Spiers: Memoranda of an autumn tour in 1836
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CONT: AUG. 12 FRIDAY
– from the 616th stair of the cathedral tower viewed its collection of red tiled houses, resembling most entirely children’s dutch toys. – Napoleon likened the fine Gothic work of the spire (or rather tower for its want of spirality is its only fault perhaps) to Mecklin lace. The ascent is very easy – a large bell which it requires 16 men to pull up once a day we saw en passant. The basins, built by Bonaparte, & left undestroyed by the British are large & strong Leopold has built a custom house & other large builds around part of them.
The mixture of French with Belgian terms occasionally is very ludicrous – “meuble-macker, chapeau-macker” – and others not recollectable. Chabottes or wooden [shoes] are everywhere seen or rather heard and we moved out of the road once or twice fancying we heard the clatter of a horse behind. Children, who could hardly totter about were put into into them which accounted in some measure for many rickety folks we met. The women wore no bonnets but a pretty Mary Queen of Scots cap with long lappets – & some are pretty but old or ugly women predominate in proportion of 1000 to 1. In the cathedral & all the churches old women & their prototypes old men, though 10 times as many of the former, abound. These catholics must be a sinful set of folks or otherwise be partial to short reckonings for their confessions & bead rolling seems awfully frequent.
The café we looked in at in the evening was attended principally by beer drinkers & was redolent of smoke & loud words. Two itinerant bands of music looked in but their collection consisted of more of shakes of the head than halfpence.
AUG 13 SAT. We arose at ½ past 4 much against our friend Bridge's & Willis’ wishes or their ideas of enjoyment. But those who have strength & courage sufficient have infinitely more enjoyment than the idle or irresolute. We were indebted to it for a quiet treat in the citadel of Antwerp.
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