OUR COSTUME. 17 



common smooth Anemone, and the Daisy indeed, may 

 be had not far from high-water-mark in many places ; 

 and Anthea cereus may also be found at some distance 

 from low- water ; but for the superb Ci^assicornis, or 

 the lovelier " Gems " and " Trogs " (Gemmaccce and 

 Troglodytes) — for Polypes and the rarer molluscs, we 

 must not be far from low- water-mark. The morning 

 is brilliant. A light breeze carries the large clouds 

 over the lazy blue, tempering the heat of the sun ; and 

 our spirits are high, as we clatter through the tunnels 

 on to the shore. There are three of us ; and as we 

 pass that young lady seated on a ridge, sketching 

 Hangman's Head, she eyes us askance, and although 

 politeness keeps in the secresy of her own bosom the 

 translation of that look, I know how it would run in 

 the vernacular : " Well ! how people can make them- 

 selves such guys ! " And she who says this is, I ^^ledge 

 you my word, a guy of the first water. I know one 

 when I see one, though I can't describe female costume. 

 Her complexion is dubious, not to say spotty ; and 

 from it stands a nose not aquiline — to tell the truth, 

 it was a turn-up, — and probably some subtle sense of 

 harmony made her turn up very maich the sides of her 

 stone-coloured felt hat, which, with its floating ribbons 

 and feather, may be said, in painter's phrase, to have 

 "carried off" the nose. I also remember the three 

 deep flounces of her Manchester muslin, and a general 

 aj^pearance of flying ribbons and miscellanies. If I 

 allude to the personal appearance of this future mother 

 of good, but not handsome, citizens, it is because her 



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