maidens　ofold　English　birth　and　breeding；　than　in　their　fair　descendants；separated　from　them　by　a　series　of　six　or　seven　generations；　for；throughout　that　chain　of　ancestry；　every　successive　mother　hastransmitted　to　her　child　a　fainter　bloom；　a　more　delicate　andbriefer　beauty；　and　a　slighter　physical　frame；　if　not　a　character　ofless　force　and　solidity；　than　her　own。　The　women　who　were　now　standingabout　the　prison…door　stood　within　less　than　half　a　century　of　theperiod　when　the　man…like　Elizabeth　had　been　the　not　altogetherunsuitable　representative　of　the　sex。　They　were　her　country…women；　andthe　beef　and　ale　of　their　native　land；　with　a　moral　diet　not　a　whitmore　refined；　entered　largely　into　their　position。　The　brightmorning　sun；　therefore；　shone　on　broad　shoulders　and　well…developedbusts；　and　on　round　and　ruddy　cheeks；　that　had　ripened　in　thefar…off　island；　and　had　hardly　yet　grown　paler　or　thinner　in　theatmosphere　of　New　England。　There　was；　moreover；　a　boldness　androtundity　of　speech　among　these　matrons；　as　most　of　them　seemed　to　be；that　would　startle　us　at　the　present　day；　whether　in　respect　to　itspurport　or　its　volume　of　tone。 〃Goodwives；〃　said　a　hard…featured　dame　of　fifty；　〃I'll　tell　ye　apiece　of　my　mind。　It　would　be　greatly　for　the　public　behoof；　if　wewomen；　being　of　mature　age　and　church…members　in　good　repute；　shouldhave　the　handling　of　such　malefactresses　as　this　Hester　Prynne。　Whatthink　ye；　gossips？　If　the　hussy　stood　up　for　judgment　before　usfive；　that　are　now　here　in　a　knot　together；　would　she　e　off　withsuch　a　sentence　as　the　worshipful　magistrates　have　awarded？　Marry；　Itrow　not！〃 〃People　say；〃　said　another；　〃that　the　Reverend　Master　Dimmesdale；her　godly　pastor；　takes　it　very　grievously　to　heart　that　such　ascandal　should　have　e　upon　his　congregation。〃