Altogether unawares, immediately after
crossing the bridge, we came upon the cathedral; and the grand,
time-blackened Gothic front, with its deeply arched entrances, seemed to
me as good as anything I ever saw,--unexpectedly more impressive than all
the ruins of Rome. I could but merely glance at its interior; so that
its noble height and venerable space, filled with the dim, consecrated
light of pictured windows, recur to me as a vision. And it did me good
to enjoy the awfulness and sanctity of Gothic architecture again, after
so long shivering in classic porticos. . . . .
We now recrossed the river. . . . . The Frank methods and arrangements in
matters of business seem to be excellent, so far as effecting the
proposed object is concerned; but there is such an inexorable succession
of steel-wrought forms, that life is not long enough for so much
accuracy. The stranger, too, goes blindfold through all these processes,
not knowing what is to turn up next, till, when quite in despair, he
suddenly finds his business mysteriously accomplished.
Pages:
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826