Huntsville gazette., 1884-10-18
The Tswn Of Ghent.

Ghent Is town which somewhat re-
3cmbles its neighbor, Bruges. although
It is to me a sterner sort of place, as
belts it. with its long history of inde-
pendence and revolution. 1t preserves
much of its ancient appearance through
virtue of its sturdy walls. its splendid
cathedral and other churches, and its
antique belfry, in which the great bell
Roland still hangs, but it has not the
musty, delightful flavor of Bruges. It
possesses, however, = flavor of its own,
Of which, in truth. cannot say any
thing in praise, for worse smell than
haunts its streets my unfortunate nose
never encountered, nor could l in any,
wise escape it until got aboard the
train and left the town behind me.
Client is also associated in my mind
with the worst lunch have yet encoun-
tered in Europe. It consisted of some
strange meat, which | am convinced
was kitten, and had been waiting for q
customer quite as long as was good for
it. tasted it once, but could not take
the second mouthful, and the restaurant
keeper was a severe looking person who
seemed of sort to take offense if his
dishes were refused. l did not wish to
become involved in an explanation with
n strange, fierce man, and in an unfa-
miliar language, and / could not eat the
luuch for fear of dreadful internal con-
sequences. Presently the restaurant
keeper stepped out for moment; l
drew newspaper from my pocket,
rolled up the suspicious portion in it
and slowed it away again; the proprie-
tor came back and looked unsus-
piciously at my empty plate, and 1
arose and paid him and went away; and l
am sure pity the dog or cat that found
the package in the gutter into which l
threw it as soon as got around the cor
ner. / have plenty of reason to feel no
agreeable emotion at thought of Ghent,
but in truth my memory of it is exceed
ingly pleasant, and all on account of
my visit to the cathedral, where l went
to study Van Eyck's splendid picture
Of the "Adoration Of the Mystical
Lamb" Twas the only visitor to the
church that afternoon, and l had the
services of the sacristan entirely to my
self. He was short, stout, little old
man, very wheezy from living in the
draughty old building all his fife, and
with = very calm, kind and thoughtful
face. He spoke better sort of French
than most Belgians do, and although
my own knowledge of that tongue is
not profound, we got along very well
together. He was very ready to talk of
the treasures of art in the cathedral.
and did so intelligently and to consider
able length upon the subject of the
early system of painting in Flanders.
which he had studied, as he said, in all
the galleries of the country. His ideas
were his own, and very original and
true; and it was good to hear him speak
50 eloquently upon the glories of the
past, when the church was the mother
of art and foremost in all its affairs.
Ills tone changed, however. when he
came to modern times. ''The church
has lost her power" he said. land has
too much to do to hold her own against
the State, and the indifference of the
people to religious things, to find time
OF means to encourage painters and
sculptors as she once did. Beside, the
painters, like the people, have lost the
deep faith in religion which is necessary
for the making Of great paintings, and
l fear we shall never see again such
schools as we had in the past.-Cor.
Boston Adverjser.