302 Mr Anderson on the Bailmaya of Belgium. 



cision than himself; and that he will enrich science with an 

 iconogiaphical work, representing the numerous remains of 

 that class which have hitherto remained unrecorded by a spe- 

 cial historian.* 



Observations on the Failn-ays of Belgium.^ By JoHN ANDER- 

 SON, Esq., F.R.S.S.A. (With Two Plates.) Communi- 

 cated by the Royal Scottish Society of Arts. 



If the proposition hold true that the state of the arts is a 

 test of civilization, it must not only be interesting but in- 

 structive to know the progress they have made amongst na- 

 tions. It is, at least, in such a belief that I lay before the 

 Society what little information I acquired concerning the 

 railways of Belgium, during a tour throughout that country 

 in autumn last. I would have done so at an earlier part of 

 the session, but being desirous of authenticating my obser- 

 vations with the Government documents, and of giving any 

 statistical information of interest they might contain, I 

 thought it better to wait until I had received the Reports 

 presented to the Chambers in 1843. 



Belgium was, in ancient times, the great emporium of 

 Europe ; but, through her own misfortunes, and the invasion 

 of enemies, she became for more than ^00 years " war's fa- 

 vourite play-ground," and trade and manufactures fled from 

 her soil. Since the revolution of 1820, however, a mighty 

 change has been effected in her prosperity. Through the 

 policy of a wise and liberal government, arts and manufac- 

 tures have been encouraged, and much done towards esta- 

 blishing once more her ancient grandeur. To aid this object, 

 national expositions were established, and pi'emiums awarded 

 for approved works of art ; duties were levied upon foreign 

 imports, and evei'y means employed to stimulate the people to 

 extend her manufactures. Thus encouraged by her rulers, 

 the Belgians, naturally possessing a lively and industrious 

 spirit, adopted many of the modern improvements of Eng- 

 land, and established factories for the making of machinery 



• Bihliothique Univcrsdle de Geneve, No. 112, 1845. 



t Abridged from a Paper read before the Society on 10th June 1844. 



