The Bell of St. Paul's; A Novel (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1889 Excerpt: ... per burnished like unto fine red gold. The chairs were of the ancient kind, heavy, of polished mahogany, with slippery horsehair seats; there was a black horsehair sofa; an ancient clock ticked in one corner. On the sideboard stood a punch-bowl--yea, the very bowl in which the first Cottle, academician, had brewed for his friends and on festive occasions many a jorum of steaming punch. Within it lay, now inactive, its silver ladle. On either hand stood candlesticks, two of silver and two brazen; and between them, in its tray of brass, the snuffers still lay, as in old time, ready for daily use. The table was spread for supper--it was a supper of bread and cheese--the plates were of the old willow pattern, and the beer was drawn in a Brown George, which made one think of country taverns, knee-breeches, and powdered hair. The two windows were furnished, besides their white blinds, with that now forgotten form of lower blind which only lingers in certain seaside places. One would expect to find it in the more ancient parts of Ramsgate, for instance. It consists of a frame 'set with green laths which may be turned in any direction by a kind of screw at the top. You can thus look out, yourself unseen, or you can shut out the view as you please. On the walls, which were wainscoted and painted drab, in panels, with a projecting dado, hung colored prints in frames which had once been gilt; over the mantelshelf were samplers worked by feminine Cottles long since passed away; there were also certain works, once of the highest art, in wax, representing fruit and flowers; and in the middle hung one of those profile portraits common when the century was still young, executed with a pair of scissors in black paper, the hair, one eye, one ear (all that were visible), and ...