Prev | Current Page 389 | Next

Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863

"The History of Pendennis"

Spicer. The rooms were very
comfortable, with large cross beams, high wainscots, and small windows in
deep embrasures. Mr. Spicer's furniture was there, and to be sold at a
valuation, and Major Pendennis agreed on his nephew's behalf to take the
available part of it, laughingly however declining (as, indeed, Pen did
for his own part) six sporting prints, and four groups of opera-dancers
with gauze draperies, which formed the late occupant's pictorial
collection.
Then they went to hall, where Pen sate down and ate his commons with his
brother freshmen, and the Major took his place at the high-table along
with the college dignitaries and other fathers or guardians of youth, who
had come up with their sons to Oxbridge; and after hall they went to Mr.
Buck's to take wine; and after wine to chapel, where the Major sate with
great gravity in the upper place, having a fine view of the Master in his
carved throne or stall under the organ-loft, where that gentleman, the
learned Doctor Donne, sate magnificent, with his great prayer-book before
him, an image of statuesque piety and rigid devotion.


Pages:
377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401