Star.
London, England, 1830-11-23 00:00:00

THE CITY OF ANTWERP.

This ancient and important City, which has suffered so rertrely tee
the folliesand crimes of strangers and-foreigners, is situate on the eave.n
side of the Scheldt, which kat its quays of sufficient depth to allow ship,
of the largest burthen to discharge their cargos. Shortly after the ti
cline of the trade of Bruges, in the fifteenth centug,
Antwerp,
fro.ll
being the place in which the English met chants fined tdeir
staple, ruse into an much iniportante tort its initaldtsnts wzre
*palpated at one irurdred thousand, and it was ci.nsidsred me.
of me first commercial cities in Europe. At the 'mien of the
United Provinces its trade berate however, to decline, add the w.l
which desolated Flanders, and the consequent insecurity of commeret • I
I property, drove much of its trade to Amsterdam, or fore.sl its peop..•
of wealth to take refuge in various parts of Holland. The clewing is
of the Scheldt completed its commercial ruin, and the few inhabitants
I who remained turned their attention to the manufacture of jewellery and
lace. During the two last centuries Antwerp had its full share of the
vicissitudes of the Low Countries. After the battle if it sur-
rendered to Marlborough, was subsequently taken by the French. and re*.
tored to the Austrians by the treaty of Aix.la-Chapelle. In the reeolu-
timely wars it was twice taken by the French, and remained in
I their possession until the termination of the Government of 11u:s-
-pate. One of the first acts of the conquerors was to cleat away the
impediments raised by the Dutch to the safe navigation of the Scheid,.
and to declare Antwerp a free port for the future. This project was
I followed up by the erection of extensive docks, and by making it a
naval arsenal of the first importance. The works for that purpos •
wete carried on with great vigour for years, and a basin was cenrtructed
capable of containing forty ships of the line, notwithstanding the at-
tempts of the English to des.roy them in 1809 and 1814 The last
attack was made when the celebrated Carnot wits Governor, and the
docks then suffered severely ; but they have since been thoroughly re.
paired. Antwerp is governed by two Burgomasters anti 18 Scheeler,
regularly selected out of seven noble families. All persons horn within
its walls me freemen, no matte, where may have been the birth-piste.'
of the parents. The city is nearly • semi-circular, of about seven milt •
round, and is defended by the citadel, which was first erected by the
Duke of Alva to overawe the inhabitants, and which now, by a strange
fatality hu been made the insuument of the destruction of the fairest
portion of its buildings. The whole appearance of the city before this
catastrophe afforded evidence of its former splendour. Many instances
of its great wealth are recorded, and among others, it is said, that
when Charles V. once dined with one of the Burgomasters. Its
' host after dinner threw into the fire a bond Mr two millions
ducats, the security for a loan to that Monarch, saving at to e
same time, he was more than repaid by the honour of being r.
mined to entertainsh. '
is Sovereign. The most remarkable of the sir, is
'is the Place de Hee said to be unequalled by any in Europe
for its length, breadth, and the extraordinary sumptuousness of todi
houses. The eye of taste is offended here, as elsewhere, however, by
the incongruous mixture of palaces and hovels-- the noble and the me-
chanic frequently. inhabkine adjoin np }mows T. • - • •
areas and raised footpaths are also serious biemishes in the ey. s of the
English visitors. rite quays have a noble appearance. and heir;;
thickly planted with trees, form the favourite promenade. The Retrepot
destroyed by fire was placed near the basins. It was a squere 230 feet
long each way, and on its middle story there were once 3011 Incigitt;.
rooms for the merchants from the Huse Towns, who deposited their
merchandise in the building. The Town Hall, which has ruff:r-1
much from the fire of the citadel, is a spacious building, 250 feet long,
having its front adorned with statues. It contains a public library,
and a celebrated collection of paintings, which have fortunate:y escaped
without injury The Royal Palace, in the Place de Met, (wee the rest-
densof Napoleon, has also some fine paintings ; and the Exchange, al-
though now a mean stsucture, has served as a model for those et Am.
sterdam and London. The Cathedral, which, although struck with se-
veral balls, seems not to have received any material injury, is one of the
most magnificent on the Continent. It is SOO feet long, 230 wide,
and 3611 high, and occupied 96 years in the erection. The spire is 468
feet in height; and, according to the origi tad plan, another of equal di-
mensions was to have been erected on the other side of the great en-
irance. It was carried up to a certain height, and discontinued ; but it
is theught that the defect adds much to the simple grandeur of that
which was completed. The gallery to the summit of the tower is ate
tained by an ascent ef 622 steps, and commands a fine prospect. The
Cathedral contains many fine paintings by Ruben*, and among them
the taking our Savioua from the Cross, which is justly considered his
master-piece. Outside its walls is the tomb of the famous Quinten
Hats s, originally a blacksmith, but who, on being refused the (latish.
ter of Flom, the painter, till be had proved himself a painter also, la-
boured with incessant assiduity till he had overcome the old man's
scruples, and ultimately surpassed him in bis favourite art. Near the
tomb is a pump, the iron work of which is said to have been wrought
by Matsys before this tranfoemation. The Church of St. James con-
tains the tomb of Rubens, and the Church of St. Paul has some tine
paintings of Ruben, and Vandyke, who were both born at Antwerp. .ac
the Academy of Fine Arts, upwards of one thouaand students received
gratuitous instruction in Painting and the Arts. Public exhibitions
were held of their works at Antwerp, Brawls and Ohent, and prisesdistributed to the successful candidates, whose works were generally
purchased by the cities to which the victors belonged, to be lodged in
their public collections as rewards to them, and excitement to others.—
Antwerp is the native plisse of Tony ers, Snyders, Jordaens, and several
other Artists. It is about twenty.five B glish miles from Brussels,
and contained, at the 11111.11111wiment of the Insurrection, NU 66,000
inhabitants. In etimars, homer, with all 'dm places in Belgium, it
must suffer a lamentable lining off it population and trade, from the
events of which it is new made the theatre; and if, as it is to be ap.
prehended. the Duni take back their right of trading to their Wanks,
Antwerp must once more dwindle into a third ee fourth rate manufac.
kiting town.

