WHEN I parted from you in England, I engaged to furnish you with such particulars of my intended Tour, as I should deem either amusing or instructive: I proceed therefore to redeem my promise. After a tedious, but safe voyage from London Bridge, I reached Ostend in four days, by the Marquis of Anglesea packet, a voyage which is often effected in a single day.

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Various are the motives which induce travellers to forego the comforts of home, and endure privations, which in their own country they would consider most severe hardships; whilst a thirst for fame was, perhaps, the leading motive that induced Bruce to trace the Nile to its source, and urged Columbus to search out a new world, Christian principles impelled Howard to penetrate the abodes of wretchedness, and the haunts of misery; so intent was his mind on the accomplishment of the enterprize, that no inferior object could for a moment divert his attention, no obstacle subdue the ardour of his pursuit.

The traveller who presumes to publish to the world the result of his observations, should have carefully remarked whatever is novel or valuable, and describe the same with the strictest truth and perspicuity; above all, he should select the useful, and bring back to his own country whatever shall appear calculated to prove beneficial to it. The difficulties are great, for, to the mere traveller, the superficies of society only, is, for the most part exhibited; residence, and even long residence, is necessary to examine into the true manners and genius of a people; a Tourist should so regulate his own mind, and so temper his own feelings, as to subdue national vanity and prejudice, penetrate the veils thrown over actions and events, view things as they are, not as they appear to be, and like the supreme magistrate seated on a throne of judgment, hold, with an unwavering hand, the scales of justice, and decide with discrimination and equity; however I may succeed, these are the great objects I shall keep in view in the observations with which I shall from time to time furnish you.

Östend is one of the most valuable entrances of the

Netherlands; the possession of it has ever been considered of the greatest consequence, by the several Powers, who, in succession, have held the Sovereignty of the Low Countries; its maritime importance will fully appear by inspecting the map of Europe. The Harbour is difficult to enter, and somewhat hazardous; a flag-staff is elevated to guide vessels in their approaches to the port, and an excellent lookout is maintained, but notwithstanding these precautions, an accident occurred in 1816, to one of the packet-boats, without blame attaching to any of the persoas concerned: On her being about to enter the harbour with a brisk wind, it suddenly abated, the vessel became unmanageable, and struck the bank: a considerable altercation took place on shore about rendering assistance; monsters, in human form, dead to feeling, and blinded by cupidity and the hopes of plunder, contended against affording the necessary aid, expecting to partake of the spoils; but humanity prevailed, and the crew were saved; the cargo and the vessel were much damaged. Justice obliges me to observe, that on some of the coasts of our own country, similar atrocities are occasionally committed.

Ostend is situated in long 3. 1. E, from the meridian of Greenwich; and lat. 51. 15. N. or nearly the same latitude as London. It is twenty-four leagues N. E. from Calais, seventy-six N. E. from Paris, and twenty-eight and an half W. from Brussels. It is surrounded with bastions and other fortifications, and has four gates. In the year 814, it was a small village only, and belonged to the Abby of Bertin at St. Omers. It was made a town in 1072 by Robert de Frise, when the Church dedicated to St. Pierre was built. In the year 1372, the fishermen and other inhabitants surrounded it with pallisades merely. In 1445, Philip, surnamed the Good, encompassed it with walls, erected gates,

enlarged the town, and made the harbour more commodious, and in 1583, it was regularly fortified by the Prince of Orange, after he had taken Ghent and Bruges; the Prince of Parma attempted to attack it the same year, but was compelled to retire without effecting his purpose.

One of the most memorable events relative to this city was the celebrated siege which it sustained when attacked by the Spaniards, under the command of the Duke of Alva, from July 5, 1601, til September 20, 1604, when Ambrose Spinola succeeded against it, and nearly reduced it to ashes; the besieged are said to have lost 80,000, and the besiegers upwards of 50,000 men. Marshal d'Aumont, who endeavoured to take it by stratagem, in 1658, was himself taken prisoner, with the vessels which brought his army; several hundred men were killed and drowned in the attempt.

Upon the death of Charles the II. of Spain, the French seized Ostend. It was again besieged and taken by the Allies, during the wars of the Duke of Marlborough, in 1706. In this siege, the town house was destroyed, and in 1711 the present Hotel de Ville, which is a handsome structure, was erected: It was begun and finished within twelve months; the States General ceded it to the Emperor of Germany by the treaty of Utrecht, concluded in 1715. He established an East India Company, in 1722, which excited so much jealousy among the European Powers that he abandoned the project, and the Company was dis→ solved in consequence of the treaty in 1731. The French again became masters of Ostend, in 1745, but restored it after the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748. In 1772, it was made a free port by the Emperor Joseph II. who considerably improved it, and in 1776 a basin, near 400 feet

broad, surrounded with store-houses, was opened for the reception of ships of considerable burden. During the progress of the French Revolution, the English, on 19 May, 1798, landed some troops, and destroyed the gates and Sluices communicating with the Bruges Canal, but the wind shifting before they could effect their re-embarkation, they were compelled to surrender prisoners of war. At the commencement of the French Revolution, in 1792, Ostend was taken by the Arms of the French Republic, but soon afterwards evacuated.

Whilst Ostend was in possession of the French, they repaired and extended the fortifications; the Fort on the west, began by them, has been recently finished under British Engineers; on the south side the fortifications have been strengthened, and new barracks are erecting, which will, eventually, render it a formidable place of defence. At the general peace of 1816, Ostend, with the whole of Flanders and Belgium was united to Holland. It offers little worthy of particular observation, excepting its fortifications, and the sluices which communicate with the Canal of Bruges. The breadth of its streets, its fine square, or market place, and the magnitude of many of its houses, (compared with those of the seaport towns in England) contrasted with the general inactivity, and silence that prevails here, exhibit a character of departed magnificence, which appears more conspicuous on farther progress into the Netherlands; the present population of Ostend is estimated to be about 10,000, exclusive of the neighbouring villages; it contains three Catholic churches of an inferior order. Although many protestant families reside here, no place of public worship has yet been assigned them; but the well known liberality which prevails on the subject of Religion in this country, among the Rulers, authorises me