The Beffroi.-Belfry tower, 386 feet high, erected in 1183. Permission to erect a tower, or belfry, was the earliest privilege that the citizens obtained from their feudal lords, and was, hence, long regarded by them as a monument of their power and wealth. It originally served as a watch tower, from whence an enemy could be descried, and in which was a tocsin-bell that called the citizens to arms, and to debate. The gilt dragon on the top was carried off from Bruges by the Gantoises, as a trophy of their conquest of that town, under Philip Vlaenderlandt. It has lately been re-gilt. Its history is rather a remarkable one, it having originally adorned a Greek church at Constantinople, from whence it was carried off by the men of Bruges, who went to the first crusade as soldiers under Baldwin, Count of Flanders. The tower is now used as a prison, and had deposited in the lower part of it, not long since, the title deeds and records of Ghent. From its top a magnificent view can be had, and the entrance to it lies through the shop of a watchmaker, who charges 2 francs for admission. The following reply was made by Charles V. to his cruel and atrocious minister, Alva, who advised him to destroy the city, "Combien faudrait-il de peaux d'Espagne pour fair un gant de cette grandeur?" -(How many skins of Spanish leather would it take to make such a glove?) Thus spoke the king, pointing out the city from the top of the Beffroi, and punning upon its name.

The Cathedral, 13th cent., is one of the handsomest Gothic buildings in Belgium. It was formerly a church dedicated to St. John, but took the name of St. Bavon or Baefs in 1540, when Charles V. removed thither the collegiate chapter of the Abbey of that saint, and 19 years afterwards it was raised to the dignity of a cathedral church. The present building was commenced in the thirteenth, and finished in the beginning of the sixteenth century. The majestic effect which the structure is calculated to produce is much impaired by the want of an open area around and in front. The tower is remarkable for its elegance; it is 271 feet high, and the ascent to the platform which terminates it is by 146 steps; the view from the summit is of great extent and beauty. The Cathedral itself is divided into three aisles by a double range of light and elegant columns. On each side are disposed

twelve chapels, which, as well as the choir, are in excellent keeping with the rest of the building. The choir which has two side aisles, is raised above the floor of the body of the church by a flight of steps: in front is the grand altar, enclosed by three bronze doors of elaborate workmanship, and surmounted by Corinthian columns of the purest Carrara marble, with a statue of the saint in his ducal robes, and two colossal marble statues by Van Pouche, representing the apostles Peter and Paul. In front of the altar are four tall copper candlesticks, remarkable as having been the property of Charles the First of England. It is surmised that they may haye adorned the Chapel of Whitehall, or St. Paul's Church. It is supposed that they were sent out of England and sold; on them are still seen the arms of England.

The stalls of the canons in the Choir are said to be the finest specimens of carving in mahogany known to exist in the world. Over these stalls are eleven paintings in imitation of bas-relief, by P. Van Reyschoot. Most of the numerous chapels which line the Cathedral are adorned with paintings. The first contains the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, by Crayer; the second, the Donation of St. Colette (a saint of Ghent, who died in 1447) of a piece of ground for a convent, by Paelinck, a modern artist; the third, the Baptism of our Saviour, by Crauwer; the fourth, a Dead Christ, by Abraham Janssens; the sixth, Christ disputing with the Doctors, by Pourbus, all the figures of which are portraits of different individuals holding official situations under Phillip II.; the seventh, a fine picture of the Martyrdom of St. Barbe, by Crayer; the tenth, a Christ between the Thieves, by Van der Menen, a pupil of Van Dyck. In the eleventh is the Agnus Dei, one of the most celebrated pictures of the Flemish school, painted by the brothers Van Eyck, the inventors of oil painting, in 1482; and, though more than four hundred years have elapsed since this picture was painted, the colours retain a vividness truly wonderful, the numerous figures are all finished with the most elaborate care, and each countenance is endued with admirably appropriate expression. The towers, which in the luminous horizon are supposed to represent the New Jerusalem, are painted from those of Maestricht, near which town the artists were born,

