little travels and roadside sketches-第5章

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

little　further　to　Antwerp。



Of　ancient　architectures　in　the　place；　there　is　a　fine　old　Port　de

Halle；　which　has　a　tall；　gloomy；　bastille　look；　a　most　magnificent

town…hall；　that　has　been　sketched　a　thousand　of　times；　and　opposite

it；　a　building　that　I　think　would　be　the　very　model　for　a

Conservative　club…house　in　London。　　Oh！　how　charming　it　would　be　to

be　a　great　painter；　and　give　the　character　of　the　building；　and　the

numberless　groups　round　about　it。　　The　booths　lighted　up　by　the

sun；　the　market…women　in　their　gowns　of　brilliant　hue；　each　group

having　a　character　and　telling　its　little　story；　the　troops　of　men

lolling　in　all　sorts　of　admirable　attitudes　of　ease　round　the　great

lamp。　　Half　a　dozen　light…blue　dragoons　are　lounging　about；　and

peeping　over　the　artist　as　the　drawing　is　made；　and　the　sky　is　more

bright　and　blue　than　one　sees　it　in　a　hundred　years　in　London。



The　priests　of　the　country　are　a　remarkably　well…fed　and

respectable　race；　without　that　scowling；　hang…dog　look　which　one

has　remarked　among　reverend　gentlemen　in　the　neighboring　country　of

France。　　Their　reverences　wear　buckles　to　their　shoes；　light…blue

neck…cloths；　and　huge　three…cornered　hats　in　good　condition。　　To…

day；　strolling　by　the　cathedral；　I　heard　the　tinkling　of　a　bell　in

the　street；　and　beheld　certain　persons；　male　and　female；　suddenly

plump　down　on　their　knees　before　a　little　procession　that　was

passing。　　Two　men　in　black　held　a　tawdry　red　canopy；　a　priest

walked　beneath　it　holding　the　sacrament　covered　with　a　cloth；　and

before　him　marched　a　couple　of　little　altar…boys　in　short　white

surplices；　such　as　you　see　in　Rubens；　and　holding　lacquered　lamps。

A　small　train　of　street…boys　followed　the　procession；　cap　in　hand；

and　the　clergyman　finally　entered　a　hospital　for　old　women；　near

the　church；　the　canopy　and　the　lamp…bearers　remaining　without。



It　was　a　touching　scene；　and　as　I　stayed　to　watch　it；　I　could　not

but　think　of　the　poor　old　soul　who　was　dying　within；　listening　to

the　last　words　of　prayer；　led　by　the　hand　of　the　priest　to　the

brink　of　the　black　fathomless　grave。　　How　bright　the　sun　was

shining　without　all　the　time；　and　how　happy　and　careless　every

thing　around　us　looked！





The　Duke　d'Arenberg　has　a　picture…gallery　worthy　of　his　princely

house。　　It　does　not　contain　great　pieces；　but　tit…bits　of　pictures；

such　as　suit　an　aristocratic　epicure。　　For　such　persons　a　great

huge　canvas　is　too　much；　it　is　like　sitting　down　alone　to　a　roasted

ox；　and　they　do　wisely；　I　think；　to　patronize　small；　high…flavored；

delicate　morceaux；　such　as　the　Duke　has　here。



Among　them　may　be　mentioned；　with　special　praise；　a　magnificent

small　Rembrandt；　a　Paul　Potter　of　exceeding　minuteness　and　beauty；

an　Ostade；　which　reminds　one　of　Wilkie's　early　performances；　and　a

Dusart　quite　as　good　as　Ostade。　　There　is　a　Berghem；　much　more

unaffected　than　that　artist's　works　generally　are；　and；　what　is

more；　precious　in　the　eyes　of　many　ladies　as　an　object　of　art；

there　is；　in　one　of　the　grand　saloons；　some　needlework　done　by　the

Duke's　own　grandmother；　which　is　looked　at　with　awe　by　those

admitted　to　see　the　palace。



The　chief　curiosity；　if　not　the　chief　ornament　of　a　very　elegant

library；　filled　with　vases　and　bronzes；　is　a　marble　head；　supposed

to　be　the　original　head　of　the　Laocoon。　　It　is；　unquestionably　a

finer　head　than　that　which　at　present　figures　upon　the　shoulders　of

the　famous　statue。　　The　expression　of　woe　is　more　manly　and

intense；　in　the　group　as　we　know　it；　the　head　of　the　principal

figure　has　always　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　grimace　of　grief；　as　are　the

