The sketch-book of Geoffrey Crayon, gent[pseud.] together with Abbotsford and other selections from the writings of Washington Irving .. . ned upon agloomy passage leading to the chapter-house and thechamber in which doomsday-book is deposited. Just withinthe passage is a small door on the left. To this the vergerapplied a key; it was double locked, and opened with somedifficulty, as if seldom used. We now ascended a dark,narrow staircase, and, passing through a second door,entered the library. 2. I found myself in a lofty antique hall, the roof supportedby massive joists of old English oak. I
The sketch-book of Geoffrey Crayon, gent[pseud.] together with Abbotsford and other selections from the writings of Washington Irving .. . ned upon agloomy passage leading to the chapter-house and thechamber in which doomsday-book is deposited. Just withinthe passage is a small door on the left. To this the vergerapplied a key; it was double locked, and opened with somedifficulty, as if seldom used. We now ascended a dark,narrow staircase, and, passing through a second door,entered the library. 2. I found myself in a lofty antique hall, the roof supportedby massive joists of old English oak. It was soberly lightedby a row of Gothic windows at a considerable height fromthe floor, and which apparently opened upon the roofs of the THE MUTABILITY OF LITERATURE 151 cloisters. An ancient picture of some reverend dignitary ofthe church in his robes hung over the fireplace. Around thehall and in a small gallery were the books, arranged in carvedoaken cases. They consisted principally of old polemicalwriters, and were much more worn by time than use. In thecentre of the library was a solitary table with two or three Tf~~~m^^»Mli. The Library, Westminster books on it, an inkstand without ink, and a few pens parchedby long disuse. The place seemed fitted for quiet study andprofound meditation. It was buried deep among the massivewalls of the abbey, and shut up from the tumult of the could only hear now and then the shouts of the school-boys faintly swelling from the cloisters, and the sound of abell tolling for prayers, echoing soberly along the roofs of the 152 THE SKETCH-BOOK abbey. By degrees the shouts of merriment grew fainter andfainter, and at length died away; the bell ceased to toll, and aprofound silence reigned through the dusky hall. 3. I had taken down a little thick quarto, curiously boundin parchment, with brass clasps, and seated myself at thetable in a venerable elbow-chair. Instead of reading, however,I was beguiled by the solemn monastic air, and li
Size: 1452px × 1722px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidsketchbookofgeof14irvi
