WHO AND WHAT THE BELGIANS ARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 72

WHO AND WHAT THE BELGIANS ARE.

Tbs recent addition ("Belgian Life la Town and Country," by Demetrius C. Boulger) to a useful 'series of books known as "Our European Neighbours" is an attractive and. valuable account of life in the little kingdom tucked away between Franceand Germany, t!»u Netherland and the blue Xort'h Sea. Mr Boulger writes of many; aspacts of the life of this young nation, whose throne has known but tw:> rulers. His a-ccouiits of tbe formation of the kingdom of Belgium and of its political composition are clear statements an topics concerning which tlie present generation is incuriously ignorant. Belgium is a constitutional mrnarchy, vritb a King, Senate, and Chamber of Representatives ; the kingdom was formed by the revolt of the southern provinces of the Netherlan-1 in 1830, and her independence, once established, was assured" through the protective i-ecognition of England and France, acting jointly. The country is composed of two distinct races, the Flemings and the Walloons, the one of German origin and the other of Celtic and Roman, both races preserving to a remarkable extent their ancient racial characteristics. The Flemings speak Flemish, exclusively, and the Walloons almost as exclusively use French. Both languages are recognised by law, but Flemish is preponderant in literature and art, while French is favoured in society and in the courts. Having attained its independence, Belgium entered upon a peaceful path of progress, as a neutral State amongst the nations, "its affairs being regulated by a Constitution adopted in 1831. This Constition, tbe author assures us, was far in advance of any system existing on the Continent, and proof of its excellence is found in the fact that the lapse of 70 years lias not rendered necessary any change other than those changes "which the increase of pcpulation and the march of democratic ideas" have made expedient in every country. Theso changes relate chiefly to the electorate and to representation, and Mr Boulger gives a lucid explanation of th© curious law of the present time under wbieh the system of the plural vote and "proportional representation" have beenestablished. The author gives an attractive account of Belgian society and of the Royal Court of Biussels, which, he declares, although, created under popular influences, yet maintains! as severe an etiquette as exists in any of tho older Courts of Europe. In th© burgher chiss, as illustrated by the hoiiseholders of Brussels, he finds the typical citizens of the kingdom, and in the commercial classes of Antwerp a revelation of Belgian commercial prosperity and the nearest approach to an English community. The mining population, which dwells in "le Borinage." to the south of Mons, has been allowed to sink into a state of physical and mental decay, largely through lack of education, the character of the miners' work, and the unrestricted use of liquor. The Belgian miners, on account of their extreme ignorance, have had a hard battle to figiht, and it U only recently that there has been any real improvement in their condition. The old life has left its imprinton the mining families : "Among ihese it seems as if there had sprung up a fresh race of dwarfs, men under 4ft Sin, wouien shorter still, and children, who loolc as if they will never reach even this li-eisrbt. Tliey are stunted and emaciated, and they are easily distinguishable from the rest of the population as the third and fourth generation of the old mining population. At Frameries and Paturages, where mining has been in existence for a century, this type is very obtrusive."