upon the capabilities
of either body or mind, until they are drawn out by some occasion of
peculiar interest, in which those of either or both are thrown upon
their own energies and resources. In my opinion, the great secret or
the directing principle of all enterprise rests in the motive of action;
for, whenever a suitable interest can be given to the principles of
human conduct, the person bound by, and feeling that interest will not
only perform as much as could possibly be expected from his natural
powers, but he will recruit his energies by drawing in all the
adventitious aid which the various relations of that interest, as they
extend to other objects, are capable of affording him. It was amazing,
for instance, to observe the vigor and perseverance with which feeble,
sickly old creatures, performed the necessary austerities of this
dreadful pilgrimage;--creatures, who if put to the same fatigue, on any
other business, would at once sink under it; but the motive supplied
energy, and the infirmities of nature borrowed new strength from the
deep and ardent devotion of the spirit.

The first that I suspected of being fellow pilgrims were two women whom
I overtook upon the way. They were dressed in gray cloaks, striped red
and blue petticoats; drugget, or linseywoolsey gowns, that came within
about three inches of their ankles. Each had a small white bag slung at
her back, which contained the scanty provisions for the journey, and the
oaten cakes, crisp and hard-baked, for the pilgrimage to the lake. The
hoods of their cloaks fell down their backs, and each dame had a spotted
cotton kerchief pinned around her _dowd_ cap at the chin, whilst the
remainder of it fell down the shoulders, over the cloaks. Each had also
a staff in her hand, which she held in a manner peculiar to a travelling
woman--that is, with her hand round the upper end of it, her right thumb
extended across its head, and her arm, from the elbow down, parallel
with the horizon. The form of each, owing to the want of that spinal
strength and vigor which characterize the erect gait of man, was bent a
little forward, and this, joined to the idea produced by the nature
of their journey, gave to them something of an ardent and devoted
character, such as the mind and eye would seek for in a pilgrim, I saw
them at some distance before me, and knew by the staves and white bags
behind them that they were bound for Lough Derg. I accordingly stretched
out a little