THE SCRAP OF PAPER 289 The Conference of London--Attitude of the Belgian delegates--The "Bases of Separation"--The Luxemburg question--The XVIII Articles--Prince Leopold--Dutch invasion--The XXIV Articles--Their final acceptance--Guaranteed neutrality. CHAPTER XXVI NEUTRAL INDEPENDENCE 301 The meaning of neutrality--The question of national defence--Risquons Tout--The policy of Napoleon III--The entrenched camp of Antwerp--British action in 1870--Leopold II and Emile Banning--Liege and Namur--Military reform. CHAPTER XXVII ECONOMIC RENAISSANCE 315 The Belgian Constitution--Influence of neutrality on internal politics--Struggle between Liberals and Catholics--The "School War"--The Labour Party--The Franchise--Economic prosperity: agriculture, industry, trade--The opening of the Scheldt--The search for colonial outlet--Leopold II and the Congo Free State--The Belgian Congo. CHAPTER XXVIII INTELLECTUAL RENAISSANCE 331 Architecture and Sculpture in modern Belgium--The Modern School of painting--A National School of Literature in French and Flemish--The Flemish movement. CHAPTER XXIX CONCLUSION 342 Part played by Belgium in the Great War--German occupation--The "Making of a Nation"--The "Resistance of a Nation"--Result of the Treaty of Versailles--Future of Belgium. INDEX 349 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ALBERT I _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE CLOTH HALL, YPRES 66 CASTLE OF THE COUNTS, GHENT 67 CLOTH HALL AND BELFRY, BRUGES 75 SEAL OF THE TOWN OF DAMME 78 SEAL OF GUY DE DAMPIERRE 78 TOURNAI CATHEDRAL 88 BRONZE FONT, ST. BARTHOLOMEW, LIEGE 91 SAINTE GUDULE, BRUSSELS 93 PHILIP THE GOOD 105 CHARLES THE BOLD 109 TOWN HALL, BRUGES 112 THE FIRST ANTWERP EXCHANGE 121 TOWN HALL, OUDENARDE 124 THE ADORATION OF THE LAMB 133