Beautiful　country　houses；　with　clocks　and　long　lines　of　shuttered　　windows；　and　fine　old　trees　standing　in　groves　and　avenues；　gave　a　　rich　and　sombre　aspect　in　the　rain　and　the　deepening　dusk　to　the　　shores　of　the　canal。　　I　seem　to　have　seen　something　of　the　same　　effect　in　engravings：　　opulent　landscapes；　deserted　and　overhung　　with　the　passage　of　storm。　　And　throughout　we　had　the　escort　of　a　　hooded　cart；　which　trotted　shabbily　along　the　tow…path；　and　kept　at　　an　almost　uniform　distance　in　our　wake。
  THE　ROYAL　SPORT　NAUTIQUE
  THE　rain　took　off　near　Laeken。　　But　the　sun　was　already　down；　the　　air　was　chill；　and　we　had　scarcely　a　dry　stitch　between　the　pair　of　　us。　　Nay；　now　we　found　ourselves　near　the　end　of　the　Allee　Verte；　　and　on　the　very　threshold　of　Brussels；　we　were　confronted　by　a　　serious　difficulty。　　The　shores　were　closely　lined　by　canal　boats　　waiting　their　turn　at　the　lock。　　Nowhere　was　there　any　convenient　　landing…place；　nowhere　so　much　as　a　stable…yard　to　leave　the　canoes　　in　for　the　night。　　We　scrambled　ashore　and　entered　an　ESTAMINET　　where　some　sorry　fellows　were　drinking　with　the　landlord。　　The　　landlord　was　pretty　round　with　us；　he　knew　of　no　coach…house　or　　stable…yard；　nothing　of　the　sort；　and　seeing　we　had　come　with　no　　mind　to　drink；　he　did　not　conceal　his　impatience　to　be　rid　of　us。　　　One　of　the　sorry　fellows　came　to　the　rescue。　　Somewhere　in　the　　corner　of　the　basin　there　was　a　slip；　he　informed　us；　and　something　　else　besides；　not　very　clearly　defined　by　him；　but　hopefully　　construed　by　his　hearers。
  Sure　enough　there　was　the　slip　in　the　corner　of　the　basin；　and　at　　the　top　of　it　two　nice…looking　lads　in　boating　clothes。　　The　　ARETHUSA　addressed　himself　to　these。　　One　of　them　said　there　would　　be　no　difficulty　about　a　night's　lodging　for　our　boats；　and　the　　other；　taking　a　cigarette　from　his　lips；　inquired　if　they　were　made　　by　Searle　and　Son。　　The　name　was　quite　an　introduction。　　Half…a…　dozen　other　young　men　came　out　of　a　boat…house　bearing　the　　superscription　ROYAL　SPORT　NAUTIQUE；　and　joined　in　the　talk。　　They　　were　all　very　polite；　voluble；　and　enthusiastic；　and　their　　discourse　was　interlarded　with　English　boating　terms；　and　the　names　　of　English　boat…builders　and　English　clubs。　　I　do　not　know；　to　my　　shame；　any　spot　in　my　native　land　where　I　should　have　been　so　　warmly　received　by　the　same　number　of　people。　　We　were　English　　boating…men；　and　the　Belgian　boating…men　fell　upon　our　necks。　　I　　wonder　if　French　Huguenots　were　as　cordially　greeted　by　English　　Protestants　when　they　came　across　the　Channel　out　of　great　　tribulation。　　But　after　all；　what　religion　knits　people　so　closely　　as　a　common　sport？
  The　canoes　were　carried　into　the　boat…house；　they　were　washed　down　　for　us　by　the　Club　servants；　the　sails　were　hung　out　to　dry；　and　　everything　made　as　snug　and　tidy　as　a　picture。　　And　in　the　　meanwhile　we　were　led　upstairs　by　our　new…found　brethren；　for　so　　more　than　one　of　them　stated　the　relationship；　and　made　free　of　　their　lavatory。　　This　one　lent　us　soap；　that　one　a　towel；　a　third　　and　fourth　helped　us　to　undo　our　bags。　　And　all　the　time　such　　questions；　such　assurances　of　respect　and　sympathy！　　I　declare　I　　never　knew　what　glory　was　before。
