294 
TRAVELS 
chief, or ribband, or fome piece of money, into her bofom. If 
the girl does not wifh. to have any correfpondence with her ad¬ 
mirer, fhe gives back the prefents to the mediatrix, who immedi¬ 
ately conveys the unpleafing intelligence to her employer. It is 
to be obferved, however, that this firft refufal of the prefents is 
not deemed a decifive proof of diflike. The lover does not yet 
defpair of foftening the heart of his miftrefs: by a repetition of 
his attempts he may {till hope to accomplifh his object. The 
pofitive mark of an invincible difapprobation and rejection, and 
after which there is no longer any further ufe in negociation, or 
room for hope, is, when the young woman, inftead of giving the 
box containing the prefent back to the ambaffadrefs with her 
hands, fhe unloofes the cincture that keeps her drefs clofe to her 
waifl, and lets it fall between her bread and her fhift down to the 
ground. But if, on the contrary, fhe retains the prefent, then the 
young people confider themfelves as engaged to each other, and 
nothing but the marriage ceremony is wanting in order to confti- 
tute them hufband and wife. 
On the wedding-day, fome peafant among their neighbours, 
with the title of fpeaker, or orator, does the honours of the feaft. 
This orator is generally a perfbn who is not only endowed with a 
natural talent for fpeaking, but is alfo an improvifatore ; for he is 
cxpeded to make extempore verfes fuitable to the occafion, or any 
incidental circumftances : but the mod; curious and interefting 
ceremony of all, is that which takes place on the day after the 
marriage. All the guefls being affembled, as on the day of the 
ceremony. 
