1828. ] A Cheap Journey. 247 
mence one of the pleasantest days that can’ be imagined, if he happens 
to be fortunate in his weather, his temper, and his fellow travellers. 
These boats are always filled with company ; so that he will feel no lack 
of food for observation in that particular. The accommodations, and 
the rate of going are, by contrast with those of the two previous days’ 
journeys, every thing that can be desired. And, above all, the scenery 
through which the journey lies is perfectly and uniformly agreeable 
throughout. In fact, though the track of the canal from Bruges to 
Ghent does not present a single striking point of view, it would be very 
difficult to name one of the same length in any country, which is more 
caleulated at once to please and satisfy the spectator ;—unless, indeed, he 
is one who travels in search of the picturesque. In this latter case, he 
has no business in the Netherlands at all; for there, on the one hand, 
nothing is suffered to run to waste or fall into decay ; and, on the other 
hand, cultivation is carried to the very utmost point of perfection that is 
consistent with profit and utility, but not a step farther ; and thus two 
grand sources of the “ picturesque” are utterly cut off. The agreeableness 
(for we must not call it beauty) of all that our traveller will meet with 
to-day in the way of external scenery, will be found, on examination, to 
result from its perfect appropriateness and adaptation to the purposes 
sought to be derived from it; and that it never rises into beauty may 
perhaps be attributed to the fact, that utility is the obvious and para- 
mount object of it all ; and though all that is beautiful is, for that reason 
alone, useful, that which is merely useful is seldom or never beautiful. 
Hitherto, since he quitted France, our traveller (if an English one) 
must have been struck with the grievous contrast between the external 
scenery which he has come among, and that which he left behind him. 
To-day, all such feelings will be put an end to the moment he com-~ 
mences his journey. Instead of interminable districts of open marshes, 
partly drained by the wet ditches which intersect them every here and 
there, he will see bright meadows, or rich corn fields, or neat gardens, 
all divided from each other by high black thorn or other hedge-rows. . 
Instead of here and there a scraggy ash rising out of endless lines of 
grey pollard willows, he will find a profusion of wood everywhere, and 
of every variety, and all flourishing as if it loved the spot where it is 
placed. Finally, instead of sad, sorrowful looking houses, large enough 
and wretched enough for a barrack, or little ruined sheds, scarcely big 
enough for a dog-kennel, he will see either handsome chateaux, where an 
air of orderly propriety reigns over every part, or lines of neat cottages, 
all different, but all painted like pictures, and their bright window 
panes seeming to beam forth the air of quiet comfort that dwells within. 
In short, instead of that dreary monotony which bespeaks, if not actual 
misery, at least that general indifference to comfort, which is almost as 
bad, he will meet with that pleasant monotony which bespeaks the gene- 
ral and almost equable diffusion of the fruits of an easy and flourishing 
prosperity. 
From Bruges to Ghent, the canal winds about like an English cross 
‘road; it is green with turf to its very waters; and its sides are orna- 
mented, almost without intermission, by lines of fine young forest trees. 
During the first half or so of the journey these consist chiefly of ashes, 
oaks, Lombardy poplars, and a few willows—only just enough of the 
latter to give a soft appearance to the scenery, without giving it a cold 
and grey one. During the latter half, the banks rise abruptly into a 
sort of high causeway of turf, on either side, on the top of which is a 
