Читать книгу 3 books to know Time Travel - H. G. Wells, ReadOn Classics, Charles Dudley Warner - Страница 32

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NATURALLY ENOUGH, I evinced a strong desire to enter, but Bacon remarked that a visit to such a place would take up a good deal of valuable time, that might be turned to a much more pleasurable and profitable account; to which Miss Phantasia added that if the gentlemen chose to enter that labyrinth of learning, she, for her part, preferred a walk in the square; the latter, crossed in all directions by parks and avenues and flower-beds, was moreover crowded with the most exquisite works of ancient and modern sculptors, living illustrations of her former assertion that genuine works of art had not quite died out.

As soon as we had arrived at the opposite side of the square, I fully understood the wisdom of Bacon’s remarks. So far as my eyes reached, I could see a dense cluster of buildings, more resembling a moderately sized town than a depository of literature. “You see, my friend,” Bacon said, “it is imperative here to make up your mind what to see, or else our lady friend will be tired of waiting. Which branch of human knowledge do you give the preference to?”

I answered that I was especially interested in works of natural science.

“Impossible to think of visiting the buildings in which all these are deposited. You will have to restrict yourself considerably.”

“Well, then, let us confine ourselves to zoology.”

“Too much even for the most cursory glance. It would take us hours to have a mere walk through. Select a sub-section of zoology.”

“Shall we say the literature of entomology?”

“That won’t do either; you must keep to one single order of insects.”

“Well, then, be good enough to select for yourself,” said I; “I’ll follow you.”

We entered one of the buildings. How I was surprised to see the crowd of officers and attendants! some anxious to direct and assist the still greater mass of visitors; others busily engaged in making out tickets and extracts for those scholars who had not time enough to do any such manual work themselves. I felt that this was an admirable school for young students, who were here able not only to gather a valuable knowledge of books, but also to form themselves into independent thinkers and writers.