. The Argosy. pointedarch, and the stained glass throws its subdued streams upon a tesse-lated pavement. Each window is divided into four lights, surmountedby two quatrefoils and one rosette. If the cathedral were only filledin like manner with stained glass how great would be the effect. 206 Salisbury and Stonehenge. Re-entering the main building, service was about to commence,and in one of the choir stalls I waited in patience the strikingof the hour. The choristers trooped up the long aisle and beganrobing behind a curtain. Then, from the organ, the sweetest strainsimaginable went swelling
. The Argosy. pointedarch, and the stained glass throws its subdued streams upon a tesse-lated pavement. Each window is divided into four lights, surmountedby two quatrefoils and one rosette. If the cathedral were only filledin like manner with stained glass how great would be the effect. 206 Salisbury and Stonehenge. Re-entering the main building, service was about to commence,and in one of the choir stalls I waited in patience the strikingof the hour. The choristers trooped up the long aisle and beganrobing behind a curtain. Then, from the organ, the sweetest strainsimaginable went swelling and vibrating down the aisles and into theroof, supplying all that seemed wanting to the perfection of time andplace. One seldom hears a finer instrument. When service wasover the organist went on playing long after everyone had left thebuilding, and I listened spellbound to the rising and falling, theswelling louder and louder yet, and then the dying away of strainsthat transported one from earth to St. Annes Gateway. At last I was brought back to realities by a touch upon the shoulder,and the civil verger behind me. He had done his duties, wasabout to lock up and depart, and thought I had better depart too, orI might risk being fastened in for the night. Much as one could butfeel the beauty and influence of the place, the prospect of a wholenights meditation among the tombs was not tempting, and wouldhave proved far too much of a good thing. It was cold enough now :the wind crept in at all corners and searched one out : very soon theshades of night would be falling, and this beautiful vision of an earthlytabernacle would dissolve to the sight like the baseless fabric of adream : leaving nothing for companionship but the cruel wind, and,perhaps, an array of ghosts—though if anything will keep ghosts backit is surely an east wind. So I followed the attentive verger all down the long aisles to the Salisbury and Stonehenge. 207 west doorway, while the swelling strain
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidargosythe31w, bookyear1865
