How rich is history in the little space around this
spot!
I find that the day after I reached London, I entirely passed by
Westminster Abbey without knowing it, partly because my eyes were
attracted by the gaudier show of the new Houses of Parliament, and partly
because this part of the Abbey has been so much repaired and renewed that
it has not the marks of age. Looking at its front, I now found it very
grand and venerable; but it is useless to attempt a description: these
things are not to be translated into words; they can be known only by
seeing them, and, until seen, it is well to shape out no idea of them.
Impressions, states of mind, produced by noble spectacles of whatever
kind, are all that it seems worth while to attempt reproducing with the
pen.
After coming out of the Abbey, we looked at the two Houses of Parliament,
directly across the way,--an immense structure, and certainly most
splendid, built of a beautiful warm-colored stone. The building has a
very elaborate finish, and delighted me at first; but by and by I began
to be sensible of a weariness in the effect, a lack of variety in the
plan and ornament, a deficiency of invention; so that instead of being
more and more interested the longer one looks, as is the case with an old
Gothic edifice, and continually reading deeper into it, one finds that
one has seen all in seeing a little piece, and that the magnificent
palace has nothing better to show one or to do for one.
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