little travels and roadside sketches-第4章

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capital　were　deserted；　and　the　handsome　blazing　cafes　round　about

the　theatres　contained　no　inmates。　　Ah；　what　a　pretty　sight　is　the

Parisian　Boulevard　on　a　night　like　this！　how　many　pleasant　hours

has　one　passed　in　watching　the　lights；　and　the　hum；　and　the　stir；

and　the　laughter　of　those　happy；　idle　people！　　There　was　none　of

this　gayety　here；　nor　was　there　a　person　to　be　found；　except　a

skulking　commissioner　or　two　（whose　real　name　in　French　is　that　of

a　fish　that　is　eaten　with　fennel…sauce）；　and　who　offered　to　conduct

us　to　certain　curiosities　in　the　town。　　What　must　we　English　not

have　done；　that　in　every　town　in　Europe　we　are　to　be　fixed　upon　by

scoundrels　of　this　sort；　and　what　a　pretty　reflection　it　is　on　our

country　that　such　rascals　find　the　means　of　living　on　us！





Early　the　next　morning　we　walked　through　a　number　of　streets　in　the

place；　and　saw　certain　sights。　　The　Park　is　very　pretty；　and　all

the　buildings　round　about　it　have　an　air　of　neatnessalmost　of

stateliness。　　The　houses　are　tall；　the　streets　spacious；　and　the

roads　extremely　clean。　　In　the　Park　is　a　little　theatre；　a　cafe

somewhat　ruinous；　a　little　palace　for　the　king　of　this　little

kingdom；　some　smart　public　buildings　（with　S。　P。　Q。　B。　emblazoned

on　them；　at　which　pompous　inscription　one　cannot　help　laughing）；

and　other　rows　of　houses　somewhat　resembling　a　little　Rue　de

Rivoli。　　Whether　from　my　own　natural　greatness　and　magnanimity；　or

from　that　handsome　share　of　national　conceit　that　every　Englishman

possesses；　my　impressions　of　this　city　are　certainly　anything　but

respectful。　　It　has　an　absurd　kind　of　Lilliput　look　with　it。　　There

are　soldiers；　just　as　in　Paris；　better　dressed；　and　doing　a　vast

deal　of　drumming　and　bustle；　and　yet；　somehow；　far　from　being

frightened　at　them；　I　feel　inclined　to　laugh　in　their　faces。　　There

are　little　Ministers；　who　work　at　their　little　bureaux；　and　to　read

the　journals；　how　fierce　they　are！　　A　great　thundering　Times　could

hardly　talk　more　big。　　One　reads　about　the　rascally　Ministers；　the

miserable　Opposition；　the　designs　of　tyrants；　the　eyes　of　Europe；

&c。；　just　as　one　would　in　real　journals。　　The　Moniteur　of　Ghent

belabors　the　Independent　of　Brussels；　the　Independent　falls　foul　of

the　Lynx；　and　really　it　is　difficult　not　to　suppose　sometimes　that

these　worthy　people　are　in　earnest。　　And　yet　how　happy　were　they

sua　si　bona　norint！　　Think　what　a　comfort　it　would　be　to　belong　to

a　little　state　like　this；　not　to　abuse　their　privilege；　but

philosophically　to　use　it。　　If　I　were　a　Belgian；　I　would　not　care

one　single　fig　about　politics。　　I　would　not　read　thundering

leading…articles。　　I　would　not　have　an　opinion。　　What's　the　use　of

an　opinion　here？　　Happy　fellows！　do　not　the　French；　the　English；

and　the　Prussians；　spare　them　the　trouble　of　thinking；　and　make　all

their　opinions　for　them？　　Think　of　living　in　a　country　free；　easy；

respectable；　wealthy；　and　with　the　nuisance　of　talking　politics

removed　from　out　of　it。　　All　this　might　the　Belgians　have；　and　a

part　do　they　enjoy；　but　not　the　best　part；　no；　these　people　will　be

brawling　and　by　the　ears；　and　parties　run　as　high　here　as　at　Stoke

Pogis　or　little　Pedlington。



These　sentiments　were　elicited　by　the　reading　of　a　paper　at　the

cafe　in　the　Park；　where　we　sat　under　the　trees　for　a　while　and

sipped　our　cool　lemonade。　　Numbers　of　statues　decorate　the　place；

the　very　worst　I　ever　saw。　　These　Cupids　must　have　been　erected　in

the　time　of　the　Dutch　dynasty；　as　I　judge　from　the　immense

posterior　developments。　　Indeed　the　arts　of　the　country　are　very

