MECKLIN.

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waste, and the villages around destroyed;but the ride to Mechlin was prettily diver-sified, and a fine moonlight night affordedus a view of the noble tower of that town,which was discernible a considerable dis-tance before us down an avenue of trees.The first view of the Place Roi/ale, withthe adjacent park, its commanding situation,and the regularity of building, which pre-vails throughout Brussels , gives it a strikingsuperiority over all the towns in Holland.The country around is beautiful, afid amongthe numerous chateaus in the neighbourhoodis that of the Archduke de Brabant, latelyone of Napoleon ’s imperial palaces, whichcommands a fine view of the town and itsenvirons, A gentleman of the name of Bur-tm, an amateur, who lately published awork on the art of painting, kindly shewedme his very extensive gallery of pictures,among which are some fine specimens byHubens, Vandyke, and Albert Durer . Al-together it is one of the^finest private col-lections I have ever seen. The palace con-tains little worthy of notice : there are in ita few modern paintings of merit; but the