第38部分(第1/7 页)

ho　had　known　how　to　be　merry；　in　their　day）；　that　they　wouldpare　favourably；　in　point　of　holiday　keeping；　with　theirdescendants；　even　at　so　long　an　interval　as　ourselves。　Their　immediateposterity；　the　generation　next　to　the　early　emigrants；　wore　theblackest　shade　of　Puritanism；　and　so　darkened　the　national　visage　withit；　that　all　the　subsequent　years　have　not　sufficed　to　clear　it　up。　Wehave　yet　to　learn　again　the　forgotten　art　of　gaiety。 The　picture　of　human　life　in　the　market…place；　though　its　generaltint　was　the　sad　grey；　brown；　or　black　of　the　English　emigrants；　wasyet　enlivened　by　some　diversity　of　hue。　A　party　of　Indians…　in　theirsavage　finery　of　curiously　embroidered　deer…skin　robes；wampum…belts；　red　and　yellow　ochre；　and　feathers；　and　armed　with　thebow　and　arrow　and　stone…headed　spear…　stood　apart；　with　countenancesof　inflexible　gravity；　beyond　what　even　the　Puritan　aspect　couldattain。　Nor；　wild　as　were　these　painted　barbarians；　were　they　thewildest　feature　of　the　scene。　This　distinction　could　more　justly　beclaimed　by　some　mariners…a　part　of　the　crew　of　the　vessel　from　theSpanish　Main…　who　had　e　ashore　to　see　the　humours　of　ElectionDay。　They　were　rough…looking　desperadoes；　with　sun…blackened　faces；and　an　immensity　of　beard；　their　wide；　short　trousers　were　confinedabout　the　waist　by　belts；　often　clasped　with　a　rough　plate　of　gold；and　sustaining　always　a　long　knife；　and；　in　some　instances；　a　sword。From　beneath　their　broad…brimmed　hats　of　palm…leaf；　gleamed　eyeswhich；　even　in　good…nature　and　merriment；　had　a　kind　of　animalferocity。　They　transgressed；　without　fear　or　scruple；　the　rules　ofbehaviour　that　were　binding　on　all　others；　smoking　tobacco　under　thebeadle's　very　nose；　although　each　whiff　would　have　cost　a　townsman　ashilling；　and　quaffing；　at　their　pleasure