The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-30
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
BREAEA, August 9Th, 1883.

Bremen, August 5tll, 1853.
Having few leisure moments to spare, j
have determined to devote them to a short
account of my travel from Antwerp Ant
werp is a fine old town, situated on the banks
of the Schelde, which is here nayigable for
ships of largetonnage. In former times, say
about the middle of the 10th century, it was
one of the richest and most commercial cities
| in Europe. 1t then contained 100000 inhabi
tants. "Its merchants were princes in wealth
and their houses splendid palaces at pre-
| sent but few vestiges of its former splendor
remain: the Spaniards, the Dutch, and reyo-
lutions have each, in their turn, given it
| blows, from which it has never recovered
| The Inquisition drove thousands of its in
| habitants to seek an asylum elsewhere. a
sei@e4 of fourteen months duration in 1885,
which terminated in the capture of the city
| by the Duke of Il Arma, also helped along in
| its downward tendency. The Dutch then
| seized the Schelde and closed its navigation.
| This was the worst blow of all, and its COM
| mercial ruin was effected. 1t was, however,
| beginning to recover somewhat, when the
Revolution Of 1880 broke out, in consequence
of which the most profitable traffic, carried
the richest merchants quilted it, manufacto-
ries were nearly ruined, its docks were empty
and its streets deserted. So much for having
| powerful neighborS who coyet their neigh
| bors' goods.
| The population is now about 100000 and
| its prosperity is increasing; and if Belgiumi is
| permitted to enjoy an Independent sovereign
| ty, may again reach Its former greatness.
For the lover of fine paintings there ismuch
S.rI AyN{..-
and Quentin Matsys, and many of their mas
| terpieces are still to be seen in the Cathedral
| and Museum. The Cathedral is q beautiful
| specimen Of Gothic architecture. 1t was
| commenced in the middle of the 18th centu-
| ~, and was "a years in being completed
| The interior is very imposing: it is 500 feet
| long and $50 wide; the steeple is one of the
| lOftiest i'll Europe, being 403 feet high, and is
most delicately and beautifully finished
| Such is the minuteness of its carved work,
| that Napoleon the First compared it to
| "Mechiin lace" ThistOwer contains chime
| of 90 bells which are almost constantly ring
| ing, much to the annoyance Of those who
| have not Emusic in theirsouls," and who pre-
| fer sound sleep to the concord of sweet
| sounds" 1t also contains a bell so large that
| 10 men are required TO ring it.
Near the Cathedral, and in front, is an old
| well, covered with Gothic canopy of iron,
| the work of Quentin Matsys, the Blacksmith
| of Antwerp, who, through love Of painters
| daughter, foTso0k the hammer and forge for
| the pencil and palette, and Won his mistress
| and fame at the same time. A tablet to his
memory, in the Cathedral, bears Latin in
| scription, referring to this change OF profes-
| sion, the English of which is as follows -
| Twas love connubial taught the smith to
! paint"
Besides the Cathedral, the city contains
many churches, all of which are well worth
notice. The church of st. Jacques is even
| more splendid in its internal decorations than
| the Cathedral. Itcontains many private bu-
rial vaults, chapel and altars, the most inte-
resting of which is that of Ruben's, who lies
| buried here. His tomb is covered with slab
| of white marble, bearing long inscription
| The altar piece in his chapel was panied by
| Rubens himself, and is considered one of his
| best and most pleasing works. 1t represents
| q holy family, in which is a portrait of the
| great painter, as st. George-those of his two
wives appear as Martha and Mary Magdalen;
his father as ST. jerome, and his aged grand
father as Time, while his son appears as an
angel. Over the picture is white marble
statue of the Virgin, which Rubens brought
from Italy. All the chapels contains splendid
marble altars, and altar-pieces painted by
| some great master.
| st. Paul's Church is interesting as contain
| ing some of Rubens paintings, and having
at its entrance an object which is curious and
worthy Of attention, as it illustrates the Ro-
miSh religion. It is representation of Mt.
| Calvary, and is an artificial eminence raised
| against the wall of the church, composed of
| rock, and covered with any number of saints,
angels, prophets and patriarchs, in all inagi-
nable positions. At the summit is the cruci-
| fixion, and at the bottom is grOtto, an imi-
tation OF the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
on entering which the body of Christ is seen,
enci'cled with vestments of silk and muslin.
| On the face of the rock are attached boards
| painted, so as to represent the flames of Pur-
| gatory, in the midst Of which appear a num-
per of faces bearing the expression of agony,
and intended to remind the spectator of the
| tornents of those who are so unfortunate as
to be obliged to take up their abode i'll such
| warm climate.
St. Andrews Church contains most beau
tiful and singular carved pulpit. 1t represents
Andrew and Peter called from their boats and
their nets by the Saviour. This church also
contains altar-pieces by Rubens.
The Museum or Academy of Paintings
contains great many specimens twelve of
which are by Rubens six by Fandyck, also
several by Quentin Matsys. Not being a CON
| noiseur in painting, | am unable to describe
the various characters and points of interest
of all the many works of this kind that /
daily see Indeed ! think that no descrip-
tion would give an adequate idea OF their
great beauties. To be appreciated they must
be seen, and then an amount of pleasure will
be experienced by the spectator, which viii
well repay him for the trip, eeea if il be across
the Atlantic. Such will be the caseif he feels
as do; for though | cannot discover fault
here and fault there in splendid picture; and
bless myself and am thankful 1 cannot
can enjoy the whole with keener sense of
delight, inasmuch as | have not till now been
able to see any OF the works of the masters
who have rendered themselves immortal.
The people of this city seem to be lively
and happy-fond of pleasure and enjoyment.
Like the parisians they live an outdoor life
in warn 1eatkeY, and you can see on pleas
ant evening hundreds of men, women and
children taking their coffee or tea in the gar
dens, or ON the pavements in front Of their
residences: the men, for the most part, snok
ing cigars or pipes, utterly regardless of the
presence of the fair sex. There isayery fine
geological Garden, which is famous place
of resort for the fashion and beauty OF the
city, and just before sunset it presents very
gay and animated spectacle. An excellent
cafe furnishes the means of RECALLING the pa
| late, the animals and birds entertain the eye,