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Perugino； very pretty indeed； up to a certain point； but all the
heads are repeated； all the drawing is bad and affected； and this
very badness and affectation； is what the so…called Catholic school
is always anxious to imitate。 Nothing can be more juvenile or
paltry than the works of the native Belgians here exhibited。 Tin
crowns are suspended over many of them； showing that the pictures
are prize compositions： and pretty things； indeed； they are！ Have
you ever read an Oxford prize…poem！ Well； these pictures are worse
even than the Oxford poemsan awful assertion to make。
In the matter of eating； dear sir； which is the next subject of the
fine arts； a subject that； after many hours' walking； attracts a
gentleman very much； let me attempt to recall the transactions of
this very day at the table…d'…hote。 1； green pea…soup； 2； boiled
salmon； 3； mussels； 4； crimped skate； 5； roast…meat； 6； patties； 7；
melons； 8； carp； stewed with mushrooms and onions； 9； roast…turkey；
10； cauliflower and butter； 11； fillets of venison piques； with
asafoetida sauce； 12； stewed calf's…ear； 13； roast…veal； 14； roast…
lamb； 15； stewed cherries； 16； rice…pudding； 17； Gruyere cheese；
and about twenty…four cakes of different kinds。 Except 5； 13； and
14； I give you my word I ate of all written down here； with three
rolls of bread and a score of potatoes。 What is the meaning of it？
How is the stomach of man to be brought to desire and to receive
all this quantity？ Do not gastronomists complain of heaviness in
London after eating a couple of mutton…chops？ Do not respectable
gentlemen fall asleep in their arm…chairs？ Are they fit for mental
labor？ Far from it。 But look at the difference here： after dinner
here one is as light as a gossamer。 One walks with pleasure； reads
with pleasure； writes with pleasurenay； there is the supper…bell
going at ten o'clock； and plenty of eaters； too。 Let lord mayors
and aldermen look to it； this fact of the extraordinary increase of
appetite in Belgium； and； instead of steaming to Blackwall； come a
little further to Antwerp。
Of ancient architectures in the place； there is a fine old Port de
Halle； which has a tall； gloomy； bastille look； a most magnificent
town…hall； that has been sketched a thousand of times； and opposite
it； a building that I think would be the very model for a
Conservative club…house in London。 Oh！ how charming it would be to
be a great painter； and give the character of the building； and the
numberless groups round about it。 The booths lighted up by the
sun； the market…women in their gowns of brilliant hue； each group
having a character and telling its little story； the troops of men
lolling in all sorts of admirable attitudes of ease round the great
lamp。 Half a dozen light…blue dragoons are lounging about； and
peeping over the artist as the drawing is made； and the sky is more
bright and blue than one sees it in a hundred years in London。
The priests of the country are a remarkably well…fed and
respectable race； without that scowling； hang…dog look which one
has remarked among reverend gentlemen in the neighboring country of
France。 Their reverences wear buckles to their shoes； light…blue
neck…cloths； and huge three…cornered hats in good condition。 To…
day； strolling by the cathedral； I heard the tinkling of a bell in
the street； and beheld certain persons； male and female； suddenly
plump down on their knees before a little procession that was
passing。 Two men in black held a tawdry red canopy； a priest
walked beneath it holding the sacrament covered with a cloth； and
before him marched a couple of little altar…boys in short white
surplices； such as you see in Rubens； and holding lacquered lamps。
A small train of street…boys followed the procession； cap in hand；
and the clergyman finally entered a hospital for old women； near
the church； the canopy and the lamp…bearers remaining without。
It was a touching scene； and as I stayed to watch it； I could not
but think of the poor old soul who was dying within； listening to
the last words of prayer； led by the hand of the priest to the
brink of the black fathomless grave。 How bright the sun was
shining without all the time； and how happy and careless every
thing around us looked！
The Duke d'Arenberg has a picture…gallery worthy of his princely
house。 It does not contain great pieces； but tit…bits of pictures；
such as suit an aristocratic epicure。 For such persons a great
huge canvas is too much； it is like sitting down alone to a roasted
ox； and they do wisely； I think； to patronize small； high…flavored；
delicate morceaux； such as the Duke has here。
Among them may be mentioned； with special praise； a magnificent
small Rembrandt； a Paul Potter of exceeding minuteness and beauty；
an Ostade； which reminds one of Wilkie's early performances； and a
Dusart quite as good as Ostade。 There is a Berghem； much more
unaffected than that artist's works generally are； and； what is
more； precious in the eyes of many ladies as an object of art；
there is； in one of the grand saloons； some needlework done by the
Duke's own grandmother； which is looked at with awe by those
admitted to see the palace。
The chief curiosity； if not the chief ornament of a very elegant
library； filled with vases and bronzes； is a marble head； supposed
to be the original head of the Laocoon。 It is； unquestionably a
finer head than that which at present figures upon the shoulders of
the famous statue。 The expression of woe is more manly and
intense； in the group as we know it； the head of the principal
figure has always seemed to me to be a grimace of grief； as are the
two accompanying young gentlemen with their pretty attitudes； and
their little silly； open…mouthed despondency。 It has always had
upon me the effect of a trick； that statue； and not of a piece of
true art。 It would look well in the vista of a garden； it is not
august enough for a temple； with all its jerks and twirls； and
polite convulsions。 But who knows what susceptibilities such a
confession may offend？ Let us say no more about the Laocoon； nor
its head； nor its tail。 The Duke was offered its weight in gold；
they say； for this head； and refused。 It would be a shame to speak
ill of such a treasure； but I have my opinion of the man who made
the offer。
In the matter of sculpture almost all the Brussels churches are
decorated with the most laborious wooden pulpits； which may be
worth their weight in gold； too； for what I know； including his
reverence preaching inside。 At St。 Gudule the preacher mounts into
no less a place than the garden of Eden； being supported by Adam
and Eve； by Sin and Death； and numberless other animals； he walks
up to his desk by a rustic railing of flowers； fruits； and
vegetables； with wooden peacocks； paroquets； monkeys biting apples；
and many more of the birds and beasts of the field。 In another
church the clergyman speaks from