church is situated are to be seen the remains of the once famous Abbey of St. Bertin, formerly the noblest Gothic building in French Flanders. The only fragment now remaining is a stately tower, noble even in its ruins, the mutilated panelling of its walls bespeaking the chaste and superior elegance of its florid Gothic style of ornament. From the tower, which is propped by a rude buttress of masonry, a fine panoramic view of the town may be had.

Thomas à Becket sought refuge in this once-famous abbey, when a fugitive from England, and within its cloister were passed the last four years of his life. The monastery was suppressed in 1792, but was spared by the Convention. The Directory was less considerate, and under it the roof was taken off, and the building stripped of its fixtures and wood work, which were sold. The work of destruction was completed a few years since by the local authorities, who had the walls taken down, in order to find work for some unemployed labourers.

It was here existed the celebrated Jesuits' College; founded in 1596 by an English Jesuit, named Parsons. In it were educated many of the conspirators mixed up in the Gunpowder Plot, and some of the wild spirits who intrigued against Elizabeth. This college was succeeded by a seminary for British Roman Catholics, and in it Iwas educated the famous agitator, the late Daniel O'Connell.

Considerable trade is done in linens and pipes, and eggs and fruit are exported to England.

French Reformed Church, in the Rue Taviel; service every Sunday at 10-45 a.m.

Eblinghem (Station).

Hazebrouck (Station). From here a branch line leads to Dunkirk. Refreshments may be had. The following unimportant stations are next passed:-Strazeele, Bailleul, Steenwerck, Armentières, and Perenchies.

Lille (Station).-Hotels:

Hotel de l'Europe.

Hotel de Lille; du Grand Café Jean.

it is the seat of thriving industry and of busy manufacture, ranking as the seventh industrial and commercial city of the country. The town is traversed by the waters of the Haute and Basse Deule, which fill its moats, and work the mill machinery about. They are connected by a canal, so arranged as to be able to inundate the country for one and a half mile around the walls, if necessary. Though the city is spacious and its wealth very great, yet its monuments and buildings are few and unimportant.

The Citadel is looked upon as a master specimen of the skill of Vauban, who held the position of governor for many years. The Hotel de Ville is an erection of the 13th century, built by Jean SansPeur, inhabited by Charles V., and was anciently the palace of the Dukes of Burgundy. The building is in the early Gothic style, and has in one of its tourelles an exquisitely groined staircase and a chapel. The Musée Wicar, containing an interesting and rich collection of drawings by the old masters, occupies one division of the building. This collection consists of 68 paintings by Raphael, 13 by Masaccio, 10 by Fra Bartolommeo, and 197 architectural designs by Michael Angelo. An inspection of them will interest and gratify all lovers of the fine arts. Wicar, a native, bequeathed them to the city. The Musée Moillet, an ethnographical collection, an Archæological museum, and an Industrial Museum also form part of the Hôtel de Ville, which also includes the Musée de Peinture, which will scarcely repay a visit; it, however, contains many curious old portraits of the Dukes of Burgundy and of the Counts of Flanders, besides a painting by Rubens, and two by Arnold de Vuez, a native artist, born in 1642, and considerably eminent in his profession. The former painting represents St. Catherine rescued from the wheel of martyrdom, and the two latter are portraits of Saints Francis and Cecilia.

The chief church in Lille is that of St. Maurice, a Gothic building of the 16th century, resting on delicately light pillars, but presenting no appearance of general interest. The church of Ste.

venerated for eight centuries, should be visited, as also the fine houses of the Rue Esquermoise. The Bibliothèque communale, open 10 a.m., possesse 55,500 books and MSS.

On

The suburbs of Lille for miles around, as well as the entire Department du Nord, will strike the traveller as strongly resembling the districts through Lancashire and the West Riding. all sides is heard the busy hum of industry, whilst tall chimneys and numerous mills proclaim the active and vigorous trade being carried on, forming the rather novel combination of a fortress and a manufacturing town. Flax, which forms the staple manufacture, is grown in and about the adjacent country. It is spun into ordinary thread, and twisted into Lisle thread. Cotton spinning and manufacture are also carried on to a considerable extent, and lace, ribbons, and tulle are extensively made. Its other branches of trade are the manufacture of sugar from beetroot, the extraction of oils from colza and the seeds of rape, poppies, linseed, &c. Its other objects of attraction are the Hospital, founded in 1739, the Bridge, the Concert Hall, the Gaol, the Botanical Gardens, the Triumphal Arch, erected in 1782, in honour of Louis XIV., and the Column raised in memory of the siege sustained by the city in 1792.

Railway to Douai and Paris; to Valenciennes, Mons, and Brussels; to Courtrai, Ghent, and Brussels.

For continuation of direct route to Brussels, see page 16.

Lille to Douai and Valenciennes. Seclin, Carvin, and Leforest Stations, supplying places of no interest or importance, are passed before arriving at ·

Douai (Station).

Hotels: Hotel de Flandre; de l'Europe.

Population, 30,300. The town is conveniently situated on the river Scarpe, which communicates with the canal of Sensé, and is surrounded by fortifications, which, originally by Vauban, have lately been partially reconstructed. The detached fort of Scarpe serves as a defence for the town, which belongs to Department du Nord. It has a very picturesque belfry in the market-place, surmounting the Hôtel de Ville, a Gothic building of the 15th century, in which is the library, containing 50,000 vols. A rather curious spectacle greets the traveller's eye here in the early part of each July, when a procession

takes place called Géant Gayant; a large osier giant, 30 feet high, attired in armour, and accompanied by a family of proportionate size, perambulate the streets, accompanied by the populace. The Musée, always open to strangers, contains a fair collection of pictures by Van Dyck, Van der Meulen, &c., and ancient furniture. Douai has been famed for its College, founded by Cardinal Allen in 1569. In it Roman Catholic priests for England and Ireland have been educated. Daniel O'Connell also studied here. A good trade in flax is carried on.