low。　　The　statues　here；　and　the　lions　before　the　Prince　of　Orange's

palace；　would　disgrace　almost　the　figurehead　of　a　ship。



Of　course　we　paid　our　visit　to　this　little　lion　of　Brussels　（the

Prince's　palace；　I　mean）。　　The　architecture　of　the　building　is

admirably　simple　and　firm；　and　you　remark　about　it；　and　all　other

works　here；　a　high　finish　in　doors；　wood…works；　paintings；　&c。；

that　one　does　not　see　in　France；　where　the　buildings　are　often

rather　sketched　than　completed；　and　the　artist　seems　to　neglect　the

limbs；　as　it　were；　and　extremities　of　his　figures。



The　finish　of　this　little　place　is　exquisite。　　We　went　through　some

dozen　of　state…rooms；　paddling　along　over　the　slippery　floors　of

inlaid　woods　in　great　slippers；　without　which　we　must　have　come　to

the　ground。　　How　did　his　Royal　Highness　the　Prince　of　Orange　manage

when　he　lived　here；　and　her　Imperial　Highness　the　Princess；　and

their　excellencies　the　chamberlains　and　the　footmen？　　They　must

have　been　on　their　tails　many　times　a　day；　that's　certain；　and　must

have　cut　queer　figures。



The　ball…room　is　beautifulall　marble；　and　yet　with　a　comfortable；

cheerful　look；　the　other　apartments　are　not　less　agreeable；　and　the

people　looked　with　intense　satisfaction　at　some　great　lapis…lazuli

tables；　which　the　guide　informed　us　were　worth　four　millions；　more

or　less；　adding　with　a　very　knowing　look；　that　they　were　un　peu

plus　cher　que　l'or。　　This　speech　has　a　tremendous　effect　on

visitors；　and　when　we　met　some　of　our　steamboat　companions　in　the

Park　or　elsewherein　so　small　a　place　as　this　one　falls　in　with

them　a　dozen　times　a　day〃Have　you　seen　the　tables？〃　was　the

general　question。　　Prodigious　tables　are　they；　indeed！　　Fancy　a

table；　my　deara　table　four　feet　widea　table　with　legs。　　Ye

heavens！　the　mind　can　hardly　picture　to　itself　anything　so

beautiful　and　so　tremendous！



There　are　some　good　pictures　in　the　palace；　too；　but　not　so

extraordinarily　good　as　the　guide…books　and　the　guide　would　have　us

to　think。　　The　latter；　like　most　men　of　his　class；　is　an　ignoramus；

who　showed　us　an　Andrea　del　Sarto　（copy　or　original）；　and　called　it

a　Correggio；　and　made　other　blunders　of　a　like　nature。　　As　is　the

case　in　England；　you　are　hurried　through　the　rooms　without　being

allowed　time　to　look　at　the　pictures；　and；　consequently；　to

pronounce　a　satisfactory　judgment　on　them。



In　the　Museum　more　time　was　granted　me；　and　I　spent　some　hours　with

pleasure　there。　　It　is　an　absurd　little　gallery；　absurdly　imitating

the　Louvre；　with　just　such　compartments　and　pillars　as　you　see　in

the　noble　Paris　gallery；　only　here　the　pillars　and　capitals　are

stucco　and　white　in　place　of　marble　and　gold；　and　plaster…of…paris

busts　of　great　Belgians　are　placed　between　the　pillars。　　An　artist

of　the　country　has　made　a　picture　containing　them；　and　you　will　be

ashamed　of　your　ignorance　when　you　hear　many　of　their　names。　　Old

Tilly　of　Magdeburg　figures　in　one　corner；　Rubens；　the　endless

Rubens；　stands　in　the　midst。　　What　a　noble　countenance　it　is；　and

what　a　manly；　swaggering　consciousness　of　power！



The　picture　to　see　here　is　a　portrait；　by　the　great　Peter　Paul；　of

one　of　the　governesses　of　the　Netherlands。　　It　is　just　the　finest

portrait　that　ever　was　seen。　　Only　a　half…length；　but　such　a

majesty；　such　a　force；　such　a　splendor；　such　a　simplicity　about　it！

The　woman　is　in　a　stiff　black　dress；　with　a　ruff　and　a　few　pearls；

a　yellow　curtain　is　behind　herthe　simplest　arrangement　that　can

be　conceived；　but　this　great　man　knew　how　to　rise　to　his　occasion；

and　no　better　proof　can　be　shown　of　what　a　fine　gentleman　he　was

than　this　his　homage　to　the　vice…Queen。　　A　common　bungler　would

