A modern writer visiting the Abyssinian convent
of Souriani has seen a room which, when we remember the
connection between Egyptian and Celtic monachism, we
cannot help thinking must closely resemble an ancient
Irish cell.[3] In the room the disposition of the manuscripts
was very original. "A wooden shelf was carried in the
Egyptian style round the walls, at the height of the top of
the door.... Underneath the shelf various long wooden pegs
projected from the wall; they were each about a foot and
a half long, and on them hung the Abyssinian manuscripts,
of which this curious library was entirely composed. The
books of Abyssinia are . . . enclosed in a case tied up
with leathern thongs; to this case is attached a strap for
the convenience of carrying the volume over the shoulders,
and by these straps the books were hung to the wooden
pegs, three or four on a peg, or more if the books were
small; their usual size was that of a small, very thick
quarto. The appearance of the room, fitted up in this style,
together with the presence of long staves, such as the
monks of all the Oriental churches lean upon at the time of
prayer, resembled less a library than a barrack or guardroom,
where the soldiers had hung their knapsacks and
cartridge boxes against the wall.
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