Musée or Old Museum, near Place Royale, a pile of buildings, which includes the Picture Galleries, ancient and modern; the Historic Gallery; the Palais de l'Industrie; the Natural History Collection; the Royal Library; and the Palais des Beaux Arts, in Rue de la Régence, where exhibitions and shows are held. In the square is Jehotte's statue of Duke Charles of Lorraine. The Protestant Church is in the Ancienne Cour, adjoining it.

The first object of attraction at the Musée is the Picture Gallery, which contains in its collection several remarkable productions of the great masters of the Flemish school. We first direct attention to the works of the foreign schools, of which we give a brief notice. We make, however, one exception to this rule, in directing attention to an admirably executed little portrait of the Chancellor, Sir Thomas More, by Holbein. Passing from this gem of the German school to the Italian collection, we We notice two paintings attributed to Titian. next notice the Noce de Cana, by Paul Veronese; and another splendid work by the same master, St. Catherine adoring Jesus. The Holy Family will be found in this collection.

The Venice Collection contains Christ calling St. Peter, a Young Man placed under the protection of the Virgin by his patrons, Saints Nicholas, Louis Francis, and Joseph; this is an excellent painting, combining with a happy arrangement a brilliant execution. The Flight into Egypt and Adam and The Italian Eve, by Guido, are worth notice.

school has also a Job visited by his Friends, and a St. Sebastian; the latter by Procaccini.

Rubens.

cation of Charles V.), Biefve (Compromise of the Nobles, with portraits of Egmont, &c.), De Keyzer, and Verboekhoven are well worth attention, as specimens of the modern Belgian School. The collections of Painting and Natural History are open to the public daily, including Sundays.

The Burgundian or Royal Library, containing 20,000 Manuscripts, is well worth an inspection. The collection is an exceedingly valuable one, collected by the Dukes of Burgundy. The Manuscripts are rich in precious miniature paintings, executed by Van Eyck's scholars. The Chronicle of Hainault, the Psalter of Louis de Mâle, and the illuminated Missal of Charles V., done for Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, should be seen; also an authentic copy of the Cyropædia of Xenophon, transcribed with his own hand, by Philip le Bon, for the use of his son, Charles le Téméraire, who lost it at the battle of Nancy. The Library contains 400,000 volumes, and has been formed by the union of the libraries of the State with that of Van Hultem, purchased at a cost of 315,000f. It is open each day (Sunday excepted), from nine to three. The reading-room is exceedingly comfortable. About 100,000 engravings are here.

In the same building is the Museum of Natural History. In it are a series of the volcanic products of Vesuvius, and of the fossils of Macstricht. There is a gigantic skeleton of an Iguanodon found in the alluvium of the Waine.

Wierts or Wirtz Gallery or Museum, near the Parc Leopold (formerly Zoological Gardens.)→ Contains some extravagant but fine productions; well worth visiting. Some of the principal are:

Fight for the body of Patroclus" (No. 1); "The Last Cannon" (No. 57); "The Triumph of Christ" (No. 20); "The Confidence" (No. 38); "The Rosebud" (No. 42); "A second after Death" (No. 56); "The Dog in his Corner" (No. 96); "The Con cièrge" (No. 79); "The beautiful Rosine" (No. 38); "The Precipitate Burial" (No. 24), a fine picture.

The new Palais des Beaux Arts, at the entrance of the Rue de la Regence, splendid building, erected for the use of temporary exhibitions.

The new Exchange (Bourse), near Hotel de Ville and the National Bank, near the Cathedral.

of the art, and it is to be regretted that they have been covered over with plaster. The side aisles are separated from the nave by pillars that support the roof, which is very lofty. Against each pillar rests a statue, 10 feet from the floor. Those representing St. Peter and St. Philip are by Van Milder; those of St. Paul, St. Bartholomew, and St. Matthias are by Jerome Dugernay, and are very superior to the others; the statues of St. John, St. James the Less, and St. Matthew are the work of Tobias Faidherbe; and those of St. James the Great and St. Simon of Luke Faidherbe; the sculptor of that of St. Andrew is unknown. The Pulpit, raised in the middle of the nave, is very remarkable. It was designed by Henry Verbruggen, of Antwerp, for the Jesuits of Louvain, in 1699. After their suppression, it was presented by Maria Theresa to the church of St. Gudule, 1776.

This fine piece of sculpture may be said to be an epitome of Milton's sublime poem. Adam and Eve are represented, the size of life, as sustaining the globe; an Angel drives them from Paradise, and Death pursues them; the figure and countenance of Adam are admirably expressive. The cavity of the globe forms the pulpit, which rests on the tree of good and evil, laden with fruit, and decorated with appropriate animals; by the side of Adam are an eagle ana an ostrich, and by that of Eve. a peacock, a parrot, and an ape. At the top of the tree is a canopy, supported by two angels, and by a female exhibiting the symbol of Truth. Beneath is the Virgin holding the Infant Jesus and a cross, with which they both crush the head of a serpent, whose body writhes about the tree.

Before proceeding farther, let us turn round to admire the Choir lately erected, in such a manner as to throw open the magnificent representation of the Last Judgment, painted on, or rather in, glass, by Floris, usually called Frank Flos. This is superior to the paintings on glass executed by John Haeck, of Antwerp, which are seen over the two doors in front of the choir, and were in many cases the gifts of princes and princesses. The Organ, which is one of the finest in the country, was built by M. Davolder, of Ghent. In the aisles are eighteen pictures of inferior merit, representing the history of the Host, which, according to tradi

tion, was in the year 1370 carried off, and stabbed by some Jews in their synagogue, situated in the Rue de Salazar, where, as we have already said, a chapel has since been erected. Five Jews were burnt alive on the occasion, on the spot which is now occupied by the hotel of the Duke of Aremberg. The mutilated host, from which blood is said to have issued, having been collected together, was restored with great solemnity, and from this period is dated the festival of the St. Sacrement des Miracles, which is celebrated every year, on the first Sunday after the 15th July. It is then, too, that the kermesse of Brussels is held. On the same occasion are exhibited, during several days, in the church of St. Gudule, some large and splendid pieces of tapestry, on which are storied the interesting tradition just mentioned.

