of royalty in 1817. An immense number of young artists study there. A society for the encouragement of the fine arts has long been established, which distributes prizes every third year to artists of merit; the allotting of the prizes is preceded by an exhibition, to which none but the works of living and native artists are admitted. The Citadel was originally built in 1568, by Pacciotto and Cerbelloni, under the direction of the Duke of Alva; it is of immense strength, being in the form of a pentagon, with six bastions, which command each other, and are defended by deep and broad trenches. This fortress formerly contained the bagne, or place of detention for criminals condemned to hard labour. It contains 15 wells, and a handsome church, in which protestant service is performed. When Carnot was governor of Antwerp, under Napoleon, he spared no pains to strengthen these fortifications, and succeeded, as he thought, in rendering them impregnable, but they opposed a very ineffectual resistance to the progress of the English arms in 1814, when the town was taken, after a bombardment which nearly destroyed the whole of the docks. But the event which gives the citadel of Antwerp its greatest interest in modern times, is its siege and surrender to the arms of France at the close of the year 1832. From the period of the revolution, which divided Belgium from Holland in 1830, the Dutch had retained possession of the citadel, which commands not only the navigation of the Scheldt, but holds the entire city of Antwerp at its mercy. The forts below the town, on each side of the river, were also in the hands of the Dutch, so that the late monarch had the control of the commerce of Antwerp as effectually as at any period during his reign. To put an end to the incongruous state of things, after upwards of two years spent by Great Britain and France in fruitless endeavours to effect a pacification between the parties, these two powers resolved upon employing force to compel the King of Holland to relinquish a position which gave him so decided an advantage, and which also kept both countries in a state of agitation and warlike preparation, the evils of which were not very inferior to those of war itself. A combined English and French squadron was therefore despatched to blockade the mouth of the Scheldt by sea, while an imposing French force, under Marshal Gerard, proceeded to lay siege to the citadel and the adjacent forts by land. The French army was much larger than was deemed necessary for the mere reduction of the fortress, but the Prussians had established a large corps of observation on the right of the Meuse, and the King of Holland, on his side, had levied a powerful force, which was kept ready for action within a few leagues from Antwerp; consequently in order to be ready for every contingency, the army under Marshal Gerard was such as to ensure its success; it consisted of nearly 50,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and a tremendous train of artillery. The siege of 1832 commenced on the 29th November, and terminated on the 23rd of January, 1833. in the surrender of the garrison. The French. under Marshal Gerard, amounted to 66,000 men. The late Duke of Orleans commanded the troops in the trenches. The best proof that could be given of the determination and bravery with which General Chassé and his 4,500 men had defended the trust confided to him, was found in the state of the fortress when entered by the victors, all th places which had been built and considered bomb-proof were discovered to be in a state of utter devastation; heaps of ruins, black and smoking from recent conflagration, marked where buildings had previously stood, and even the hospital which contained the sick and wounded, and amputated soldiers, and which was so placed as to be, at least comparatively secure, was found to have been so injured as to threaten momentarily to fall upon the heads of the inmates; the loss of the besieged was stated at 90 killed, 349 wounded, and 67 missing; that of the French, 108 killed and 687 wounded. The order of the day of the French Marshal stated that 14,000 metres (beween eight and nine miles) of trenches had been opened during the siege, and 63,000 cannon balls fired at the citadel. An application through a lacquai de place to the Hotel de Ville will obtain an admission to see the citadel. The Hotel de Ville is situated in the principal market-place, in which the markets are held every Wednesday and Friday. It was built 1581, and enlarged in 1713, by pulling down twenty-nine houses. It has a frontage of 250 feet long, and is adorned with statues of the Virgin, Justice, and Prudence, with their attributes. The whole front is covered with ornamental sculpture. In this building is an extensive Public Library, and a collection of ancient and modern pictures. The Bourse, which was burnt down 1858, was principally remarkable as having been the model from which Sir Thomas Gresham formed his design for the Royal Exchange of London; it was finally completed in 1584. It was 180 feet long by 140 feet wide. A handsome new Exchange has been built by Schadde. The form of the City of Antwerp resembles a strung bow, the string being represented by the Scheldt; it contains 23 public squares and upwards of 200 streets. The most beautiful is the Place de Meir, in which is the royal Palace purchased by Napoleon and furnished by him for his own residence. It contains a few fine paintings. In the Place Verte, a square handsomely planted with trees, are held on the 17th of May, and on the 16th of August, fairs which last 30 days, for merchandise of all kinds; here also is the handsome building inhabited by Carnot, while governor of Antwerp. In the square, called the Place Vendredi, is an old House, the front of which is embellished with a figure of Hercules accompanied by a woman, bearing the inscription "Labore et Constantia." It was formerly the printing house of Christopher Plantin and his successor, Moretus. It house, with its treasures paintings, MSS., &c., was sold by its last owner to the city. In Rue Leys (formerly Rue de la Station) is the handsome House of the late Baron Leys (born here 1814), containing his frescoes and other works. Some