Population of the Netherlands--Louvain--Its Public Buildings--University--Character of the Belgians--By some represented as the worst in Europe--That Statement probably overcharged--Extortion--John Bull at Paris--French Kitchens, &c.--Breweries--Roads--Taste in Gardening--Canals not an agreeable mode of Travelling--Heavy Taxes--Unsettled Political State--Vast Numbers of English at Brussels--Its Extent, Population and Appearance--The Park--Anecdote of Peter the Great--Town House--Churches--Collections of Paintings--Anecdote of Bassano--Hotels--Table d'Hote, like the Tables at Cheltenham--Expence of Living--Houses--Jurourin--Forest of Sogne--House of Correction compared with ours--Walk round the City--Fortified Towns--Sieges of Ostend, Valenciennes, Troy and Azotus--Malines--Considerations on its Decline--Its Silk--Population--Buildings--Manner of cutting the Trees near the Roads--Antwerp, its Importance--Docks--River--Riches of Belgium--Buildings at Antwerp--Accuracy of the Flemish Painters--Appearance of the Country--The Inns not equally decorated with those in Germany--Wooden Shoes 296 CHAP. XVIII. Ghent--Its great Size--Decreased in Populalation and Consequence--Charles V.--D'Arteville--Canals--Trade--Buildings-Prison--Land and Water Travelling--Ostend and Bruges--Derivation of Bourse--Noisy and Silent Travellers--Proficiency of Foreigners in English--Taste in Bonnets--Sportsmen without Game--Courtray--Dogs Drawing--Boundary Stone of France--Custom House--Passports, Danger of being without--Lille--Fortified by Vauban--Population--Buildings--Theatre--Society--OEconomical Residence-Remarkable View from Cassel--Berg--Fens--Canals--Dunkirk--First Impressions--The Origin of its Name--Buildings and Population--Flemish Language--Of the Union of Belgium with France--Political Consideration--Dunkirk sold by Charles II.--Lord Clarendon's House so called--Its Fortifications demolished--Gravelines---Its strong Situation--Liberty and Equality--Cheap Travelling--Calais the last English Possession in France--Contrary Winds--French Officers displeased at the Theatre--General Jealousy of England--Embark on board a French Packet--Loquacity of the French--Arrival in England--Its Superiority to other Countries 317 * * * * * A TOUR THROUGH SOME PARTS OF FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, &c. &c. * * * * * CHAP. I.