396 -Dr. Granville’s Travels to St. Petersburgh. (Ocr. 
That our present “ Guide” is not behind his fellows in the art 
which we have thus demonstrated to be so manifestly useful, one or two 
slight examples will be more than enough to shew. Speaking of Brus- 
sels as an eligible place of residence for persons of economical views, he 
says, “ The necessaries of life are not only plentiful, but cheap. Fruit 
and vegetables are very abundant.”—(Your “ Guide,” when he confines 
himself to generalities, can seldom do you much harm—for in these he 
can scarcely help following that general feeling, which is always right ; 
but when he descends to particulars, let him on no account be trusted.)— 
«« A small basket of the finest peaches in the world has been bought for 
ten cents. in the summer. I have seen magnificent pears sold in the 
market for three cents. the pound.” (Vol.i., p.83). Now, not having resided 
a greater number of years in Brussels than Dr. Granville professes to have 
spent days there, we will not pretend to set ourselves up as “ Guides” 
in matters of this nature. But thus much we will say—that we could 
never purchase a single fine peach—not to say a basket of them—even 
in the autumn, which is the season for them, for less than about ten cents 
—nor an eatable pear at less than about half that rate. Again: “ Bread 
is of an excellent quality throughout Flanders—perfectly white, light, 
and highly flavoured: its price is not more than half of what it bears in 
England.” (Ibid.) Now the merit of the Flemish and French bread is, 
that it is not “ white,” which genuine bread can never be ; and, if its 
general price be stated at one-fourth less than that of English bread, this 
is the utmost difference that truth will admit: and the point is one of 
the utmost importance, to those who are seeking the kind of information 
which “ Guides” profess to afford them. Once more: “ The Brussels 
coachmakers have considerable reputation in the north-west of Europe, 
and their caléches are in great request.”—(So far, so good—for the obser- 
vation is a gencral one; but, when we come to particulars, mark the 
difference.)—*“ A handsomely-built and strong carriage of this descrip- 
tion, built by Mosca, has been purchased for 3,000 francs, or 2,530 
florins ;” the former sum being about 120/. sterling, and the latter about 
210/.! The author adds, that such a carriage would cost in London 
« double that money.” Which money he means, probably he himself 
would be troubled to determine.—But enough of criticism, which is not 
our chief object in this notice. 
Our travellers now hurry through Louvain, Liege, and Aix-la-Cha- 
pelle, to the Rhine, without meeting with any thing more remarkable 
than the appearance, at the last-named city, of two no less distinguished 
personages than “ the presumed author. of ‘ Almack’s Revisited,’ ” and 
“his amiable and fair lady,” who had actually been “ residing there 
during the summer !”’ 
The following is somewhat better worth knowing :— 
“« The establishment of steam-boats, however, has done away, in a great 
measure, with this tedious and more expensive mode of trayelling. One of 
these vessels starts twice a week from Cologne for Mayence and back again. 
Two whole days are employed in the former (stopping the night), and ten 
hours in the latter voyage. Similar conveyances exist from Cologne to Rot- 
terdam and back again, the distances being performed in twelve hours 
descending, and twenty-four ascending. The passage from London to Rot- 
terdam, in the steam-boat, occupies twenty-four hours: so that a traveller, | 
embarking at the Tower stairs for Mayence at nine o’clock on Saturday morn- ~ 
ing, in July, we will say, is sure of getting to Rotterdam on Sunday ; whence, 
Ar 
