LETTER II.

THE DUCHESS OF TYRCONNEL TO MRS. CARTWRIGHT.

_Dated_, Brussels, _September_, 169--

MY DEAR MADAM,

"Oh, give me joy! for yesterday my beloved husband, to our unexpected happiness, returned to my arms! Oh, how it delights me he has returned; and has received permission from the higher powers to remain at Brussels. My Adelaide is wild with joy, and so am I.

"Yes, the duke has returned, and I behold every object with redoubled interest--with renewed delight; all seems to me to be newly created. The climate is more charming, the air is more sweetly perfumed with aromatic gales, the melody of the birds is more harmonious; every sky which I see is a Breughel sky. And _now_ I behold daily illustrations of the old masters, which I did not observe before, in the scenery which surrounds me, the various buildings, manners, customs, and costume, and all so faithfully portrayed to the life, in the performances of Berghem, Breughel, Rubens, and Teniers.

"Sweeter too, to me, at eve, is the song of the nightingale: our house fronts the park, which is the favourite retreat of this sweetest of warblers; and night after night, long after Saint Gudule hath tolled the midnight hour, have I sat stationed at my latticed casement, the breeze of heaven blowing on my brow, and the cold moon-beam gleaming on my cheek, while I listened with mute delight to the melancholy songster of the night. And often while the bitter tear fast trickled down my cheek, methought--I acknowledge my weakness--methought that I had listened to some poor widowed bird who mourned her absent mate, singing, as the old proverb runs, with a thorn wounding her breast! But oh, _now_ I think quite differently; for _now_ it is quite clear to me that the warbling of the nightingale is more musical than melancholy; for surely, after all, it sweetly trills the notes of love, and not the strains of sorrow!

"You are pleased, my dear Mrs. Cartwright, to express so much satisfaction, in verity, more than its deserts, of my poor account of Lille; and at the same time expressing your desire that I should write to you from this truly delightful city, and give you a true and distinct account of Brussels, that I am flattered, and even tempted to take you at your word, and I shall do my best, to the fullest to gratify your wishes.

"And now, my dear friend, _pour commencér avec le commencement_, as they say in France, and why not in Belgium? The appellation of PAYS-BAS, or the Low Country, is given to the seventeen provinces of Belgium, from the circumstance that in many places the ground is lower than the level of the sea. The sovereign princes of this realm were at first styled Foresters of Flanders, afterwards they were designated Counts, and then Dukes of Brabant. If you should wish to learn the portrait of a Forester of Flanders, here it is:--Behold him arrayed in ducal bonnet and hunting gear, armed with sabre, dirk, and hunting spear, at the same time accompanied and surrounded by all the _accessoires_ of the chase; his hawk, or falcon, resting upon his hand, and his greyhounds and spaniels following at his heels; meanwhile attended by his jager and his jongeling.[35] Thus accompanied and equipped for the chase, sallied forth the manly Prince Forester of Flanders in the olden time.

[35] Jager and jongeling, _i. e._ huntsman and page of honour.

"The etymon of Brussels is uncertain; however it is not for me to hazard an opinion upon the subject, which I freely leave to the more solemn adjudication of learned linguists, pertinent philologists, and sapient scholiasts. I shall merely observe, that some pretend that it is derived from a neighbouring marsh, which is called Brocksel; while others more strenuously contend that the name springs from the word _Broussailes_, (Brambles,) because the town, say they, had been built upon a spot which had formerly been covered with brambles. The foundation of Brussels is counted from the year, _anno salutis_, 900. But it did not rank as a city until 1040.

"The city of Brussels, says Guicciardini, the celebrated historian of Italy and of Belgium, (or the _Pays-Bas_,) resembles in its conformation, or outline, the form of the human heart, and the similitude certainly is striking and correct.

"Puteanus, the historian, observes, that every thing is _septenary_ at Brussels; which made many to consider the number _seven_ as completely of cabalistic import in this fair and renowned city.

"The circumference of Brussels is _seven_ miles in extent. Anciently _seven_ different noble families held their several castles within the city, from whom sprung the _seven_ Patrician families, from whose numbers the magistrates were annually chosen.

"This city, under the reign of Charles V., boasted at one time of having _seven_ sovereigns residing within its walls; namely, the Emperor Charles V.; his son Philip, then king of Naples; Maximilian, king of Bohemia, and his consort, the queen of Hungary, who was regent of the _Pays-Bas_; the king of Tunis, in Africa, named Muley Hassan; the Duke of Savoy; the king of Cyprus; and the Duchess of Lorraine, who was queen of Jerusalem.