Here the Northern of France Railway divides into two branches, the one proceeding to join the Belgian Railways by Valenciennes; the other by Arras and Amiens to Paris.

Montigny, Somain, Wallers, and Raismes Stations are passed previous to our arrival at Valenciennes (Station).

Hotels: Du Commerce; des Princes; du Nord; Hotel Vauban.

Conveyances at the station, a quarter of a mile distant from the town; there is a good Buffet here.

Population, 26,700. A place of considerable trade and wealth, situated on the French Northern Railway; also strongly fortified by its position on the Scheldt, at its confluence with the Rhonelle, by which it may be surrounded for threefourths of its circumference, the water being retained by means of sluices in the fortifications. The town is well built; the houses are generally of brick and white stone. The Hôtel de Ville, in which the Gothic style is mingled with several orders of architecture, will claim attention; it is highly decorated; the handsome façade is surmounted by an attic, adorned with caryatid figures, representing the four seasons. The Hospital and the Theatre are also remarkable. The Musée, open from 10 a.m. to strangers, has Quentin Matsys' "Misers," and paintings by Van Dyck, Teniers, Rubens, Jordaens, &c. The Valanciennes lace, formerly so famous, is now only made in coarse and inferior qualities. From the Citadel the valley of the Scheldt is seen to advantage, Froissart, the historian of the 14th century, was born here. There is a railway connection with Anzin (Station), &c.

VALENCIENNES TO BRUSSELS (Route 7 reversed);

Lille to Ghent, viâ Mouscron and Courtrai.

Population 100,300.

Hotel: Ferraille.

Roubaix (Station). An industrious and manufacturing town, which has lately risen into great importance and still continues to increase in population and trade. Its staple manufacture is woollens and mixed fabrics, and it is generally called the French Bradford. Close to it, the English, under the Duke of York, suffered a severe defeat from the French, commanded by Pichegru, on May 18th, 1794. They lost 1,000 killed, 2,000 prisoners, and 60 cannon.

Tourcoing (Station), 7 miles from Lille. A town with 48,635 inhabitants, no way remarkable in its general appearance, but noted for its manufactures of table linen.

Mouscron (Station), in Belgium, 11 miles from Lille. The town is seen on an eminence to the right, with its beautiful church built of bricks. Its chief importance arises from the fact of its being situated on the frontier. It is the chief place of its commune, and contains a population of 5,536 souls. The country about is rich and well cultivated, producing wheat and rich pastures. Facing Mouscron, to the left, is the village of Luingues. Here (junction of the railway from Tournai) a change of carriage and an examination of luggage takes place. Travellers for Brussels, via Jurbise, also to Namur, should take especial care to get into the proper train. From this station the railway proceeds on through a beautiful country, until its arrival at Courtrai, on nearing which the country appears highly cultivated and picturesquely agreeable.

Courtrai (Station)-In Flemish, Kortryk.
Population (1886), 29,305.

Hotels: Du Lion d'Or; du Damier; Royal; Midi; du Nord.

A fortified town, and the chief place of a judicial and administrative district of West Flanders. It is situated on the Lys, which divides it into two parts, securing to it a communication with the principal towns in the north of France. The streets are large, and finely built. Under the name of Cortoriacum it existed in the time of the Romans. The first cloths were made here in 1268, and two hundred years afterwards it

contained 6,000 weavers. It is still famous for its manufacture of table linen and other damask, though no longer possessing any monopoly in these articles.

The surrounding country is noted for its growth of flax, for the use of its own and other manufactories. In the neighbourhood are large and extensive bleaching-grounds. The flax is steeped in the waters of the Lys, esteemed peculiarly favourable for bleaching purposes.

In 1312, Philip of Burgundy carried away a celebrated Clock, considered at that time one of the wonders of the age, and the two figures (Jacquemart and his wife) which struck the hours. The regularity of the motions of these latter gave rise to a proverb which still exists in Courtrai, when speaking of the love existing between a couple, "They agree like Jacquemart and his wife."

In a plain near Courtrai was fought, in 1302, the sanguinary Battle of the Golden Spurs, between the French troops, under the Count d'Artois, and the Flemish under John, Count of Namur; in which the former were totally defeated, and the Count d'Artois and the Constable of France, together with upwards of twelve hundred knights and several thousand men, left dead on the field. The battle derived its name from the immense number (700) of the gilt spurs worn by the knights, which fell into the hands of the victors. To the right of the road is seen a small chapel, erected in 1831 to commemorate the event. It is outside the Porte de Gand, and marks the centre of the battlefield.

The public buildings and monuments of Courtrai are not numerous. We will describe shortly the principal.

The Hotel de Ville (1526) possesses two chimneys, one placed in the police court or hall, the other in the council room; the sculpture of which is of exquisite delicacy and highly finished, and with the fine belfry worthy of attention.

The Church of Saint Martin was founded in the early part of the 15th century. It is noted for the tower (one of the loftiest in Belgium) which surmounts the portico. There is a tabernacle in the interior most admirably sculptured, and a picture by Ryckere, a painter of the 16th century, representing the "Descent of the Holy Spirit unom