two　accompanying　young　gentlemen　with　their　pretty　attitudes；　and

their　little　silly；　open…mouthed　despondency。　　It　has　always　had

upon　me　the　effect　of　a　trick；　that　statue；　and　not　of　a　piece　of

true　art。　　It　would　look　well　in　the　vista　of　a　garden；　it　is　not

august　enough　for　a　temple；　with　all　its　jerks　and　twirls；　and

polite　convulsions。　　But　who　knows　what　susceptibilities　such　a

confession　may　offend？　　Let　us　say　no　more　about　the　Laocoon；　nor

its　head；　nor　its　tail。　　The　Duke　was　offered　its　weight　in　gold；

they　say；　for　this　head；　and　refused。　　It　would　be　a　shame　to　speak

ill　of　such　a　treasure；　but　I　have　my　opinion　of　the　man　who　made

the　offer。



In　the　matter　of　sculpture　almost　all　the　Brussels　churches　are

decorated　with　the　most　laborious　wooden　pulpits；　which　may　be

worth　their　weight　in　gold；　too；　for　what　I　know；　including　his

reverence　preaching　inside。　　At　St。　Gudule　the　preacher　mounts　into

no　less　a　place　than　the　garden　of　Eden；　being　supported　by　Adam

and　Eve；　by　Sin　and　Death；　and　numberless　other　animals；　he　walks

up　to　his　desk　by　a　rustic　railing　of　flowers；　fruits；　and

vegetables；　with　wooden　peacocks；　paroquets；　monkeys　biting　apples；

and　many　more　of　the　birds　and　beasts　of　the　field。　　In　another

church　the　clergyman　speaks　from　out　a　hermitage；　in　a　third　from　a

carved　palm…tree；　which　supports　a　set　of　oak　clouds　that　form　the

canopy　of　the　pulpit；　and　are；　indeed；　not　much　heavier　in

appearance　than　so　many　huge　sponges。　　A　priest；　however　tall　or

stout；　must　be　lost　in　the　midst　of　all　these　queer　gimcracks；　in

order　to　be　consistent；　they　ought　to　dress　him　up；　too；　in　some

odd　fantastical　suit。　　I　can　fancy　the　Cure　of　Meudon　preaching　out

of　such　a　place；　or　the　Rev。　Sydney　Smith；　or　that　famous　clergyman

of　the　time　of　the　League；　who　brought　all　Paris　to　laugh　and

listen　to　him。





But　let　us　not　be　too　supercilious　and　ready　to　sneer。　　It　is　only

bad　taste。　　It　may　have　been　very　true　devotion　which　erected　these

strange　edifices。







II。GHENTBRUGES。





GHENT。　（1840。）





The　Beguine　College　or　Village　is　one　of　the　most　extraordinary

sights　that　all　Europe　can　show。　　On　the　confines　of　the　town　of

Ghent　you　come　upon　an　old…fashioned　brick　gate；　that　seems　as　if

it　were　one　of　the　city　barriers；　but；　on　passing　it；　one　of　the

prettiest　sights　possible　meets　the　eye：　　At　the　porter's　lodge　you

see　an　old　lady；　in　black　and　a　white　hood；　occupied　over　her　book；

before　you　is　a　red　church　with　a　tall　roof　and　fantastical　Dutch

pinnacles；　and　all　around　it　rows　upon　rows　of　small　houses；　the

queerest；　neatest；　nicest　that　ever　were　seen　（a　doll's　house　is

hardly　smaller　or　prettier）。　　Right　and　left；　on　each　side　of

little　alleys；　these　little　mansions　rise；　they　have　a　courtlet

before　them；　in　which　some　green　plants　or　hollyhocks　are　growing；

and　to　each　house　is　a　gate；　that　has　mostly　a　picture　or　queer…

carved　ornament　upon　or　about　it；　and　bears　the　name；　not　of　the

Beguine　who　inhabits　it；　but　of　the　saint　to　whom　she　may　have

devoted　itthe　house　of　St。　Stephen；　the　house　of　St。　Donatus；　the

English　or　Angel　Convent；　and　so　on。　　Old　ladies　in　black　are

pacing　in　the　quiet　alleys　here　and　there；　and　drop　the　stranger　a

curtsy　as　he　passes　them　and　takes　off　his　hat。　　Never　were　such

patterns　of　neatness　seen　as　these　old　ladies　and　their　houses。　　I

peeped　into　one　or　two　of　the　chambers；　of　which　the　windows　were

open　to　the　pleasant　evening　sun；　and　saw　beds　scrupulously　plain；

a　quaint　old　chair　or　two；　and　little　pictures　of　favorite　saints