have　painted　her　in　her　best　clothes；　with　crown　and　sceptre；　just

as　our　Queen　has　been　painted　bybut　comparisons　are　odious。　　Here

stands　this　majestic　woman　in　her　every…day　working…dress　of　black

satin；　LOOKING　YOUR　HAT　OFF；　as　it　were。　　Another　portrait　of　the

same　personage　hangs　elsewhere　in　the　gallery；　and　it　is　curious　to

observe　the　difference　between　the　two；　and　see　how　a　man　of　genius

paints　a　portrait；　and　how　a　common　limner　executes　it。



Many　more　pictures　are　there　here　by　Rubens；　or　rather　from

Rubens's　manufactory；odious　and　vulgar　most　of　them　are；　fat

Magdalens；　coarse　Saints；　vulgar　Virgins；　with　the　scene…painter's

tricks　far　too　evident　upon　the　canvas。　　By　the　side　of　one　of　the

most　astonishing　color…pieces　in　the　world；　the　〃Worshipping　of　the

Magi；〃　is　a　famous　picture　of　Paul　Veronese　that　cannot　be　too　much

admired。　　As　Rubens　sought　in　the　first　picture　to　dazzle　and

astonish　by　gorgeous　variety；　Paul　in　his　seems　to　wish　to　get　his

effect　by　simplicity；　and　has　produced　the　most　noble　harmony　that

can　be　conceived。　　Many　more　works　are　there　that　merit　notice；a

singularly　clever；　brilliant；　and　odious　Jordaens；　for　example；

some　curious　costume…pieces；　one　or　two　works　by　the　Belgian

Raphael；　who　was　a　very　Belgian　Raphael；　indeed；　and　a　long　gallery

of　pictures　of　the　very　oldest　school；　that；　doubtless；　afford　much

pleasure　to　the　amateurs　of　ancient　art。　　I　confess　that　I　am

inclined　to　believe　in　very　little　that　existed　before　the　time　of

Raphael。　　There　is；　for　instance；　the　Prince　of　Orange's　picture　by

Perugino；　very　pretty　indeed；　up　to　a　certain　point；　but　all　the

heads　are　repeated；　all　the　drawing　is　bad　and　affected；　and　this

very　badness　and　affectation；　is　what　the　so…called　Catholic　school

is　always　anxious　to　imitate。　　Nothing　can　be　more　juvenile　or

paltry　than　the　works　of　the　native　Belgians　here　exhibited。　　Tin

crowns　are　suspended　over　many　of　them；　showing　that　the　pictures

are　prize　compositions：　and　pretty　things；　indeed；　they　are！　　Have

you　ever　read　an　Oxford　prize…poem！　　Well；　these　pictures　are　worse

even　than　the　Oxford　poemsan　awful　assertion　to　make。



In　the　matter　of　eating；　dear　sir；　which　is　the　next　subject　of　the

fine　arts；　a　subject　that；　after　many　hours'　walking；　attracts　a

gentleman　very　much；　let　me　attempt　to　recall　the　transactions　of

this　very　day　at　the　table…d'…hote。　　1；　green　pea…soup；　2；　boiled

salmon；　3；　mussels；　4；　crimped　skate；　5；　roast…meat；　6；　patties；　7；

melons；　8；　carp；　stewed　with　mushrooms　and　onions；　9；　roast…turkey；

10；　cauliflower　and　butter；　11；　fillets　of　venison　piques；　with

asafoetida　sauce；　12；　stewed　calf's…ear；　13；　roast…veal；　14；　roast…

lamb；　15；　stewed　cherries；　16；　rice…pudding；　17；　Gruyere　cheese；

and　about　twenty…four　cakes　of　different　kinds。　　Except　5；　13；　and

14；　I　give　you　my　word　I　ate　of　all　written　down　here；　with　three

rolls　of　bread　and　a　score　of　potatoes。　　What　is　the　meaning　of　it？

How　is　the　stomach　of　man　to　be　brought　to　desire　and　to　receive

all　this　quantity？　　Do　not　gastronomists　complain　of　heaviness　in

London　after　eating　a　couple　of　mutton…chops？　　Do　not　respectable

gentlemen　fall　asleep　in　their　arm…chairs？　　Are　they　fit　for　mental

labor？　　Far　from　it。　　But　look　at　the　difference　here：　after　dinner

here　one　is　as　light　as　a　gossamer。　　One　walks　with　pleasure；　reads

with　pleasure；　writes　with　pleasurenay；　there　is　the　supper…bell

going　at　ten　o'clock；　and　plenty　of　eaters；　too。　　Let　lord　mayors

and　aldermen　look　to　it；　this　fact　of　the　extraordinary　increase　of

appetite　in　Belgium；　and；　instead　of　steaming　to　Blackwall；　come　a

lit