SECRETARY'S REPORT. 317 



ccnce of its architecture, or its Avorks of art. The palace of 

 the fine arts was cominciiccd in 1346, and finished in 150'2. 

 The conservatory of arts and trades is in the palace of industry. 

 There are also cabinets of paintings, natural history, natural 

 philosophy, public libraries, etc., a botanical garden, a royal 

 society of horticulture, and many very interesting private 

 collections of art. 



The celebrated field of Waterloo is about twelve miles to 

 the south of this city, on the road to Paris. The great forest 

 of Soignies lies on the way, now intersected with carriage-ways 

 for pleasure-drives. Byron, by a sort of poetic license, calls 

 this the forest of Ardennes, in those oft-repeated lines, — 



" And Ardennes waves above them her green leaves, 

 Dewy with Nature's tear-drops, as they pass, 

 Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves, 

 Over the unreturning brave." 



We spent much time on this field, so celebrated in the history 

 of modern times, under the guidance of an enthusiastic old 

 sergeant who fought under Wellington on that memorable 

 18t4i of June, 1815. In the old shattered chateau of Hougou- 

 mont, which suffered severely in the battle, the kind-hearted 

 lady gave us a taste of genuine old Flemish cheese, and bread 

 and milk. This place remains just as it was left after the battle. 

 The rent of the farm is from twelve to fifteen dollars a year 

 per acre. The land is good, but the buildings quite dilapi- 

 dated, designed no doubt to show the constant concourse of 

 strangers how they were left after the hard struggle. A 

 ploughman was at work with two horses abreast, turning up 

 the rich dark loam on the place of the thickest fight where the 

 French, who advanced to attack the British column, were 

 driven down the hill with tremendous slaughter. 



The agriculture of Flanders has long been distinguished for 

 great exactness and care in attention to details. Judging from 

 the crops produced, it is eminently successful. I have not 

 often seen a soil so crowded with luxuriant crops, as that 

 in the neighborhood of Brussels, and on the way to Ghent and 

 Bruges. The culture of hops has a prominent place, and so 

 has that of flax and hemp. Tlie soil, along much of the way, 

 is rather light, inclining to sand, but full of dark vegetable 



