reaches from the northern end of the city to its magnificent squares in the center, known as Place de la Commune and Place de la Victoire.  Here begins Avenue des Arts, which, with Avenue de l’Industrie, leads to the southern confines of the city.  These avenues consist of three parallel roadways with two broad foot-pavements between them, and wide pavements at the sides.  Let us cross this avenue from one side to the other, and estimate the width of its different parts.  First we cross a broad payement of perhaps 30 feet; then a roadway of about 50 feet; next a foot-pavement lined by thick rows of trees whose branches form an arch over it; then the central roadway, perhaps 150 feet wide; and afterwards, another foot-pavement, a roadway and the pavement on the other side, corresponding with those already mentioned.  The great square in the center of the city occupies about 6 acres.  In this section of Antwerp, nearly all the old buildings have been torn down and new ones erected during the last few years; and in many other sections the same work of widening streets and erecting new buildings in place of the old, is being done with reckless haste.  It seems as if old houses were regarded as a disgrace to the city.  That few images are to be seen in the new sections of the city, is a sure sign that commerce, art and industry (see the names of three avenues which run through this city) have sounded the tocsin of revolution, and that the ancient religion with its emblems, forms and ceremonies, is yielding to the spirit of modern civilization and refinement, as many other cities of Europe have already done.

It is a remarkable fact, that as Catholicism sinks in Continental Europe, its communicants will not stop to join Prodestantism, but go strait over to Rationalism.  France, for example, has had these two extreme elements fighting each other for the ascendency, for a long time, and no middle-road sentiment ever gained a foothold.  Prodestant Europe will cling to the church the longest, and, do we not already see the indications very planely that after all Europe has turned rationalistic, America will continue to cherish the church and built her a Rome for future generations to bless as the fostering mother of modern Christianity?

Notre Dame Cathedral.

The Cathedral is the most elegant Gothic Church in Belgium, and one of the most famous in the world.  Some parts of it date from the 13th and others from the 16th centuries.  The spire (403 feet in height) is a proud rival of that on the Cathedral of Strasbourg, and its chimes of 99 bells are deservedly famous.  Within the church, are some of the most celebrated paintings of Rubens.  Among them are “Descent from the Cross,” (considered his master piece), “Elevation of the Cross,” “Assumption” and “Resurrection.”  The interior of this church is ornamented with master paintings and fine works of art in lavish profusion.  The cathedral is free in the morning, but at noon the paintings of Rubens are unveiled, and a fee of 1 fr. is charged for admission.  There were about 35 other tourists there during the afternoon that I visited it.