The churches at Brussels are very fine, particularly that of St. Gudulo, which is a magnificent building with two steeples. There are two places of worship, where the English service is performed in an impressive manner, by their respective preachers; the one the church of St. Augustine, for morning, the other a chapel in the Place Royal, for evening service.
Brussels is almost wholly supplied with firing, from the forest of Soignè, which covers a tract of sixteen or seventeen thousand acres of land, one sixtieth part of which is allowed to be cut down annually, and thus a constant supply ensured.
Lodgings and all kinds of provision are very reasonable, but French wines now comparatively dear. We one day went to a coach-maker’s, where we saw vehicles of every description, which my friend on examining into, declared were as well got up as they generally are in England, and at about two-thirds of the customary English prices. We visited also the lace manufactories, where my companion made some purchases, but I did not choose to run the risk of being laughed at, for taking back the produce of my own country, which, I am assured, is now frequently put off as the manufacture of Flanders.
One evening I went to the larger theatre, with Mr. S⸺, for the express purpose of hearing the celebrated Mademoiselle Mars, in the character of the Femme Colère in the play of that name. I thought the piece very inferior, and to comprise common place incidents, and trifling dialogues. The plot is founded upon the stratagem of a peaceable kind of husband, to quell the turbulent temper of his wife, and who succeeds in convincing her of her folly, by shewing the impropriety of such conduct in himself; for this purpose, on one occasion, when she has been enraged at her waiting-maid, he throws himself into a still greater passion; upsets the tables, chairs, and every thing that comes in his way; she hears, sees, and is astonished at his violence, becoming proportionately tame, as his rage increases, and at length convinced of her error, determines to reform.
The stage of this theatre I thought not sufficiently advanced towards the audience, the greater part of the sound appearing to be retained upon it.
One day, amongst other amusements in the suburbs, I was present at that of shooting the popinjay, which consists in placing the figure of a bird at the top of a long pole, and shooting at it with bows and arrows; the person who succeeds in displacing the mark, is remunerated with a gold or silver watch, or whatever prize may be contended for; it did not appear, however, an easy matter to effect this, as it was four o’clock when we were there, and they had been engaged the whole day, without being able to remove the popinjay.
During my stay at Brussels, I discovered very few symptoms of gaiety, although the royal family were at the time resident. The English families were many of them gone to different bathing places. I had, however, the gratification of finding there my friend, Admiral D⸺, whose great condescension and hospitality, demand my warmest acknowledgments, and have left an indelible impression of gratitude and esteem; nor can I forget the kind attentions of his friend Mr. P. H⸺.
On the 10th of September, I received a letter from my friend C⸺, dated at the port of Lubec, describing his progress towards St. Petersburg, and which gave me unfeigned pleasure.
Being desirous of reaching England, before the equinoctial gales might come on, on the 12th of September I took my place for Ghent, in one of the many coaches that go daily to that city; after an early dinner, I left Brussels at half past two o’clock, occupying the same seat with an English gentleman and his dog; the middle seat was taken up by a Dutch captain, from Batavia, with a parrot and dog; while a pair of monkies belonging to him, enjoyed the fresh air on the roof, and amused the people as they passed along. We arrived at the fine city of Ghent about half past eight o’clock, and, at the recommendation of Admiral D⸺, I went to the Hotel de Vienne, in the merché au blê, where, in consequence of using his name, I was treated with particular attention, and charged reasonably for very superior accommodations.
This city derives no little of its celebrity from having been the birth-place of Charles the Fifth, as well as our John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, and son of Edward the Third.