I started at twelve o'clock for Namur. The road, leading along the river Meuse, is extremely picturesque, the large rocks and varied surface give it a fine appearance. Along the banks by the road side I observed the common box growing in great abundance. We skirted an extensive tract of vineyards, which are cultivated along the banks or rising ground on the right side of the river Meuse, as we pass from Liege to Huy. At this town we cross the river by a stone bridge. Huy contains a number of well built houses, and is pleasantly situated, being surrounded by lofty rocks, with a strong fortification. The road skirting the river Meuse from Huy to Namur, appeared to me to be of the most romantic and beautiful scenery that I had previously met with, particularly a part of it, when approaching within a few miles of Namur, where the rocks and varied surface give it a most interesting appearance. In a picturesque spot on this line of road we have in full view the summer chateau of the prince d' Aremberg, as well as various other handsome residences.
Arrived at seven o'clock in the evening at Namur, when there commenced a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning and rain, which continued for several hours. Namur is a strongly fortified town, situated in a valley, at the junction of the rivers Meuse and Sambre. The cathedral is an object of interest; but as I left the same evening by diligence for Mons, I was unable to see this noble structure.
The view from the bridge opposite the fortifications has a grand appearance to the eye of the stranger. Left Namur at half past nine o'clock, and arrived at Mons at ten o'clock the following morning.
Sept. 25th. Mons is a strongly fortified town, and abounds with market gardens in the environs. It appeared to be the centre of a great agricultural district. Coal-works are likewise very abundant in its vicinity.
I proceeded from this town to Belœil in a cabriolet; passing through a fertile country, and a fine plantation belonging to the Prince de Ligne, which contained some fine beech trees, with numerous avenues, but a horrid road; the wheels of the cabriolet sinking up near to the axeltree for the greater part of the journey. On my arrival at Belœil I was unfortunate in not finding the Prince at home, as I had a letter of introduction to his highness from Sir Robert Adair. I found some difficulty in obtaining admittance into the gardens; but on the arrival of a gentleman belonging to the establishment, he gave orders to one of the guards to conduct me through the grounds to the kitchen garden. The palace is surrounded by water, and at the principal front is a large oblong sheet of water, with a large mass of sculpture at its extremity. The prospect from the palace windows, along this piece of water and the avenue, which is formed by high clipped hornbeam hedges, as well as by the lime-tree, appeared very fine, and extended for several miles in a straight direction. The grounds are very extensive, and intersected by numerous avenues of hornbeam hedges, which are of great height, with various arborial windows cut in them from eight to ten feet from the ground. In short, the number of avenues and well-clipt hedges that lead in every direction through these grounds, render it a place well worthy of a visit, and constitute a different feature in gardening from what is generally to be met with elsewhere.
The Prince has an extensive range of houses for the growth of exotics, all connected with a large opaque-roofed orangery, which forms a centre to the range; the wings are of different heights, and have a very good effect. I here observed a more magnificent Araucaria excelsa than I had previously seen, with the exception of that at Dropmore, which is much larger, and more beautiful. This orangery is a capacious building, principally erected with red brick, with upright lights only in front, the roof being slated. It contains a large assortment of orange trees, in good health. There is also a house devoted to Camellias, containing about two hundred and forty sorts. The botanic stoves are well stocked with healthy plants, but there are very few of the new or lately introduced species amongst them. I observed here a very fine specimen of the Coccoloba pubescens, the leaves of which appeared to me to be more luxuriant than on any other plant of this species that I had previously seen. The Urania speciosa was also particularly fine, and several other kinds in a flourishing state.
In the same compartment with the plant-houses is placed an extensive range of pine-apple and melon-pits, as well as several structures of peach and vine framing. In the kitchen-garden a large assortment of the hardy fruits are cultivated, especially pears and apples; the former are trained as standards along the borders, in a pyramidal form, and appeared to produce excellent crops. The kitchen-gardens and pleasure-grounds, although very extensive, were in a very rough state; the only part kept in good order seemed to be the plant-houses and hedges.
