# London Antiques explained — The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. > Chapter companion for The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving. ## What happens The narrator, an antiquity-hunter, explores hidden relics of old times in London, discovering the Temple Church and the Charter House. He describes a reverie in a Gothic hall, encounters pensioners in black cloaks, and meets John Hallum, a collector of curiosities, learning the history of the charitable institution. ## Themes in this chapter ### Memory and Monuments The narrator reflects on ancient tombs and relics, finding poetic and romantic interest in the remnants of the past amidst modern London. ### Rural Life and Nature A quiet court with a grassplot, elms, and a fountain provides an oasis of calm and nature in the bustling city. ## Character check-ins ### Geoffrey Crayon The narrator and antiquity-hunter who explores London's hidden relics. ### John Hallum A pensioner at the Charter House, collector of curiosities, mistaken for an arch-mage. ### Old Stowe Referenced as the author of a work consulted on the Charter House's rules. ## Key lines > I was like an Arab who had suddenly come upon an oasis amid the panting sterility of the desert. The narrator felt as relieved as a desert traveler finding water after struggling through the crowded, noisy streets. _Describes the contrast between the chaotic city and the peaceful court._ > It was as if the ghosts of the departed years, about which I had been musing, were passing in review before me. The old men in black cloaks seemed like apparitions from the past the narrator had been contemplating. _Captures the narrator's romanticized view of the pensioners._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sketchbook_of_geoffrey_crayon_gent_se/chapters/london-antiques - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sketchbook_of_geoffrey_crayon_gent_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_sketchbook_of_geoffrey_crayon_gent_se/chapters