You know, that the Episcopal See of Liege was formerly at Tongres; of which, they say, that Maternus, sent by St. Peter, was the first Bishop. The See was transferr’d by his Successors, first to Maestricht, and then to Liege.
There are some magnificent Churches in this City, where those that love Paintings will be delighted. The Churches in general are beautiful, and have for most part been repaired within these few Years. St. Paul’s Church here would be admir’d, even in Rome itself. Divine Service is perform’d in it with very great Regularity; and ’tis impossible not to be edify’d by it, the Roman Ritual being observed in every Particular.
The Pleasures of Liege consist very much in Drinking, for there’s little Society among the Women; and as for the Men, they are generally at the Tavern, where there are good Bar and Burgundy Wines, and a sort of Beer still better, neither of which being very dear, the People of Liege go with Joy to the Bottle; but being, at best, Men of warm Brains, great Talkers, Railers and Backbiters, their Entertainments and Assemblies commonly end like the Italian Comedies. The Liegeois are accused of being insincere, and are called, the Italians of the Netherlands. They drive a great Trade, with as little Honesty as elsewhere. They are Drunkards, quarrelsome, and so vindictive,
that they think any sort of Revenge sweet. They love Law-suits and Chicanery, to such a Degree, that the Country of Liege alone furnishes the Chamber of Wetzlar with more Business than all the Empire. I confess, that of all the People I ever conversed with, there are none for whom I have less Esteem, and none, whose Society I shall always more avoid; tho’ I shall ever esteem the honest Folks there, of whom, I am persuaded, there are some: But I enter not into Particulars, I speak only of the Generality of the Liegeois, who appeared to me such as I have describ’d them; and if I wrong them, I ask their Pardon. Another Man may conceive what Idea of them he pleases, and for my own part, I shall be overjoy’d to hear of any Merit found among them.
The Country of Liege is fruitful, and abounding with all Things, except Wine and Oil, which they must have from Foreigners. Here are Mines of Iron and Lead, Quarries of Marble, and a sort of Mineral, which is an Earth proper to burn, and their common Fuel; but a Fuel very disagreeable, because of its nasty Smell, which is infinitely worse than the English Coal, and renders Liege, in the Winter-time, as black and as sooty as London.
The Bishop is Lord of the whole Country: He has, however, his States, who are not always of the Prince’s Opinion. In this Country are reckon’d fifty Baronies, a great Number of Abbies, above twenty wall’d Towns, and near fifteen hundred Villages. This Principality is subject to the Empire.
I reckon to set out hence To-morrow, and to go and lie at Spa, where I hope to be merry. Be you the same, and believe me to be always Yours, &c.
