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streams out its setting glories upon it, and illu. minates the vivid colours with magical effect and the statue of the crusader, Godfrey of Bouillon, thence to the Place des Palais, and there admires the pleasing coup-d'œil formed by the King's Palace, the Palace of the Prince of Orange, the beautiful and umbrageous Park, the magnificent Rue Royale, the noble buildings in the Rue de la Loi, the splendid view from the Place du Congrès, but what will exclaim that the beauty of the tout ensemble, the neatness and cleanliness of this part of Brussels, render it one of the most charming cities in Europe, and impart a becoming dignity to the seat of the Belgian government.

Its history is replete with a succession of eventful scenes and tragical dramas of the most harrowing description. At one period depopulated by the plague, produced by thirteen months of consecutive rain; at another epoch its citizens decimated by the atrocious cruelties of the Duke of Alva, the Spanish Regent; by civil wars and revolutions; religious persecutions of the Protestants by the Catholics, of the Hebrews by the Christians. The successive dominion of the House of Austria, of Spain, of France, and of Holland, render its history one unvarying repetition of deeds of cruelty, bigotry, and intolerance. Brussels is situated on the Senne, at 15° east longitude, and 50° 51' north latitude.

Its meridian differs eight minutes from that of Paris, so that when it is noon in that capital, it is eight minutes past twelve at Brussels.

The city of Brussels, which is called in French Bruxelles, and in Flemish Brussel, is in the form of a pear, and is built partly on an acclivity, once covered by the forest of Soignie, and partly on a plain, which being intersected by various branches of the river Senne, was a perfect marsh, til a long course of draining and hard cultivation changed it into rich meadow land. Its name is supposed to be derived from Brug-Senne, (bridge over the Senne), corrupted into Brussels and Bruxelles. The climate of Brussels is temperate, and, although extremely variable, and somewhat inoist, it is healthy, particularly in the higher part of the town. It has been computed, that during the year, upon an average, there are seventeen days of snowy weather, eleven of hail, and one hundred and forty-nine of rain. The manufactures of Brussels consist principally of its far-famed lace; printed cottons; carriages,

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remarkable for their elegance, comfort, light appearance, and solidity; beer of generally esteemed quality; printing and hanging papers; lithographic and printing establishments, especially of books; type foundries; sugar refineries; horse hair and woollen stuffs; brass and iron foundries; painted porcelains; furniture; soaps; gold and silver lace, and chemical productions. The method of counting money is in francs and centimes, the coin adopted by government. Having adopted all the French decimal measures, the metre is used, in Bruxelles, for long measure, the kilogramme for weight, and the litre for liquid

measure.

The Royal Square, or La Place Royale, is one of the beautiful executions of the last century, by the architect Guyman. It presents a monumental aspect, and is remarkable for the grand regularity of its appearance. It is, however, to be deeply regretted that the triumphal entries had to be removed, owing to the necessity of making way for the establishment of convenient communications between the different parts of the city. An equestrian statue of Godfrey de Bouillon, the celebrated chief of the First Crusade, adorns the

square. Simonis The Park is an enclosure in the higher town, forming a square divided into avenues, lined with trees, and intersected by beautiful walks ornamented with statues. It is a favourite promenade with the people of Brussels, and has three principal walks, planted with lofty trees On Sundays, during summer, when the weather is fine, a military band plays from a pavillion near the green basin, or round garden, for the amusement o the promenaders of all classes, who move hither in crowds on these occasions. No time can be better selected by a stranger, for forming an idea of the luxury and fashion of Brussels than this, when a concert is given in the open air. This Park was the principal scene of action in the revolution of 1830; the marks of the bullets are yet to be seen in the trees. A fine basin in the centre, plentifully stocked with gold and silver fish, adds to the attractions of this delightful spot. On each side the principal walk, two valleys offer an greeable retreat from the heat of the sun. In the valley to the right, a square basin of blue marble is deposited, which bears the following inscription:

's an execution in bronze, by M. E.

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of Hainault, the Psalter of Louis de Mâle, and the Missal of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, should be seen. The Library contains 200,000 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.

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 Maes

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arohitect to Charles V. In this house the Counts, Eginont and Horn, passed the night previous to their execution, which took place in the Grand Square, and was witnessed, from a window, by Alva, by whose directions they were beheaded. Several of the buildings formerly belonged to corporate trades or companies who seemed to have endeavoured to surpass each other in the expenses they incurred for embellishments, and embodying the various forms of architecture introduced into the Low Countries, viz., a com

Hôtel de Ville, in the Grand Place, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful monuments of Brussels, and one of the most magnificent of Belgium's municipal palaces. It stands on an elevated spot by itself, and commands the admiration of all visitors. The structure was commenced in 1401, and finished in 1411, after the plan of an architect called Van Ruysbroeck, and is built in the Lombardo Gothic style. The chief object of wonder of the building is the lofty tower, of Gothic open work, three hundred and sixty-four feet high, surmounting the principal façade. It formerly stood at the end of the building. The tower is crowned by a gilt copper figure of St. Michael, which serves as a weathercock, and is seventeen feet high. On the tapestries preserved in the interior, is represented the Abdication of Charles V., which took place in 1555, in the old Ducal Palace, burned down in 1733. This tower, so remarkable for its antiquity and architectural beauty, has lately undergone repair, and is now restored to its original perfection. The carvings and ornamental work were effaced during the French revolution. Critics, however, find fault with the architect for not placing the tower in

the centre of the edifice.

The Place is one of the most singular in Europe, being a regular parallelogram, the four sides of which, though ornamented with buildings dissimilar in shape, and in the form of the architecture, is nevertheless consistent with the general plan. This square is larger than it appears to be. Opposite the Hôtel de Ville which is situated in this square, we see the Maison du Roi, built in 1515, after a plan by Keldermans,

astonishing for its lightness and its boldness, as for the beauty of its forms, and the harmony of its proportions, introduced by the Spanish, who copied it from the Moors.

The Collegiate Church of St. Gudule is dedieated to St. Michael, patron of the city, and St. Gudule, niece of Pepin of Landen. The grand front in the Rue de la Cathedrale, surmounted by two lofty towers, which would have been carried considerably higher had there been sufficient funds. The original plan was to have thrown an arch over them at their present elevation, and to have reared upon it a third steeple. In the ninth age the site of this magnificent church was occupied by a mill. Lambert, Count of Louvain, erected there a temple, which was finished in 1047, at which period the body of St. Gudule, which had been preserved in the church of Saint Gery, was translated thither. A chapter of twelve canons was founded, which was afterwards carried to twenty-two. Henry, Duke of Brabant, demolished this temple in 1226; the present structure was commenced immediately afterwards, but was not finished till 1275. The workmen employed upon it earned daily a small coin called a brass pfenning; this pittance seems, however, to have been commensurate with the price of provisions at that period. The following dates mark some of the principal events connected with the church of St. Gudule: a whole volume would be insufficient to name them all :

1435. The first meeting of the chapter order of the Golden Fleece, by Philip the Good. 1481. A synod of the diocese was held here,

whose acts are preserved in manuscript. 1516. Grand meeting of the eighteenth chapter of the order of the Golden Fleece, by Charles V.

It is of Gothic architecture, in the form of a