higher classes.

The French customs are generally prevalent here; and it is said, the
inhabitants regret their separation from France. There were vast
manufactories of cutlery here, but the French, before their departure,
destroyed most of the machinery; this, together with the failure of
other trades, is said to produce the distress which fills the streets
with beggars.

The _general appearance_ of the inhabitants of Liege is not more
prepossessing to a stranger than that of their city. There are said to
be a great number of _thieves_, and I saw some surprised whilst cutting
the trunks from behind a carriage at the inn-door. The money here is
extremely adulterated, and is not taken one stage from the city, a
circumstance which frequently is attended with great loss to the
traveller, if he has occasion to receive much change.

In this neighbourhood are several vineyards, but the climate is too cold
to admit of the wine having a good flavour. They here cultivate a
species of cabbage, the seed of which produces a thick oil, which is
used in dying stuffs, and forms part of the composition of the black
soap of this country.

I found that the season had long ended at Spa; that the roads were bad,
and that it was above thirty miles out of my way, and therefore
determined on proceeding to Brussels in the diligence, to make trial of
one of the public carriages of this country, having found the posting
good from Cologne to Liege. I found it extremely spacious, when compared
to those in England, and it was lined with faded yellow damask. I had
but two companions, who, according to _Rousseau's Axiom_, would not be
entitled to the name of _men_, which, he says, belongs to none under
_five feet six inches_.

They proved, however, sufficiently agreeable companions, and I found
they resided at _Louvain_. We proceeded at the rate of rather more than
four English miles an hour, which was quicker than I had before
travelled in a public carriage on the continent. Our first stage
presented nothing remarkable; but the next, _St. Tron_, was a remarkably
neat little town. There is a spacious square, surrounded with good
houses, and at one end is the _town-house_; the church is a large
building, and its steeple contains a set of musical chimes, to which the
people of this country are very partial.

We next reached _Tirlemont_, formerly one of the most considerable
cities of Brabant, which is at present by no means of equal importance.