But the splendour of Antwerp was not destined to be lasting. It departed like that of Bruges ; and not slowly, as that of Bruges had done ; it was extinguished at once in the zenith of its glory, and has never more returned. The stern oppression of tyrannical governors, the sterner persecution of inquisitors, the devastations of a savage and fanatical soldiery, all that is cruelest if, the scourge of war, when despotism and bigotry unite to make it cruel, descended upon Antwerp, like a thunderbolt, and destroyed it irrevocably. The peaceful merchant fied in terror from a Granvella and an Alva, and all the riches and power of Belgium Iled along with him. Since the end of the sixteenth century, a succession of unfa vourable eircurnstances,—the change of masters, the in vasion of enemies, the preferable condition, and hence the successful rivalry of Holland or of England, have perpetuated the depression brought on by the blind and execrable policy ol Philip II., and nothing can be stronger than the contrast of what Belgium is with what it sous: For the last 200 years its external trade has been trifling, and up to the present date, it has not sensibly increased. Few of its vessels visit foreign countries, and the scanty remnant of its trade is mostly inland to Germany. The western districts, however, expo' t some Ilax aucl hemp; the other districts, corn and various kinds of seed. The manufactures have ex perienced an enormous, though not a proportional de cline also. Some remains of the svoollen trade arc still found at Bt uges ; manufactures of lace and linen at Brussels, Antwerp, Louvain, Ghent, and Alechliti ; Ant werp is farther noticed for its silk, Ghent for its cotton, and Liege prepares hardware and leather.
The ancient opulence of Belgium is, however, still discernible in the multitude of its towns und villages. No portion of Europe excites the attention of a stranger so forcibly in this respect. Many of these places arc fortified : except on the borders of the Maese, svhere the ground contains marble and stone, they are uni formly built ol brick, with steep roofs, the ends of which are directed to the street ; and their general appearance is, ou the whole, quiet and agreeable. BRUSSELS, the chief city of Brabant, indeed of Belgium, is alternately, with the Hague, the seat of the Parliament of the New Kingdom. It stands on the Senne, beside a fine canal, which has lately been repaired. The city is beautiful and well built ; has a college, an academy, and a public library, which contains 120 000 volumes. The Hotel cle-Ville is a large gothic editice, with a tower 364 lect high. The Palace of Luken is in the neighbourhood. Brussels stands among meadows, which, being fre quently inundated by the Senne in winter, render Its si tuation disagreeable, though their growth, so much the more luxuriant in summer, increases its beauty and con venience. The population is estimated at 75,000. They manufacture lace, hats, gloves, cotton, silk, and woollen cloths; their fabric of camlet was long the first in Eu rope. ANTWERP, Sittnted on the Scheldt, though fallen, as we have seen, from its former magnificence, is still thc second city of Belgium. Its streets are broad and
regular, and many of its public buildings are beautiful. The citadel, built by the Duke of Alva, was the scene of sotnc bolcl enterprises in the wars of Philip II. 'rife Exchange has already been mentioned, and the Cathe dral is admired as the finest piece of Gothic architec ture existing in Europe. The harbour has lately un dergone some improvement ; it was greatly damaged by our armies in 1814. Antwerp manufactures most of the laces known by the name of Mecblins ; it is noted for its thread; it trades in diamonds, and prepares somc cloths and chemical products. The population is 63,0.)0. GHENT or GAND, thE capital of Flanders, is placed at the junction of the Scheldt with the Lys and the small rivers Mot're and Lierre, by which means it is divided into no fewer than 26 islands, most of which are bor dered with quays. Ghent, like Antwerp, is greatly de cayed. From one gate to the other is a distance of .a league, but much of the intervening space is laid out in gardens, or even ploughed fields, and the.city does not now contain above 57,000 ingabitants. It rernarksble as the birth-place of Charles V., whose punning boast, that he could put all Paris in his Gand (glove). has often been recorded. The principal manufactures are cotton cloth and lace. LIEGE is the capital of the province which bears its name. It has an academy and a lyceum, but its churches and public buildings have suffered greatly during the late wars. The population is 50,000. As we have stated above, they work in various metallic fabrics, and prepare leather. BRUGES iS now reduced from its ancient grandeur to a population of 33,000. It stands on a beautiful plain, and its 260 streets are spacious and elegant, though consisting of old and thinly inhabited houses. Among its principal deficiencies is the want of springs or running streams ; the water used in culinary operations has to be transported from the Lys and Scheldt by the canals. Of its public buildings, the steeple at the end of the great market-place is reck oned one of the finest in Europc; the ascent to it is by 133 steps. Bruges manufactures sonic woollen cloth, with a little cotton and lace. Of the other towns in Belgium, Mons, the capital of Hainaut, is thc only one whose population reaches 30,000. Ostend and Sluys are the sea-ports ; thtir extent is not remarkable. The former has 11,000 inhabitants; the latter, a somewhat greater number.
The government of Belgium, its establisments for re ligion and for education, are now merged with the cor responding peculialities of Holland, and belong to the characteristics of that new kingdom, into which both countries have lately been combined. Before proceed ing to discuss those topics, therefore, it will be proper to cast our eye over the history of the provinces which are now united. The circumstances under which that union has taken place, will then naturally fall to be de scribed, and must of course comprehend the government, with its revenue and forces, the religion, and the state of education, which are now alike for all.