“Standing here, as immune to the cold as a marble statue, gazing towards Charlotte Street, towards a foreshortened jumble of facades, scaffolding, and pitched roofs, Henry thinks the city is a success, a brilliant invention, a biological masterpiece—millions teeming around the accumulated and layered achievements of the centuries, as though around a coral reef, sleeping, working, entertaining themselves, harmonious for the most part, nearly everyone wanting it to work.”

Henry Perowne characterizes the city of London as a “success” and a “brilliant invention” that is a “biological masterpiece.” He marvels at the sight of the city teeming with millions of people going about their lives, and he sees them as harmonious and mostly cooperative. The use of the metaphor of a coral reef suggests that the city is a complex and thriving ecosystem, built up over centuries of human achievement. The image of the “foreshortened jumble of facades, scaffolding, and pitched roofs” suggests that the city is a constantly evolving and dynamic place. Overall, the quote conveys a sense of awe and admiration for the city of London, which is seen as a testament to human ingenuity and cooperation.

“That is the other familiar element—the horror of what he can’t see. Catastrophe observed from a safe distance. Watching death on a large scale, but seeing no one die. No blood, no screams, no human figures at all, and into this emptiness, the obliging imagination set free.”

The detachment of the observer is emphasized by the acknowledgment of distance and the lack of sensory input. The lack of human figures and the emptiness of the scene are also emphasized, highlighting the absence of a personal connection to the events being witnessed. Overall, the quote suggests that observing a catastrophe from a safe distance can be a horror in and of itself, as it allows for a kind of personal detachment that can allow the mind to run wild, imagining the many variations of possibilities.