One afternoon we went to examine the environs around the royal palace of Lacken, and might without much difficulty have been admitted into the palace itself, had it not been too late in the afternoon; we were informed, however, that it offered nothing particularly magnificent or interesting; with its grounds it is enclosed within a wooden fence, which altogether does not comprise an area of two miles in circumference, certainly not an extensive domain for a royal residence, in the neighbourhood of so fine a city. The churches at Brussels are very fine, particularly that of St. Gudulo, which is a magnificent building with two steeples. There are two places of worship, where the English service is performed in an impressive manner, by their respective preachers; the one the church of St. Augustine, for morning, the other a chapel in the Place Royal, for evening service. Brussels is almost wholly supplied with firing, from the forest of Soignè, which covers a tract of sixteen or seventeen thousand acres of land, one sixtieth part of which is allowed to be cut down annually, and thus a constant supply ensured. Lodgings and all kinds of provision are very reasonable, but French wines now comparatively dear. We one day went to a coach-maker’s, where we saw vehicles of every description, which my friend on examining into, declared were as well got up as they generally are in England, and at about two-thirds of the customary English prices. We visited also the lace manufactories, where my companion made some purchases, but I did not choose to run the risk of being laughed at, for taking back the produce of my own country, which, I am assured, is now frequently put off as the manufacture of Flanders. One evening I went to the larger theatre, with Mr. S⸺, for the express purpose of hearing the celebrated Mademoiselle Mars, in the character of the Femme Colère in the play of that name. I thought the piece very inferior, and to comprise common place incidents, and trifling dialogues. The plot is founded upon the stratagem of a peaceable kind of husband, to quell the turbulent temper of his wife, and who succeeds in convincing her of her folly, by shewing the impropriety of such conduct in himself; for this purpose, on one occasion, when she has been enraged at her waiting-maid, he throws himself into a still greater passion; upsets the tables, chairs, and every thing that comes in his way; she hears, sees, and is astonished at his violence, becoming proportionately tame, as his rage increases, and at length convinced of her error, determines to reform. The stage of this theatre I thought not sufficiently advanced towards the audience, the greater part of the sound appearing to be retained upon it.