with Trees on both Sides, that is in all Flanders. This, which is a pleasant little Town, drives a great Trade in Holland, and damask’d Linen, and its Inhabitants are wealthy. Its Fortifications are good for nothing; nevertheless, here is a Governor, a Commandant, and the whole Complement of Superior Officers. The first is M. de Devenish, an Irishman, one of the Emperor’s Major-Generals. The second is M. Dickson, a Scotsman, who has a Colonel’s Commission, and is one of the civilest Men I know; his only Fault being, perhaps, that he is too liberal. He was very generous to me. There are five or six Persons of Quality in this Town, who, rather than expose themselves too much to Spleen, will not admit of Visits from the Towns-people. The Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary consists of true Priests, who rail at one another plentifully, and are never seen together but in the Chapter-house, where they have the Diversion of abusing each other heartily; so that I dare say, were they to embrace at High Mass, they would hug so lovingly, as to squeeze the Breath out of one another’s Bodies.
I proceeded over a fine Causey to Menin, one of the Barrier Towns belonging to the Emperor, with a Dutch Garison. The Count[87]de Nassau Laleck, Lieutenant-General, and Colonel of a Regiment of Horse in the Dutch Service, is Governor of it. To qualify himself for this Government, he must (like all the Governors or Commandants of the Barrier Towns) have taken an Oath of Fidelity to the Archduchess, to the Emperor, and also to the States General his Masters. But I can’t imagine how he would be able to reconcile such Swearing to his Conscience, in case a War
should break out between the Emperor and Holland. I think this Oath may be put upon a Par with that which is taken by the Captain of the Bucentaur at Venice, when he carries that Vessel out to Sea, to bring her back into Port, be the Weather what it will. Menin is one of the most regular Fortifications in Flanders. M. de Vauban, by whom they were directed, thought them his Master-piece. Yet some will have it, that the Works are too close together, and too small. This Place was very ill defended in the last War, insomuch, that I heard some Officers say, there was no Breach made in it. The French Commandant, when he surrendered it to the Duke of Marlborough, having demanded Leave to march out of the Breach, was answered, That ’twas not adviseable for him to do it, unless he had Ladders; upon which he chose, with his Garison, to march out at the Gate. There’s no Company at Menin, but Mademoiselle de Laleck, and some Officers Wives, who are Persons of very great Merit.
Lisle, the Capital of French Flanders, is as gay, populous and trading a City, as the Towns of Imperial Flanders are declining. ’Tis a large, fine, and well fortified City. The Streets are broad and well-pav’d. It has two magnificent Squares, and Edifices both sacred and profane, which discover its Riches. There’s a new Town-house building here, in a bad Situation; but when finish’d, will be grand and magnificent. The Duke de Bousslers, whose Father acquir’d great Glory by his vigorous Defence of Lisle, is Governor of this City, and of French Flanders. He is a fine handsome young Nobleman, tho’ of an under Size. He applies very much to the Military Science, and gives very great Hopes of his Proficiency in that Calling. The Officers cry him up very much; and I heard every body speak
well of him. He makes a noble Appearance, and lives generously. I found him extremely civil and respectful to every body, with a sweet and amiable Temper, far from the Presumption to which Youth are but too liable; in a Word, such a one, that a Friend to France would wish all her young Noblemen were like to him.
There are several good Houses in Lisle, particularly that of Madame de Mouchi, heretofore Lady of the Bed-chamber, and Favourite of the late Duchess of Berry; the Houses of the Commandant of the Town, and the Citadel, and of the Intendant; and in all these Houses there’s abundance of good Company. The French Officers make a much better Appearance than ours do, and as soon as the Service is over, they all treat one another upon a Par. Here is a good Comedy, and a tolerable Theatre for it. In Winter there are a great many Balls, and a true Relish of good Living here; such as eating in Company, Gaming, and Other Diversions.
You know that Lewis XIV. took Lisle from the Spaniards. The Allies retook it in 1708, after a long Siege; which, when one considers the Number of Princes and great Noblemen who were present at it, such as the King of Poland, the Electoral Prince of Hanover, now the King of Great Britain, and the late Landgrave of Hesse Cassel, puts one in Mind of the Siege of Troy. Lisle was restored by the Treaty of Utrecht to France, which Crown, in Exchange for it, yielded Ypres and its Chatellany to the Emperor.
Commerce flourishes mightily in this City, and there’s a Concourse to it from all Imperial Flanders, because of the Profit to be made by the Mint. Since the Peace, the City has been very much augmented and embellished; so that there are few Towns that outstrip it. I was very much
delighted here, and if my Affairs had not call’d me back to Germany, I should have stay’d here some time longer.
I return’d again thro’ Ghent, and from thence went to Antwerp, surnam’d the Trading; for you must know, that all the Towns in the Low Countries have Surnames: Thus, Brussels is called the Noble, Ghent the Great, Louvain the Wise, Mechlin the Genteel, Namur the Strong; and so of the rest.