country but one who has contemplated the hateful strengths of the military array of towns in French Flanders, is forced to admit the prevalence of a more melancholy motive that may induce a French proprietor, there at least, to coop himself up with his family within fortified walls.-This is not the first instance where I have been obliged to confess that we are systematically unjust to the national character of France. The night was pleasant and cool, and we were occasionally awakened from our slumbers to produce the passports, for exhibition and registration, to the guard at the gates of the cities; but nothing particular happened: and at the place appointed we piped all hands for breakfast, which was performed a la fourchette, et a l'Anglais.

Soon after breakfast we approached the frontiers of the Pays Bas, and I became desirous of seeing the march dike which divides the domains of the two great lairds and this is somewhat difficult to perceive; for the country here is quite unlike our characterized native land, marked well with rivers, ridges, or lakes: whereas the political divisions here are by no means easy to detect. Passing, however, a small rivulet, or rather clayey ditch, we found ourselves within the kingdom of the Netherlands. On the neutral ground there are two offices, French and Flemish, where every diligence and waggon is stopt to be searched and pay duty for

any exciseable articles. Here, then, we remained two hours among open trunks, bales of goods, waggons, and passengers, customhouse officers and porters.Among the latter was one, rather good-looking, with a long blue frock and nightcap, having a soft voice, and very active; polite to the passengers, whose hands be occasionally stooped down and kissed; his tongue never lay a moment, and he pretended that he had seen every body before; he helped up the large boxes. to the top of the diligence in a robust manner, and dandled each portmanteau like a baby, and was altogether very serviceable. I found something touch my shoulder, and what was it but this busy bee, kissing the hem of my coat, and claiming acquaintance of a very old standing. This person was a female in men's clothes, and not perfectly of sound mind. Such a thing would perhaps scarcely be permitted with us, but here it seems to be tolerated-the creature thereby gains a livelihood. We have heard of females serving as soldiers in the French army, but whether openly or under the rose, I don't know. There is an old English song of a female drummer, who was so skilful in her profession as

"With fingers neat and small,

To play on the row dow best of them all."

The day became extremely hot, and I was under some apprehensions for the fate of my eyes, which usually

suffer under the glare of a French sun upon their unclothed, or at least unwooded, waste of territory. But I had no reason to be alarmed; we had left the perpetual desolations of France, and come into a country that, from whatever cause, is of a very different exterior. It has no pretensions here to the name of Pays Bas, for it undulates gently in charming natural swells, clothed with the most luxuriant crops, among delectable unclipt woods and excellent fences: on the whole, a most riante and delightful scene, and not unlike the finer parts of England.

We are not long before we discover the peculiarity for which the Netherlands have been judged remarkable among all nations-the extreme neatness and cleanness of the houses, and profusion of flowers in their gardens. Indeed you here meet, in the interior of the dwellings, the very neatness and splendour of cleanness, of a character quite superior to the tidiness of all other places.

We had not long passed the town of Mons before we were aware we had left the land of civility and courtesy : we found boys quarrelling and throwing stones at one another, and making faces at the coachman as we passed. The inhabitants appeared round faced, fat, vulgar-looking persons; their dumpy brows, and large full young women, put me in mind of the ungallant appellation which Henry VIII. bestowed upon Anne of Cleves, whom he designated his Flanders mare. I sighed to leave bare

France, with her picturesque and romantic hamlets, her Asiatic head-dress and elegant peasantry. I called to mind all the fascinating mental attractions of Paris, and my remembrance receded to the long-lost ages of Bayard and other preux chevaliers of France, and sympathized with our own beautiful Queen, who, embarked upon the mighty waters, prevented the dawning of morn, till she could obtain one parting look of that delightsome land that contained all that was dear and precious to her heart.

Be that as it may, however, the Flemish territory is of another mark, as far as soil, crops, and fences, are concerned. I was most struck with the gigantic luxuriance of the rye harvest. There is an old song of a Scots shepherdess having

"Draigled a' her petticoats,

"Coming thro' the rye."

But after a thunder shower which overtook us, I am inclined to think that this damsel would not only have draigled her petticoats, if she had attempted the passage of the rye in this country, but have nearly drowned herself in the wet; for the dense and magnificent crop was, on an average, seven feet high.

Although the Flemish horses are of a fine strong breed, we did not proceed at a great pace: and arriving late at Brussels, I had not an opportunity of seeing the entrance to this handsome town.

Brussels, 22d May.

I strolled about this forenoon, made some visits and delivered letters. The town is well built and clean; the inhabitants generally speak French. The signs are in that language; but the names, instead of being such as Corneille, Servico, Canel, are Kerckz, Kessman, Wincker. The literature in the shop windows seems much the same as at Paris. Sir Walter Scott's Novels did not fail, and Tales of a Grandfather. The caricatures ridiculed the difficulty of access to the French King, and the comparative affability of his Pays Bas Majesty. The bills on the streets and advertisements are mostly in Flemish. The Palace is a respectable building, and there are, besides, some squares and handsome ranges, and a public grove or Jardin, adjacent to the King's residence; and Boulevards, something in the Parisian way. The latter wooded, and well aired, seem destined to promote health and pleasure; and the pacific use now made of what was once a rampart of defence, brings pleasing associations to the mind. How agreeable would it be if Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, aud Manchester, were respectively accommodated with circular walks in this style!

About mid-day I returned to the small hotel where I lodged, and found the greatest treat I had met with in my travels. Sitting down in the public room, I observed