From Belœil I proceeded to Ath, a very strongly fortified town. The country from Prince de Ligne's to Ath is very fine, and consists of a rich agricultural soil in a high state of cultivation, producing excellent crops. The town is said to contain about 80,000 inhabitants; the ancient tower of Brabant forms a prominent object, and the church of Julien is well worth notice.
Sept. 26th. Left Ath at eight o'clock in the morning, in a cabriolet, for Enghien, which is only a small town; but the fine park, and gardens belonging to the duke d' Aremberg, which are situated close to the town, are objects of general attraction. Unfortunately the castle or mansion was burned down during the late revolution, and his highness now chiefly resides in an ancient mansion near Louvain. The duke has lately built a very fine range of hothouses for the growth of tropical plants; they are four hundred and sixty feet long, and are divided into several divisions; the centre, which is occupied as a stove for the more lofty of the tropical plants, is sixty-six feet long, thirty four high, and twenty five wide. In this house the Urania speciosa had attained the height of thirty three feet; the Displotanium argenteum also thirty three feet; this is a beautiful Palm. The Caryota urens had likewise grown to the height of thirty two feet; the circumference of its stem at six inches from the ground is three feet three inches, gradually tapering towards the top. Cycas circinalis, fourteen feet in height and very healthy; the Corypha umbraculifera twenty four feet in height, a very beautiful palm; and a very fine specimen of the Latania rubra, the Carolina princeps, had reached the top of the house, and had been cut back. Numerous other species were here in a very healthy state, and a very extensive collection of Cape and New Holland plants. This extensive range is handsomely finished with cut stone parapet walls, and projecting cornice over the top lights. There is another range about one hundred and thirty feet long, with span roof, separate from the principal range, in which are cultivated pines, bulbs, and various other plants. In front of these ranges of hothouses is a large lawn, with several clumps of the different species of hardy plants, which are also extensively cultivated in this establishment. A handsome temple is situated at a short distance from the gardens, which is surrounded by water, from this temple diverge seven fine beech and horse-chesnut avenues, looking in as many directions; between each are smaller avenues parallel to them, which are terminated by handsome stone vases. At a short distance from the avenues is the orangery, which is of large dimensions, with an opaque roof; The orange trees were very healthy, and formed an avenue in front of the house. M. Bedinghans, the gardener, informed me that they only shifted them once in five years, in a mixture of loam and leaf-mould, with a little cow-dung intermixed. At the back of the orangery are several arched walks, formed by hornbeam hedges, with arborial windows cut in them; they form a pleasant and shady promenade during the summer months. The park is also very extensive and considerably varied in its surface.
M. Bedinghans is a native of Germany, and a very intelligent young man, seemingly much attached to his business. He accompanied me to the nursery garden of M. Parmentier, which is situated in the town of Enghien. In this establishment, there is a celebrated collection of plants, amongst which I observed a fine specimen of the Melocactus mitriformis which measured three feet in circumference, and eighteen inches in height; and Melocactus hystrix also a very fine plant. The Echinocactus boutillieri, is a beautiful specimen; Cereus bonplandia, Mammillaria acanthoplegma, melocactus macrocanthus; for a plant of this latter species M. Parmentier asked three hundred francs. The Zamia furfuracea is also very fine; as well as beautiful specimens of the following, Wallichia caryotoides, Borassus flabelliformis, Latania glaucophylla, Pandanus turbinatus, amaryllifolius, fœtidus, bromelifolius, glaucus, candalabrium. The pinus Damara M. Parmentier valued at fifty guineas, and the Magnolia plumieri, from the Island of St. Domingo, at eighty guineas: the Butea superba a fine plant, and fine specimens of the following species: Sterculia villosa, Stanhopea occulenta, Careya sphærica, Theoprastus Americanus, Gesnera barbata, Boronia grandiceps, Pinus pinnata, and Mexicana; with numerous other rare species. Above four hundred sorts of Camellias, and upwards of five hundred kinds of Cacteæ, are cultivated in this fine collection.