150 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



dialect of South Germany, ricli in obsolete words and provincialisms, but 

 approaching in sound to the true Austrian dialect. The whining, sing- 

 c>ong enunciation of the people of Middle Styria is endurable only through 

 liabit. The Upper Styrian has a more solid, stronger body, and better 

 established liealth than the Lower Styrian, who, owing to the mildness of 

 the climate, and his less burdensome work, is taller and thinner,, but less 

 (niduring. Tlie Upper Styrian still retains the ancient German probity in 

 :i high degree, and it is but seldom accompanied by rudeness. In the 

 mountainous tracts, his harmless, gay taste is displayed in a great love of 

 .singing and dancing, and in the characters of his national songs. The 

 tunes of the dancing music, produced on a kind of cymbal (dulcimer), 

 which is never wanting upon such occasions, and but two violins and a 

 violoncello in addition, are mostly taken from popular airs. Notwith- 

 ^a»ding the expressiveness of the national Styrian dance in itself, owing 

 tto 'i<U twisting, turning, entwining, releasing, withdrawing, recovering, and 

 jgentile Wancing, the dancers are not satisfied with such a pantomime of jovial 

 :fi:*oiliick>sO:m<eness and hearty good will, but will often intermingle detached 

 ij'ierse^ .©f -songs, and jumping up will clap their hands, sing a snatch from a 

 ^odlhig' -soag (characteristic, undulating melody of the mountaineers), or 

 utter a piercing whistling, the embodiment of the highest glee. Th© 

 Upper ;Styriaii, withal, is pious even to bigotry and superstition, but also 

 ^compassionate and charitable. The peasant is insolently proud of his rank 

 in life, free &om servility to his superiors, and hates nothing more than 

 paa-tiality. Soirenading is customary in Styria, and the low tones of the 

 jew's-harp attract the chosen maiden to the window. Besides singing and 

 (l.ancing, the LT|)per Styrian is passionately fond of shooting at a mark and 

 hunting. The dress of the Styrians varies greatly ; the German inhab- 

 itants -dress chiefly m the German style ; the Wend«es adopt partly the 

 <Terinaii, more fr^equentlj the Croatian dress. The costume of the Upper 

 Styrian €(msists of a dark green, or brown, or grey coat, turned up with 

 green, green suspenders with or without breast sti-aps, black leather 

 breeches, a broad leathern belt, tie shoes, and large, black, often tapering, 

 and hi<yh. hats, fie adorns his hat with feathers of the mountain cock or 

 h«ath-cock, and the beard of the chamois. Instead of a coat he sometimes 

 wears a brown or grey jads:et turned up with green {pL 3, Jig. 20) ; the hat is 

 sometimes of green felt, and not tapering, but on the contrary becoming larger 

 towards the top, and having a broad green riband and a large buckle. The 

 women (Jigs. 21 and 22) wear full skirted woollen petticoats of green, brown, 

 or black colors, a variegated stomacher, a colored bodice, short corsets of 

 printed linen or calico, blue linen aprons, red or green woollen stockings. On 

 the head they wear hats of felt or of black stuff with a broad plaited brim, 

 or a black cap, either conical or round, and plaited, bound with gold 

 lace. 



The Elyrians. The northern portion of the kingdom of Illyria consists 

 of the Duchies of Carniola and Carinthia; the maritime country consti- 

 tuting the southern section. Most of the inhabitants are of Slavonic 

 descent, the Germans, Italians, &;c., residing here being much inferior in 

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