claim to a more ancient and more unmixed descent than their neighbours of the interior of the island; yet I must be allowed to express my doubts whether they exhibit, in their persons and character, any thing obviously peculiar. They seem to me of middle size and strength. Polwhele says, "they exceed not, in general, the middle size. I should father, indeed, say that they are short and thick, with legs perhaps too slight for their bodies. But, after all, they have more strength and activity than their eastern neighbours. It was observed of the regiment of Cornish Militia, when at Chatham Camp, in the time of Colonel Molesworth, that they stood on more ground than any other militia of the same number of men. This was attributed to the breadth of their shoulders, which. in comparison with the eastern men, was uncommonly striking."
This latter circumstance, which is certainly very remarkable, Mr. Polwhele attributes to the constant use of the pickaxe, or bidaxe by the Cornish peasants. "Where a man of York or Kent," says he, "would employ a shovel or a spade, a Cornish man uses a bidaxe. And, doubtless, the action that accompanies the strokes of the bidaxe must, like the ringing of bells, open the chest;" p. 31. The strength and activity of the Cornish peasantry are still further evinced, and, perhaps, produced, by an adherence to several of the athletic exercises more general in former times. The principal of these is wrestling, which is still much followed in this district.
Population.─This district is extremely populous, more so, probably, than any district of the kingdom not containing larger or more numerous towns. The number of inhabitants by the census in 1821,
