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Page 249:-
- No; they both had a divine tendency: on the right was the
bishop's throne, and on the left the chapter-house - so called
from their resemblance to these appendages of a cathedral. Here
we could not but lament the devastation made in the ornaments of
these sacred places; some Goths, not long since, having defaced
both throne and chapter-house of their pendant petrified works,
which had been some ages in forming. The little sascades (sic),
which fell in various places from the roof and sides with
different trilling notes, serving to entertain the ear with their
watery music; while the eye was busy in amusing itself with the
curious reflections which were made by our lights from the
streams and petrifactions which appeared all around us. We were
told by our guide, what a great effect the discharge of a gun or
pistol would have upon our ears; but not being desirous to carry
our experimental philosophy so far as to endanger or give pain to
the organs of hearing, we were not disappointed in having no
apparatus for that purpose. We followed a winding passage amongst
high and grotesque pillars, being led by the noise of a falling
stream, till we arrived at the chapter-house. From the dome of
this natural edifice fell a fine and clear cascade into a bason
of transparent waters, which served in a peculiar manner to
embellish the works of nature, in a style superior to any thing
we can have in those of art. We were shown a low and narrow
passage on one of the shelves of the rock near the chapter-house,
which, we were informed, led to a wider path, extending itself
into the heart of the mountain; but our curiosity was satisfied
without crawling among the rocks besmeared with slime and mud.
If we had not been cautioned to beware of coming out too
suddenly, lest the quick transition from the dreary gloom of the
cavern into the glare of sunshine, should injure the sense of
seeing, the curiosity for exploring every part in our return, now
when our eyes were more opened, was sufficient to retard our
steps, and prevent a too hasty egress. While we were regailing
sic) ourselves with the provisions we had brought, we enquired of
our guide, if he could furnish us with any curious anecdotes
relative to this cave. After informing us that it
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