E-text prepared by Robert J. Hall
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| A FLEMISH COUNTRY GIRL |
Page iiiBRUGES AND WEST FLANDERS
1906
Page vPreface
There is no part of Europe more wanting in what is known as 'scenery'than Flanders; and those who journey there must spend most of theirtime in the old towns which are still so strangely mediævalin their aspect, or in country places which are worth seeing onlybecause of their connection with some event in history—Naturehas done so little for them. Thus the interest and the attractionof Flanders and the Flemish towns are chiefly historical. But itwould be impossible to compress the history of such places as Bruges,Ypres, Furnes, or Nieuport within the limits of a few pages, exceptat the cost of loading them with a mass of dry facts. Accordinglythe plan adopted in preparing the letterpress which accompanies Mr.Forestier's drawings has been to select a few leading incidents,and give these at some length.
The Flemish School of Painting and Architecture Page vi has been so well and frequentlydescribed that it would have been mere affectation to make morethan a few passing allusions to that topic.
Some space has, however, been devoted to an account of the recentdevelopment of the Flemish littoral, which has been so remarkableduring the last quarter of a century.
Page viiContents
THE MARKET-PLACE AND BELFRY—EARLY HISTORY OF BRUGES
BALDWIN BRAS-DE-FER—THE PLACE DU BOURG—MURDER OF CHARLESTHE GOOD
THE BÉGUINAGE—CHURCHES—THE RELIC OF THE HOLYBLOOD
THE BRUGES MATINS—BATTLE OF THE GOLDEN SPURS
DAMME—THE SEA-FIGHT AT SLUIS—SPLENDOUR OF BRUGES INTHE MIDDLE AGES—THE FALL AND LOSS OF TRADE
'BRUGES LA MORTE'
THE PLAIN OF WEST FLANDERS—YPRES
FURNES—THE PROCESSION OF PENITENTS
NIEUPORT—THE BATTLE OF THE DUNES
THE COAST OF FLANDERS
COXYDE—THE SCENERY OF THE DUNES