The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

2 REYNOLDS’ WORKS picturesque beauty of the scene; and all those broad lands, far as the eye can reach, constitute the lordly domain of Saxondale. On the eastern side of the castle, the one farthest removed from the river, two magnificent rows of ancient trees, evidently the growth of centuries, form an avenue beneath the luxuriant foliage of which it is sweet to find shelter from the scorching summer’s sun, or to ramble in the refreshing coolness and mystic serenity of evening. This avenue borders the spacious gardens, in the centre of which there is a lake surrounded by ornamental buildings, and having an immense greenhouse at the farther extremity, all in a Gothic style, and harmonizing with the architecture of that side of the castle itself. Beyond the gardens, which are laid out with taste and elegance, lie the shrubberies and plantations, and thence the rolling landscape extends, as above described, until bounded by the horizon. The interior of the castle requires a twofold description. One portion of it, namely, the whole of the front, and all that side overlooking the gardens, is used for the habitation of the inmates, and is fitted up with the sumptuous magnifi- cence, refinement, and taste of modern splendour, yet in a manner to harmonize admirably with the antiquated style of the architecture. The doorways, the windows, the chimneypieces, and the cornices are all carved or sculp- tured in the richest manner, and are inwrought with armorial bearings and decorative devices. The entrance-hall is of immense extent, with a double row of marble pillars on each side, and having an elaborately groined ceiling. The pave- ment of this hall is of variegated marbles. At the extremity facing the high folding-doors at the entrance a magnificent staircase 1s seen rising to about the mid-height of the hall, and from that point it branches into two equally handsome flights, one winding to the right and the other to the left hand. One leads to the state apartments and drawing- rooms, the other to a landing whence open the library and picture-gallery. The walls all up these staircases are deco- rated with armorial devices, and ornamented with suits of armour and statues. From a long corridor, stretching the whole length of that line of the building which overlooks the gardens, and which is called the eastern side, open the sleeping-apartments intended for the family, visitors, and CONNIE OO KS (E(0)