  'Yes；　yes；　the　ROYAL　SPORT　NAUTIQUE　is　the　oldest　club　in　Belgium。'
  'We　number　two　hundred。'
  'We'　…　this　is　not　a　substantive　speech；　but　an　abstract　of　many　　speeches；　the　impression　left　upon　my　mind　after　a　great　deal　of　　talk；　and　very　youthful；　pleasant；　natural；　and　patriotic　it　seems　　to　me　to　be　…　'We　have　gained　all　races；　except　those　where　we　were　　cheated　by　the　French。'
  'You　must　leave　all　your　wet　things　to　be　dried。'
  'O！　ENTRE　FRERES！　　In　any　boat…house　in　England　we　should　find　the　　same。'　　（I　cordially　hope　they　might。）
  'EN　ANGLETERRE；　VOUS　EMPLOYEZ　DES　SLIDING…SEATS；　N'EST…CE　PAS？'
  'We　are　all　employed　in　commerce　during　the　day；　but　in　the　　evening；　VOYEZ…VOUS；　NOUS　SOMMES　SERIEUX。'
  These　were　the　words。　　They　were　all　employed　over　the　frivolous　　mercantile　concerns　of　Belgium　during　the　day；　but　in　the　evening　　they　found　some　hours　for　the　serious　concerns　of　life。　　I　may　have　　a　wrong　idea　of　wisdom；　but　I　think　that　was　a　very　wise　remark。　　　People　connected　with　literature　and　philosophy　are　busy　all　their　　days　in　getting　rid　of　second…hand　notions　and　false　standards。　　It　　is　their　profession；　in　the　sweat　of　their　brows；　by　dogged　　thinking；　to　recover　their　old　fresh　view　of　life；　and　distinguish　　what　they　really　and　originally　like；　from　what　they　have　only　　learned　to　tolerate　perforce。　　And　these　Royal　Nautical　Sportsmen　　had　the　distinction　still　quite　legible　in　their　hearts。　　They　had　　still　those　clean　perceptions　of　what　is　nice　and　nasty；　what　is　　interesting　and　what　is　dull；　which　envious　old　gentlemen　refer　to　　as　illusions。　　The　nightmare　illusion　of　middle　age；　the　bear's　hug　　of　custom　gradually　squeezing　the　life　out　of　a　man's　soul；　had　not　　yet　begun　for　these　happy…starred　young　Belgians。　　They　still　knew　　that　the　interest　they　took　in　their　business　was　a　trifling　affair　　compared　to　their　spontaneous；　long…suffering　affection　for　　nautical　sports。　　To　know　what　you　prefer；　instead　of　humbly　saying　　Amen　to　what　the　world　tells　you　you　ought　to　prefer；　is　to　have　　kept　your　soul　alive。　　Such　a　man　may　be　generous；　he　may　be　honest　　in　something　more　than　the　commercial　sense；　he　may　love　his　　friends　with　an　elective；　personal　sympathy；　and　not　accept　them　as　　an　adjunct　of　the　station　to　which　he　has　been　called。　　He　may　be　a　　man；　in　short；　acting　on　his　own　instincts；　keeping　in　his　own　　shape　that　God　made　him　in；　and　not　a　mere　crank　in　the　social　　engine…house；　welded　on　principles　that　he　does　not　understand；　and　　for　purposes　that　he　does　not　care　for。
  For　will　any　one　dare　to　tell　me　that　business　is　more　entertaining　　than　fooling　among　boats？　　He　must　have　never　seen　a　boat；　or　never　　seen　an　office；　who　says　so。　　And　for　certain　the　one　is　a　great　　deal　better　for　the　health。　　There　should　be　nothing　so　much　a　　man's　business　as　his　amusements。　　Nothing　but　money…grubbing　can　　be　put　forward　to　the　contrary；　no　one　but
  Mammon；　the　least　erected　spirit　that　fell　From　Heaven；