decorating　the　spotless　white　walls。　　The　old　ladies　kept　up　a

quick；　cheerful　clatter；　as　they　paused　to　gossip　at　the　gates　of

their　little　domiciles；　and　with　a　great　deal　of　artifice；　and

lurking　behind　walls；　and　looking　at　the　church　as　if　I　intended　to

design　that；　I　managed　to　get　a　sketch　of　a　couple　of　them。





But　what　white　paper　can　render　the　whiteness　of　their　linen；　what

black　ink　can　do　justice　to　the　lustre　of　their　gowns　and　shoes？

Both　of　the　ladies　had　a　neat　ankle　and　a　tight　stocking；　and　I

fancy　that　heaven　is　quite　as　well　served　in　this　costume　as　in　the

dress　of　a　scowling；　stockingless　friar；　whom　I　had　seen　passing

just　before。　　The　look　and　dress　of　the　man　made　me　shudder。　　His

great　red　feet　were　bound　up　in　a　shoe　open　at　the　toes；　a　kind　of

compromise　for　a　sandal。　　I　had　just　seen　him　and　his　brethren　at

the　Dominican　Church；　where　a　mass　of　music　was　sung；　and　orange…

trees；　flags；　and　banners　decked　the　aisle　of　the　church。



One　begins　to　grow　sick　of　these　churches；　and　the　hideous

exhibitions　of　bodily　agonies　that　are　depicted　on　the　sides　of　all

the　chapels。　　Into　one　wherein　we　went　this　morning　was　what　they

called　a　Calvary：　a　horrible；　ghastly　image　of　a　Christ　in　a　tomb；

the　figure　of　the　natural　size；　and　of　the　livid　color　of　death；

gaping　red　wounds　on　the　body　and　round　the　brows：　the　whole　piece

enough　to　turn　one　sick；　and　fit　only　to　brutalize　the　beholder　of

it。　　The　Virgin　is　commonly　represented　with　a　dozen　swords　stuck

in　her　heart；　bleeding　throats　of　headless　John　Baptists　are

perpetually　thrust　before　your　eyes。　　At　the　Cathedral　gate　was　a

papier…mache　church…ornament　shopmost　of　the　carvings　and　reliefs

of　the　same　dismal　character：　one；　for　instance；　represented　a

heart　with　a　great　gash　in　it；　and　a　double　row　of　large　blood…

drops　dribbling　from　it；　nails　and　a　knife　were　thrust　into　the

heart；　round　the　whole　was　a　crown　of　thorns。　　Such　things　are

dreadful　to　think　of。　　The　same　gloomy　spirit　which　made　a　religion

of　them；　and　worked　upon　the　people　by　the　grossest　of　all　means；

terror；　distracted　the　natural　feelings　of　man　to　maintain　its

powershut　gentle　women　into　lonely；　pitiless　conventsfrightened

poor　peasants　with　tales　of　tormenttaught　that　the　end　and　labor

of　life　was　silence；　wretchedness；　and　the　scourgemurdered　those

by　fagot　and　prison　who　thought　otherwise。　　How　has　the　blind　and

furious　bigotry　of　man　perverted　that　which　God　gave　us　as　our

greatest　boon；　and　bid　us　hate　where　God　bade　us　love！　　Thank

heaven　that　monk　has　gone　out　of　sight！　　It　is　pleasant　to　look　at

the　smiling；　cheerful　old　Beguine；　and　think　no　more　of　yonder

livid　face。



One　of　the　many　convents　in　this　little　religious　city　seems　to　be

the　specimen…house；　which　is　shown　to　strangers；　for　all　the　guides

conduct　you　thither；　and　I　saw　in　a　book　kept　for　the　purpose　the

names　of　innumerable　Smiths　and　Joneses　registered。



A　very　kind；　sweet…voiced；　smiling　nun　（I　wonder；　do　they　always

choose　the　most　agreeable　and　best…humored　sister　of　the　house　to

show　it　to　strangers？）　came　tripping　down　the　steps　and　across　the

flags　of　the　little　garden…court；　and　welcomed　us　with　much

courtesy　into　the　neat　little　old…fashioned；　red…bricked；　gable…

ended；　shining…windowed　Convent　of　the　Angels。　　First　she　showed　us

a　whitewashed　parlor；　decorated　with　a　grim　picture　or　two　and　some

crucifixes　and　other　religious　emblems；　where；　upon　stiff　old

chairs；　the　sisters　sit　and　work。　　Three　or　four　of　them　were　still

there；　pattering　over　their　laces　and　bobbins；　but　the　chief　part