The Greek houses have only one story; but there are generally large gardens, carefully tended, attached to them. The climate is generally mild, but not so much so as formerly, on account of the cutting down of the forests. The spring and autumn are delightful; but the summer is too hot, and the winter is almost a succession of storm and rain. The earth is extremely fertile, and produces corn, wine, and fruits, besides the honey and figs you like so much. The people manufacture silks and cottons, and export quantities of small raisins, which grow very luxuriantly in and about the city of Corinth. Corinth is one of the most charming places that you can fancy to yourself, and is surrounded by beautiful views and the remains of ancient temples, columns, and statues; groves of fine olive trees border the city, and the waters of two bays meet near the entrance. The ruins of the ancient temples and buildings in Athens, the capital of Greece, are still to be seen; but so little do the ignorant and foolish people, who have lived in the city in modern times, value these great works, that they have for hundreds of years used the greater part of the splendid marbles to build their houses, which are only ordinary and common-looking.
The inhabitants of Bavaria and Belgium have sent almost numberless articles of industry to the Exhibition; furs, lace, machinery, corn, books, furniture, and metals.
Belgium was formerly called Flanders, and the people produced superior cloth, hats, cutlery, and other useful things, a very great many years before the English could make any thing better than the most common sort of goods. The Belgians are still celebrated for their ingenuity in making toys, lace, cloth, silk, satin, velvet, and other useful articles. They are also famous for the culture of flowers, in which they excel even the Dutch. Every house has a garden attached, which is frequently surrounded by a moat. The country is small, but every part of the land is made fertile by the industry of the farmers, of whom there are a great number; many of them grow flax, which is woven into linen by the women. There is a weekly market for linen, held at Ghent, whither the peasantry carry their products for sale, and both men and women may be seen standing in two long lines, with benches before them.
The farms in Belgium are cultivated with great care and attention, and much resemble the market gardens round London; they all have gardens, and grow an ample supply of fruit and vegetables. The food of the peasants, is rye-bread and milk, for breakfast and supper; potatoes and onions, with bacon and beer, for dinner; they eat off pewter; and although their fare is simple, it is good and plentiful. Their dress is somewhat coarse, but it is neat and clean, the men wear blue linen frocks; and the women have printed cotton gowns, linen caps, and woollen petticoats.
The towns and villages of Belgium are numerous, and thickly peopled. Brussels, the capital, is a fine city, and is celebrated for its manufactures, particularly for lace, camlet, and carpets. Ten thousand people are employed there in making lace. It is also famous for its pottery and porcelain. The other articles made there, are cotton and woollen stuffs, silk stockings, and earthenware. The carriages built there, are superior to even those of London or Paris; there is a specimen of Belgian carriages at the Exhibition.
There are numerous silk manufactories in Brussels; and the beautiful linen, called damask, is exported in great quantities. There are innumerable breweries, too; for no people in the world are so fond of drinking beer as the Belgians. The people carry on a considerable trade with foreign countries, by means of the various canals, on which a vast number of steam-boats are constantly passing and re-passing.
The upper part of Brussels is magnificent, and has a splendid park laid out with shaded walks, and surrounded by the palaces, private houses, and public offices; but in the lower part, the streets are narrow and crowded, though the market-place is very beautiful. There are twenty superb fountains in the city, ornamented with sculpture. The Belgians delight in music, and they hold musical festivals every year. In the Horticultural Gardens at Ghent, during summer, there are several concerts performed in the open air; and even among the labouring people, the songs and pieces of music sung together by groups of peasants and working people are often delightful to hear; for in Belgium, as in Holland, Prussia, and over a great part of Germany, even the poorest children are freely taught to sing in harmony at school. There are several railways in Belgium, which is a very great convenience to travellers. The climate is good; and, in winter, snow does not fall deeply.
Bavaria is in Germany also, and is celebrated for its manufactures of iron, glass, paper, hardware, clocks, linen, woollen, and fire-arms. The people are industrious and careful, excepting in smoking tobacco, of which they are very wasteful. Industry is encouraged; and several schools have been established for teaching young men agriculture and gardening, with the usual branches of education.