Were Mankind to be guided by moderation, reason, and justice——were there no lust for territory in particular States——no ambition or desire in Kings for an undue enlargement of their power——no unjustifiable infractions attempted by one State or Potentate upon the peace and possession of another——no Armies to carry desolation and plunder through the world, nor Churchmen more mild, but not more moderate, to drain them with their subtle deceptions——were the husbandman, the fisherman, the manufacturer, and the labourer, permitted to make, by their industry, the best use of the soil on which chance or nature had planted them, and to lift the fruits of their labour to their own lips——no people were more happy than the inhabitants of Austrian Flanders.
This Country is bounded, to the North, by the Scheldt; to the North-west, by the Northern Sea; to the South, and South-west, By Artois, one of the finest Provinces of France; and to the East, by Brabant. Its greatest length is seventy-five miles; and its greatest breadth, fifty-five. The air is good; but it is said to be better, in proportion as it recedes from the sea. The Winters are sometimes long and severe, and the Summers sometimes wet and sultry; yet, in general, the climate is agreeable. The soil is in most parts fertile, and in some to a degree equal to that of any part of Europe. It is chiefly famous for its pasturage; in consequence of which, great numbers of black cattle, horses and sheep, are bred in it, and immense quantities of butter and cheese made. It is, besides, abundantly productive of all sorts of culinary vegetables——fruit in great quantities——corn and flax, which last is not only raised in great plenty, but is celebrated for the fineness and strength of its staple. It is true, that in some parts they have not corn sufficient for the inhabitants; but this is well recompensed by other productions, with the redundance of which they purchase the superfluous grain of their neighbours——for, where the inhabitants do follow tillage, the produce is unequalled, and the superfluity must of course be great.
The superior fecundity of the sheep of this Country is very remarkable, and difficult, perhaps, to be accounted for——a ewe here bringing forth constantly three lambs at a birth, sometimes four, sometimes five, and some have been known to produce as many as six and seven——no small instance of the prodigality of Nature in providing for this spot.
At some distance from the sea-coast, the face of the Country is decorated with a profusion of wood, fitted either for timber or for fuel; and towards the coast, where Nature has been rather niggard of that blessing, the inhabitants substitute, in its stead, for fuel, a kind of turf, which they find at the depth of four or five feet from the surface of the earth, and which makes a fire, not only cheerful, pleasant and hot, but remarkably wholesome, being free from the destructive sulphureous and bituminous vapour attendant upon coal.
Perhaps no part of the world is better supplied than this Province with all sorts of fish, as well those of sea as fresh water: fowl and venison were extremely plenty and reasonable; and a great deal of excellent beer was brewed in it. It is washed by several rivers, four of which are noble streams, namely, the Scheldt, the Lys, the Scarpe, and the Dender; and there are several canals, the chief of which is that between Bruges and Ghent.
Thus, in whatever way it be considered, Nature seems to have made ample provision for the happiness of the People: how far they are so, you shall hear when I come to give a general view of the Netherlands——that which is applicable to Austrian Flanders being equally so to all the other parts of the Netherlands, excepting those under the dominion of the Republic of the United States.
The States of this Country, according to the Constitution it once possessed, consists of the Clergy, the Nobility, and the Commoners. The Clergy were the Bishops and Abbots: the Nobility was composed of certain families holding hereditary Offices or Baronies, to which that privilege was annexed; and the Commoners were made up of the Burgomasters, Pensioners and Deputies of the Cities and Districts. But the only religion professed or tolerated in this Country, was the Roman Catholic.
Of the People of Austrian Flanders, a celebrated Author gives the following account, which I transcribe for your use, the rather as my stay there was too short to enable me to make any material observations on them, or their manners.——
“With respect to the persons and characters of the inhabitants,” says he, “they are, generally speaking, lusty, fat, and clumsy——very industrious, both in cultivating their lands, and in their trades and manufactures——lovers of Liberty, and enemies to Slavery——and not defective in good sense or judgment, though they have not so lively an imagination as some other Nations. Their women are fair, handsome enough, and honest by their natural constitution, as well as from a principle of virtue: as they cannot pretend to wit and repartee, they do not make themselves ridiculous by the nauseous affectation of them. Both sexes are great lovers of public diversions; and every city, town, and village, have their kermisses, or fairs, in which all sorts of shews are exhibited.”
Many arts which now enrich other Nations, and the importance of which has excited contests and struggles of the most serious kind in the political world, were invented or improved in that Country. Weaving, in general, though not invented, was greatly improved; and the art of forming figures of all sorts in linen was first invented there. To the Flemings we are also indebted for the arts of curing herrings, dying cloths and stuffs, and oil-colours. But those arts, and the manufactures, have gradually slid away from them, and left but a small share behind, when compared with their former flourishing state: they have flown to a Land of Liberty and Security, where hostile feet never tread, where Slavery corrupteth not, where War devoureth not, nor Priests nor Despots break in and steal. Nevertheless, silk, cotton and woollen stuffs, brocades, camblets, tapestry, linen, and lace, are still manufactured here to some small extent.