Friday, July 19.--Went to the cathedral to say mass. My morning was taken up with going to the railway about my poor luggage, which at last I saw, and visiting the Provincial of the Jesuits, to see about my retreat. I dined at the hotel. The cathedral is a most beautiful specimen of the Greek fittings in a Gothic church. I did not stop to have the finest pictures uncovered, for I had my business to see after. Two other beautiful churches, St. Nicholas and St. Michael. No signs here of Gothic restorations. At 3 I went with the Provincial to Franchismes, where they have bought an ancient Prémontré Abbey, which does not preserve much of the abbey still, except some corridors, once, as it seems, cloisters. It is, however, a beautiful establishment for its end. I saw and spoke to two English and one Irish novice, of course about England. I went back to Gand; and there Père Coultins, by desire of the Provincial, went with me to the Recollets, a reform of the Franciscans; their chief house is at St. Froud. Then to the Pauvres Claires; and then to one of the two Béguinages. Here are establishments, in one of which 800, and in the other 300, _quasi_ nuns live in a cluster of separate houses. Their origin is immemorial. They are bound by vows of obedience and chastity, not poverty, for the time that they remain. Hardly ever does one return to the world. The Père Coultins promised to visit for me the other convents of the town. This is what I could do for Ghent. At 6, I started by railway to Louvain, where I was received as an {292} old acquaintance at the Hôtel de Suide. The Provincial sends me here for my retreat. In the train to Malines, I had Mr. Maude and Mr. Perry. Finished Journal, and to bed at near 12. Saturday, July 20.--After mass at the cathedral, and breakfast, I went to the Seminary of the Jesuits, with a letter from the Provincial to Père Rosa, the rector. He introduced me to Père Vanderghote, who is to direct my retreat, and left me with him. We went to walk about the town, called on M. Malou, who undertook to translate a prayer from Dr. Wiseman's prayers for England, into French. I called on Mr. De Coux, and at I dined with these two fathers, and we went into the garden. I then wrote to Dr. Wiseman, Phillipps, and M. Bonquéan, and at ¼ to 5 began my retreat for eight days please God, till the end of which my present journal intermits. _Orate pro me omnes qui diligitis Deum_.