from M. Funck that Mr. Hitchen, of Norwich, had the greater part of his celebrated collection from this garden, whence I also anticipate receiving, ere long, not a few rarities.

In going through the interior of the palace I saw a number of very old paintings, many of which represented former princes of Salm-dyck, but they are not in a good state of preservation; the rooms and furniture are of antique appearance, as well as the exterior of the palace. After spending several hours in inspecting the plants and grounds, I returned to Dusseldorf, to see the botanic garden belonging to that town, which is certainly neither difficult to get over, nor to see its contents, the space of ground being very contracted, and the plants also few in number.

They principally consisted of annuals; with a few rare species of _Cacteæ_, not easily to be met with. I was, however, more pleased with the public garden or promenade, which surrounds the town, and is very extensive; it is particularly well laid out with fine broad walks, clumps of trees and shrubs, and lawn intervening, and great variation of surface, with different points of view commanding fine prospects of the Rhine, with its boats and steam packets.

There is in this promenade a fine avenue of _Populus dilatata_, as well as the _Tilia Europæa_, (Lime tree,) also several pieces of water, the outline of some formed with much taste and intricacy, while others are left rather formal; but, on the whole, little room is left for criticism. Dusseldorf is a handsome town, and contains about 18,000 inhabitants; with good streets and well built houses.

Sept. 22nd. Left Dusseldorf by diligence at eight o'clock, a.m.; and passed by the palace of prince Frederic, which is situated close by the road side, in front of which the orange trees and sheets of water appear very conspicuous. The gardens are said to contain a good collection of plants.

Arrived at Cologne at one o'clock. This town is of considerable extent and traffic, and has a population of upwards of 50,000 inhabitants. The great object of attraction for the stranger is the magnificent church, or cathedral, one of the finest in Europe, the dome one hundred and eighty feet high, and the interior illuminated with beautiful stained glass windows; the portraits as large as life, and magnificently executed. I was, however, more pleased by the exquisite architecture of the exterior; when finished, the effect will be grand in the extreme. On the south side of the town are strong fortifications, opposite to which is a promenade, that runs along a narrow slip of plantation on the exterior side of them. There are also numerous fields for the growth of vegetables. I here observed a small nursery garden well stocked with fruit trees and shrubs. At a short distance from this I saw a large building which I concluded to be a military barrack or magazine, which was guarded by soldiers. By the time that I had completed my survey of the town, I found that it was approaching to the hour that the diligence was to leave for Aix-la-Chapelle. I started about seven o'clock in the evening for this town, where we arrived at four o'clock the following morning.

Sept. 23rd. Having a few hours to stop before the diligence set out, I proceeded to the cathedral, where the celebration of the mass was performing. It is a very splendid building, the interior highly ornamented on the ceiling with fine fresco paintings.

The town hall, or now police office, is also a very magnificent building; I observed some fine paintings in the interior.

The several celebrated mineral springs in this town are nearly as hot as those at Baden; leading from the Baths, is a handsome street and a number of good houses, that appeared to have been recently erected. At a short distance from the town is a prettily planted hill, which must command a fine prospect from its top of the surrounding country and scenery; but my time would not permit a visit to it. In the vicinity of Aix-la-Chapelle are numerous market gardens, but I observed no nursery stock. The road leading from hence to Liege is considerably varied, and the ground apparently of a rich fertile nature. The town of Liege is situated in a beautiful valley, at the junction of the river Meuse with the Ourthe, and surrounded by hills and fertile pasture, the latter being watered by three rivers, the Ourthe, the Vestre, and the Meuse.

This city contains a great many very fine built houses, and is much celebrated for its various manufactories, which principally consist of marble, coal, iron, and various other hardware articles. The old palace is a fine antique building of the Ionic order; the different apartments in it were then undergoing a thorough repair. The viranda that surrounds the inner square is now formed into an arcade of shops. From this palace I proceeded to the old citadel on mount St. Walburgh, which commands a fine view of the town, the river Meuse, and the surrounding scenery, for several miles in extent.

Sept. 24th. Went this morning to the cathedral, the architectural arrangements of which are very imposing; the interior decorations are well deserving of the stranger's notice, as well as its richly ornamented ceiling, and beautifully painted windows, and several fine pictures and groups of sculpture. I next proceeded to M. Makoy's nursery, which is situated about two or three English miles from the town. It contains an extensive collection of plants, which are extremely well grown, and all in fine saleable condition. The spirited proprietor was then erecting another extensive range of hothouses, and heating it with hot water, which, together with the numerous houses he has already, will extend his plant houses to about six hundred feet in length. In this nursery I observed one of the best collections of green-house plants, that I met with on the continent; they were undoubtedly not surpassed in their growth by any collection that I have seen; the _Camellias_, _Cacteæ_, and orchideous plants, also form a prominent feature in this establishment, as well as the collection of _Azaleas_, and _Rhododendrons_, which were all in fine condition, the nursery ground in good keeping, and well stocked with fruit trees.

