At the table d’hôte, which was crowded with people of various nations, I was fortunately placed near one of my countrymen, who, hearing that I had lately arrived from Italy, entered into conversation with me respecting some friends, and in particular a cousin of his, whom I had known at Naples; he afterwards contributed to make the remainder of the day pass away pleasantly. He informed me, that Antwerp was not unlikely to regain a considerable degree of its former commercial importance. It was already vying with Rotterdam, and was expected to surpass it as a trading town, in consequence of a law having passed to lower the transit duties, and which was to take effect in January 1822. Before retiring early to-bed, I secured my place in the diligence to Brussels, for the following morning; at which place I proposed to rest for some time, after so long a series of travelling; during which, in the course of three months, I had never slept more than four nights in the same bed; and farther, I was induced to select this place, for my repose, as I hoped to meet with some old friends there. We commenced our journey at seven o’clock; about ten we stopped to change horses at Mechlin, the city so celebrated for its manufacture of fine lace of that name. The cathedral here is said to be a very grand structure and well worth seeing. About noon, we arrived at Brussels, after a journey of twenty-five miles from Antwerp. CHAP. XXXII. BRUSSELS, GHENT, OSTEND, AND RETURN TO ENGLAND. On the recommendation of M. G. Mignon, the French gentleman with whom I had travelled from Berne to Cologne, and who had arrived in Brussels the day before myself, I fixed my residence at the Hotel de la Paix, Rue Violet. The great anxiety of various countries to become the masters of this city, may alone be regarded as a strong indication of its importance. It is extensive, handsomely built in an eligible situation, and its inhabitants regarded as a polished people; their politeness towards the English visitors, has, however, been latterly no little tempered by political or commercial jealousy, arising from our being able to furnish better and cheaper commodities than they can manufacture; while, at the same time, they have been subjected to heavy imposts, and deprived of the advantage of exchanging their productions for French wines and goods. They do not hesitate to express their preference of the French government, under which they had been so long subjected, and even the wish to return to it; indeed their habits and characters assimilate more with the French than the Dutch, with whom they are now connected. The manufactories of carpets, lace, &c. carried on at this place, are well known; few of the former are, however, actually the productions of this city, but made in a number of the towns around, particularly Tournay; they are conveyed, however, into the merchants’ stores at this place, and then come out as real Brussels carpets.