disagreeable a countenance as this prince possesses. I thought to myself
that he had much better have stayed away from this review; for he must be
insensible to all patriotism who could take pleasure in contemplating a
foreign force about to enter and ravage his own country. We learn that the
Duchess d'Angoulême is to have a review of the _fidèles_ very shortly. She
is certainly much more warlike than the males of that family; this
disposition is increased by her religious fanaticism. This renders her, of
course, a most dangerous person to meddle with politics; but great
allowances must be made for her feelings, which must naturally be
embittered by the recollection of so much suffering during the Revolution
and of the barbarous and inhuman treatment experienced by her father and
mother.

I observed a peculiarity in this part of the country, viz., that there are
villages lying close to each other in some of which French is spoken, in
others Flemish; and that, with some few exceptions, the inhabitants of
neighbouring villages are reciprocally unintelligible. General Wilson does
not intend to return to Bruxelles. I shall accompany him as far as Gand and
then return to Bruxelles to await the issue of the contest.


BRUXELLES, June 11.

I took leave of General Wilson at Gand on the 22nd of last month and
immediately returned here, where I have been ever since. I have shifted my
quarters to a less expensive hotel and am now lodged at the _Hôtel de la
Paix_. We get an excellent dinner at the table d'hôte for one and a half
francs, wine not included; this is paid for extra, and is generally at the
price of three francs per bottle. This hotel is very neatly fitted up and
is very near the _Hôtel de Ville_. At the table d'hôte I frequently meet