136 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



ing to understand our humour put a hand-bell on the table 

 arid withdrew, saying that we &quot; would please to call her when 

 we wanted any thing.&quot; 



Along the sides of many of the streets of Salisbury there 

 flows, in little canals some six feet wide by two or three deep, 

 with frequent bridges to the houses, a beautifully clear, rapid 

 stream of water. Otherwise, the general appearance of the 

 town is of meagre interest compared with others we have 

 been in. But it has one crowning glory the cathedral. 



The cathedral, in many of its parts, and from certain 

 positions, as a whole, is very beautiful ; the clear, cutting, 

 symmetrical spire, especially against an evening sky, is very 

 fine. It is taller by several feet than any other in England, 

 though overtopped by several of the Continental churches. 



We have more pleasure in contemplating it, and enjoy 

 more to w r ander around and through it, than any we have seen 

 before. It is more satisfactory to us. This, I believe, is partly 

 because of its greater size, partly because of its completeness, 

 its unity : though six hundred years old, you would not read 

 ily perceive in approaching it that it was not entirely a new 

 edifice ; no repairs, no additions, especially no meddlesome 

 restorations, which are almost always offensive to me. Its 

 history is worthy of note with respect to this : it was only 

 thirty-eight years in construction ; except the spire, which 

 was added rather later, and is more florid, which is to be 

 regretted. 



We admire and enjoy it, and yet not nearly so much as 

 we should have expected to from an imagination of what such 

 a great, expensive, and artistic pile would be. You will won 

 der why. I don t know that I can tell you. It fails in massive- 

 ness and grandeur. From some quarters it appears a mere 

 clutter of wall, windows, buttresses, and pinnacles, each of which 

 may be fine enough in itself, but gaining nothing from their 



