I proceeded next to Louvain. The entrance to Brussells from the Louvain gate is very fine, and commands extensive views of the adjacent country, as well as a part of the town. The small villas leading from this entrance towards Louvain are handsomely ornamented with tastefully planted gardens; the road, winding along through a fine agricultural country, is more varied than in the Antwerp district; the soil consisting of a deep red loam, produces abundantly red clover, rape, and other green crops.
October 3rd. The town of Louvain is situated on the river Dyle, which runs through it. The grand appearance of the Stadt-huis, or now police-office, is very imposing; the numerous carved figures and spires that adorn the front are beautiful specimens of workmanship: in the interior a large apartment is occupied as a picture gallery, in which are deposited some very fine old paintings: the wainscot ceilings of some of the rooms are also well worthy of notice.
There are likewise several churches in this town, which are richly ornamented with paintings and other costly decorations, such as marble columns.
The botanic garden adjoins the town, and contains from two to three acres of ground; the space in front of the range of hot houses is occupied with a collection of hardy perennial plants, and the exterior of the garden planted by trees and shrubs. The range of plant houses consists of a long dark-roofed green house, with a circular stove projecting in front of it at each end, which has a very good effect; these stoves are constructed with iron bars, and appeared to stand remarkably well; in one of them was a very fine specimen of the Latania rubra, which was in great luxuriance; the Maxillaria Harrissonia, was quite covered with large flowers. The Cactus Macrocanthus, was here four feet in circumference; several other species were also very fine; in short, the whole collection were in a healthy and flourishing state. I found M. Donkelar, the gardener, to be a very intelligent young man, devotedly attached to his business.
I next proceeded to see the collection of fruits and trees at professor Van Mons, where I was shewn a large assortment of pears, which the professor had raised from seed, also many sorts of apples, and several good seedling grapes and peaches. The professor has long been distinguished for his attachment to horticultural pursuits; but I unfortunately did not find him at home; he has, however, forwarded to me, since my return home, his "Arbres Fruitiers," which describes many of the fruits cultivated in Belgium. I was much gratified by the fine collection of pears in the fruit room, and the fine healthy trees in the professor's gardens, which are well stocked with seedlings, as well as others in a bearing state.
I next proceeded to the duke d'Aremberg's, which is situated at a short distance from Louvain, having a letter of introduction from Sir R. Adair, to his highness, whom I found particularly attached to botany and horticultural pursuits. The kitchen garden here is very extensive, and large quantities of vegetables are cultivated; several pits for the growth of the pine and peach were also in this establishment; but the collection of choice pears pleased me more than any I had previously seen, and certainly produced very fine fruit; the following sorts were pointed out to me as the best deserving of cultivation, which were then in the fruit room.
| Beurre Wirtemberg | Beurre D'Hiver | Colmar Jaminette |
| Grande Bretagne | Double d'Automne | Beurre d'Angleterre |
| Sucre-Vert | Comperete | Bergamotte de paques |
| Beurre rance | Kanneck | St. Germain |
| Beey vaet | Passe Colmar | Roi de Louvain |
| Beurre bosque | Bezyda Chaumontelle | Beurre d'Aremberg |
| Bergamotte de la Penticote | Fondante De Charnusee | Beurre de yelle |
| St. Bernard |
and many other sorts, and fine collections of apples which were also extensively grown here. I also observed a very fine collection of seedling dahlias, many of which were very choice flowers, and formed a gay appearance in the kitchen garden borders in this season. His highness pointed out to me a noble specimen of the Platanus accidentalis, which measured, at four feet from the ground, thirteen feet in circumference, and its branches spreading over a space of ground twenty two yards in diameter; this was a beautiful grown tree, and appeared in great luxuriance.
The grounds attached to this ancient mansion are very extensive, and have several fine straight avenue walks, leading in various directions, one of which is formed by the purple beech planted on each side of the walk for a considerable distance; but this being a very wet forenoon, I was unable to see the grounds to advantage. They are a little varied as we approach the house, and a small stream of water enlivened the scenery: they appeared to me, however, of much less extent than his highness's grounds and park at Enghien, where his splendid range of plant-houses and extensive collection of plants are fixed and deposited.
I left Louvain about four o'clock, and arrived in Brussells just in time to get my luggage taken to the diligence office, from whence the diligence started at half-past nine o'clock for Paris.