On one side of the cloisters, and contiguous to the main body of the
cathedral, stands the chapter-house. Bishop Dennison had it much at
heart to repair this part of the holy edifice; and, if I mistake not, did
begin the work; for it had been long ruinous, and in Cromwell's time his
dragoons stationed their horses there. Little progress, however, had
been made in the repairs when the Bishop died; and it was decided to
restore the building in his honor, and by way of monument to him. The
repairs are now nearly completed; and the interior of this chapter-house
gave me the first idea, anywise adequate, of the splendor of these Gothic
church edifices. The roof is sustained by one great central pillar of
polished marble,--small pillars clustered about a great central column,
which rises to the ceiling, and there gushes out with various beauty,
that overflows all the walls; as if the fluid idea had sprung out of that
fountain, and grown solid in what we see. The pavement is elaborately
ornamented; the ceiling is to be brilliantly gilded and painted, as it
was of yore, and the tracery and sculptures around the walls are to be
faithfully renewed from what remains of the original patterns.

After viewing the chapter-house, the verger--an elderly man of grave,
benign manner, clad in black and talking of the cathedral and the
monuments as if he loved them--led us again into the nave of the
cathedral, and thence within the screen of the choir. The screen is as
poor as possible,--mere barren wood-work, without the least attempt at
beauty. In the chancel there are some meagre patches of old glass, and
some of modern date, not very well worth looking at. We saw several
interesting monuments in this part of the cathedral,--one belonging to
the ducal family of Somerset, and erected in the reign of James I.; it is
of marble, and extremely splendid and elaborate, with kneeling figures
and all manner of magnificence,--more than I have seen in any monument