The Beffroi.-Belfry tower, 386 feet high, erected in 1183. Permission to erect a tower, or belfry,

was the earlie

tained from the regarded by the and wealth. tower, from wh and in which citizens to arm on the top wa Gantoises, as a town, under Pl been re-gilt. one, it having at Constantino by the men c crusade as so Flanders. The had deposited i the title deeds top a magnifice trance to it lie who charges 2: reply was mad atrocious min destroy the cit

d'Espagne pou -(How many take to make king, pointing Beffroi, and pi The Cathedr Gothic buildin church dedicat St. Bavon or Bi thither the col saint, and 19 y dignity of a ca ing was comm in the beginni majestic effect produce is mu area around a able for its ele ascent to the I 446 steps; the extent and bes into three aisl elegant colum

twelve chapels, which, as well as the choir, are in excellent keeping with the rest of the building.

Above this picture are three smaller ones by the same artists; the centre represents Christ on a throne, holding a crystal sceptre, surmounted by a large sapphire; the transparency of the crystal is represented with an effect almost magical: the left-hand picture is an exquisite representation of the Virgin, and that on the right is an equally fine figure of St. John the Baptist. These four pictures, whether considered with reference to the date of their execution, or to their intrinsic merit, must rank among the most valuable in Belgium.

In the fourteenth chapel is a fine picture by Rubens, representing the Reception of St. Amand in the Abbey of St. Bavon, after he had given all his property to the poor. The fifteenth contains the Resurrection of Lazarus, by Otto Vennius, the master of Rubens, and also Judas Maccabeus seeking a place of Burial for his Soldiers. In the sixteenth is the Martyrdom of St. Lieven, the patron of Ghent, by Seghers. The seventeenth has a copy from Rubens' picture of the Martyrdom of St. Catherine, the original of which is in the Church of St. Catherine, at Lille. In front of the chapel is the mausoleum of Bishop G. Van Eersel, executed by Charles Van Pouche and F. Janssens, after the designs of the former. The nineteenth chapel contains the Seven Works of Mercy, by Coexie; in the twentieth is the font in which Charles V. was baptised; the twenty-first has the Assumption of the Virgin, by Crayer; in the twenty-second is one of the finest productions of Crayer, representing St. Machaire praying for the cessation of the plague; before the altar is a bas-relief in white marble, by M. Portois, representing the body of St. Machaire carried in pro

cession.

The altar-piece of the twenty-third chapel represents St. Stambart carrying burning coals on an unconsumed surplice to St. Sandoalt; this picture is by Van Huffel. The twenty-fourth and last chapel contains a Descent from the Cross, by Rambants, which is esteemed the finest production of that artist. The organ has a fine tone, but is placed in a situation which offends the eye, from interfering with the harmony of the construction of the rest of the edifice. The Pulpit, which is the workmanship of Lawrence Delvaux, of Ghent, is in the centre of the right nave, and is considered

one of the most beautiful in Belgium. It is composed of white marble and oak. The tree of life supports the pulpit, and covers the sounding-board with its branches. At the foot of the tree is seate l a figure of Time, represented as a venerable old man, whose eyes are covered with a thick veil, which he is lifting up in order to contemplate the features of Truth, who presents herself before him as a beautiful woman, holding an open book, in which are traced the words "Surge qui dormis illuminabit te Christus," "Arise thou that sleepest, Christ shall give thee light." At the foot of each staircase are two angels. The four fronts of this exquisite piece of workmanship, which cost 37,000 florins (£2,960), are ornamented with bas-reliefs in white marble.

Another most perfect work of art in this cathedral is the mausoleum of Bishop Triest, by Jerome Duquesnoy; it consists of a statue of the bishop contemplating the cross borne by our Saviour. On the opposite side is a figure of the Virgin, and two small angels are stationed at the bottom of the mausoleum.

The visitor should not leave St. Bavon without descending into the Crypt, a low subterranean arch under the choir. It is divided into five chapels, adorned with paintings, and containing the tombs of John and Hubert Van Eyck, and his sister, also a painter, who might be reckoned an enthusiast in the art, as she rejected all offers of marriage, in order to devote herself entirely to its study.

The Church of St. Nicholas is one of the most ancient in Ghent. It was burned in 1120, but re-built on the same plan. This edifice suffered much in the religious wars. The church of St. Pierre is a building of the seventeenth century. It is approached through a beautiful square, and contains a few good paintings by Crayer, Janssens, &c.

