LOUVAIN. 289 



The trout are of good quality; and the red and black 

 palmer may be used in the months of May and June, 

 especially after a flood, with very good effect. The worm 

 and the minnow are also killing bait in these waters. 



The banks of the river are exceedingly pretty; and 

 there are plenty of places where the traveller can procure 

 all necessary accommodation and refreshment. 



There are few towns on the continent more interesting 

 to the literary man than Louvain. In it, is the Roman 

 Catholic university of Belgium; it has a splendid public 

 library ; contains twenty-four colleges, and a great number 

 of distinguished professors in every department of science 

 and literature. The city lays claim to great antiquity. 

 According to Jacques de Guise, it was founded long before 

 the days of Julius Caasar. In the tenth century, it became 

 subject to Count Lambert I., who fixed his residence 

 within its walls. In the middle of the fourteenth century, 

 Louvain was at the height of its commercial prosperity, and 

 contained a population of full two hundred thousand souls ; 

 but such are the effects of time and change, that now it 

 can scarcely number more than five and twenty or thirty 

 thousand citizens. The Hotel de Ville is one of the most 

 splendid specimens of Gothic architecture in Europe ; and 

 the collection of paintings belonging to Mr. Vanderschrieck 

 is one of the most choice and interesting in all Belgium. 

 A free admission is politely granted to every stranger. 



The river Dyle takes its rise near a place called Gem- 

 bloux; and in following its course from the source down 

 to Louvain, the angler will pass by two celebrated fields of 

 battle, which are situated only a short distance from the 

 windings of the stream : that of Waterloo, on which was 

 decided the fate of an empire; and that of Jemappes, 

 which was the scene of a bloody conflict between the 



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