On my return I visited the botanic garden, which surrounds the university, and contains nearly two English acres of ground, in which is cultivated a good collection of hardy perennials, and _Gramineæ_ plants. There are also three hothouses for the growth of tropical and Cape plants. In the stove I observed a very fine specimen of the _Dracæna Draco_, (Dragon tree,) which was twenty two feet high; the _Caladium lacerum_ had also attained the height of fifteen feet; there was likewise a very fine plant of the _Crinum amabile_, then in flower. The university is a magnificent building, and is at present having large additions made to it.

I started at twelve o'clock for Namur. The road, leading along the river Meuse, is extremely picturesque, the large rocks and varied surface give it a fine appearance. Along the banks by the road side I observed the common box growing in great abundance. We skirted an extensive tract of vineyards, which are cultivated along the banks or rising ground on the right side of the river Meuse, as we pass from Liege to Huy. At this town we cross the river by a stone bridge. Huy contains a number of well built houses, and is pleasantly situated, being surrounded by lofty rocks, with a strong fortification. The road skirting the river Meuse from Huy to Namur, appeared to me to be of the most romantic and beautiful scenery that I had previously met with, particularly a part of it, when approaching within a few miles of Namur, where the rocks and varied surface give it a most interesting appearance. In a picturesque spot on this line of road we have in full view the summer chateau of the prince d'Aremberg, as well as various other handsome residences.

Arrived at seven o'clock in the evening at Namur, when there commenced a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning and rain, which continued for several hours. Namur is a strongly fortified town, situated in a valley, at the junction of the rivers Meuse and Sambre. The cathedral is an object of interest; but as I left the same evening by diligence for Mons, I was unable to see this noble structure.

The view from the bridge opposite the fortifications has a grand appearance to the eye of the stranger. Left Namur at half past nine o'clock, and arrived at Mons at ten o'clock the following morning.

Sept. 25th. Mons is a strongly fortified town, and abounds with market gardens in the environs. It appeared to be the centre of a great agricultural district. Coal-works are likewise very abundant in its vicinity.

I proceeded from this town to Bel[oe]il in a cabriolet; passing through a fertile country, and a fine plantation belonging to the Prince de Ligne, which contained some fine beech trees, with numerous avenues, but a horrid road; the wheels of the cabriolet sinking up near to the axeltree for the greater part of the journey. On my arrival at Bel[oe]il I was unfortunate in not finding the Prince at home, as I had a letter of introduction to his highness from Sir Robert Adair. I found some difficulty in obtaining admittance into the gardens; but on the arrival of a gentleman belonging to the establishment, he gave orders to one of the guards to conduct me through the grounds to the kitchen garden. The palace is surrounded by water, and at the principal front is a large oblong sheet of water, with a large mass of sculpture at its extremity. The prospect from the palace windows, along this piece of water and the avenue, which is formed by high clipped hornbeam hedges, as well as by the lime-tree, appeared very fine, and extended for several miles in a straight direction. The grounds are very extensive, and intersected by numerous avenues of hornbeam hedges, which are of great height, with various arborial windows cut in them from eight to ten feet from the ground. In short, the number of avenues and well-clipt hedges that lead in every direction through these grounds, render it a place well worthy of a visit, and constitute a different feature in gardening from what is generally to be met with elsewhere.

The Prince has an extensive range of houses for the growth of exotics, all connected with a large opaque-roofed orangery, which forms a centre to the range; the wings are of different heights, and have a very good effect. I here observed a more magnificent _Araucaria excelsa_ than I had previously seen, with the exception of that at Dropmore, which is much larger, and more beautiful. This orangery is a capacious building, principally erected with red brick, with upright lights only in front, the roof being slated. It contains a large assortment of orange trees, in good health. There is also a house devoted to _Camellias_, containing about two hundred and forty sorts. The botanic stoves are well stocked with healthy plants, but there are very few of the new or lately introduced species amongst them. I observed here a very fine specimen of the _Coccoloba pubescens_, the leaves of which appeared to me to be more luxuriant than on any other plant of this species that I had previously seen. The _Urania speciosa_ was also particularly fine, and several other kinds in a flourishing state.

In the same compartment with the plant-houses is placed an extensive range of pine-apple and melon-pits, as well as several structures of peach and vine framing. In the kitchen-garden a large assortment of the hardy fruits are cultivated, especially pears and apples; the former are trained as standards along the borders, in a pyramidal form, and appeared to produce excellent crops. The kitchen-gardens and pleasure-grounds, although very extensive, were in a very rough state; the only part kept in good order seemed to be the plant-houses and hedges.

From Bel[oe]il I proceeded to Ath, a very strongly fortified town. The country from Prince de Ligne's to Ath is very fine, and consists of a rich agricultural soil in a high state of cultivation, producing excellent crops. The town is said to contain about 80,000 inhabitants; the ancient tower of Brabant forms a prominent object, and the church of Julien is well worth notice.

