little travels and roadside sketches-第6章

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majesty；　such　a　force；　such　a　splendor；　such　a　simplicity　about　it！

The　woman　is　in　a　stiff　black　dress；　with　a　ruff　and　a　few　pearls；

a　yellow　curtain　is　behind　herthe　simplest　arrangement　that　can

be　conceived；　but　this　great　man　knew　how　to　rise　to　his　occasion；

and　no　better　proof　can　be　shown　of　what　a　fine　gentleman　he　was

than　this　his　homage　to　the　vice…Queen。　　A　common　bungler　would

have　painted　her　in　her　best　clothes；　with　crown　and　sceptre；　just

as　our　Queen　has　been　painted　bybut　comparisons　are　odious。　　Here

stands　this　majestic　woman　in　her　every…day　working…dress　of　black

satin；　LOOKING　YOUR　HAT　OFF；　as　it　were。　　Another　portrait　of　the

same　personage　hangs　elsewhere　in　the　gallery；　and　it　is　curious　to

observe　the　difference　between　the　two；　and　see　how　a　man　of　genius

paints　a　portrait；　and　how　a　common　limner　executes　it。



Many　more　pictures　are　there　here　by　Rubens；　or　rather　from

Rubens's　manufactory；odious　and　vulgar　most　of　them　are；　fat

Magdalens；　coarse　Saints；　vulgar　Virgins；　with　the　scene…painter's

tricks　far　too　evident　upon　the　canvas。　　By　the　side　of　one　of　the

most　astonishing　color…pieces　in　the　world；　the　〃Worshipping　of　the

Magi；〃　is　a　famous　picture　of　Paul　Veronese　that　cannot　be　too　much

admired。　　As　Rubens　sought　in　the　first　picture　to　dazzle　and

astonish　by　gorgeous　variety；　Paul　in　his　seems　to　wish　to　get　his

effect　by　simplicity；　and　has　produced　the　most　noble　harmony　that

can　be　conceived。　　Many　more　works　are　there　that　merit　notice；a

singularly　clever；　brilliant；　and　odious　Jordaens；　for　example；

some　curious　costume…pieces；　one　or　two　works　by　the　Belgian

Raphael；　who　was　a　very　Belgian　Raphael；　indeed；　and　a　long　gallery

of　pictures　of　the　very　oldest　school；　that；　doubtless；　afford　much

pleasure　to　the　amateurs　of　ancient　art。　　I　confess　that　I　am

inclined　to　believe　in　very　little　that　existed　before　the　time　of

Raphael。　　There　is；　for　instance；　the　Prince　of　Orange's　picture　by

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