Star.
London, England, 1830-09-07 00:00:00

CITY OF BRUSSELS DESCRIBED.

This city, which seems again destined to be the theatre of strange
events, has at the present moment a population of 80,000 persons, sad
shares with the Hague the distinction of being the capital of the king.
dom of the Netherlands, as it is, after Ghent, the most important
place in Flanders. During the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries, of
which the Netherlands were the principal scene, Brunets underwent its
share of suffering. In 1605 it was bombarded by Marshal Vllleroy,
when 14 churches and 4,000 houses were destroyed. After the battle
of Ramifies, it surrendered to Marlborough, but it was taken by the
French under Marshal Saxe in 1746, and restored at the peace of Aix-
la-Chapelle. During the revolutionary war it again fell into the hands
of the French, to whom it remained subject till the peace of 1814.
While under their government, it was made the seat of a Court of Cri-
minal and Special Justice, a Chamber and Tribunal of Commerce, and
a Court of Appeal for five Departments. Most of these privileges are
still retained, and it shares with the Hague the meetings of the States.
General. Brussels has always been eminent as a manufacturing town.
The making of lace gives employment to upwards of 10,000 persons.
It Is also celebrated for the manufacture of camlets, carpets, and car-
tilages, which are equal to those of London in cheapness and elegance.
It also enjoys a considerable share of commerce through the numerous
Omsk which lead to the Scheldt. The:present flourishing condition of the
dty is also owing to the great influx offoreigners, particularly French and
English To the latter It has been peculiarly attractive from its con-
dimity to the plain of Waterloo, and we believe it at one time
bad 5,000 English residents of wealth and distinction within
its confines. As early, indeed, as the time of Cromwell, it was
marked 7n the annals of England as being the chosen residence of
Choke IL and of his brother James 11. during the greater part of their
exclusion from their native country. The interior of the town itself
elks much to attract strangers. In the new part of the town the streets
are spacious and airy, and the custom of painting the outside of the
houses with some lively colours presents an agreeable variety to the eye.
There are many good squares, which seem to have been the theatre of
the late tranactions. The principal are—the Place Royale, the Great
Market, the Place St. Michael, the Corn Market, and the Grand Sabina.
Of these the Great Market Place is the finest, and, although of different
styles of architecture, its :general effect is exceedingly pleasing. The
Fish Market, although erected but a few years, is one of the neatest In
Europe. There is also a market for frogs, which are brought
alive in pails and cans, and prepared for dressing on the spot.
The hind limbs, which are the only parts used, are cut from the body
with scissors by the women who bring the animals for sale. The fa-
vourite place of recreation is the Park. It is a large pleasure ground
adjoining the Palace, laid out with great taste, planted with a variety of
fine trees and shrubs, and diversified with lawns ornamented with foun-
tains and statues. In the centre is a fine basin, stocked with gold and
silver fish. On each side of the principal walk is a valley, planted so
as to exclude all annoyance front the sun. A fountain in one of these is
marked with an inscription, stating that Pete: the Great, during his re-
sidence here, sat down by its margin to drinks bottle of wine. Another
version of the story is, that he fell Into it while strolling through the
Park after dinner. Both may be true. The Palace of the States-Ge-
neral is a magnificent building, supported on pillars of the lonic order.
Its entrance leads to a spacious WI, on each side of which is
a noble staircase ; one conducting to the Chamber of Peers,
the other to that of the Deputies. This latter is a semi.
circle with $ capacious gallery for the people, who are freely admitted,
both male and female, to hear the debates. The town-hall is a beauti-
ful Gothic building, bat so irregular, that, its tower stands at a great
distance from the centre. It is 364 feet high, and surmounted with a
statute of St. Michael in copper gilt, 17 feet high. The statue turns
on a pivot, and serves as a vane to show the direction of the wind. The
Orange Palace, generally called IA Vieille Cour, was formerly the resi-
dence of the Governors of Belgium, but is now occupied as a museum
and library, and cabinet of natural history. There is also a botanic
garden, containing 4,000 exotics. The Philosophical College, which
has been but a few years inexistence, is founded on a liberal scale. The
great hall is capable of accommodating 1,209 persons. Each stu-4
dent has a room furnished at the expenee of the government; all the
courses of lectures are gratuitous, and stipends are allowed to a
number of pupils, whose means are not adequate to defray
the moderate expences of their board. The principal Church
is that of St. Gudule, erected on an eminence, and adorned with towers,
which command an extensive prospect. The Church of St. Augusda
Convent was used as an hospital for the British army after the battle
Waterloo. It is now applied to the use of Dutch Protestants in the
forenoon, and at noon to the English. The Dutch service is attended
by the King and Royal Family when the Court is resident here. The
cemeteries are detached from the Churches, being outside the Bade.
yards. David, the French painter, it buried in that without the gate
of Luuvain. In the village of Lacken, about half a league to the
North of Brussels, is the splendid Palace of Schoenburg, originally in.
tended for the reception of the Governor of the Netherlands. During the
reign of Napoleon it was occasionally his residence, as also that of his
brother to the late King of Holland; and it is a favourite abode of the
present Royal Family. The interior of the Palace is laid out in a style
of great magnificence. A aubterraneous grotto, and some temples con-
nected with it, are much admired. The most interesting object to an
Englishman in the vicinity of Brussels is the field of Waterloo, and
from the immense atunber of ThitOTS to that celebrated plain, it must
have proved a source of the greatest profit to the inhabitants.
Brussels is about 155 miles from Paris, and 23 from Antwerp.