ried, that he was too much indisposed to see any one. Upon which her Ladyship, with an infolence that reduced her below the level of the unhappy perfon fhe addressed, asked her, whether she was the villain's or his wife? To which the other immediately replied, "I have the misfortune "to be his wife; the honour of being his --Was "intended for your Ladyship." Such was the elegant dame with whom I was now become acquainted. Her Ladyship, requesting I would be of her party the next evening, I accordingly went, and found there a great many people, but no company, except Lady Harrington, Ás we were frequently on parties together, I defired the pleasure of her Ladyfhip's company and her daughter's at Hollwood, to which they confented. When they were there, Captain Shaftoe told me to take care of the dame, as fhe poffeffed a great deal of art, under the mafque of bluntnefs, I laughed at his furmises, and told him, that I fhould be obliged to any person who would take his comrade out of my fight. Our intimacy grew ftronger; and I was furprised to hear that every thing I said, was repeated with exaggeration to Mr. Calcraft. This indeed did not displease me, as I moft cordially hated the perfon, who had deftroyed all my hopes of happinefs, and the fight of whom caufed my greatest mifery. As As foon as my new acquaintances left Hollwood, I fet off for Flushing in my way to Bruffels, on my propofed vifit to Mrs. Child. The vifit I had intended to Voltaire was prevented by the death of my introductor, the Marquis de Verneuil. That accomplished nobleman, among other fciences, was fkilled in alchymy. During a process on which he was very intent, an explofion happened which coft him his life. And in him I loft another valuable friend. Before I fet off, I left a letter for Mr. Calcraft, who was from home, wherein I reminded him of his promise to pay my debts, the only trifling reparation he could make me for the baseness of his conduct. The re When I arrived at Bruffels, I found Mrs. Child encompassed with many of my intimates. ception she gave me proved that my vifit afforded her great fatisfaction. She endeavoured, by every method in her power, to make the place agreeable to me, to induce me to forget the unhappiness that preyed upon my mind. The Elector of Cologn was captivated with this lady's beauty, and showed himself a Prince in munificence as well as in dignity. I will here give you fome account of the city of Bruffels; but, as it can only be a cursory one, if you wish for more particulars, I must beg leave to refer you to those who write profeffedly on the subject. This city deals in the number feven; there are feven parishes, parishes, feven capital streets, and they even descend to so minute a punctilio in this fingularity, that there are but seven midwives in the place. Upon a remarkable high fteeple, there is an image of St. Michael killing the dragon, in copper gilt. The palaces are magnificent; and there is a park, fomewhat like that of St. James's. The buildings in general are grand. The operahouse is the finest in Europe. You may travel for two-pence farthing an hour, in large covered boats called track-fchuyts. These are drawn by one horse, and arrive at Bruffels twice a day from Antwerp, returning each time. The moft remarkable church here is that of St. Gunhilda. It is an old Gothic building, but finely ornamented within. There are many elegant monuments of illuftrious princes in it. And, among many chapels, there is one, where they worship three Hofts, which, they say, were stabbed by a Jew, and actually bled. These are exposed, upon every festival, in a chalice richly adorned with jewels; and in the month of July there is an annual proceffion in memory of this ftabbing. The inhabitants of Bruffels value themselves upon having entertained, at one time, feven crowned heads. In this agreeable place I fhould have spent three happy months, but for corroding care. Reflection obtruded itself, at times, and imbittered my most cheerful hours. And the very idea of returning and entering entering once more the doors of my deferted manfion made me the most miserable of human beings. From Bruffels I went to Antwerp. I took the opportunity of visiting that place, in order to make enquiries relative to the late Mr. Sykes's fortune, of his brother, who refided there. Upon my arrival, I learnt that Mr. Sykes, (who, befides his profeffion as a painter, kept a jeweller's and bijou shop) having had an invitation from the Duke de Berry, in order to make fome alterations in his Grace's gallery, was gone to Paris. Some other great perfonage taking offence at Mr. Sykes's giving the Duke the preference to himself, had procured a Lettre de cachet against him. And as he was one day at the coffee-house, an exempt took him afide, and defired he would take an airing with him, in a coach which stood at the door, as far as the Baftile. It would have been in vain for him to refift, and equally as vain to enquire the reason. He had only time to request of a gentleman of his acquaintance, who was in the room, to let his wife know of the difafter. This his friend did; and it had fuch an effect upon her, that she lost her fenfes in confequence of it. Such being their unfortunate fituation, it was much feared neither Mr. nor Mrs. Sykes would ever return to their family more. I was likewise informed, that the States General had taken poffeffion of the late Mr. Sykes's effects at the Hague, which he had bequeathed to me; fo that I had nothing further to hope from that quarter. As difappointments of this nature, from my want of knowing the value of money then, made but a tranfient impreffion on my mind, I received the information with becoming fortitude. And as it had never been in my poffeffion, the lofs fat the more lightly on me. G. A. B. LETTER LXIX. June 28, 17 THE beauty of the city of Antwerp, and the ma ny curiofities it contains, determined me to stay a few days in it. On these, also, I shall content myself with giving you a few curfory and unconnected obfervations. The cathedral, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is a noble pile of building; and the steeple of it is a beautiful piece of architecture. There are thirty-three bells and two chimes in it, with a clock; together with a cross at the top, of an incredible height. The ftadt-houfe is well worth viewing; as is Mere-street, wherein a brazen crucifix is placed upward of thirty feet high. There are twenty-two spacious fquares in Antwerp. The number of streets I cannot recollect, but they are wide and numerous, The |