"There are _seven_ large squares:--1. The great market. 2. Le grandè sablon. 3. The fish market. 4. The corn market. 5. The wood market. 6. Le Place Louvaine. 7. The beef market.

"There are _seven_ fountains which ornament this city.[36]

[36] Twenty-one fountains decorate this fine city at the present period, 1821.

"The gates of the city are _seven_ in number:--1. The porte of Louvaine. 2. Of Namur. 3. Of Halle. 4. Of Anderlecht. 5. Of Flanders. 6. Of Lacken. 7. Of Cologne.[37]

[37] The gate of Cologne is at the present day called _Porte de Scarebeeck_. Napoleon Buonaparte, during his occupation of Brussels, added another gate, which he called _Porte de Napoleon_.

"The principal churches of the city are likewise _seven_ in number:--1. Saint Gudule. 2. Our Lady of the Chapel. 3. Saint Gery. 4. Saint Nicholas. 5. Saint Catherine. 6. Saint James of Caudenberg, (this is the chapel of the court.) 7. Our Lady _de finis Terræ_.

"Brussels, so justly celebrated, is a large, populous, and magnificent city, of considerable extent and beauty; adorned with magnificent squares, sumptuous palaces, public buildings, public walks, public fountains, and venerable gothic structures. It is partly built on the winding banks of the river Senne, and partly upon a hill, which commands an extended view of the rich valleys which surround it, producing fruits and vegetables of the best and most luxuriant kind; indeed tillage in no country whatever is better understood and practised than it is in the _Pays Bas_. This city had been the capital of the Spanish, it has now, since change of masters, become the capital of the Austrian Netherlands.

"Brussels once afforded an asylum to Charles II. of England, brother to our gentle, but unfortunate, James II. It was here that the emperor Charles V. resigned his dominions to his son Philip in 1535; and the chair upon which he sat during the performance of the abdication, is religiously preserved in the cathedral of Sainte Gudule. And here too Christiana, Queen of Sweden, voluntarily abdicated her crown in 1654.

"The lower part of the city is crowned with that noble pile of florid gothic architecture, called _La Maison de Ville_, or town-hall of Brussels, which is situated in the grand market-place; its noble steeple, from its great elevation, is a most conspicuous object in, every direction, and is seen at a great distance; it rises to the height of three hundred and sixty-four feet, and is surmounted by a colossal bronze statue, (which is gilt,) and seventeen feet high, of Saint Michael the Archangel, to which I fear I must somewhat profanely add the _soubriquèt_ of 'weathercock,' or vane; for to such vile use have they turned the saint, and this too, credit me, in a Catholic country! This is wondrous strange. Saint Michael is represented brandishing his sword to the winds of heaven; and from this dizzy and elevated height the reeling saint wheels to and fro as the wind doth blow. But be it known to you, that Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of the city. This fine structure, although irregularly built, (for the steeple is not in the centre of the building,) is nevertheless a noble specimen of gothic-florid architecture. The building _La Maison de Ville_ occupied a space of forty years before its completion. One hundred niches are occupied by statues[38] of saints. The rooms in the interior, where the estates of Brabant assemble, abound and are adorned with beautiful specimens of the ancient Gobelin tapestry; they are principally historical, three are after Janssens, the history of Clovis; the inauguration of Philip the Good; and the abdication of Charles V. in favour of his son Philip.

[38] These statues were destroyed in 1793.

"Opposite to the town-hall of Brussels stands a remarkable structure, called _La Maison du Roi_, built by order of the Archduke Albert and his Duchess Isabella; her Highness conceiving that '_Notre Dame de Wavre_' had not only most graciously delivered the good and royal city of Brussels from the plague, but also had most humanely vouchsafed the blessings of peace, erected in front of this mansion an image of the Virgin, and placed underneath an inscription, which is as follows, and the good prelate will translate it for you:--

'A Peste, Fame, et Bello, libera nos Maria Pacis; hic votum pacis publicæ, Isabella consecravit.'[39]

[39] The statue of the Virgin hath long since evanished, but the inscription remains to the present day.

"The collegiate church, or cathedral, of Sainte Gudule,[40] is a venerable and interesting pile, presenting a fine specimen of gothic architecture. It was built about the year 1047, by Lambert, surnamed Balderic, Duke of Brabant.

