performing numerous and stupendous miracles, which soon attracted pilgrims and offerings, sufficient to repay the expense to which they had put themselves. This purpose being answered, the image no longer thought it worth while to exert its miraculous powers to protect itself, and it was destroyed by sacrilegious hands, when the town was pillaged, as above mentioned. The church formerly belonging to the Jesuits, and still bearing their name, deserves attention for its handsome gothic front, and also for a series of paintings, forming a history of St. Francis Xavier, the Indian Missionary. In the church of St. John are four fine paintings, by Rubens, representing the Adoration of the Magi, the Birth of Christ the Descent from the Cross, and the Resurrection. The streets of Mechlin are wide and nandsome, particularly that called Den Bruhl, in which is the splendid hotel belonging to the Commander of Pitzembourg, of the Teutonic order. It was inhabited both by Louis XIV. and Louis XV. The magnificent garden is now open to the public. Near the Antwerp Gate is a small convent of Béguines, which deserves attention.. In the chapel are some pictures worthy of notice.

Mechlin also possesses a college, a public seminary, the catholic university, as well as some societies for the cultivation of literature and the fine arts.

The principal articles manufactured here, in addition to the lace which has been before mentioned, are leather, jewellery, all kinds of woollen and cotton stuffs, hats, combs, pins, oil of colza, and flax. There are also tan-yards, dyeinghouses, salt-refineries, and factories for all kinds of work in copper and tin. Considerable trade is likewise carried on in corn, oats, hemp, flax, colza, and hops. The Mechlin gingerbread, and the dish called déjeuner de Malines, composed of pigs' feet and ears, and acceptable presents to amateurs of such delicacies. John Bol, one of the earliest miniature painters, and Michael Coxis, an historical painter and pupil of Raphael, were natives of this town. The boulevards and ramparts afford pleasant walks, and are the general rendezvous of the townspeople. There are two fairs of fifteen days each, commencing the first Sunday after the 1st day of July, and the second on the 1st of October, for all kinds of merchandise; and on the Saint Saturday in October, is a well-frequented horse and cattle fair. The population is about 25,000.

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On leaving this station for Brussels the rail crosses the Louvain Canal. On the east of the road between Malines and Vilvorde, is seen the chateau of Rubens at Stein, of which he was proprietor.

VILVORDE, a small, healthy town, of 5000 inhabitants, situated between Malines and Brussels. It is one of the most ancient in Belgium, and is much visited by philanthropists desirous of inspecting the great prison or penitentiary, built in the suburbs of the town. The church of Vilvorde contains some exquisite carvings in wood In this town Tindal, the first English translator of the Bible, suffered martyrdom in 1536. At present this little town has acquired considerable reputation, from its possessing an excellent boarding-school for the education of young ladies; this establishment is conducted by Mademoiselles Squilliers, and the concurrent testimony of innumerable Protestant families represent it as being one of the best and most irreproachable institutions on the continent.

The route on leaving the last station takes in the view of many beautiful country seats, spread along the banks of the canal leading to Brussels. To the right, as we approach Brussels, is seen the Palace of Laeken, belonging to the King of the Belgians. This palace was originally built for the Austrian Governor of the Netherlands. It was afterwards inhabited by Napoleon, and is remarkable as being the place where he planned his Russian campaign. It is enclosed by magni. ficent gardens and a park, and is 3 miles from Brussels. A statue of Madame Malibran is erected in the cemetery at Laeken, where she is buried, her husband having brought her body from Manchester, at which place she died, to be interred here. The statue is a work by Guss, and is placed in a kind of temple. A beautiful and lengthy avenue of trees (l'allée vert) extends from Laeken to Brussels. The railroad traverses the opposite side of the canal and near the Botanical Gardens, opposite the Rue Neuve at the Porte de Cologne, enters BRUSSELS, see page 31.

ROUTE 2.

Lille to Brussels-(via Mouscron, Tournay, Ath, and Jurbise).-Distance, 84 English miles.

Roubaix, Tourcoing, and Mouscron Stations,

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described in previous route, at page 5, are first passed.

