Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . SOLOMON S TEMPLE. And yet, replied the guide, a greater tlian Solomon placedit there. True, true. In the midst of her sublimest passages, Naturewill sometimes step aside to play the farceur. Ascending a stairway similar to that by which they entered,and on the opposite side of the Temple, our travelers pursued theirmarvelous journey, not in profound silence, as at first, for the sen-timent that paralyzed their tongues had given place to pleasantconfidence and eager curiosity.
Virginia illustrated : containing a visit to the Virginian Canaan, and the adventures of Porte Crayon and his cousins . SOLOMON S TEMPLE. And yet, replied the guide, a greater tlian Solomon placedit there. True, true. In the midst of her sublimest passages, Naturewill sometimes step aside to play the farceur. Ascending a stairway similar to that by which they entered,and on the opposite side of the Temple, our travelers pursued theirmarvelous journey, not in profound silence, as at first, for the sen-timent that paralyzed their tongues had given place to pleasantconfidence and eager curiosity. Again they call a halt, while the guide nimbly leaps from pointto point, illuminating, as he goes, the wonders of the the centre of this room hangs a mass of spar which bears afancied resemblance to a chandelier, while beyond it rises the pul-pit, an elevated circular desk covered with the most graceful foldsof white drapery. On the opposite side is a baldachin, enrichedwith glittering pendent crystals, and the whole ceiling is hung 88 PORTE CRA-YON AND HIS THE CATHEDRAL. with stalactites, dropping in long points and broad wavy sheets,some of a ]:)ure white, others of a clay red, bordered with bandsof white, or with darker stripes of red and brown. These stonedraperies are translucent and sonorous, emitting soft musical toneson being struck; and the heavier sheets which tapestry the side-walls respond to the blows of the hand or foot with notes likedeep-toned bells. With interest and confidence increasing at every step, our ad-venturers went on ; not caring who was before or who behind,they climbed up and down ladders, crept through narrow passages,and looked fearlessly down into the awful pits that yawned besidethe way, passing through many apartments which, if found iso-lated, might have been accounted among the wonders of the world,but here, being secondary in interest and brilliancy, were hastilyviewed and left behind. The largest of these is called
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectvirginiasociallifean
