The Spell of Belgium

Belgium has contributed generously to the world in the past. Much has been destroyed in this ruthless war, but much remains, for Belgium had much to give. How splendid are her unique guild-halls with their fretted towers, her massive mediæval gates and quaint old houses bordering the winding canals!

Through centuries, in one way or another, she has continued to hold the world's admiration. In olden times, when the clever weavers wrought historic scenes in their Flemish tapestries, they surely wove into the hearts of our forefathers the Spell of Belgium. In Belgium, the home of the violin, we have listened to the magic strains of the great masters and been charmed by the musical verses of Maeterlinck. There, too, we have gazed upon her inimitable Rubens and van Eycks. But today we stand spellbound before the Belgians themselves, the heroes of this war.

The legends of Antwerp were written out by the eminent Flemish historian, Sleeckx, over fifty years ago, and were found in the library at Antwerp. This version has been translated directly from the Flemish, and is believed to be unknown to the world, outside of Antwerp literary circles.

I wish to thank Her Excellency, Madame Havenith, wife of the Belgian Minister in the United States, for information, letters and photographs, and Mrs. Abbot L. Dow, whose father, General Sanford, was one of the most popular American Ministers ever in Belgium, as well as Miss Helen North, who lived for many years in that beautiful country. I wish, also, to thank the National Magazine for the use of a portion of the chapter on Motoring in Flanders. My thanks are due to Miss Gilman and Miss Crosby, too, for their kind assistance.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

FOREWORD

I. THE NEW POST

II. DIPLOMATIC LIFE

III. BRUSSELS BEFORE THE WAR

IV. IN DAYS OF KNIGHT AND VILLAIN

V. BATTLING FOR A KINGDOM

VI. BELGIAN KINGS

VII. POLITICS AND PLURAL VOTING

VIII. BELGIUM'S WORKSHOPS

IX. TAPESTRIES

X. PRIMITIVES AND LATER PAINTERS

XI. LA JEUNE BELGIQUE IN LETTERS

XII. MOTORING IN FLANDERS

XIII. LEGENDS OF ANTWERP

XIV. IN THE WALLOON COUNTRY

XV. A LAST WORD

I SYNOPSIS OF THE WAR

II LETTERS FROM THE FRONT

III AMERICAN RELIEF WORK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

GRANDE PLACE AND BELFRY, FURNES (in full colour) Frontispiece..

MAP OF BELGIUM

THE ROYAL PALACE, BRUSSELS

BURGOMASTER MAX

AMERICAN LEGATION, BRUSSELS

LIBRARY, AMERICAN LEGATION, BRUSSELS

MARIE JOSÉ, THE LITTLE PRINCESS

COMTESSE DE FLANDRE

PALAIS D'URSEL

M. CARTON DE WIART, MINISTER OF JUSTICE

A FLEMISH KERMESSE (in full colour)

YSAYE

HOUGOMONT

COMTE DE FLANDRE, SECOND SON OF KING ALBERT

ANCIENT BOURSE, ANTWERP

THÉÂTRE DE LA MONNAIE, BRUSSELS

LEOPOLD I

LEOPOLD II

KING ALBERT

QUEEN ELIZABETH

BARON DE BROQUEVILLE

AN OLD LACEMAKER (in full colour)

BRUSSELS POINT LACE

"SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, DOGS HAVE BEEN OF GREAT SERVICE IN DRAGGING THE MITRAILLEUSES"

DIANA TAPESTRY

DAVID AND GOLIATH TAPESTRY

"L'HOMME À L'OEUILLET."--VAN EYCK

ST. LUKE PAINTING THE MADONNA.--VAN DER WEYDEN

PORTRAIT OF A MAN AND HIS WIFE.--RUBENS

CHARLES I AND HIS FAMILY.--VAN DYCK

MAURICE MAETERLINCK

EMILE VERHAEREN

CORNER OF THE COURTYARD, PLANTYN-MORETUS MUSEM, ANTWERP

LAC D'AMOUR, BRUGES

COUNT EGMONT'S TOWER, HERZÈLE

SAND DUNES, NIEUPORT (in full colour)

CLOTH HALL, YPRES, AFTER BOMBARDMENT

SPIRE OF THE CATHEDRAL, ANTWERP

CATHEDRAL, ANTWERP

INTERIOR OF AN OLD HOUSE, ANTWERP

WELL OF QUENTIN MATSYS, ANTWERP

A VILLAGE IN THE ARDENNES (in full colour)

PRINCE HENRI DE CROŸ

GENERAL VIEW OF LIÈGE