On my arrival in London (26th March, 1827) I found Sir Humphry better than I had expected, but evidently very weak. He appeared to have altered much during the four years which had elapsed since I last saw him, and it was evident that although his mind was still vigorous and full of energy, his bodily infirmities pressed heavily upon him, and I could not but perceive that he was keenly alive to his altered state. I had hoped to have remained some little time in London, but finding that everything was ready for our departure, I contented myself with calling upon a few old friends, and taking my seat by Sir Humphry's side, his servant George being on the dicky with his master's favourite pointers, we drove from Park Street on the morning of the 29th of March. We slept that night at Dover, which we left the next morning at half-past nine o'clock, and arrived at Calais about twelve, after a beautiful and calm passage. Sir Humphry wishing to be left to repose quietly on his bed in the cabin, I took my favourite seat on the prow, and sat musing on times past and to come, looking upon the curling waves which were glittering with a thousand golden colours in the bright beams of the morning sun. The weather formed a strong contrast with that of the day before, when the only change had been from sleet and snow to hail and rain. The difference between the English and French coasts is very striking; and the contrast between the lofty white chalk cliffs of the one, and the gay and verdant hills of the opposite shore, seems almost emblematical of the national peculiarities of the two countries.
Sir Humphry was provided with a letter from Prince Polignac, the French Ambassador at London, to the Director of the Douane, which greatly facilitated our passing the Custom house, where otherwise we should have had much difficulty from the variety of the luggage; among which, to say nothing of scientific instruments, and upwards of eighty volumes of books, were numerous implements for fishing and shooting, and the two pointers. We went to the Hôtel Rignolle, a large and excellent inn, where Sir Humphry's travelling carriage awaited us, and we found it in every respect easy and commodious. After dinner I prepared and arranged every thing for our departure on the morrow, for the servant could on such occasions render me but little assistance, he not speaking a word of any language but English; and then took a walk through the town and bought a pack of cards, which Sir Humphry had begged me to bring that he might teach me the game of ecarté. During my walk I was amused by seeing both old and young dressed in their holiday clothes, playing at battledore and shuttlecock in the open streets. I soon returned; and after we had played a game together, I read aloud some of the "Tales of the Genii," and we then retired to rest.
31st. This morning I arose with thoughts of Heidelberg, it being dear F***'s birthday, which I knew would therefore be one of pleasure in the happy home I had left. After breakfast we set off for Dunkirk. The country through which we passed is exceedingly flat and uninteresting. On arriving at Gravelines, a strongly fortified little town, we found that the carriage had sunk, the leathers being new, so that we were obliged to send for a smith and a saddler, who detained us nearly two hours. We then proceeded through the same uninteresting flat to Dunkirk. After dinner we walked out to see the town, which is very clean, and has good broad streets. Near the market place is the episcopal church of Cambrai, the diocese of the celebrated Fenelon. The portico is chaste and beautiful, consisting of ten lofty corinthian pillars supporting a frieze. The interior of the church is simple and elegant. The harbour of Dunkirk is large, but nearly choked up with mud; on one side of it is a large basin newly made, which is kept full at low water by means of flood gates.
April 1st. We started after breakfast for Ghent, and passed first through Bergues, a little town with very strong fortifications. At Rousbrugge, three postes and a half from Dunkirk, we entered the territory of the King of the Netherlands. We passed the custom house without having any part of our baggage examined, Sir Humphry's passport being signed by the Dutch Ambassador at London, who had added to his signature a request to the officers on the boundary to treat ce celebre sçavant with all possible attention and respect.
The country beyond Rousbrugge becomes rather more diversified; the hedges, which are formed of small trees, are often very prettily interwoven, forming a fence at once useful and elegant; and we passed the first hill, a very low one, which we had seen since we left Calais. We drove on through Ypres and Menin, and spent the night at Courtrai. All these towns are strongly fortified, chiefly I believe under the direction of the celebrated Vauban, and are called the iron boundary of Holland. They are kept very clean and neat. Ypres has a fine large gothic town-house, with an immense number of windows in it. I read in the evening to Sir Humphry part of the "Bravo of Venice," and he dictated a few pages on the existence of a greater quantity of carbon in the primary world, and on some of the phenomena of the Lago di Solfatara, near Rome. His clear reasoning, and the proofs and facts which he adduces in support of his theories, still show the quick and powerful mind of his former days, when his bodily faculties were in the fulness of their vigour, and not, as now, a weight and oppression upon his mental powers.
