which be receives on his liberation. Near the
prison is the Atelier de Beinfaisance; an institu-
tion intended to check mendicity, by supplying the
paupers with work until they can provide for them-
selves.

The Mont de Piete is a singular establishment
for lending money upon goods, on the principle
of pawn-broking, but upon moderate interest. It
has been found very useful, in enabling industri-
ous persons labouring under a temporary pressure
to relieve themselves, without the necessity of
selling their property under very disadvantageous
circumstances, or of disclosing their pecuniary
difficulties.

1 All the public arrangements of Ghent seem to
have been devised with a systematic intention of
stimulating industry, correcting idleness, and en-
couraging habits of order and cleanliness. Three
times every day, at sunrise, at noon, and in the
evening, the ear of the observing traveller is
struck with the tolling of a bell. Its sound
serves not only as a signal to summon the work-
man to his appointed place of labour, but as a
warning to the rest of the inhabitants not to ap-
pear in the streets at these hours; lest the pro-
gress of the former, while crowding to their occu-
pations, should experience any obstruction. For
the same reason, the drawbridges are not allowed
to be then open.

The splendour of Ghent is most observable in
its churches; and of these the most magnificent
is that of St. Bavon. The choir is supported by
pillars of pure white Italian marble, rendered
more striking from the contrast of the highly-
polished black marble with which all tire walls
of the interior are coated. The principal church
is surrounded by twenty-four chapels, each adorn-
ed with some splendid work of the most admired
masters. The pulpit is a piece of exquisite work-
manship, forming an allegorical picture of Time
contemplating Truth. The figures of angels at the
foot of its staircase are objects of peculiar ad-
miration. Beneath the present cathedral the
body of the original church still remains, little
injured by time, forming a subterraneous place of
worship : it is now chiefly used as a school for
Sunday instruction. The tower or steeple is as-
cended by 446 steps; and like all others in this
flat country, presents an extensive view of the
surrounding towns and scenery. It has a re-
markably fine ring of bells, which includes semi-
tones, and is sounded by keys and levers like an
organ..

One of the few monastic institutions of Belgi-
um, exists in Ghent. It is a convent of Beguine-
nuns, which escaped the effects of the emperor
Joseph’s reformation of the conventual societies,
and still more destructive ravages of the subse-
quent revolution in France. Strangers are ad-
mitted to some parts of the building, and par-
ticularly the chapel, during the time of divine
service.

I The great provincial school or college of Ghent
i has long been in much repute as a place of edu-
xe2x80x98cation. On the formation of the kingdom of the
Netherlands, it was advanced to the rank of a
royal university. According to its present ar-
rangements. it has nineteen professors; five of
medicine, three of law. five of natural science and
mathematics, and six of philosophy and literature :
the number of students exceeds 400. The palace
of the university, in which the lectures are
delivered, is a splendid edifice. The great hall
is sufficiently spacious to accommodate 1,600
persons: it is divided into two parts; one for
the members of the university, tbe other for the
accommodation of the pubhc. Around the walls
the arms of the nineteen provinces of the Neth-
erlands are emblazoned. It is lighted by a lantern
sixty feet in circumference, in the middle of the
dome. From the hall the apartments for the dif-
ferent courses of instruction branch on each side.
The cabinet of natural history is one hundred and
twenty feet long, and already well furnished : that
of mineralogy is one hundred and thirty feet long,
and contains several thousand specimens scien-
tifically arranged. There is also a fine dissecting
room, and a cabinet of models of agricultural im-
plements.

Between Gbent and Antwerp lies a tract of land
called the Pays de Waes. It was originally a
barren and shifting sand; but the persevering
industry of the inhabitants has rendered it the
admiration of every visitor, whether native or for
eigner. It is throughout divided into small fields,
each surrounded by a low quickset hedge and a
deep trench. The middle of every field is eleva-
ted and the ground declines in all directions to
the ditch. The object of this singular mode of
husbandry is to prevent the bad effects of heavy
rains, which, if they fell upon the level surface,
consisting of dry porous sand, would carry down
the manure through it, and render it useless;
whereas the    water,    as it falls    on    the    declivity

glides down    more    gently, and    does no injury.

The farms are so small, and the cottages so close-
ly intermixed, that the whole exhibits the appear-
ance of one continued village. The interior of
each dwelling presents an aspect of neatness and
comfort fully corresponding with what might be
expected from the "exterior appearance of their
farms.

Ghent is situate    thirty miles    S.    W.    of Ant-
werp. Lat.    51. 3.    N., long. 3.    44.    E.    Popula-

tion 78,000.

Ghent, p.v. Gallatin Co. Kentucky.

Ghergong, a city and the capital of the kingdom
of Assam. It is seated on the Legoo. near its con-
flux with the Burrampooter, 400 m. X. E. of Cal-
cutta. Long. 93. 36. E., lat. 25. 35. X.

Gheriah, a sea port of Hindoostan. on the coast
of Concan. It was the capital of Angria, a famous
piratical prince, whose fort here was taken by the
English and Mahrattas, in 1756, and his whole fleet
destroyed. It is 165 m. S. by. E. of Bombay. Long.
73. 8. E., lat. 16. 45. N.

Ghilan, a province of Persia, on the S. W. side
of the Caspian Sea, supposed to be the Hyrcania
of the ancients. On the W. side are high moun-
tains which are covered with many sorts of trees,
and in the highest parts of them are deer, bears,
wolves, leopards and tigers. It produces abun-
dance of silk, oil, wine, rice, tobacco, and excel-
lent fruit. This province was ceded to Russia,
by a treaty concluded at Petersburg in 1724, but
not possessed by Russia till 1780. Reshd is the
capital.

Ghizni, or Gazna, a town of the country of Ca-
bifl, once the capital of a powerful empire of tbe
same name. It is called the second Medina, from
the great number of illustrious persons who have
been interred here. It is 54 m. S. of Cabul. Long.
63. 20. E., lat. 33. 40. N.

Gholscmville, p.v. Brunswick Co. Va.

Ghourbond, a town of the country of Cabul 42
m. N. W. of Cabul.

Ghurka, now Aurungabad, (which see).

Gibello, a town of Italy, in the duchy of Par-
ma, on the river Po, sixteen miles N. W. ol
Parma.

Gibraltar, a town of Spam, near a mountain of