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those spoken to showed much amazement. My guides, however, were well
known, and the natural politeness of the people prevented them from
putting me to any inconvenience; but they could not help eyeing me, nor I
them. I may as well say at once what my after-experience taught
me--namely, that with all their faults and extraordinary obliquity of
mental vision upon many subjects, they are the very best-bred people that
I ever fell in with.

The village was just like the one we had left, only rather larger. The
streets were narrow and unpaved, but very fairly clean. The vine grew
outside many of the houses; and there were some with sign-boards, on
which was painted a bottle and a glass, that made me feel much at home.
Even on this ledge of human society there was a stunted growth of
shoplets, which had taken root and vegetated somehow, though as in an air
mercantile of the bleakest. It was here as hitherto: all things were
generically the same as in Europe, the differences being of species only;
and I was amused at seeing in a window some bottles with barley-sugar and
sweetmeats for children, as at home; but the barley-sugar was in plates,
not in twisted sticks, and was coloured blue. Glass was plentiful in the
better houses.

Lastly, I should say that the people were of a physical beauty which was
simply amazing. I never saw anything in the least comparable to them.
The women were vigorous, and had a most majestic gait, their heads being
set upon their shoulders with a grace beyond all power of expression.
Each feature was finished, eyelids, eyelashes, and ears being almost
invariably perfect. Their colour was equal to that of the finest Italian
paintings; being of the clearest olive, and yet ruddy with a glow of
perfect health. Their expression was divine; and as they glanced at me
timidly but with parted lips in great bewilderment, I forgot all thoughts
of their conversion in feelings that were far more earthly. I was
dazzled as I saw one after the other, of whom I could only feel that each
was the loveliest I had ever seen. Even in middle age they were still
comely, and the old grey-haired women at their cottage doors had a
dignity, not to say majesty, of their own.

The men were as handsome as the women beautiful. I have always delighted
in and reverenced beauty; but I felt simply abashed in the presence of
such a splendid type--a compound of all that is best in Egyptian, Greek
and Italian. The children were infinite in number, and exceedingly
merry; I need hardly say that they came in for their full share of the
prevailing beauty. I expressed by signs my admiration and pleasure to my
guides, and they were greatly pleased. I should add that all seemed to
take a pride in their personal appearance, and that even the poorest (and
none seemed rich) were well kempt and tidy. I could fill many pages with
a description of their dress and the ornaments which they wore, and a

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