During the discussion in the House of Lords last week
several. Peeresses were present. On Monday_ evening her Griot the
Dowager Duchess of Richmond was in the House, to bear the reserh
of the Lord Chancellor. on opening the regency question ; on the suc-
ceeding night Lady Holland sat in the pante place, to hear the Duk ofe
Wellington's announcement of his resignation.
The Queen, it is said, has expressed her determination
to pay, nut of her annual allowance by Pulisment, the entire expense
I consequent upon the repairs sod alterations which are intended to be
'made in the Palace at Bushy Park, of which her Majesty has bees ap-
pointed by the King Ranger for life.
We understand, from good authority, that on his Majesty
explaining to Lied Grey the purport for which be sent for his en
Tuesday last, his Lordship candidly informed the King it was not in
his power to serve him, sateen three points were previously Ted Wit"—
via. Parliamentary reform.—efoctnal retrenchment in the pu lit caw-
diture—and the preservation of an honourable peace. The King not
only Instantly agreed to the whole, but added him opinion that the dine
was arrived when it was expedient that a reform in the representation of
the people should take place.—Nerr s.
We regret to state that Lord Milton, bending beneath the
dreadful weight of his domestic affliction, has retired from the repre-
sentation of ibis city in Parliament, by accepting the Chiltern Hun.
deeds. Mr Fasakerley, it is stated, is likely to sneered Lord Milton in
the representation of this city.—Peterborough Casette.
Mr. Brougham (the new Lord Chancellor) will be created
Baron Brougham and Vaux, of Brougham, in the county of West.
moreland. Vans.* we understand, an old baron which Mr. &mtg.
ham's
haioalways laid claim to, though they have never pro.
ceeded to establish *the title. Me. Broiigham, at t e request of his
friends, will retain his name, and btrmgalled , Lied Broughton, the Vaux
being added by way of roust:and saving his right.
General Bourrnent, who commanded the French expedi-;
lion against Algiers, tem ber with -blithest ems, all very pivriniehig
youth'', are living at liiiitpreesd. The Ouseral luit hod trams'
terviews with certain enernbeet of the latvaditinietvation 'foie his as.
rival I. )gland. He nal takes, far s perio,d,Outses•M
which
w lie will *nintatn7otar."raleem4.--Cachuit tirme:rt EiitWeb:
at
as
estate
wielith• liont.,1is tee 1;
belonged to the family of Famine, hut lotion dos poverty at the king
of Naples. The Duke de Blame, who was charged with this nesocia.
doe, has just concluded it. lit is is contemplation to St op she man-
sion fur the ex-King.