Symmetry

If only Ikea offered bookcases such as these at Christchurch College Oxford. The original library steps by Chippendale are a nice extra touch n’es pas? Thankfully my digital camera’s flash did not damage the first edition of Newton’s ‘Principia Mathematica’.

In Oxford one is met with symmetry everywhere. It would never do to appear unbalanced in such a place and any mental anomaly is more politely termed “eccentricity” if you are an academic or politely ignored if you are not.

Once with The Don we climbed the stairs to the Christchurch library, a wonder of classical proportions in the strictest Queen Anne Style. This whole glorious room was filled with the most precious books; a first edition Newton here, an original Alice in Wonderland there, and furniture by Chippendale (original and not copy, naturally).

A most charming librarian showed us about as we gazed in wonder, secretly calculating if the first edition Principia Mathematica might just fit in our man bags while the librarian was distracted pointing out the gothic cabinet containing Cardinal Wolsey’s hat.

Alas it could not. But we did leave with wonderful memories and some charming photographs.

In response to the Weekly Photo Challenge – Symmetry