During a conversation with the stuffy York Society of Magicians, young member John Segundus asks why there is no longer any magic in England. Only tradespeople and businesspeople from places like Manchester try to do magic, the other members claim, but gentlemen do not. After the meeting, Segundus finds a kindred spirit in Mr. Honeyfoot, an older gentleman-magician. Together the pair visit Mr. Norrell, a Yorkshire magician who rejected an invitation to speak about magic and share his impressive magical library. When the two finally look at Norrell’s library at Hurtfew Abbey, they see books so rare that many believe all copies to have been destroyed. Norrell takes his library for granted and speaks in a dismissive way about writers that Segundus and Honeyfoot can only dream of reading. He reveals that he can perform magic. Childermass, Norrell’s assistant, leads them from the library, and due to an enchantment that Norrell casts, they cannot remember anything about the library or even how to get there.