[40] This church had been dedicated to Saint Michael, but upon Charles Duke of Lorraine having removed the relicks of his mother Sainte Gudule, and placed them in this church, it is, in consequence, now called Sainte Gudule.

"The choir contains many fine paintings by Rubens, Vandyke, Philip of Champagne, Artois de Haese, Mille, Janssens, and others. The sculpture is also fine, produced by the chisels of Vervoont, Van Nerven, P. Danckers, Van Delen, Henry du Quesnoy, Voorspoel, and others. The windows of the chapel of the miraculous host, which is within the aisles of Sainte Gudule, are formed of stained glass, and are exceedingly fine; they were executed by Diepenbeke, Rogiers, De Vrint, and C. Floris. Many of them were presents from crowned heads, from John XI. king of Portugal, Maria III. queen of Hungary, Francis I. king of France, and the emperor Charles V.; the window presented by Charles is behind the altar of the miraculous Host.

"Many sovereign princes are interred within the walls of Saint Gudule, among others the Archduke Albert, sovereign of the _Pays Bas_, and his Duchess Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta of Spain. Here is the mausoleum of Ernest, Archduke of Austria. John II. Duke of Brabant, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Edward King of England, lie here interred. The tomb is in the choir, it is of black marble, a lion of bronze, weighing six thousand pounds, couches on the monument; the lion is the well-known heraldic emblazonment of the house of Brabant.

"In the nave of Sainte Gudule are fourteen admirable statues carved in stone, which are upwards of ten feet in height; they represent our Saviour, the Virgin, and twelve apostles. Four of them are readily distinguished as having been executed by the admirable skill of a first-rate artist--they are the productions of Quesnoy. The altar of the choir is exceedingly fine, and is principally composed of white marble. Within the same choir formerly were held two chapters of the order of the Golden Fleece, one was in 1435, and the other in 1516. Here Charles V. conferred that order on Francis I. King of France.

"In nearly the centre of the choir stands that splendid and exquisite specimen of sculpture in wood, the celebrated pulpit, which formerly had belonged to the Jesuits of Lovaine. It is of carved oak, and was executed by Henry Verbrugger of Antwerp. The subject is the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise by the Archangel, who in so doing extends the flaming sword. The grief and compunction of our first parents is finely conceived: while the angel expels Adam and Eve, his left hand gracefully extended, with the right he smites with his sword the head of the serpent, which is represented as eagerly devouring the apple. In front, and on the convexity of the pulpit, an angel upholds a medallion of the Virgin and the Child; and in the concavity within is the station of the preacher. Behind the pulpit arises the tree of life, two boughs of which, curving right and left, support a circular canopy, which is formed to represent clouds. The dove, as typical of the Holy Spirit, is observed hovering over the preacher's head; groups of cherubim are wreathed around, and the canopy is crested by upright figures of the Virgin, the Saviour, and St. John. I have been thus minute, my dear friend, as it would indeed be difficult to speak of this noble piece of carving in sufficient terms of adequate praise.

"The governor's palace, the ancient residence of kings, who were sovereigns of the _Pays Bas_, is situated in the park. It is an old and venerable pile, with large gothic windows and various grotesque decorations. It is called _La Palais de la Cour_.[41] The building was begun in 1300 by John II. Duke of Brabant; in 1452 it was enlarged by Philip the Good, and completed by his successors.

[41] This grand and venerable pile was destroyed by fire 4th February, 1731, which raged with such violence and rapidity that in a few hours the whole pile was entirely consumed. It was with the greatest difficulty that the Archduchess of Austria, Maria Elizabeth, eldest sister of Charles VI., and _gouvernante_ of the _Pays Bas_, escaped with her life, having only had time to draw on one stocking and to fling her robe around her. The young and beautiful Countess of Vlefeld, one of her ladies of honour, perished in the flames.

"On entering the palace one beholds a saloon of extraordinary grandeur, from whence a gallery leads to the chapel, the architecture of which is extremely fine, and of admirable symmetry. The other apartments in the palace are extremely spacious, and of corresponding magnificence. The exterior of the building is adorned with cupolas, towers, pinnacles, &c. A large area presents itself in front of the palace, which is handsomely enclosed by ornamented ballustrades of stone, in good taste, and at intervals columns arise, which are surmounted by statues of various illustrious characters, viz.--Charles V., his son Philip, the Duke of Burgundy, &c. &c. At the extremity of the park, near to the gate of Louvaine, stands a handsome house, which the Emperor Charles V. caused to be built subsequent to his abdication.

