What was his astonishment to see that the grass growing in the window-sills actually darkened the room, and that all the books and seats were an inch thick in dust.

In utter astonishment he lifted one book after another.
All were manuscripts of extreme antiquity, but all were dreadfully dilapidated.

Many had lost whole sections which had been violently extracted, and in many all the blank margins of the vellum had been cut away.

In fact, the mutilation was thorough.
"Grieved at seeing the work and the wisdom of so many illustrious men fallen into the hands of custodians so unworthy, Boccaccio descended with tears in his eyes.

In the cloisters he met another monk, and enquired of him how the MSS.