Embark on the Rhine—­Political Rhapsodies of two Frenchmen—­Beautiful Scenery—­Gulph of Bingerlock—­Blighted state of the Vines—­Most distressing to the Inhabitants—­Boppart—­’God Save the King’—­Bonfires—­Size of Paris and London—­St. Goar—­Coblentz—­Royal Saxon Guards—­Ruins of Ehrenbreitstein—­Andernach—­The Devil’s House—­Lowdersdorf—­Linz—­Bonn—­Illuminations, Balls, &c.—­End of the Picturesque Scenery—­Boat driven on Shore—­Walk to Cologne—­A vast and gloomy City—­Simile of Dr. Johnson’s—­Few Country Houses on the Rhine—­Rubens—­His excellence as a Painter and his great Modesty—­Juliers—­Aix la Chapelle—­Its Antiquity—­Waters—­Pleasant Situation—­Population not equal to its Estent—­Burscheid—­Manufactures of Cloth, &c.—­Cathedral—­Sunday ill observed—­Liege—­A large and extremely dirty City—­Booksellers—­Cutlery—­Distress of the Manufacturers—­Thieves—­Bad Money—­Expeditions Public Carriage—­Axiom of Rousseau—­St. Tron—­Chimes—­Tirlemont, its much reduced Manufactures
          
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CHAP.  XVII.

Population of the Netherlands—­Louvain—­Its Public Buildings—­University—­Character of the Belgians—­By some represented as the worst in Europe—­That Statement probably overcharged—­Extortion—­John Bull at Paris—­French Kitchens, &c.—­Breweries—­Roads—­Taste in Gardening—­Canals not an agreeable mode of Travelling—­Heavy Taxes—­Unsettled Political State—­Vast Numbers of English at Brussels—­Its Extent, Population and Appearance—­The Park—­Anecdote of Peter the Great—­Town House—­Churches—­Collections of Paintings—­Anecdote of Bassano—­Hotels—­Table d’Hote, like the Tables at Cheltenham—­Expence of Living—­Houses—­Jurourin—­Forest of Sogne—­House of Correction compared with ours—­Walk round the City—­Fortified Towns—­Sieges of Ostend, Valenciennes, Troy and Azotus—­Malines—­Considerations on its Decline—­Its Silk—­Population—­Buildings—­Manner of cutting the Trees near the Roads—­Antwerp, its Importance—­Docks—­River—­Riches of Belgium—­Buildings at Antwerp—­Accuracy of the Flemish Painters—­Appearance of the Country—­The Inns not equally decorated with those in Germany—­Wooden Shoes
          
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CHAP.  XVIII.

Ghent—­Its great Size—­Decreased in Populalation and Consequence—­Charles V.—­D’Arteville—­Canals—­Trade—­Buildings-Prison—­Land and Water Travelling—­Ostend and Bruges—­Derivation of Bourse—­Noisy and Silent Travellers—­Proficiency of Foreigners in English—­Taste in Bonnets—­Sportsmen without Game—­Courtray—­Dogs Drawing—­Boundary Stone of France—­Custom House—­Passports, Danger of being without—­Lille—­Fortified by Vauban—­Population—­Buildings—&
shy;Theatre—­Society—­OEconomical Residence-Remarkable View from Cassel—­Berg—­Fens—­Canals—­Dunkirk—­First Impressions—­The Origin of its Name—­Buildings and Population—­Flemish Language—­Of