Alva, whose cruelty has scarcely a parallel in history. In this
merciless crusade, Alva boasted that he had consigned 18,000 persons
to the executioner; and with vanity as disgusting as his cruelty, he
placed a statue of himself in Antwerp, in which he was figured trampling
on the necks of two statues, representing the two estates of the Low
Countries. Before the termination of the war, not less than 600 houses
in the city were burnt, and 6 or 7,000 of the inhabitants killed or
drowned. Antwerp was retaken and repaired by the Prince of Parma, in
1585. It has since that time been captured and re-captured so frequently
as to render its decreasing prosperity a sad lesson, if such proof were
wanting, of the baleful scourge of war. The reader need scarcely be
reminded that the last and severest blow to the prosperity of Antwerp
was occasioned by the overthrow of Buonaparte, when, by the treaty of
peace signed in 1814, her naval establishment was utterly destroyed.[3]
The population has dwindled to little more than one-fourth of the
original number, its present number scarcely exceeding 60,000.

The annexed view is taken from the _Tete de Flandre_, a fortified
port on the left bank of the river Scheldt, immediately opposite to the
city, and now in the possession of the Dutch. The river here is a broad
and noble stream, and at high water navigable for vessels of large
tonnage. A short distance below the town the banks are elevated, like
part of Millbank, near Vauxhall Bridge; and the situation has much the
same character. The river is here about twice the width of the Thames
at London Bridge, and it flows with great rapidity.

Lieut.-Colonel Batty observes, "there is perhaps no city in the north of
Europe which, on inspection, awakens greater interest" than Antwerp. It
abounds in fine old buildings, which bear testimony to its former wealth
and importance. The three most aspiring points in the View are--1. the
Church of St. Paul, richly dight with pictures by Teniers, De Crayer,
Quellyn, De Vos, Jordaens, &c.; 2. the tower of the Hotel de Ville, the
whole facade of which is little short of 300 feet, a part of the front
being cased with variegated marble, and ornamented with statues; 3. the
lofty and richly-embellished Tower of the Cathedral of Notre Dame,
forming the most striking object from whichever side we view the city.
The interior is enriched with valuable paintings by Flemish masters; the
height of the spire is stated