THEIR HEIGHT, FORM, AND STRENGTH. 129 



of the kind-hearted people. I wish I had the art 

 of affixing on canvas this or that most picturesque 

 group, when I could pourtray not only the round 

 and jocund faces (blessings on them !) of my country- 

 women, but also the rich contrasts of colour in the 

 costumes. Talk not to me of Swiss or German 

 costumes ; rather give me a Connaught lass, attired 

 as I have just said, with her fair skin and ruddy 

 cheek, her mirthful black eye, and her white teeth 

 almost sparkling from her half-opened, good-natured, 

 and large mouth. She is no beauty, to be sure > 

 her head and farm are Celtic, not Grecian ; but 

 there she stands before a tent a. kind, laughter- 

 loving, amiable crathur. I see her coquetting most 

 intensely with Pat, and he is a clean, Cornell/, broad- 

 shouldered, light-limbed, springy fellow. He could 

 run to Sligo and never draw breath ; he could hurl 

 and fight till the cows come home. An old, wrinkled 

 body, Sally's aunt, no doubt, is standing watching 

 the colleen. Such groups you may jot down in 

 your sketch-book at Killala. 



" Binghamstown (in North-west Mayo) was full of 

 people : Mass was over, yet hundreds were crowding 

 round the chapel, for public baptism was going on, 

 and all the parents and gossips in their best attire 

 were awaiting the ceremony. Were I to judge from 

 the appearance of the crowds I should suppose that 



