Spiers: Memoranda of an autumn tour in 1836
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CONT. AUG: 10 [This should be 11] THURS.
vent to my feelings but on reflection I preferred following the maxim “to let bygones be bygones” & regretted it not.
AUGUST 12 FRIDAY:- When I went on deck Flushing was abreast of us & a crew from a dutch man o’ war opposite of 18 in white smock frocks brought a young middy on board for papers for the admiral on the station. The river Scheldt is here nearly 3 miles in width, but the flat country on each side present nought to notice, the islands which comprise it have little flat towns & some shipping on the waters edge. At 20 miles from Antwerp the tall tower of its cathedral becomes visible. Low trees form the boundary of the horizon which vary but little in height, a windmill sometimes a steeple & a few red-tiled houses sometimes occur. The river turns suddenly round a narrow tongue of land to arrive at the Quay of Antwerp – we were soon alongside a custom house officer came on board, inspected our little luggage, we were the first in the boat & the first at an hotel. The Hotel St Antoine in the Place Verte we had chosen. So much it introduced us to the peculiar style of architecture of the town where houses vie with each other in height as well as cleanliness. 7 stories we counted to many; the gables all facing the street – the lower story very lofty even of mean houses, 16 feet often. – We passed many ‘places’ of good width, streets narrow & therefore cool in summer, warm in winter. We lost no time in going to the cathedral – & 2 artists copying the great picture of Rubens, the descent from the cross first met our eyes. Tapping one on the shoulder much was his surprise to recognise in the blouzed travellers before him 2 Oxford friends & right pleasant too was it for us to see the face of one who was not a stranger. It was no other than John Bridges who introduced us to his friend the celebrated sketcher of the Alhambra, Lewis. After verifying Sir Joshua Reynolds’ opinions of this & the other, the “elevation of the cross” adding also that bad judges are we all we preferred the latter to the former & particularly admired the finely natural delineation of the strength
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