  durst　risk　a　word　in　answer。　　It　is　but　a　lying　cant　that　would　　represent　the　merchant　and　the　banker　as　people　disinterestedly　　toiling　for　mankind；　and　then　most　useful　when　they　are　most　　absorbed　in　their　transactions；　for　the　man　is　more　important　than　　his　services。　　And　when　my　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman　shall　have　so　　far　fallen　from　his　hopeful　youth　that　he　cannot　pluck　up　an　　enthusiasm　over　anything　but　his　ledger；　I　venture　to　doubt　whether　　he　will　be　near　so　nice　a　fellow；　and　whether　he　would　welcome；　　with　so　good　a　grace；　a　couple　of　drenched　Englishmen　paddling　into　　Brussels　in　the　dusk。
  When　we　had　changed　our　wet　clothes　and　drunk　a　glass　of　pale　ale　　to　the　Club's　prosperity；　one　of　their　number　escorted　us　to　an　　hotel。　　He　would　not　join　us　at　our　dinner；　but　he　had　no　objection　　to　a　glass　of　wine。　　Enthusiasm　is　very　wearing；　and　I　begin　to　　understand　why　prophets　were　unpopular　in　Judaea；　where　they　were　　best　known。　　For　three　stricken　hours　did　this　excellent　young　man　　sit　beside　us　to　dilate　on　boats　and　boat…races；　and　before　he　　left；　he　was　kind　enough　to　order　our　bedroom　candles。
  We　endeavoured　now　and　again　to　change　the　subject；　but　the　　diversion　did　not　last　a　moment：　　the　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman　　bridled；　shied；　answered　the　question；　and　then　breasted　once　more　　into　the　swelling　tide　of　his　subject。　　I　call　it　his　subject；　but　　I　think　it　was　he　who　was　subjected。　　The　ARETHUSA；　who　holds　all　　racing　as　a　creature　of　the　devil；　found　himself　in　a　pitiful　　dilemma。　　He　durst　not　own　his　ignorance　for　the　honour　of　Old　　England；　and　spoke　away　about　English　clubs　and　English　oarsmen　　whose　fame　had　never　before　come　to　his　ears。　　Several　times；　and；　　once　above　all；　on　the　question　of　sliding…seats；　he　was　within　an　　ace　of　exposure。　　As　for　the　CIGARETTE；　who　has　rowed　races　in　the　　heat　of　his　blood；　but　now　disowns　these　slips　of　his　wanton　youth；　　his　case　was　still　more　desperate；　for　the　Royal　Nautical　proposed　　that　he　should　take　an　oar　in　one　of　their　eights　on　the　morrow；　to　　compare　the　English　with　the　Belgian　stroke。　　I　could　see　my　friend　　perspiring　in　his　chair　whenever　that　particular　topic　came　up。　　　And　there　was　yet　another　proposal　which　had　the　same　effect　on　　both　of　us。　　It　appeared　that　the　champion　canoeist　of　Europe　（as　　well　as　most　other　champions）　was　a　Royal　Nautical　Sportsman。　　And　　if　we　would　only　wait　until　the　Sunday；　this　infernal　paddler　would　　be　so　condescending　as　to　accompany　us　on　our　next　stage。　　Neither　　of　us　had　the　least　desire　to　drive　the　coursers　of　the　sun　against　　Apollo。
  When　the　young　man　was　gone；　we　countermanded　our　candles；　and　　ordered　some　brandy　and　water。　　The　great　billows　had　gone　over　our　　head。　　The　Royal　Nautical　Sportsmen　were　as　nice　young　fellows　as　a　　man　would　wish　to　see；　but　they　were　a　trifle　too　young　and　a　　thought　too　nautical　for　us。　　We　began　to　see　that　we　were　old　and　　cynical；　we　liked　ease　and　the　agreeable　rambling　of　the　human　mind　　about　this　an