HISTORY. ROUTE No. 12. [BELGIUM.] From Paris to Vienna, via Charlerois, Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, the Hague, Amsterdam, Minden, Hanover, Brunswick, Berlin, Dresden, and Prague; from Prague to Vienna, Trieste, Venice, Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia, Bergamo, Milan to Genoa. From Paris to Charlerois is described in Route 11. Having now entered the kingdom of Belgium, we shall devote a few pages to a description of the history, manners and customs, and resources of that kingdom: BELGIUM is situated between France and Holland, and has been established since the separation of its provinces from those of Holland by the Revolution of 1830. Its territory is small compared with that of the great European states, being only about one eighth of that of Great Britain, while its population but little exceeds five millions. However, the important position the country has occupied in the political, military, commercial, and agricultural history of Europe-its former celebrity in manufactures and the fine arts, and its present rapid progress in every industrial pursuit and social improvement, give it a peculiar interest. Its climate is less chilly and damp, and more favorable to health than that of Holland; but it is certainly humid compared with France and Germany, and may be considered very similar to that of England, except that it is still subject to more frequent variations, with a tendency to excess. HISTORY. celled in desperate courage), and Luxemburg and Limburg by the Eburones, etc. In the great confederacy of these clans against the Romans, they levied about 120,000 fighting men, 60,000 of whom were reduced by Cæsar to 500 in his battle with the Nervii near Namur, and of the Aduatici he sold 53,000 for slaves on taking the town of Tongres. In stature and bulk they surpassed the Romans, whom they fiercely encountered, and nearly destroyed Cæsar's army of the best disciplined troops in the world. The highland tribes soon became amalgamated with their Roman conquerors, adopted their manners and language, and, during the long dominion of Rome in those regions, they served in her armies, and were greatly distinguished for their intrepidity; so that many of Cæsar's subsequent victories, especially that of Pharsalia, were decided by the cavalry and light infantry of Belgium. The lowland people, on the contrary, continued faithful to their ancient manners, customs, and language, and sought only to secure national independence by maritime commerce and agricultural industry. Pliny, who speaks from personal observation, says that, in his time, their fruits were abundant and excellent. In the 3d, 4th, and 5th centuries, the character of the Belgic population was greatly changed by successive invasions of Salian Franks from the North, whose progress westward terminated in the establishment of the Frankish, or French empire in Gaul, and under whose dominion the ancient inhabitants of the Ardennes were either destroyed or reduced to slavery. Christianity was introduced, and monasteries were founded in the immense for During the time of Cæsar, the natives of Belgium were considered the least civilized and most courageous of all the Gallic nations. They had cities surrounded by lofty stone walls and fortified gates, re-ests and solitudes of the higher country, quiring the use of the Roman batteringrams and moving towers. Their armies contained troops of cavalry. The country produced supplies of corn, and abundant herds of cattle. The people consisted of two classes, chiefs and slaves. Druidism from Britain was universally predominant. In the time of Charlemagne, A.D. 800, Flanders was occupied by the Menapii and the physical state of the country had beMorini, Brabant by the Aduatici, Hai- come much improved. In the west emnault and Namur by the Nervii (who ex-bankments were raised against the en where the French nobles visited only for the sake of hunting bears. The maritime lowland descendants of the Menapii, now blended with Saxons and Frisians, and known by the name of Flemings, continued to prosper in commerce and agriculture. croachments of the sea, and in the east with lands, and to grant great privileges large tracts of forest were cleared; but the and political powers in order to obtain the fierce and valiant warriors, who formerly means of equipping armies to fight the occupied the soil, were succeeded by an Saracen. Their wealthy vassals, the Flemabject race of serfs, who cultivated the do- ish burghers, were thus enabled to purchase mains of haughty lords and imperious independence and a jurisdiction of their priests. The clergy enjoyed immense pos- own. They consequently formed themsessions: 14,000 families of vassals belong-selves into communes, elected bailiffs, died to the single abbey of Nivelle, and the income of the abbey of Alore exceeded 1,300,000 dollars. The Flemings formed associations called Gilden (the English guilds) for protection against the despotic violence of the Franks, as well as for social assistance. These were the origin of all the ancient municipal corporations, and within a century after the time of Charlemagne Flanders was covered with corporate towns. At the end of the 9th century, the Normans, that is, rapacious inhabitants of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, commenced a series of piratical irruptions into Belgium, and continued to plunder and devastate the whole country during 