In less than a week, I will be taking the Franklin Classical School seniors to England. A good bit of the time while we are there will be spent in the city of London. And one of my favorite places in London is Charing Cross, near the West End theater district. Over the years I have made some of my best antiquarian book finds there in the little shops that line the lane. I am always reminded of the wonderful little poem, "Charing Cross in London Town" by Norman Davey:By Charing Cross in London Town
There runs a road of high renown,
Where antique books are ranged on shelves
As dark and dusty as themsleves.
And many book lovers have spent
Their substance there with great content,
And vexed their wives and filled their homes
With faded prints and massive tomes.
I can hardly wait.
That is a wonderful little poem. In what slender or massive tome does it dwell with greatest aplomb?
ReplyDeleteI love London! In fact, I'm going on a trip with my school there, as well as Ireland and Scotland. I'll have to keep an eye out for those bookshops.
ReplyDeleteI think the poem would be better if it ended:
ReplyDeleteYou come too.
And, just off the Charing Cross Road, is Orange Street Chapel where, at six-thirty every Friday night, 'An Assembly of Christians' meets, and Colonel Donald Underwood sells second-hand Christian books for very reasonable prices.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Col. and I are related???
ReplyDelete