Thursday, July 18.--I went to the cathedral, and after mass, saw the wonderful relics which are preserved in the sacristy of the cathedral. This cathedral consists of a round Byzantine building, which was built by Charlemagne as the chapel to his palace; and a high Gothic choir, which was added to it after the palace had been burnt down. A young priest showed the relics; he is always in waiting for the purpose, except for the time of high mass and office. The great relics--viz., the dress of the Blessed Virgin, the clothes which our Lord had on Him on the cross, and the cloth into which John Baptist's head fell--are kept in a magnificent chest, which is shown, but is only opened every seven years, and when a crowned head comes. The next time is July 10, 1846. Above this chest is one containing the bones of Charlemagne, whose skull and spine-bone, and even hunting-horn, are shown in separate reliquaries. His crown and sword are at Vienna. Here is shown also the girdle of our Lord, of leather, with Constantine's seal upon it; the rope with which he was tied to the pillar; the girdle of Our Lady; and many other glorious relics less important. The interior of the doors enfolding these treasures is lined most beautifully with paintings of Albert Durer, and many admirable Byzantine paintings. {291} These relics were principally given to Charlemagne by the Caliph, Haroun Alraschid. The cases were gifts of several emperors, &c., as Lothaire, Charles V., Philip II. They were preserved in the French Revolution by a priest, who conveyed them to Paderborn and hid them. After breakfast I returned to the cathedral with Phillipps for high mass, which was in solemn plain chant, and then saw the relics again at 11½, after going to the Palais de Justice. At 12 I got a little dinner, and went by the railway to Grand, parting from the Phillippses, please God, for a fortnight only. I went to bed at the Hôtel de Flandre, leaving no luggage--all left at Malines.