From W. E. Darwin to H. E. Darwin[1866]

My Dear H.

I got here at 3.30 today with a bright afternoon, having had a five hours journey from Durham. I had a brush up & went off for an hour's wander before Dinner; as to this picturesqueness of the town it is impossible to exaggerate; but there is a stately dullness about it that is fatiguing, clean broad streets with fine massive houses, but desolate & lifeless & in the evening no lighting up and very little bustle.

I have chalked out tomorrow & then I am off somewhere or other. Holyrood, cos one must, Mrs Graham at her picture gallery & Rosslyn Chapel where ever time is. I found a very plesant little inn at Durham, very clean & lately done up, with new curtains, & fresh carpets. The coffee room & commercine room were all one, so I chummed up with a man travelling in cigars; first each having clumsy tea at the opposite ends of an oblong table, we by and by got to mention the weather, and as we found we neither of us wanted to talk we passed the evening very comfortably without any efforts.

In the morning I had about an hour to see the Cathedral both the Cathedral itself & its sight beat my expectations hollow. nothing can be more magnificent than the situation, either for seeing or to be seen  Our side it is a plain not very massive looking norman building with a good deal of early english & a little perpendicular. inside it is to me the grandest Cathedral I ever saw (mem not seen Canterbury) Winchester beats it in elegance perhaps tho' it is not fair to compare the two styles. Norwich is the only one that I think can fairly be compared with it as far as I can remember, & it beats that into fits. They have taken the skreen away which gives one such a much finer view. What they call the gailee chapel is well worth seeing, as it is just as high and airy norman as the nave is heavy.

It ⁠⟨⁠was⁠⟩⁠ great luck I got in at all, as they had not opened the doors; but I chummed in with a little man in black who turned out to be organist of the parish church, who took me all round the place, & showed me every thing, and at last got me in the Cathedral by some slummy worksman's entrace, by getting the Virgin's leave; he then took me round & explained much as he could it was very good of this little man as he must have been with me $\frac{3}{4}$ of an hour.

I had a pouring day at York, but with help of my cape I saw every thing. I was rather disappointed with York. Winchester York Salisbury is roughly my order, tho' in many points each beats the other.

The Chaplin's house at York in the interior I suppose beats every thing of the kind in England: this exhibition tho' much larger than mas, had not the good affect of the nave; ours is made an old Curiosity-shop compared to this; the pictures beats ours in goodness, but I am afraid not in badness  On Saturday as far as I can look into the future I shall start for Stirling & sleep in Perth. I really must have a go on the map and [Black] tomorrow

Have you heard of the hardy Norseman & it is decidely colder up here I am glad to hear Barometer is rising so I have hopes of a fine bout. Your affec brother— | WE Darwin