"The park, which presents an agreeable and fashionable promenade, is laid out as a large garden with the greatest taste, intersected in every direction by wide and handsome walks, on each side adorned with lofty overshadowing lindens. The grounds are interspersed with numerous sunny lawns, ornamented with fountains and numerous busts and statues, some of which are exquisitely sculptured. There is a Magdalen by Quesnoy--the statues of Diana and Narcissus by Gripelo--Venus and her doves by Ollivier, &c. In the centre of the park stands a magnificent marble basin, well stocked with gold and silver fish. On either side of the principal walk, which is a fashionable promenade, extend deep valleys, shaded by noble lime trees, which afford a cool and agreeable retreat from the summer's sun.

"There is another promenade which is fully as frequented as the park, called '_l'Alle Vertè_.' It is situated on the right bank of the canal, which communicates with Antwerp, &c. This walk and drive extend a mile and half from the walls or ramparts of the city. The view from the canal bridge is exceedingly beautiful. This public walk is delightfully shaded by a triple row of trees planted on the banks of the canal. The scene is rendered peculiarly delightful by the prospect which is presented to the spectator's eye, the numerous villas in the vicinity, the passing and repassing of boats on their way to the cities of the _Pays Bas_ and of Holland. These objects cannot fail to please, seen through the extensive vista of the lofty limes, which opportunely afford a cool and covered shade to the merry groups assembled in this favourite spot. Here crowds of fashionables assemble before dinner, and revisit its walks in the cool of the summer evenings. The _boulevards_, or ramparts, which are planted with rows of trees on each side, also form an agreeable walk or ride.

"The halls of _La Palais de la Cour_ are adorned with a valuable and select collection of paintings by the most celebrated and first-rate Flemish masters. The library, which is open to the public, is placed in the same building, and contains one hundred and twenty thousand volumes. Among the manuscripts are a Greek Bible, a Terence, a Virgil, and a Cicero.

"There are many handsome palaces in Brussels: one belongs to the house of Orange, another to the Countess de Soissons, Prince Vaudement, Prince de la Tour et Taxis; palace de Berghem, de Ligne, d'Epinoy, de Rubempre, d'Aremberg, &c., &c. Some beautiful gardens--de Croy, de Hornes, de Westerloo, &c. &c.

"Many of the streets are of considerable extent, containing lofty houses of handsome appearance, and withal having curiously decorated grotesque gables. The exterior of some of the houses are plastered or painted white, some are coloured yellow, and others a pale green colour.

"I must yet revert to the great market-place to observe (for I was too much absorbed in my account of _La Maison de Ville_ to do so before) that it is one of the most remarkable in Europe. It is a regular parallelogram of great dimensions. Although the four sides differ extremely in form and architecture, yet, nevertheless, they unite to form a noble _coup d'oeil_. Some inimitable, pieces of sculpture adorn it.[42]

[42] These fine pieces of sculpture were destroyed by the revolutionary Goths and Vandals, in 1793-4.

"The number of churches, chapels, convents, and monasteries in Brussels, is very considerable. _Le grand Beguinage_, which is the most remarkable, is a nunnery which was founded by _Sainte Begge_, daughter of Pepin of Landen, from which lady it derives its name. This institution resembles a small village; it is surrounded with walls, and enclosed with a fosse. It contains a number of handsome streets, where every nun has allotted her own dwelling. The usual number of the sisterhood is from seven to eight hundred, and sometimes more. Every one takes charge of her own property. The vow of chastity is taken during the time of their residence in the Beguinage; and when they leave the nunnery they are free to marry. They are governed by four superiors chosen from their own body, and a curate chosen by the Bishop of Antwerp.

"The territory of Brussels includes a number of abbeys, convents, and priories, of different religious orders. All these monasteries are magnificently built, and their churches are very fine.

"The forest of Soignies contains three priories of regular canons of the order of Saint Augustin:--1. The monastery of Groendal. 2. The priory of Rouge Cloitre: in the library of this priory there is a considerable collection of ancient manuscripts.--3. The priory of the Seven Fountains.

"The beautiful forest of Soignies extends almost to the very gates of Brussels. It contains sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty-six acres. It is stored with abundance of game, and princes have often within its extended wilds partaken the divertisements of the chase. This noble forest belongs to the corporation of Brussels. It supplies wood in very great abundance as well for timber as for fuel.