150 years. In 1070 Flemish maritime commerce had made great progress with Spain and England, from whence wool was largely imported. Woolen stuffs and herring-fishery were the principal sources of wealth, with corn, salt, and jewelry. The men of Flanders were so highly reputed for martial spirit, that many foreign sovereigns obtained them to form their best troops. They constituted an important part of the Norman army in the conquest of England; and a Flemish princess, daughter of Baldwin, count of Flanders, and wife of William the Conqueror, embroidered with her own hands the celebrated tapestry of Bayeux, which represents the whole history of that event. The country had long been divided into provinces, belonging to different families, and governed by different laws. Hence the counties or earldoms of Flanders, Namur, and Hainault; the duchies of Brabant, Limbourg, and Luxembourg; the principality of Liege; the marquisate of Antwerp; and the seigniory of Mechlin. At the end of the 11th century, when all the states except Flanders were reduced by the fierce quarrels of the feudal lords and prince bishops to a cheerless waste of bondage, the fanatical frenzy of the Crusades induced many of the nobles to part rected their own affairs, and built magnificent town halls, with huge belfries, as temples and trophies of their liberties. The people, conscious of their power, gradually extorted from their rulers so many concessions that the provinces formed, in reality, a democracy, and were only nominally subject to the monarch of France and his nobles. When the rest of Europe was subject to despotism, the court of the Counts of Flanders was the chosen residence of liberty, civilization, and useful knowledge; and when the ships of other nations scarcely ventured beyond the sight of land, those of the Flemish merchant traversed the ocean, and Bruges and Antwerp possessed all the commerce and wealth of the north of Europe. In this state the provinces long continued, until they came under the dominion of the Duke of Burgundy, about the middle of the 15th century. Previous to this event we find only disconnected duchies, counties, lordships, and towns, with innumerable rights, claims, and privileges, advanced and enforced now by subjects and vassals against each other or against their lords, and now by lord and vassal against the monarch, without the expression of any collective idea of Belgium as a nation. Under the Burgundian dynasty the commercial and manufacturing towns of the Low Country enjoyed a remarkable prosperity. The famous Order of the Golden Fleece was instituted in 1430, and, before the end of the 15th century, the city of Ypres had 4000 looms, and the city of Ghent 50,000 weavers. Bruges and Antwerp were the great marts of the commercial world, and contained about 200,000 inhabitants. In the Flemish court of the Duke of Burgundy, named Philip the Good, about 1455, luxurious living was carried to a foolish and vicious excess. The wealthy were clad in gorgeous velvets, satins, and jewelry, and diabolical extravagance. He filled the country with Spanish soldiers, and commissioned the Duke of Alva to extirpate without mercy every Protestant heretic in Belgium. their banquets were given with almost in- | by Philip II. it was established in its most credible splendor. This luxury produced depravity and crime to such an extent that in one year 1400 murders were committed in Ghent in the gambling-houses and other resorts of debauchery. The arts were cultivated with great success. Van Eyck invented the beautiful oil colors for which the Flemish school is renowned. Painting on glass, polishing diamonds, lace tapestry, and chimes were also invented in Belgium at this period. Most of the magnificent cathedrals and town halls in the country were built in the 13th and 14th centuries. History, poetry, and learning were much cultivated; and the University of Louvain was the most celebrated in Europe. In 1477, Belgium passed under the dynasty of the empire of Austria; and, after many years of contest between the despotic Maximilian and the democratic Flemings, the government, in 1519, descended to his grandson, Charles V., King of Spain and Emperor of Germany. In his reign the affluence of the Flemish burghers attained its highest point. Volumes have been written to describe the proceedings of this able soldier but sanguinary persecutor, who boasted that he had put to death in less than six years 18,000 men and women by the sword, the gibbet, the rack, and the flames. Ruin and dread of death in its most hideous forms drove thousands of artisans to England, where they introduced the manufacturing skill of Bruges and Ghent. Commerce and trade in Flanders dwindled away. Many of the rich merchants were reduced to beg for bread. The great cities were half deserted, and forest wolves often devoured the scattered inhabitants of desolated villages. By this Belgium remained under Spanish dominion until the memorable victory of Ramillies in 1706, after which it was subject again to Austria; and, having been several times conquered by, and reconThe city of Ghent contained 175,000 in- quered from the French, it was incorpohabitants, of whom 100,000 were employ-rated in 1795 with the French Republic, ed in weaving and other industrial arts. and divided into departments. Bruges annually exported stuffs of En-union Belgium secured a suppression of glish and Spanish wool to the value of all the old