church setting him the example of mixing up religion with quackery?
Spa is beautifully situated, between abrupt hills covered with verdure;
the walks cut in these hills are very beautiful, and much pains have
been taken to render the place agreeable;--no wonder, when we recollect
how many crowned heads have visited the place: but the sun of Spa has
set, probably never to rise again; for whatever may be the property of
its waters, to be frequented, a watering-place must be fashionable.
There are many causes for its desertion. One is, the effects of the
Belgian revolution. During the time that Belgium was attached to the
Netherlands, the king, with the prince and princess of Orange, came here
almost every year, bringing with them, of course, a great number of the
nobility; but now the nobility have deserted the court; and when Leopold
came here, no one followed. He was disgusted, and remained but a few
days. The Prussians used also to resort very much to Spa; but the king
of Prussia finding that so many young men were ruined at the
gaming-tables, and so much distress occasioned by it, with a most
fatherly despotism, has refused all the officers permission to visit
Spa, and has forbidden the medical men to recommend the waters. The
Russians also flocked in great numbers to Spa; but the emperor, although
very indifferent about their losing their money, is very particular
about his subjects gaining revolutionary opinions; and Spa being in a
revolutionary country, has been condemned: they may just as well ask to
go to Siberia, for that would probably be their route; and lastly, there
is one more cause which, these two last seasons, has had a powerful
effect, neither more nor less than a certain book, called the "_Bubbles
of the Brunnen_." I say for the last two seasons, for its influence
will not extend to a third, as hundreds and hundreds who have gone to
the Baths with the intention of passing this season, have already
returned in disgust. A word upon this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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