The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-27
SUNDAY IN BRUSSELS.
The Statuary, Churches and MarketPiaces
of Belgium's Capital.

French and one Belglan-the line OF DIVISION Is
very shadow Before entering Belgium the
French scenery begins to look Flemish. After
passing the boundary it continues to look
Frenchy. Gradually the stone Of which all
France north of the Loire is built gives way to
brick: the fine French roads, bordered with tall
poplar trees become fewer, and canals begin to
appear marshes; the culture of cabbages in
sreases; factories with tall chimneys begin to re
mind US family of the Block Country IN
England; whitewash begins to reign; olondecom-
plexions, wooden shoes; soldiers in green and
gray, instead of the gayer French red and blue,
and the Belgian flag of yellow, red and black
takes the place Of the tri color. We are all
halted at the Belgian custom house and our
luggage inspected, and we are all prisoners
about fifteen minutes until the train is ready to
start
Brussels at first seemed a miniature Paris,
and, indeed does initiate the French capital IN
some of its externals; but it has decided char
acter of its own 1t has its bouleVards and cafes,
its hotels built upon the French model, its new
straight avenues cut through the old streets,
etc; but there is far greater variety in the
houses, and the streets are, consequently, more
interesting Some of the new buildings are
magnificent. The new Palais de Justice not
yet finished, is most imposing structure, and
like nothing else. 1t has strong suggestion OF
Assyrian style on a colossal scale There is
vast solidity about il. In some of its courts
Corinthian, and in others Ionic, forms are used.
The whole is surmounted by dome some four
hundred feet high. The material is partly the
pale cream colored stone of France, and partly
very beautiful gray stone of fine texture
The new Beaux Arts is also very beautiful
Il has colonnade of polished red granite col
umns, with bronze pedestals and capitals, and
the facade is rich with sculpture 1t is only two
stories high as yet but it is superb.
The wealth and prosperity of the city is shown
in its lavish expenditure on these buildings.
The profusion of fine sculptures is one of the
impressive facts showing the vitality of Belgian
art In the square that incloses the monument
to Egmont and Horn, the fence IS composed OF
forty-eight bronze statues of the different trades,
all in rnediavai observation-disclosures, brewers, lock-
smiths armorers, hat-makers, carpenters, tallors
and so on-every one work OF art, by the pest
Flemish seulptors and nearly llfe-s1ze 1t IS
very lovely, and all the more so because 1T is
not the somewhat tiresoms military heroes
which are glori6ed, but the craftsmen ard ar
tisans by which Belgium grew into prosperity.
Not arms and the man, but tools and the man.
am dead sick of monuments to great men.
Fame blowing trumpets, freedom weeping, vic
tory holding wreaths of glory-and all that sort
of thing; but these dear old blacksmithS, potters
and weavers are delight.
There are two things that are used ceaselessly
in decorative sculpture in Brussels-the lion
and the Titled naked boy. The Beige considers
that he is a terrible fellow and that lion htly
typifes his proves On the field of Waterloo
there is such big lion that the British lion is
mere yellow dog in comparison, and the
Brussels faith is that the brave Beige won that
battle Lions roar, and ramp, and snarl, and
doze lash the air and tear up the ground in
al kinds of stone and metal They snooze at
doorways, squat on tall archways, and loaf
around monuments. [ saw in shop window an
old map of Belgium in the shape of lion, the
coast line being his back the Zuyder Zee his
ears and so on; and all this is a little kingdom
about the size of Delaware.
The use of the nude infant for decorative pur
poses is very charming The dear little fellows
are SPRAYING everywhere. They are represent
ed as hunters Staying wild bears and stays, or
as artists painting, or astronomers observing, or
musicians playing. At the Academy of Sciences
one geographical babe is climbing up over globe
measuring distances with pair of compasses
But the most audacious is the celebrated little
i6anikin as fountain, doing as all prudent little
boys do before going to bed. The pose is so
sweet the expression Of the face so bright, 80
unconscious Of improperly, that it is easy to
understand the devotion of the citizens tx 1t
If any prudish potentate were to attempt
to take it down, his dynasty would be in
danger
: The Museum of Paintings is something of a
disappointment The very early painters of
the Flemish school may be seen, but Rubens
and Yandyke are slightly represented, and
Rembrandt is hardly represented at all
There are some very fine modern pictures how
ever.
Every night at the park the Royal Orchestra
gives concert. while the people drink beer
went to one and not only was the programme
DOOR but the performance was poor. The selec-
lions were chiefly waitzes and potpourrs. The
only good piece was the "Egmont Overture" by
Beethoven, and that was played so badly that
left in disgust. The music was not comparable to
the summer garden concerts at our Academy of
Music In Paris the orchestra at the Gardens of
the Champ Elysees play cheap music, but play
it with such fine technique and with such dash
ing grace that one laments to see such fine power
wasted; but there is no such regret at the Brus
sells park concerts. And yet all the world knows
that Belgium has produced some of the greatest
violinists that ever played. suppose, however
the music was good enough to drink beer by and
talk Flemish.
Sunday in Brussels is fete day Many of
the shops are open and crowds Of people are on
the streets. All the markets go as on week
days. The Vieux Marche, on which St Catha
rine's Church faces, was very lively scene the
old women combining piety with business by
going into church from time to time. Fine
fruits compact purple cabbages peas, beans
carrots and other vegetables, fill the scene with
color. The women converse with each other in
Flemish language; but some Of them, upon com
pulsian, will speak fearful and uniustifiable
French. But the churches are pretty well filled,
contrasting strangely with France in that re-
spect
Twas at mass in the cathedral at Tours and
the mass was grandly sung. There were, per-
haps, dozen priests and only eight people pres
emit in the nave including myself. At Amiens,
in that most glorious cathedral, ! was at mass
where there were only two other persons present
both old women. But | went into three
churches in Brussels this morning and found
them all well filed
The Cathedral there is very noble and well
preserved. 1t is of about the same period as
Notre Dame in Paris and the Amiens and
Rouen Cathedrals; but is enriched within by
fine modern sculptures and contains pulpit
that is marvel of wood carving. 1t is a tree,
beneath which are Adam and Eve, with the fatal
apple; through the tree flies the angel with The
sword; animals representing the vices are about
the tree--the peacock of pride, the hog of glut-
tony, etc. Over the sounding board huge ser
pent is writhing and little child. that woman
holds by the hand. pierces the head Of the SER
peut with the foot of cross.
This morning in my walk | came upon the
open square dAnnessens near the Boulevard
Hainan where party of workmen were busy
building large circular stand l was informed
that this evening there is to be contest Of
brass bands for prize The people coming out
of church crowded around it and discussed it