feudal privileges, exemption 8,000,000 florins. The Scheldt at Antwerp from all territorial contributions, the abooften contained 2500 vessels waiting their lition of tithes, a more extensive division turn to come to the wharves. Her gates of real property, a repeal of the game-laws, were daily entered by 500 loaded wag- an admirable registry law, a cheap system ons, and her Exchange was attended twice of tax collection, the advancement of eda day by 5000 merchants, who expended ucation in central schools and lyceums, a 130,000 golden crowns in a single banquet uniform system of legislation for the creagiven to Philip, son of Charles V. The tion of codes, publicity of judicial proceedvalue of the wool annually imported from ings, trial by jury, and the general use of England and Spain exceeded 4,000,000 the French language. pieces of gold. This amazing prosperity experienced a rapid and fatal decline under the malignant tyranny and bigotry of Philip II., son of Charles V. The doctrines of the Protestant Reformation had found very numerous adherents in Belgium. Lutheranism was preached with frenzied zeal by several popular fanatics, who drew around them crowds amounting sometimes to 10,000 or 15,000. Parties of Iconoclasts also appeared, and demolished the ornamental property of 400 churches. Protestant persecution by the Inquisition had been commenced by Charles V., but In the centre of Belgium was fought the great battle of Waterloo in 1815, to which event we will allude in our description of Brussels, remarking that Belgium has been often the scene on which the surrounding nations have settled their quarrels, and has long been styled the cockpit of Europe. By the Congress of Vienna, the provinces of Belgium were annexed to those of Holland, to form the kingdom of the Netherlands, which existed until the Revolution in 1830, when Belgium became an independent nation. Her union with Holland was one of convenience on the part of those by whom it was negotiated, and to be five. Since the establishment of not attributable to any congeniality of the railway communication between these two people joined together, who differ in na-cities, and the consequent reduction of the tional character, in religion, and in lan-expense of traveling to one half the previguage. The Belgians complained of be- ous charges on the common road, the ining forced into a union which they would tercourse has become nearly ten times not have sought, and that its terms were greater, and it appears that the difference unequal. The French Revolution which is mainly occasioned by the poorer classes had recently transpired excited the pre- being enabled to avail themselves of this disposition to insurrectionary movement, means of locomotion both for business and and the result was a declaration, and final-recreation; an advantage of which the ly a general recognition of independence. same classes in England are unfortunately Belgium is the first state in Europe in deprived by the amount of railroad fares which a general system of railways has being kept above their reach. been planned and executed by the government at the public cost; and certainly it is an honorable distinction to have given the first example of such a national and systematic provision of the means of rapid communication. The undertaking was first projected in 1833, and the object pro-ages agree in describing the Belgians as posed was to unite the principal commercial towns on one side with the sea, and on the other with the frontiers of France and Prussia. In this respect Belgium is most favorably situated for the experiment of a general system of railroads. The Belgians have always displayed a passionate fondness for social liberty-an impatience of control that always embroiled them with all their different rulers, and involved them in ruinous disasters during many successive centuries. Writers of all the most restless, unruly, tumult-loving mortals in existence; always treating their best rulers the worst, while the bad overawed them. In the history of no other country do we find such unbounded liberty, with such an invincible disposition to abuse it. It is compact in form, of moderate extent, is surrounded on three of its sides The Flemish burghers no sooner emanby active commercial nations, and on the cipated themselves from the despotism of fourth by the sea, from which it is separ- their feudal lords than jealousy of each ated only by a few hours' voyage from other's power engaged them in frequent England. On the west side are the two and fatal hostilities; so that "liberty," large and commodious ports of Antwerp says Mr. Hallam, "never wore a more and Ostend, and its eastern frontier is dis- unamiable countenance than among these tant only a few leagues from the Rhine, burghers, who abused the power she gave which affords a connection with the na- them by cruelty and insolence." They tions of central and southern Europe. It confirmed every compact with ceremoni ous oaths, and then broke them one after another, always complaining of encroachments on their liberties; and this characteristic deficiency of good faith appears to have been transmitted to the present descendants of the Belgians of the Middle Ages. is therefore in possession of convenient markets for its productions, and of great facilities for an extensive transit trade. That the adoption of a system of low fares is beneficial to the managers of railways may clearly be