of his productions are in the Town Hall. The house of Rubens still exists; the street in which it is situated now bears the name of the great painter. of The town also contains a Theatre, a Circus for the exhibition of horsemanship, an Athenæum, a Mont-de-Piété, a Foundling Hospital, four Asylums, one of which is for foreigners, and five Hospitals. The numerous associations called "harmonies," in which the best compositions of the best masters are admirably performed by amateurs, will afford great pleasure to the lover of music. There are public baths in the Place Verte and in the Esplanade. Antwerp is the birth-place of Crayer, Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, the two Teniers, and Ommegank, all painters of the first class; Edelink, the engraver; Ortelius, the geographer; Grammage, Butkers, Sanderus, and Vammeteren, historians; Moretus, the printer; and Stockmans, whose legal decisions are of the greatest authority in the Belgic courts. The environs of Antwerp afford beautiful walks, particularly in the park, which is situated just outside the gate leading to Brussels. About 8 miles south-west is Rupelmonde, with its statue to Mercator, the inventor of Mercator's map projection. Between Antwerp and Malines the scenery is rather pretty. The land is well cultivated, and there are several picturesque-looking old châteaux on both sides of the line. The stations are Vieux Dieux, Contich (junction for Turnhout), Duffel. Malines, or Mechlin (for description of which see Route 1). This is the central station to which the Brussels, Antwerp, Ostend, and Cologne lines converge. Passengers from Antwerp or Ostend, going to Cologne, change trains at this station. The guards will always promptly answer this question:-Change t'on de convois ici pour Cologne? ROUTE 5. Bruges to Courtray. Bruges.--See preceding Route. Thourout (Station). A small town situated in a fertile district, remarkable for the manufacture of coarse woollen cloth and excellent lace. Here is a branch to Ostend. Its only objects of attraction are the large Collegiate Church and Stadthuis. The Castle of Wynendale is close by. It was in this place that the Bishop of Lincoln and his col leagues negotiated the marriage of Edward, Prince of Wales, with the daughter of Philip, King of France, and that of Edward I., the Prince's father, with the sister of that monarch. Lichtervelde (Station), the junction of a line to Dixmode and Furness. Roulers (Station). A small town picturesquely situate on the Mander, amidst beautiful meadows. The church of St. Michael, to the rear of the west side of the market-place, a small structure with a beautiful spire, and the Stadthuis, an old building situated in the market-place, are worth a visit. Iseghem (Station), of no importance, where the railway crosses the Lys, and arrives at Courtray.-See Route 1. FROM BRUGES TO COURTRAY.-The trains correspond with the government trains going to Ostend, Ghent, Brussels, and Antwerp. Tickets for Ostend, Ghent, Brussels, Liége, Mouscron, and Tournay, are delivered at Bruges, Thourout, Roulers, Iseghem, and Courtray; and in the great stations tickets are delivered for Bruges, Thourout, Lichtervelde, Iseghem, Courtray. FROM COURTRAY TO BRUGES.-The trains correspond at Courtray with the trains for Mouscron, Tournay, Lille, and Paris, by the Northern Line. ROUTE 5A. Courtray to Ypres and Poperinghe. Menin (Station), a fortified town, situated on Ypres (Station), or Ypern, in German. A fortified town, on a beautiful plain, and con- The Cathedral of St. Martin, in the Gothic style, contains a very neatly carved pulpit, and a painting, said to be by Van Eyck, the Fall of Man. In the choir a long stone points out the tomb of Jansen, Bishop of Ypres, who died in 1683. He was founder of the Jansenists, and was long and violently persecuted by the Jesuits. There is a railway connection here with Armentiéres (page 3) and Comines, the birth-place of Philip de Comines, the historian. Poperinghe (Station), near the French bor Population, 11,000. Lace and eloth are made ROUTE 6. BRUSSELS (Station) the Capital of Belg POPULATION (1873), 180,172; or 365,404, i ding suburbs. Caution.-Travellers are recommended no believe cab drivers and omnibus conduc when they represent certain hotels as being but insist on being put down at the house wish to go to. They should proceed dire the hotel in a cab, as the omnibuses charg much, and make so many stoppages that the accommodation is generally engaged before t vehicles reach their destination. Hotel de l'Europe, Place Royale, bears a high character. Table d'hôte at 5 and 7. Su of rooms on ground, first, or second floor, o looking the Palace Royale and Park. Hotel de Flandre, in the Place Royale, has b considerably enlarged. Hotel de Belle Vue: a large establishment, 1 by Mr. Dremel, of Dresden. Hotel de Saxe, Rue Neuve, lower town, Kervand, proprietor. Hotel de France, Rue Royale, an old-establis hotel. Hotel Mengelle, 75, Rue Royale, formerly H Cluysenaar. Hotel Windsor, Rue de la Regence, upper to Hotel de Hollande, Rue de la Putterie, situa in the heart of the city, between the Park, Cathedral, and the Grand Place, is quiet comfortable. English Boarding House, 65, Rue du Comm (Quartier Leopold), close to the Park. Culliford's Family Hotel, 20, Rue Bodenbroe Wiltcher's English Private Hotel and Pens 25, Rue Marie de Bourgogne. English Boarding Houses-by Miss Adolph Horton's Prince of Wales Commercial Inn Lace. We recommend with all confidence establishment of M. O. de Vergnies et Soe 26, Rue des Paroissiens, near the Cathedral of Gudule; and advise ladies to postpone purcha until they have seen the above stock. This ho is the recipient of the Prize Medal by the C missioners of the Great Exhibition, a gold m ly on a ranches I a long hanged osed to 'er the les. It ces, and sels is ›le, and in the nputed 'e are 17 of rain. ncipally rriages, ght ap- graphic er lace; 1 archi- gularity deeply ug way ty. An the cele rns the by M. E. r town, ks orna il walks, , during iry band asin, or bal scene marks of A fine Court Courtr pass the Duke of Sonham, 1 Menin the Lys, Ypres surroundi In the fou It gives I place, is a containing wels. The Cati contains a violently There is tiéres (p Philip de |