"The sight of my own and of the Accountant's offices almost sickened me.

Every desk, and every drawer, and every shelf, together with the printing and copying presses, had been completely demolished in the search for money.

The floors were strewed with types, and papers, and leaves of books; and I had the mortification to see a great part of my own labour, and of the labour of others, for several years totally destroyed.

At the other end of the house I found telescopes, hygrometers, barometers, thermometers, and electrical machines, lying about in fragments.

The view of the town library filled me with lively concern.