seen in the fact that, in Belgium, where the charges are only half, or a third of those in England, the proportion of the population who travel is five times greater; for, according to official documents, it appears that the number of travelers on the Liverpool and Manchester line, compared with the population of lines along its course, gives one trip to each person a year; while a similar comparison of the travelers and population on the line between Antwerp and Brussels shows the average number of trips of each individual Music and dancing are very favorite amusements, especially with the middle and lower classes. On every fine summer evening, balls are given at the tavern gardens, which are numerous in the outskirts of every large town. The price of admission varies from four sous to a franc. Musical festivals are celebrated every year at Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp, by amateur performers, who are emulated by enthusiastic ambition to win numero! prizes, which are awarded to the best performers. The musical skill exhibited on these occasions is truly astonishing, and the trial of the comparative ability of the natives of particular localities is regarded with intense excitement, which is manifested by marching the performers to the contest in stately processions, accompanied by party banners and thousands of spectators. Music, in fact, is so commonly and carefully learned, even by the laboring classes, that the harmony of the airs which are sung by groups of peasants while at work is often delightful to the most cultivated musical ear. The national taste for music is strongly manifested in the numerous and singularly excellent chimes of 50 or 100 bells, called carillons, which are placed in the church steeples and towers of the town halls; those in the large cities are not always played by means of a revolving barrel worked by machinery, but by keys similar to those of an organ, though of far greater dimensions. The perform er, an accomplished musician, is paid a considerable salary for amusing the citizens, during an hour or two each day, with the finest musical compositions. His hands are cased with thick leather, and the physical force required is so severe as to exhaust the strength of a powerful man in a quarter of an hour. In some localities, the different chimes are so numerous as scarcely to leave an interval of silence day or night. The manufactures of Belgium employ an immense quantity of foreign wool, of which the annual value exceeds fourteen million francs. It is imported from Saxony, Prussia, Silesia, Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, Moravia, and the southern provinces of Russia. The annual production of the indigenous wool, of pure and mixed breeds, scarcely amounts in value to 200,000 francs. Woolen cloths form one of the most important branches of manufacturing industry, and they are greatly superior in quality to those produced in France. The manufactures of carpets, linen and cotton cloths, as well as silks, leather, and paper, have long been highly reputed. The "Brussels lace," the thread of which is made of the finest flax in the country, is superior to every other description made in Belgium or foreign countries, and the de mand is kept up for it in all parts of the world. Its peculiar qualities are delicate firmness, and a great elegance and variety of design. The patterns are all worked separate, and are stitched on. The flax employed grows near Hal, and the best at Rebecque. The finest description costs from 300 to 400 francs a pound. The spinning is performed in darkened rooms, with a beam of light admitted only upon the work through a small aperture. The principal house, and one we strongly recommend, is that of the Compagnie des Indes, which has established in Brussels a house of great importance for the sale of laces, and which is the necessary appendage to its excellent manufactory. The house is No. 2 Rue de la Régence, opposite the palace of the Duke of Brabant. We can only repeat what we said of this house in Paris, that its fabrications are superior, and its business is conducted with most perfect regularity. Persons buying their laces where fabricated will have these advantages at the Compagnie des Indes, besides securing the superiority of French taste in its execution (Gold Medal and Cross of the Legion of Honor at the Paris Exposition of 1867 was awarded to this house). Unrestricted religious freedom exists in Belgium, which possesses a large number of charitable institutions for the relief of misfortune, misery, and want. The annual amount devoted to public charities exceeds 10,000,000 francs. The franc is the monetary unit of Belgium, and its divisions are made according to the decimal system, as in France. There are eleven different Belgic coins, namely, two of gold-the pieces of 40 francs and the pieces of 20 francs; five of silver-pieces of five francs, two francs, one franc, and half franc; four of copper— pieces of ten centimes, five, two, and one. Belgium has also adopted the weights and measures of the French metrical system. After those of England, the roads of Belgium are the best in Europe. They are capable of sustaining great extremes of changes of weather without undergoing any injury worthy of notice. Roads of the best class are all paved or Macadamized. The custom-house officers on the Belgian frontiers are very particular in the examination of your baggage. They may |