He charmed us with his
delightful conversation, and was in great spirits from the agreeable
day he had passed; and with great good humour promised to write a
stanza in the lady's Album. The following morning he called to achieve
this; and I put him into my little library, the door of which I locked
to prevent interruption, as a great many of my friends had paraded in
the _Parc_ opposite my window to get a peep of the celebrated man,
many having dogged him from his hotel.
Brussels affords but little worthy of the notice of such a traveller
as the author of "Waverley;" but he greatly admired the splendid
tower of the Maison de Ville, and the ancient sculpture and style of
architecture of the buildings which surround the Grand Place.
He told us, with great humour, a laughable incident which had occurred
to him at Antwerp. The morning after his arrival at that city from
Holland, he started at an early hour to visit the tomb of Rubens in
the Church of St. Jacques, before his party were up. Having provided
himself with a map of the city, he had no other guide; but after
wandering about for an hour, without finding the object he had in
view, he determined to make inquiry, and observing a person stalking
about like himself, he addressed him, in his best French; but the
stranger pulling off his hat, very respectfully replied, in the pure
Highland accent, "I'm vary sorry, Sir, but I canna speak ony thing
besides English.
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