Chapter IV

The market-day at Ghent--The peasants--The linen-market--The
Book-stalls--_Courtrai_--The Lys--_Denys_--Distillation in
Belgium--AGRICULTURE IN FLANDERS--A Flemish farm--Anecdote of
Chaptal and Napoleon--Trade in manure--_The Smoor-Hoop_--Rotation
of crops--CULTIVATION OF FLAX--Real importance of the crop in
Belgium--Disadvantageous position of Great Britain as regards
the growth of flax--State of her importations from abroad and
her dependency upon Belgium--In the power of Great Britain
to relieve herself effectually--System in Flanders--_The
seed_--Singular fact as to the Dutch seed--Rotation of
crops--Spade labour--Extraordinary care and precaution in
_weeding_--_Pulling_--THE ROUISSAGE--In Hainault--In the Pays de
Waes--At Courtrai--The process in Holland--The process in the
Lys--_A Bleach-green_--The damask manufacture in Belgium--A
manufactory in a windmill--Introduction of the use of _sabots_ into
Ireland--_Courtrai_, the town--Antiquities--The Church of Notre
Dame--Relic of Thomas à Becket--THE MAISON DE FORCE AT GHENT--The
System of prison discipline--Labour of the inmates--Their
earnings--Remarkable story of Pierre Joseph Soëte--Melancholy case
of an English prisoner--_A sugar refinery_--State of the trade in
Belgium--Curious frauds committed under the recent law--_Beet-root
sugar_--Failure of the manufacture--A tumult at Ghent--_The New
Theatre_--Cultivation of music at Ghent--Print works of M. Desmet
de Naeyer--Effects of the Revolution of 1830 upon the manufactures
of Belgium--Opposition of Ghent and Antwerp to a separation from
Holland--M. Briavionne’s exposé of the ruin of the trade in calico
printing--Smuggling across the frontiers--Present discontents
at Ghent--Number of insolvents in 1839--General decline of her
manufactures. 128

CHAPTER V.

The railroad--Confusion at Malines--Country between Ghent
and Dendermonde--_Vilvorde_--_The Palace of Laeken_--First
view of Brussels--The Grand Place in the old town--The Hôtel
de Ville and Maison Communale--The new town--The churches of
Brussels--_The carved oak pulpits of the Netherlands_--ST. GUDULE
monuments--Statue of Count F. Merode--Geefs, the sculptor--Notre
Dame de la Chapelle--_The museum_--Palais de l’Industrie--The
gallery of paintings--THE LIBRARY--Its history--_Remarkable
MSS._--Curiosities in the museum of antiquities--Private
collections--Rue Montagne de la Cour--The theatre--Historical
associations with the Hôtel de Ville--Counts Egmont and Horn--The
civil commotions of Philip II--_The fountains of Brussels_--The
Cracheur--_The Mannekin_, his memoirs--Fountain of Lord
Aylesbury--Dubos’ restaurant--The hotels of Brussels--Secret to
find the cheapest hotels in travelling. 186