The Chapel called that of the Holy Sacrament of Miracles, at the left of the grand choir, was built from 1533 to 1 39 on the plan of Peter Wienhoven. It is of large dimensions, having four windows, beautifully painted by Roger, of Brussels. The old tabernacle, which was of massive silver, was removed in 1792. The new one contains a Remonstrance in the shape of a sun in solid gold, enriched by precious stones; in this are deposited several of the miraculous hosts. The design of the altar-piece is grand, but it is overcharged with ornament. Rubens furnished the plan of the altarpiece, which was formerly raised in the centre of the church. On the right side of the altar of the Holy Sacrament is placed the monumental stone which covers the tomb of the Archduke Albert, whose remains were deposited there in 1621, invested with a friar's habit, and of the Infanta Isabella, who was buried there in 1633, in the costume of a nun of the order of St. Clare. Several other members of the same illustrious house were afterwards entombed in this vault, but were taken up and translated to Vienna in 1749. The same tomb also encloses the remains of Prince Charles of Lorraine, who died at Tervueren in 1780, very deeply regretted by the citizens of Brussels. Between this chapel and that of St. Mary Magdalene, which is very lofty, is seen a piece of wood fixed to the wall; this is a fraction of the beam in which the miraculous host was concealed during the troubles which lasted from 1579 to 1585.

Over the door of the Sacristy is a small half length figure of the Virgin, said to be the production of Francis Duquesnoy; whoever may have been the artist, it is considered a little chef d'œuvre; the Infant in particular being finished with exquisite beauty.

The Chapel of the Virgin, styled Notre Dame, was constructed in 1653, at a cost of 56,823 florins raised from the voluntary subscriptions of the citizens. The four windows are painted by Delabaer, of Antwerp. They represent the principal events connected with the life of the Virgin, and exhibit portraits of the Emperors Ferdinand and Leopold I., of the Archduke Albert with the Infanta Isabella, and the Archduke Leopold. The altar, which is of black and white marble, was designed by Verspael. The Virgin over it was executed by Arnold Quellin. The high altar of the church is modern, dating only from 1743; a widow having bequeathed a sum of 18,000 florins for the purpose of erecting one in white marble, this was raised on the plan of the architect Doukers. It is of the composite order, and owes the sculptured ornaments to the chisel of the elder Deroy. At the sides of the sanctuary are two statues of white marble, by Delvaux, one of St. Martin, and the other of St. Benedict. They were brought from the Abbey of Affhghen, and were at one time destined for the museum at Paris. The tabernacle is very rich; by an ingenious piece of mechanism the Remonstrance is lowered from it into the hands of the officiating priest. Above the altar is a square table, the top of which bears the arms of the Duke of Brabant. On the left is a superb mausoleum of black marble, named the tomb of the Dukes of Brabant, upon which reposes a brass gilt lion, resting on a cushion. This figure, which weighs six thousand pounds, was cast in 1610, by Jerome de Montfort. The Archduke Albert erected this mausoleum to the memory of John II., Duke of Brabant, who died in 1312, of his wife Margaret, daughter of Edward, King of England, deceased in 1318, and of Philip I., who died in 1430. Some writers affirm that this monument encloses the ashes of Philip the Good, but this is doubted. Opposite to this mausoleum, and on the other side of the choir, is the sepulchral monument of Archduke Ernest, who died at Brussels, 1595. This

Prince, clothed in mail, reposes on a cushion. His sword, armour, spurs, and gloves are near him, and there appears his motto, "Soli Deo Gloria." The choir is lighted by five windows, painted by Abraham Van Diepenbach. a pupil of Rubens. The partial loss of this style of art has long been regretted, but it is believed that an artist of Tournay, named Marteleèque, has succeeded in restoring it. Two village scenes, each on one piece of glass, were exhibited by him a short time go.

The handsome Banque Nationale, on the north side of the Cathedral, was built 1864.

A handsome new Mint is erected at St. Gilleslez-Bruxelles, in the suburbs.

The old Church of Ste. Catherine is replaced by a handsome new Church, by Poelaert.

In Place Royale stands St. Jacques sur Caudenberg, built 1776-85, in the Roman Corinthian style.

The Church of the Beguignage was founded in the thirteenth century. Its interioris richly ornamented by works of art, many of superior merit, such as those of Crayer, Otto Vennius, &c.

The Church of La Chapelle, founded 1133, is in the Romanesque style, and possesses a good painting by Crayer-Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene.

We next come upon the Grand Sablon, so named from its having been covered with sand instead of being paved, in order to facilitate the exercise of troops, to which this square was appropriated. It is the largest in the town, and, although irregular, is very handsome. In the centre of it is a magnificent Fountain of white marble, which Lord Bruce, Earl of Aylesbury, who had lived in Brussels forty years, ordered in his will to be erected as a grateful memorial to the inhabitants of this city, expressive of the kindness he had experienced from them, and the happiness he had ever enjoyed there. This admirable piece is by Berge. It represents Minerva seated, and holding the portraits of Maria Theresa and Francis I.; on the right is Fame, on the left the Scheldt; a genius holds the ægis of Minerva. Lord Bruce occupied a house close to the Sablon church.

We now proceed up the Petit Sablon, which formerly served as a cemetery, bleaching-ground, and stabling for the brotherhood of the Holy Ghost, of which we just now spoke. It is,