Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-24
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FURTHER EXTRACTS
From the Family Letters Of an american LAZY
abroad.
ASrwERp, HOTEL ST, ANTOINE,

ASTwERr, HOTEL ST, ANTOINE,
PLACE VERTK
What an ecsatic town this is you well remember,
doubt SO will try not to nfict upon you any undue
raptures Of cathedral Rubens, nor fall into incom
prehensibe fits Of enthusiasm for the benefit of the rest
of the family You have felt it ALL know how entirely
genuine is the delight with which fresh from the
bright staring New World finds ones self wandering in
these delicious old Streets each ready to be framed and
hung most suggestive picture. Even if ignorant Of
all historical association, which hardly happen with
Murray in ones hand, there is marvellous plea
in strayng about excited by its quaint interest and
possessed by sort of of dreamy fances On cross
ing the Schedt my eyes first frightened at the glimpse of
the cathedral spre On arriving at the hotel we found
ourselves within hundred yards of it and with
impulse started through the pretty little green square,
entirely unheedng the statue of Rubens which graces it,
and found ourselves hushed and subdued in this glorious
temple 1t is grand indeed here do feel the solemnty
and am inspired with awe the whole atmosphere
so much more religious than that of Paris This cathe
dral is filed with carvings marbles and chef deuures Of
art but confess always being too much absorbed in
the architecture, the longdra aises, the spirit the
poetry OF these wonderful nes to enter into the details
true enjoyment Of pictures The Descent from the
Cross was taken down for cleaning but there the
Assumption of the Virgin, the Elevation of the Cross
and Others by Rubens almost as grand II were to
speak of these great studies it would either be uncon
sciousy the words of Sir Joshua Reynolds or my own
crude enthusiasm the expression OF which in my gno
rant words could not possibly awaken any corresponding
emotion in you. One thing strikes me- however: that
these darky lighted chapes are not the best point from
which to appreciate Judge such inspired art either
some beauty is lost in the obscury or some distant gor
geous window throws light tint inappropriate and
L. Dxrx IT haun OF 10
see Madonna not too youhfuly fair and localized she
is generally merely abstract idea of grace and lowell
ness and expresses my thought of the Holy Mother
This tower is beyond all imaginngs of beauty. How
should love to sit for hours and look up at its exquisite
form melting away the very sky, listening too to its
chimes ringing out SO clear into Heaven their quaint
melody There is something nexpressbly poetical and
fascinating in these Chimes apart from the pleasure of
my musical sense; it always as if voice from on
high was calling me, and as if some good unseen
presence with when these silver tones are CAROL
ing One of the lions here is the Church of Calvary in
which rather curious sight meets the Protestant eye
On entering the gateway you pass into courtyard,
where stand plaster and colossal size the Twelve Apos
Ties each one pedestal of rockwork, rising higher
as they approach elevated mount which stands the
crucfcd Saviour From his wounded side spouts forth
apparently stream Of blood an inch thick which de-
scends with wide sweep and regularly measured curve
pouring into large white dish held up to receive 1t by
the holy Virgin who kneels below her son with face up
turned in rather placid agony. little beyond is the
grotto of the holy sepuchre, within which is on embalm
ed efgy, surrounded by silver, gold, and tinse orna-
mens and ever-burning incense This we looked at in
silence as several reverently kn0cing in
prayer at the shrine Yet further the climax huge
picture think of carved and highly coored wood, rep
resentng an awful purgatory dsmembered souls and boz
dies in every position of agony and distortion tortured
fsrcest flames. 1t was almost disgusting, and ap-
preached the absurd yet strange to say not without
effect even upon US, we turned away shudderingly
from this gross material conception of future state
How can the people of these enchanted regions &c
about the ordinary affairs Of life with the dull all
OF our common place cities when each step, each
glance speaks to them of heroism and romance
There is the famous tomb of the love-nspired black
smith Quentin Matsys in niche the outer wall Of the
cathedral which daily and vsiby links them with the
golden age of centuries gone yet they long for the pro-
gress and prosperity of New World while we come
as the great event of e to dream away few months
in the shadow of their antiquity
Always on the continent the market squares are
amusing points from which to see the peasantry
and peculiarities of dress it is nice to ramble
about losing ones way, asking questions by signs
of the ugly, chubby, good-n atured market-women,
with sabOts bright short skirts, and immensely long
earrings looking in windows and DOORS gazing in the
most free and easy upon domestic arrangements
Of the inhabitants If the business Of their life to
present us with series of Characteristic views. How
ever they entirely accustomed in this part of the
world to be a raree show to stranger passersby.
We have had o charming drive this afternoon in the
green fresh fields, passing through the only remaining
ancient gate Of Antwerp and the thick walls and rampant
of the CITADEL which is, believe considered remark
ably fine specimen Of warlike defence 1t in excellent
reservation and looked grandy massive, beautifully
tged and softened by the golden hue Of sweet sunset
lubens lived here, and than princely in his
donation Immortality to his native town in every church
are glorious gifts from his pencil, and the
tans many of his most famous and priceless inspirations
1t possesses my great picture, for which shall al
ways remember Antwerp and in honest truth it is the
only one OF the thousands have which stands
in vivid light in my memery it is the Crucfxion, by
Rubens was entranced before il; could not speak
could not think, only felt overpowering emotion, and
without any aectation, really cried for the first time
in my life saw the awful scenc and trembled at its
lemnity In IN opposite panel is the only other picture
in this compartment twin masterpiece of Rubens the
Alteration Of the sIae It is truly magnificent gorgeou:
in coorng unsurpassed in the living grouping and gran
deur Of its worshppng agures yet turned from it tc
look again and again upon the wonderful Cruc6xion.
went from it slowly step by step, gazing tearfuy and
lngeripgy upon this sublime record Of genius My friends
had left enjoy it in silence merely warning me that
our hour for departure very near; but all was for
gotten in my absorbing trance of delight On starting
homewsrds street after street passed, becoming more