The Stranger in France

Book Excerpt: ...ters, who, no doubt, performed their matutin laudes and nocturn vigili with devout exactness; that it is at length in the possession of Mr. Dance, who has a very fine and picturesque estate on that side of the river, of which these elegant ruins constitute the chief ornament. The church still exhibits a beautiful specimen of gothic architecture, but its tottering remains will rapidly share the fate of the neighbouring pile, which time has prostrated on the earth, and covered with his thickest shade of ivy.Our watermen gave us a curious description of this place, and amused us not a little with their ridiculous anacronisms."I tell you what," said one of them, contradicting the other, "you are in the wrong, Bob, indeed you are wrong, don't mislead them gentlemen, that there Abbey is in the true roman style, and was built by a man they call----, but that's neither here nor there, I forget the name, however, its a fine place, and universally allowed to be very old. I frequentl...