The Church of St. Michael, in the centre of the city, is remarkable for the elegance and lightness of its architecture, of a mixed style, partly floridGothic, partly Renaissance, which is seen to advantage from the open space in which it is situated. The square tower which surmounts the church, was begun in 1440, and was to have been carried to a height of 400 feet, but the design has never been completed. In the twelfth chapel of this

edifice, is a magnificent picture of the Crucifixion, by Van Dyck, the only work of this master which is to be found in any of the public buildings of Ghent. Each of the chapels, which are twelve in number, contain one or more pictures of various merit. It will be sufficient to direct the attention of the amateur to the Annunciation, by Lens, and the Assumption, by François, both in the newly finished chapel, to the right of the cross of the church; the Apotheosis of St. Catherine in the third chapel, by Crayer, and the Finding of the Cross, by the Empress Helena, whose figure, represented in the picture, was furnished by the Empress Josephine, who sat for the model. There are also in this church numerous paintings by Belgian artists, and a St. Francis, of Paula, by Ribera. The organ recently erected in this church is remarkable for its sweetness. The pulpit of massive mahogany is handsome. The other principal churches worth visiting are those of Saint Pierre, St. Nicholas, and St. Jacques; this latter church is situated in a vast square. It was destroyed in 1720, and afterwards rebuilt.

St. Jacques has two good paintings of Van Cleef, and some monumental sculpture of merit from the chisel of Van Poucke.

The Church of St. Martin has a magnificent painting of the Resurrection, by Crayer, said to be his master-piece.

The Dominican Oratory deserves to be inspected on account of its bold and lofty wooden vault, designed by the Dominican Francis Romain, in 1700.

The Béguinage.-The community of Béguines was founded by St. Bagge, Duchess of Brabant, and sister of Philip of Landen. The community is peculiar to the Netherlands. Clement V. issued a bull against these sisters, but John XXII. revoked it, and accorded them many indulgences. It is one of the few nunneries not swept away by the fury of the French revolution, or suppressed by Joseph II. Their existence received a legal

ratification in 1826. The sisters are bound by no Vow, and may return to the world at any time. Their chief duty is to attend to the sick and visit the hospitals, where they are constantly to be met with. In the order are persons of the highest families and wealth. The sisters in Ghent amount to about one hundred, whilst their entire number

in Belgium is six thousand. New buildings at Eecloo (rail in forty minutes), now replace the old house, or Grand Béguinage, a moated pile, which was situated in the Rue des Bruges, and was founded by Jane, Countess of Constantinople, in 1234. There is also a Petit Béguinage, with 400 girls of a poorer class. The first chapel was built in 1242. The sisters live in separate houses, and each door has inscribed on it the name of some saint, chosen as its protectress. Visitors to Ghent should see this church at the hour of vespers, which are sung at half-past seven each evening. The scene is most impressive. The sisters are all dressed in black robes with white veils; the novices are distinguished by a different dress, whilst those who have but lately taken the veil are distinguished by a chaplet, which they wear around their heads. The chapel, barely illuminated by a few lamps, and the solemn singing, together with the large assemblage of sisters, so picturesquely dressed, impart to the scene an aspect of solemn grandeur and mystic beauty. The chapel itself is interesting in the extreme, and on the stone work of one of its pillars, was inscribed the following touching inscription by Lamartine:

It has two

The Hôtel de Ville is situated partly in the Rue Haute Porte, and partly in La Marché-au-Beure. The portion standing in the former street, built in the Gothic style of architecture, presents a magnificent appearance, and is adorned with exquisitely wrought ornaments. façades, built at intervals between 1482 and 1620, after several plans, by as many architects. The turret or tribune at the corner was built in 15271560 by Eustace Polleyt, and is in the richest flamboyant Gothic style. The other façade, built between 1600 and 1620, has columns of three different orders of architecture, one surmounting the other. In the Salle du Trone, so celebrated in the annals of Ghent, was signed the treaty known as the "Pacification of Ghent," drawn up, in 1576, by the congress of confederates, who assembled to adopt measures calculated to drive the Spaniards out of Belgium. The bust of Philip van Artevelde, the famous Captain-General