Page 66 - erewhon

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 part-
ed lips in great bewilderment, I forgot all thoughts of their
conversion in feelings that were far more earthly. I was daz-
zled 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 mer-
ry; 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 hundred details which struck me with all the
force of novelty; but I must not stay to do so.
When we had got past the village the fog rose, and re-
vealed magnificent views of the snowy mountains and their
nearer abutments, while in front I could now and again
catch glimpses of the great plains which I had surveyed on
the preceding evening. The country was highly cultivated,