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whole, and makes it above all other places, 

 most suited to meditation. To that also 

 its straitness contributes ; for when the 

 mind is disposed to turn inwardly on it- 

 self, any serpentine line would distract the 

 attention. 



All the characteristic beauties of the 

 avenue, its solemn stillness, the religious 

 awe it inspires, are greatly heightened by 

 moon-light. This I once very strongly 

 experienced in approaching a venerable, 

 castle-like mansion, built in the beginning 

 of the 15th century : a few gleams had 

 pierced the deep gloom of the avenue ; a 

 large massive tower at the end of it, seen 

 through a long perspective, and half lighted 

 by the uncertain beams of the moon, had 

 a grand mysterious effect. Suddenly 4 

 light appeared in this tower — then as sud- 

 denly its twinkling vanished — and only the 

 quiet, silvery rays of the moon prevailed ; 

 again, more lights quickly shifted to dif- 

 ferent parts of the building, and the whole 

 scene most forcibly brought to my fancy 

 £he times of fairies and chivalry. I was 



