New-York daily tribune., 1843-11-15
THE T RIBU N E.
GIlmpses of Europe......No.I TX.
RY A TRAVELLING NEW-YORKER.
Eors;qu Correspondence Of The n. Y. Tribune.


time of Charles Y, it was the most populous
c;tv in Europe, and that great Emperor used
.Dortiyely to say in allusion to its name (Which
means glore) that he could put ali Paris into his
glore; and when the cruel Alva urged him to
rsze to the ground this rebellious town, the En-
peror took him to the top of the belry tower (stll
existing in perfect preservation) and demanded
"How many Spanish skins would it need to
make glore of that size ~ Another illustra-
ton of its populousness is the custom, preserved
since l,400, of ringing bell at morning, noon
and evening, to summon the weavcrs to their
meals during which ringing the drawbridges could
not be raised for the passage Of vessels, and other
persons were forbidden to go into the streets, and
children were carefully kept within doors, lest
they should be trodden under foot by the rushing
multitude of forty thousand weavers.
The stubborn and rebellious spirit of its clti-
zens intoxicated with the extent Of their riches
and the fulness of their freedom" was one great
cause Of its decline. Their turbulent independ-
ence constantly impelled them into war with
their -feudal superiors, which too often ended in
the destruction of their brave but undisciplined
forces, in the surrender Of their profitable prvi-
leges, and in the payment of ruinous fines. Still
extensive manufactures are here proftably car
RED on, though the Revolution of 1880 has again
injured its prosperity.
Of all the glorious constellation of old cities,
which decorate the Belgian kingdom, Client is
one of the most picturesque. Its houses generally
present their gable ends to the street, sometimes
stepped down on each Side dixie the old Dutch
houses in Broad. d.street) but oftener finished off
with curving Scrolls the sides alternately followed
and projecting, in the true line of beauty Their
fronts are carved, and embossed, and covered
with ornaments of every design, and their pro-
jecting and richly scul ptured windows, irregular
outlines, and varied shapes, are as superior to our
tame uniform houses, as an ancient helmet to a
modern round hat !; or as the winding castle
ScsoWneu kline 10 the straight canals of fiat
Holland
One OF the most striking among them is the
house OF the famous Jacques Van Artaueldt,
"the Brewer of Ghent." 1t is covered with gor
seous carvings, and there still is the porched
window, from which 'st the great master, who
could order all Flanders after his pleasure" made
his last appeal to the tickle multitude, whom he
had so long ruled gloriously, and so often led to
victory, but who now, mobilize, turned against
HIM, and hardening themselves against his elo-
quence, rushed in and tore him to pieces. His
son Philip is the hero of Taylor's fine tragedy,
The Iovn Hall was the scene of the forrna-
ton Of the Treaty Of Ghent." Its own beauty
would commend it to general admiration. AS it
spaced on a corner, the architect has had the
odd fancy of making its two fronts entirely dif.
sreat. One has the trhec chief Grecian orders
pled above one another, while the other is rich
example of Moorish Gothic
Traces of the Spanish occupation Of Flanders
are still visible in the rich brown complexons
and black eyes which peep cut from under the
dark hoods worn by all the females of the lower
orders. A quaint Latin triplet gives Bruges the
palm for "pretty girls" but Client seems to me
deserve the prize for the striking beauty of the
graceful forms, queen-hke carriage, regular fea-
lures and spirited expressions of It's women.
half of those you meet would elsewhere be bellies.
The Cathedral of st. Bavon is perfect trea-
sary OF gorgeous ornament. The most precious
marbles line it, black on the sides and white and
Varegated in the pilasters. Twenty-lour smaller
Sde chapels surround it with massive gates Of
bronze and crowded with statues and paintings;
Oae them masterpiece of Rubens land another,
Celebrated over all Europe as the finest produc-
aon OF the Van Eycks, the inventors of oil pant
ngg' Though more than 400 years old, it retains
ae freshness and beauty of a painting Of yestcr
daNand It's three hundred heads are finished with
The delcacy of miniatures. This single church
Alone is worth a weeks study. Nothing IN our
country can give us the least idea of the magnii.
seace Of It's accumulation of marbles, bronzes,
monuments, statues, alto-relevos, pictures and
carvings. An English lady in company with
me fell into raptures with even the old lace around
as affairs, and most vigorously defended herself
nom our badinage, maintaining that ii was GER
siny as ancient, and nearly as curious and
wonderful, and as worthy of admiration as the
paintings
The impressive ceremony of the funeral Of
alsnltary of the city gave additional interest to
he cathedral at the time of my visit A full or
ehestra united with the organ in the performance
Of the Requiem of Mozart. The coffin, covered
WITH plumed pail, was surmounted with hun
S'eds of lighted candles and after the most sol.
snn rites of the church had been performed.
sach Of the ,nourners took from the bier lighted
candle and, marching in solemn procession to the
nigh altar, there surrendered it to the Bishop;
sosbtless as an emblem Of the extinction of the
lamp OF life.
iheseaders of " Tristan Shandy' will remem-