Tuesday, July 9.--There are two churches at Alte. I went to St. Julien's, and said mass. Afterwards I introduced Phillipps and Madame to the Doyen, M. Picquart, who was most pleasing and full of knowledge, and promised all for England. We here had a contest with John, which threatened his being sent home, but he came round before the day was out. We started at 10 for Brussels. The country not equal to France. We came to the Hôtel de Belle Vue, in the Place Royale. Having engaged a suite of rooms, we sat down at once at the _table d'hôte_. After it, I went to seek for the Abbé Donnet, to whom I had a note from Seager. He was out. I then went to Ste. Gudule, the cathedral, and saw the Vicaire, a Dutch priest, with whom I settled to say mass to-morrow. Then I took a _vigilante_ (i.e. a cab) to the College de St. Michel, of the Jesuits, where I saw the Second Superior. Then to the Redemptorists, where the Superior took up the cause warmly. Home to tea. Wednesday, July 10.--Went at 7 to Abbé Donnet; then to mass at Ste. Gudule. At 9, Abbé (Chanoine) Donnet called, and, after an hour's talk about Oxford, took us to Monsignor Pacci, the Pope's Nuncio, Archbishop of Damietta. He is a most holy-looking man; conversed with us most kindly; knew much about the Oxford people; promised his help. I then let the Phillippses go their way, intending to make a day of canvassing convents. But M. Donnet took me only to three, and then had to go his way at 12. The three were:-- Soeurs de Notre Dame, Rue de l'Étoile, 14 nuns. Pauvres Claires, Rue de Manige, Maison Mère a Bruges, 13 nuns. Couvent de Bellaymont. Chanoinesses Régulières de St. Augustin. Unique Maison. {285} After this, I went to Ste. Gudule, and met Phillipps, with whom I went to the Jardin Botanique, and to the hospital for old men. It is a grand establishment, by private charity. It contains 700 old men, of whom 100 pay for themselves; the rest are kept free, and with wonderful regard to their comforts. I called on a curé close by, thinking to get the prayers of these _vielliards_; but he took me for a begging priest, and turned me out of doors. _Deo gratias_. Thence to the Musée, a collection of pictures, which hardly paid the trouble of looking at. After dinner at the _table d'hôte_, we took a carriage to go to Jette St. Pierre, to meet the Cardinal Archbishop of Malines, at the Convent of the Sacré Coeur there. On the way we saw an interesting church; outside was a tomb of Madame Malibren. At Jette, Madame de Wall, my friend of 1832 at Bordeaux, introduced us to the Cardinal. This was a consolation indeed. He undertook to recommend England to all the Bishops of Belgium, invited me to their meeting on the 29th July, and promised that all their priests and convents should engage in the cause. This is a noble convent. Madame de Wall said they prayed for England every half-hour in the day.