158 WINTER SUNSHINE 



suggestive ; the thin veil of smoke, which is here as 

 constant and uniform as the atmosphere itself, wrap- 

 ping it about with the enchantment of time and dis- 

 tance. 



The interior I found even more impressive than 

 the exterior, perhaps because I was unprepared for 

 it. I had become used to imposing exteriors at 

 home, and did not reflect that in a structure like this 

 I should see an interior also, and that here alone 

 the soul of the building would be fully revealed. It 

 was Miltonic in the best sense ; it was like the might- 

 iest organ music put into form. Such depths, such 

 solemn vastness, such gulfs and abysses of architec- 

 tural space, the rich, mellow light, the haze outside 

 becoming a mysterious, hallowing presence within, 

 quite mastered me, and I sat down upon a seat, feel- 

 ing my first genuine cathedral intoxication. As it 

 was really an intoxication, a sense of majesty and 

 power quite overwhelming in my then uncloyed con- 

 dition, I speak of it the more freely. IVIy compan- 

 ions rushed about as if each one had had a search- 

 warrant in his pocket ; but I was content to uncover 

 my head and drop into a seat, and busy my mind 

 with some simple object near at hand, while the 

 sublimity that soared about me stole into my soul 

 and possessed it. My sensation was like that im- 

 parted by suddenly reaching a great altitude: there 

 was a sort of relaxation of the muscles, followed by 

 a sense of physical weakness ; and after half an hour 

 or so I felt compelled to go out into the open air, 

 and leave till another day the final survey of the 



