to provide light in what was now to be the library, since, apparently,
the originally well-lighted library, above the chamber now used for
the purpose, had lost its proper roof and been otherwise made useless.

[23] Spershott.

There is little else to be said concerning the history of the building
during eighteenth century; but it is stated by a careful observer, [24]
writing in 1803, that "in the interior of this cathedral few
innovations have been effected." He says that the east window of the
lady-chapel is plastered up, and that

"we find that the great window in the west front of the
cathedral has a short time back had its mullions and other
works knocked out, and your common masoned 'muntings'
(mullions) and transoms stuck up in their room, without any
tracery sweeps or turns, of the second and third degrees;
which work may before long be construed by some shallow
dabblers in architectural matters into the classical and
chaste productions of our old workmen. On the north and
south sides of the church are buttresses, with rare and
uncommon octangular-columned terminations; but they have
likewise, to save a trifling expense in reparation, been
deprived of their principal embellishments, and are now
capped with vulgar house-coping....

"It may be well to speak of the west porch as an excellent
performance; and the statue over the double entrance is
remarkably so."