| Citation |
PL.778.053
18 Feb 1778:21, 22 (128)
Observations made by a young gentleman, who last summer took
a tour of pleasure through part of Flanders and Holland.
Sans de Ghent, August 8, 1776. . . [2 paragraphs]
To give a minute description of Brussels, . . . [17 lines]
Prince Maximilian (the Emperor's youngest brother) was
lately at Brussels, on a visit to his uncle: and it is said
he will have the government if he survives him; I saw him at
the theatre, he is a handsome youth, rather lusty, and
fresh-coloured, seems very affable, and is much caressed by
the inhabitants. The house was crouded with a very elegant
audience, many of whom, I suppose, came out of curiosity, or
in compliment to the Prince: I take it to be as large as
that of Covent-Garden; it has several boxes, with fire-
places, one of which is lined with looking-glass, so that a
company sitting by the fire may view the whole
representation: the music was excellent, and performance
good. The clergy have not forgot this city among the rest,
having honoured it in a particular manner, by establishing
therein a number of religious communities, well endowed, and
sufficient to maintain a large corps of pious brothers and
sister in holy laziness: Also many handsome churches, well
adorned with capital paintings, organs &c. and much more
valuable furniture, consisting of holy and miraculous teeth,
hair, rotten bones, rusty nails . . .
[Remaining half-column is a description of annual
procession on the 17th of July to commemorate a local
legend] these [statues] were carried by men dressed like
Merry Andrews, in silk and velvet jackets, laced with gold;
after them marched the different orders of clergy; preceded
by the banners . . . I reckoned about 460 priests and monks
in the procession, . . . they sung psalms as they marched. .
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