each extremity a huge elaborate ornament of iron, produce a singular and beautiful effect. The drawing-room windows look plumb down into the river, flowing some 200 feet beneath. What a fine opportunity for a distracted lover to exhibit himself in an affecting attitude before a hard-hearted mistress!

Following the bank of the river for about a league farther, suddenly the ruins of the Castle of Amblève broke upon the sight. The stream here makes a sharp bend, and at the very point where it turns, there shelves upward, at an acute angle, to the height of 300 feet, the rock on which the castle is built. At this distance one massive tower is alone visible: half of it had fallen, so that the whole interior was exposed to view. On approaching more nearly, the vast size of this ancient stronghold of the De la Marck's became apparent. It occupied the whole crest of the rock, which is almost as inaccessible on the inland side as towards the river. This elevated position commands a delightful prospect. On the right hand and on the left, the valley of the Amblève spreads out before the eye, backed by rugged hill-sides, and still terminated in the distance by the purple heaths.

The origin of this castle is lost in antiquity, yet it is mentioned in history 1100 years ago, when it was the residence of the kings of Austrasia. Among the country-people it goes by the name of "the Castle of the four sons of Aymon." The old French romance called "The History of the Four

Sons of Aymon, right noble and valiant Knights," is very ancient, and one of the most popular in existence. This Aymon was Prince of the Ardennes, and the story consists chiefly of contests between his four sons and Charlemagne, who was fired with an implacable vengeance against them, because Regnaut, the eldest, had killed the emperor's nephew, Berthelot, by striking him on the head with a chess-board of massive gold. Truly, as the romancer assures his readers, the history of King Alexander does not contain as many memorable deeds as the Quatre Fils Aymon performed, and especially Regnaut, who was the tallest man in the world, and distinguished himself particularly by the good-will with which he destroyed the pernicious sect of Saracens. In some of the straits to which they were reduced, the prowess of the four brothers would have availed them little, had it not been for the assistance of their cousin, the enchanter Maugis, and the horse Bayard, who could run like a stag 10 leagues without stopping, lived as well on roots as other horses on oats, and could understand language almost as well as a man. The name is still a favourite here, though given to horses which have often but little of the merit of their prototype.

Leaving Spa on the 22d, I retraced my route to Pépinster, passing on the left the country-seat called Juslenville. It is now about two centuries since an eccentric character inhabited this spot, who has left behind him a tradition which forms

part of the archives of Spa. He was an English nobleman, and his mode of life was as follows: He passed the first ten days of each month without eating or drinking, remained alone in his chamber, and spoke to no one, not even to his wife; one domestic only could see and address him with impunity. The ten following days he rose before the dawn, went to drink the water of the Pouhon, then set out to hunt, accompanied by a numerous cavalcade, and returned home exhausted with fatigue. He then devoured what would have satisfied three men, and drank much strong wine. Immediately after the repast he returned to the chase, and he supped in the same manner he had dined. The whole day long he kept eating different kinds of sweetmeats, dried pears, and prunes, which a servant carried behind him in a large bag. He finished the month, either at Juslenville or at Spa itself, in giving himself up to music and in squandering immense sums. He gave to those he met silk stockings, hats with plumes, and valuable gloves, of which he had three boxes full. If a musician performed an air which pleased him, he would make him a present of 15 or 20 ducats. He used to throw three or four crowns to a single poor man; he would force the noblemen of the Low Countries to accept horses of great swiftness, and he offered his mantle and clothes to the first comer. Whether this original died of indigestion, committed suicide on some sad November day, or returned to his native land and was gazetted as a bankrupt, the legend does not say.

From Pépinster to Liége the railroad still pursues the charming valley of the Vesdre, covered in every direction with neat factories and elegant country-houses. Among the latter, the most conspicuous is "Les Masures," a good specimen of the gingerbread Gothic, or florid Cockney style, belonging to M. Biolley, a wealthy cloth-manufacturer of Verviers, who has lately been empowered by his majesty to prefix to his name the title of "Vicomte."

Having passed the village of Chaudfontaine, famous for its warm springs, and a favourite resort of the Liégeois, I arrived at Liége.

CHAPTER IV.

History of Liége.-Situation.-Churches.-Palace of the PrinceBishops.- Quentin Durward.-University.- Grétry.— Excursion to Maestricht.-Subterranean Quarries.

LIEGE is the great armory of Belgium; the iron and coal which abound in its neighbourhood give life to the manufacture of fire-arms, which forms the chief employment of a population of upward of 72,000. The narrow and gloomy streets have more than the ordinary filth of a manufacturing town, and hence the beautiful situation of Liége can only be appreciated from the summit of one of the hills which encircle it. From the citadel, which crowns the heights of Sainte Walburge, the whole city is seen, spread out like a map before

you.

But let us first abstract ourselves from the present for a moment, and see what has happened here in former times to clothe with interest this confused mass of towers and roofs.

The history of this city, from the thirteenth to the end of the eighteenth century, is hardly anything more than a recital of the bloody insurrections of the people against their prince-bishops, feeble rulers, half ecclesiastical, half secular, and whose conduct was often neither religious nor princely. These were little able to restrain so ferocious and insolent a mob as the good citizens of Liége, whose