"The principal commerce of Brussels consists in camlets, fine lace, and tapestry. The population is estimated at about fifty thousand inhabitants.[43] The ordinary language spoken here is either Flemish or French; and indeed I may observe that the French spoken here (always, of course, excepting _les gens de condition_) is, in sooth, ordinary enough.

[43] The population of Brussels at the present day is estimated at 80,000.

"I have observed some curious customs here, which according as they recur to my recollection I shall detail to you, without assuming any regular mode or form.

"In Brussels, and in other Belgic towns, I have seen dogs of the wolf species or breed harnessed to small carriages, sometimes three abreast; to others four, or even five abreast, and drawing very considerable burdens. I have often seen baskets of fish, &c. thus conveyed.

"The kermise, or village-fair, is maintained with full as much _esprit_ as ever it had been in the days of Teniers, Ostade, or Van Bredäel. Music and dancing are the favourite pastimes of the Belgians of all classes and descriptions; and indeed such is the extreme infatuation for dancing that it is pursued more as a passion than sought as an amusement. The lower class of the Belgians are extremely partial to garlands of living flowers. Often these are suspended on a pole or tree, around which they dance; and often are garlands to be seen suspended on cords across a street, in the manner that lamps are hung in the good city of Paris.

"The Belgic brazen pitcher is still to be seen either bearing home milk to the dairy, or drawing water from the numerous wells in the vicinity of this capital. The shape and form of this aforesaid pitcher is familiar to those conversant with the paintings of Rubens, Cuyp,[44] Jourdaens, and Equilinus, in many of which it is introduced.

[44] Jacob Gerritze was called Kuyp, or Cuyp.

"The Brussellois dames wear the wedding ring in different guise from what we do. We wear it on the third finger of the _left_ hand, because it is said, or sung, or supposed to communicate with the human heart by means of some nerve or vein unseen; and the idea is not devoid of prettiness. Here, however, the wedding ring is worn on the third finger of the _right hand_, without any reason whatever being assigned for the custom that I could ever hear or learn. Rings, it seems, here constitute a favourite article in the dress of our sex, the fingers being often covered with them. The lower class of females, citizens' daughters and wives, and servant-maids, wear long, heavy pendants, or ear-rings, made of some yellow metal to resemble gold, and so weighty that one's pity is ever on the stretch, lest the patient's ears should succumb under the burden. Large heavy crosses are likewise worn of the same kind of metal, probably gilt brass, and suspended from a chain of the same _materiel_.--Their peripatetic dress too is somewhat curious. They wear a veil, or mantle rather, of black stuff or silk, which head habiliment had been introduced by the Spaniards. It is called '_La faille_,' and is worn like the _coiffeurè_ placed on the Madona heads of Carlo Dolce, Trevisano, Caracci, and Raffaele.

"The walking dress of the _bourgeois_ is curious in its way, but not so remarkable as the dress of the female as before described. His head is enveloped in a hat of a size somewhat so cumbersome that it resembles the kaplaken of a Dutch schipper, save and except with this essential difference, that it is encompassed by a yellow tinsel band, and turned up in front _à la coûtume Espagnòle_. Around the neck and shoulders is flung a large cloak, somewhat resembling, and evidently borrowed from the _cápa rópa larga_ of the Spaniard. A Flemish pipe, with its numerous circling curves, is stuck in his lips, from whence clouds of smoke are whiffed forth as he onward wends his way. The cloak reaches to the knee; thence downward leather gaiters make their appearance; and a cane obtruded from the dexter arm completes the walking habiliments of the Brussels' _bourgeois_ of the present day.

"With almost unspeakable delight I told you of my dear Lord's return. But now, my dear, pray prepare for more wonders still! Know then that at length we have ascertained who 'the unknown knight of Chester walls' proves to be. Oh, it is, my dear, positively a tale of romance--an incident in chivalry. He is indeed, I do assure you,

----"'No carpet knight That spent his youth in groves or pleasant bowers.'

No! there is the spirit of romance with the truth of history commingled in his story.

"But, my dear, the post is going off. The duke, who has only just returned home, has but within these few moments communicated this passing strange event, which you shall have positively and particularly detailed in my next.

"In great haste, ever, my dearest Madam, I remain most cordially and affectionately thine,

(_Signed_) KATHERINE TYRCONNEL."