The Cathedral (St. Gudule),


is a grand old church, some portions of it dating from the 13th and 14th
centuries. "It is rich in old stained glass and monuments. The carved
wooden pulpit by Verbrüggen (1699) represents the expulsion of Adam and
Eve from Paradise." The choir renders excellent music. An odd feature in
the religious exercises of this church, is the manner in which the choir
is noticed when to sing, by the ringing of a common bell.



Hotel de Ville.


Hotel de Ville (the Town Hall) is an elegant building dating from the 15th
century. It is four stories high to the roof, besides there are 4 rows of
dormer-windows in the roof (four stories in the garret!) Its graceful
tower is 506 (?) steps, 364 feet high. The view from the top is
magnificent. Behind this building, at the crossing of two fine streets,
stands the curious "mannikin ----" statue and fountain, evidently a relic
of the _shameless age_.

I spent some of my time with an intelligent merchant who had been
traveling in America, and could, in consequence, speak the English quite
well. He informed me that he was not aware that Belgium had any
Sunday-laws upon her statutes. Any one may do upon the Sabbath-day
everything that he might do on week-days, if he feels so inclined. On