Sept. 26th. Left Ath at eight o'clock in the morning, in a cabriolet, for Enghien, which is only a small town; but the fine park, and gardens belonging to the duke d'Aremberg, which are situated close to the town, are objects of general attraction. Unfortunately the castle or mansion was burned down during the late revolution, and his highness now chiefly resides in an ancient mansion near Louvain. The duke has lately built a very fine range of hothouses for the growth of tropical plants; they are four hundred and sixty feet long, and are divided into several divisions; the centre, which is occupied as a stove for the more lofty of the tropical plants, is sixty-six feet long, thirty four high, and twenty five wide. In this house the _Urania speciosa_ had attained the height of thirty three feet; the _Displotanium argenteum_ also thirty three feet; this is a beautiful _Palm_. The _Caryota urens_ had likewise grown to the height of thirty two feet; the circumference of its stem at six inches from the ground is three feet three inches, gradually tapering towards the top. _Cycas circinalis_, fourteen feet in height and very healthy; the _Corypha umbraculifera_ twenty four feet in height, a very beautiful palm; and a very fine specimen of the _Latania rubra_, the _Carolina princeps_, had reached the top of the house, and had been cut back. Numerous other species were here in a very healthy state, and a very extensive collection of Cape and New Holland plants. This extensive range is handsomely finished with cut stone parapet walls, and projecting cornice over the top lights. There is another range about one hundred and thirty feet long, with span roof, separate from the principal range, in which are cultivated pines, bulbs, and various other plants. In front of these ranges of hothouses is a large lawn, with several clumps of the different species of hardy plants, which are also extensively cultivated in this establishment. A handsome temple is situated at a short distance from the gardens, which is surrounded by water, from this temple diverge seven fine beech and horse-chesnut avenues, looking in as many directions; between each are smaller avenues parallel to them, which are terminated by handsome stone vases. At a short distance from the avenues is the orangery, which is of large dimensions, with an opaque roof; The orange trees were very healthy, and formed an avenue in front of the house. M. Bedinghans, the gardener, informed me that they only shifted them once in five years, in a mixture of loam and leaf-mould, with a little cow-dung intermixed. At the back of the orangery are several arched walks, formed by hornbeam hedges, with arborial windows cut in them; they form a pleasant and shady promenade during the summer months. The park is also very extensive and considerably varied in its surface.

M. Bedinghans is a native of Germany, and a very intelligent young man, seemingly much attached to his business. He accompanied me to the nursery garden of M. Parmentier, which is situated in the town of Enghien. In this establishment, there is a celebrated collection of plants, amongst which I observed a fine specimen of the _Melocactus mitriformis_ which measured three feet in circumference, and eighteen inches in height; and _Melocactus hystrix_ also a very fine plant. The _Echinocactus boutillieri_, is a beautiful specimen; _Cereus bonplandia_, _Mammillaria acanthoplegma_, _melocactus macrocanthus_; for a plant of this latter species M. Parmentier asked three hundred francs. The _Zamia furfuracea_ is also very fine; as well as beautiful specimens of the following, _Wallichia caryotoides_, _Borassus flabelliformis_, _Latania glaucophylla_, _Pandanus turbinatus_, _amaryllifolius_, _f[oe]tidus_, _bromelifolius_, _glaucus_, _candalabrium_. The _pinus Damara_ M. Parmentier valued at fifty guineas, and the _Magnolia plumieri_, from the Island of St. Domingo, at eighty guineas: the _Butea superba_ a fine plant, and fine specimens of the following species: _Sterculia villosa_, _Stanhopea occulenta_, _Careya sphærica_, _Theoprastus Americanus_, _Gesnera barbata_, _Boronia grandiceps_, _Pinus pinnata_, and _Mexicana_; with numerous other rare species. Above four hundred sorts of _Camellias_, and upwards of five hundred kinds of _Cacteæ_, are cultivated in this fine collection.

The hothouses are very extensive, but getting rather into a decayed state, and are not kept in good repair. After visiting this establishment, I started by the diligence for Brussells, where I arrived in time to see a splendid display of fireworks, which was exhibited about ten o'clock; the town was likewise brilliantly illuminated in celebration of the late revolution. It contains a number of fine capacious streets, and well built houses. In the course of the present year, 1835, it was stated that not less than thirty thousand strangers had visited Brussells.

Sept. 27th. Having a letter of introduction from His Excellency Lord G. W. Russell to Sir George Hamilton, I waited on him this morning; and afterwards proceeded to visit several of the churches; amongst which was the celebrated Notre-Dame-de-la-Chapelle, which is a beautiful Gothic structure. The marble altar, which is executed from the designs of Rubens, is extremely beautiful, as is likewise the pulpit. St. Michael's church is also a fine Gothic building. I visited this in the evening, whilst they were engaged singing, and various clergymen were then present. This ancient structure is richly ornamented with beautiful pictures and painted glass windows. The oak pulpit attracts much attention on account of the richness of its carving, which represents the expulsion of Adam and Eve.

I also visited the Duke d'Aremberg's town-house, which is much celebrated for its library and Antiquities, and contains several fine paintings in the various apartments, together with a collection of Etruscan vases, and a head of Laocoon. Attached to this mansion his grace has a very fine riding-house, where several paintings were deposited. I next proceeded to see a representation of St. Petersburgh, which was then exhibiting in Brussells, consisting of a model of the various streets, squares, houses and gardens of that splendid city, which appeared to attract many visitors.