File:The sketch-book of Geoffrey Crayon, gent. (pseud.) together with Abbotsford and other selections from the writings of Washington Irving (1907) (14780294842).jpg

Identifier: sketchbookofgeof14irvi (find matches)
Title: The sketch-book of Geoffrey Crayon, gent. (pseud.) together with Abbotsford and other selections from the writings of Washington Irving ..
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Irving, Washington, 1783-1859 Davidson, Hannah Amelia Noyes, 1852-1932, ed
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, U.S.A., D. C. Heath & co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
in her most secret haunts— they have watched her minutest caprices. A spray couldnot tremble in the breeze — a leaf could not rustle to theground — a diamond drop could not patter in the stream —a fragrance could not exhale from the humble violet, nor adaisy unfold its crimson tints to the morning, but it has beennoticed by these impassioned and delicate observers, andwrought up into some beautiful morality. 13. The effect of this devotion of elegant minds to ruraloccupations has been wonderful on the face of the country.A great part of the island is rather level, and would be mo-notonous, were it not for the charms of culture; but it isstudded and gemmed, as it were, with castles and palaces, andembroidered with parks and gardens. It does not aboundin grand and sublime prospects, but rather in little home-scenes of rural repose and sheltered quiet. Every antiquefarm-house and moss-grown cottage is a picture; and as theroads are continually winding, and the view is shut in by
Text Appearing After Image:
RURAL LIFE IN ENGLAND 17 groves and hedges, the eye is deHghted by a continual suc-cession of small landscapes of captivating loveliness. 14. The great charm, however, of English scenery is themoral feeling that seems to pervade it. It is associated in themind with ideas of order, of quiet, of sober, well-establishedprinciples, of hoary usage and reverend custom. Everythingseems to be the growth of ages of regular and peaceful exis-tence. The old church of remote architecture, with its low,massive portal; its Gothic tower; its windows rich withtracery and painted glass, in scrupulous preservation; itsstately monuments of warriors and worthies of the oldentime, ancestors of the present lords of the soil; its tombstones,recording successive generations of sturdy yeomanry, whoseprogeny still plough the same fields, and kneel at the samealtar; — the parsonage, a quaint, irregular pile, partlyantiquated, but repaired and altered in the tastes of variousages and occupants; — the stile a

Note About Images