By a bold poetical licence , most of these Noah 's arks had knockers on the doors ; inconsistent appendages , perhaps , as suggestive of morning callers and a Postman , yet a pleasant finish to the outside of the building . There were scores of melancholy little carts , which , when the wheels went round , performed most doleful music . Many small fiddles , drums , and other instruments of torture ; no end of cannon , shields , swords , spears , and guns . There were little tumblers in red breeches , incessantly swarming up high obstacles of red tape , and coming down , head first , on the other side ; and there were innumerable old gentlemen of respectable , not to say venerable appearance , insanely flying over horizontal pegs , inserted , for the purpose , in their own street-doors . There were beasts of all sorts ; horses , in particular , of every breed , from the spotted barrel on four pegs with a small tippet for a mane , to the thorough-bred rocker on his highest mettle . As it would have been hard to count the dozens upon dozens of grotesque figures that were ever ready to commit all sorts of absurdities on the turning of a handle , so it would have been no easy task to mention any human folly , vice , or weakness that had not its type , immediate or remote , in Caleb Plummer 's room . And not in an exaggerated form , for very little handles will move men and women to as strange performances as any Toy was ever made to undertake . In the midst of all these objects , Caleb and his daughter sat at work . The Blind Girl busy as a Doll 's dressmaker ; Caleb painting and glazing the four-pair front of a desirable family mansion . The care imprinted in the lines of Caleb 's face , and his absorbed and dreamy manner , which would have sat well on some alchemist or abstruse student , were at first sight an odd contrast to his occupation and the trivialities about him . But trivial things , invented and pursued for bread , become very serious matters of fact : and , apart from this consideration , I am not at all prepared to say , myself , that if Caleb had been a Lord Chamberlain , or a Member of Parliament , or a lawyer , or even a great speculator , he would have dealt in toys one whit less whimsical , while I have a very great doubt whether they would have been as harmless . `` So you were out in the rain last night , father , in your beautiful new great-coat , '' said Caleb 's daughter . `` In my beautiful new great-coat , '' answered Caleb , glancing towards a clothes-line in the room , on which the sackcloth garment previously described was carefully hung up to dry . `` How glad I am you bought it , father ! '' `` And of such a tailor too , '' said Caleb . `` Quite a fashionable tailor . It 's too good for me . '' The Blind Girl rested from her work , and laughed with delight . `` Too good , father ! What can be too good for you ? ''
`` I 'm half ashamed XXXXX wear it , though , '' said Caleb , watching the effect of what he said upon her brightening face , `` upon my word !
By In about as at for on to towards with