2nd. The first poste after leaving Courtrai was Vive St. Eloi, an assemblage of a few shabby houses, hardly worthy the name of a village; thence to Peteghen and to Ghent. The country is flat, and anything but picturesque, and almost every field has a windmill in it. We only stopped to dine at Ghent, and then immediately started for Antwerp, where we arrived at about seven in the evening, passing through Lakesen and St. Nicholas. We were ferried over the Scheldt, and afterwards transported to the inn in a very novel manner. On arriving at the ferry opposite the town, the post-horses were taken out of the carriage, which was pushed into the ferry-boat by four men, who with some difficulty dragged it out when on the other side of the river, and then drew it with us in it through the town to the inn, more than half a mile distant from the landing place. After tea I continued the "Bravo of Venice," and read Voltaire's "Bababec et les Faquirs" to Sir Humphry.
3rd. We did not breakfast till late, and afterwards drove out to see the town in spite of hail and snow. Our first visit was to the cathedral, which much disappointed us both as to its internal and external appearance. It strongly reminded me of that of Strasbourg, which it resembles in its minuteness of architecture, and even in the circumstance of its having its left tower in an unfinished state. The right tower, which is complete, is neither so light, or airy, nor by any means so beautifully sculptured as that of Strasbourg; nor does the building, as a whole, bear any comparison with the latter in beauty and effect. The interior is beautiful from its simplicity; and its having been newly white-washed gave it a light and cheerful appearance. It contains some fine pictures; the chief of which are the "Crucifixion," and the "Descent from the Cross," by Reubens. The pulpit, the largest and most beautiful specimen of carved wood I ever saw, represents Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. We afterwards went into many of the various churches, some of which are adorned with very fine paintings. In that of St. Barbara are some very curious and beautifully carved wooden confessionals, in a style similar to that of the pulpit in the cathedral. Near this church is a celebrated Calvary,[A] which also includes a representation of Purgatory and of Heaven, being an assemblage of demons and saints in the most wretched taste. On one side, through a grating, the mortal remains of our Saviour in the tomb are presented to view; on the opposite side the Virgin Mary appears decked out with flowers and gold lace, surrounded by a choir of angels and saints; and on looking through a third grating one gets a peep at purgatory, where the wicked are seen swimming about among waves of flame in the strangest confusion imaginable. The whole of this representation appeared to us most ridiculous; yet not so to many good Catholics, whom we saw silently kneeling before the gratings, and apparently devoutly praying for those souls who had been dear to them whilst upon earth. The devotion of many, however, was not so abstract as to render them indifferent to the presence of Sir Humphry, whose appearance, it is true, was likely to abstract attention, even though unknown, wrapped up as he was in a large mantle lined with white fur.
In all the churches which we visited, the priests and attendants were busied in preparing them for the next day, (Good Friday.) Though the subject represented, the Tomb of Christ, with its surrounding scenery, attendants, and guards, was the same in every church, it was much more beautifully executed in some than in others. A part of the church was in general nearly encircled and darkened by hangings of black cloth, and a recess was thus formed, in which, in some of the churches, a stage of considerable depth was erected, on which was painted the scene of the tomb, with its figures, side scenes, and distant views, very skilfully managed. The perspective was well kept; and the whole being very well illuminated by unseen lamps, the effect was quite theatrical.
Leaving these scenes of papal devotion, we drove to the harbour, a work of Napoleon's, which, like most of his other works, is remarkable for its strength and durability. Its size is not very striking; but it was tolerably well filled with shipping of all nations, amongst which I observed many English, and some North-American vessels. From thence we drove through the town; and Sir Humphry could not omit paying a visit to the fish-market, which, luckily for his white mantle, was not Billingsgate. The market did not appear to be very well stocked, and he could find nothing remarkable or new to satisfy his ever active curiosity. The town appears clean, and has some large open streets, the principal of which is called the Mere, in which our hotel, Le Grand Laboureur, is situated; it possesses no very remarkable buildings; and the town house and the celebrated exchange, make, at least externally, a very poor show. The picture gallery, which is said to be very excellent, was unfortunately closed, it being a fête day. Our visits to the churches and the different parts of the town had fully occupied our morning, and in the evening after dinner I read to Sir Humphry Voltaire's "Histoire de la Voyage de la Raison," and finished the "Bravo," which he much admired.