At the latter place travellers for Tournay change carriages, and luggage is examined.

Leaving MouSCRON, we quit the line from that place to Lille, and find ourselves on the branch one leading to Tournay. To the left is Herseaux, at the extreme point of the frontier, rising to the south-east by the province of Hainault, into which the road enters, verging for some miles towards the French frontier. Leaving the village of Estampuis to the left, and that of Watreloos and its church to the right both the latter of which are in France, the road passes the hamlets of Fournette, Jonquières, and Esetaimbourg, the capital of a commune, and arrives at Nechin, a place of no importance. The next station is TEMPLEUVE, a town containing 3,000 inhabi

tants.

As we approach Tournay we see to the right the village of Froyennes, the faubourg de Main, and the beautiful promenade of the Seven Sisters, all forming a splendid panorama. Advancing on, the railway crosses the Scheldt by a splendid viaduct of many arches. Look to the right; what an admirable entrance to the town. A beautiful coup d'œil is formed by the bridges, towers houses, and rivers, all identified with some historical event. The terminus is approached, and we arrive at the station, on the Quay Escaut.

TOURNAY: Hôtel de Singe d'Or, the best. A Belgian city, in the province of Hainault. The town itself is indifferently built, and has a gloomy aspect it contains a population of nearly 35,000, who are engaged in the manufacture of cotton and woollen stuffs. The workmen labour at home, instead of in factories. Of the public buildings that of the cathedral is the most celebrated; it is one of the most ancient and curious in the country. The internal ornaments are numerous. The choir is of a remarkably bold and striking nature; the pulpit is a gem, by Gilis, aud the shrine of St. Eleu Marcus a masterpiece of workmanship in gold. There is also a beautiful gallery, by Lecroux, of Tournay; and four genii, the gems of the place, by Dequesnoy. The pictures are, a Purgatory, by Rubens, and a Crucifixion, by Jordaens.

The Churches of St. Quentin, St. Piat, and St. James, are interesting specimens of the primitive Gothic style. The Church of St. Nicholas de

J Route 4 Chateau is of remarkable architecture, and possesses some fine pictures.

Henry VIII. captured Tournay in 1518, and bestowed it upon Cardinal Woisey, who yielded it up to Francis I., and persuaded his royal master to sell the town to the French King, influenced by the promised interest of that monarch to obtain his elevation to the papacy

The Public Library contains 20,000 volumes, and several curious manuscripts. The cabinet of natural history, in the museum at the Hotel de Ville, is worthy of notice.

Post Office, Rue Notre Dame.

Five miles south-east of Tournay, to the right of the post road to Ath, is the battle field of Fontenoy, seen immediately after passing the village of Bourquembrays. In this spot was fought the battle between the English, Dutch and Austrians, commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, and French under Marshal Saxe.

Quitting Tournay, the following stations are met with, none of which is of any importance. Havinnes, Bary-Maulde Lueze, and Ligne. After which we arrive at

ATH, (Inns: Cigne and Paon d'or) a fortified town on the Dendre, 21 miles from Tournay. A terrible fire in 1433, a hurricane in 1600, and an earthquake in 1691, and other disastrous events dismantled Ath of all her monuments, &c. St. Julien's Tower and the Parish Church alone escaped the conflagration. Ath sustained many deadly sieges. The fortifications constructed in 1815 are strengthened with great care. The population is about 9,000 At a short distance from Ath, on the Brussels post road, is Enghien, a town containing about 3,700 inhabitants. The beautiful park and gardens surrounding the chateau of the Duke D'Aremberg, destroyed during the French Revolution, deserve notice. At Meslin l'Evêque, near Ath, the cultivation of the mulberry and sikworm has been introduced with much success. The Belioel, 6 miles from Ath, not far from the road, is famous as the patrimonial estate of the Prince de Ligne,-illustrious in the triple capacity of diplomatist, soldier, and author.

Maffles, Attre, Brugelette, Lens stations, are next met with, and are all places of no importance. JURBISE, a small commune, with a population of 700 souls. It is about 8 miles from Mons by railway. The country along from Jurbise to Brainǝ.