18 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



criticism of us forced us to consider 'from luhat pedestal 

 of elegance we were reojarded. Not that 1 insinuate 

 any idea of our not having looked somewhat queer. 

 Our costume was but indifferently adapted to the 

 drawing-room, and would have obtained small suffrage 

 on the Boulevard des Italiens, the Prater, or Pail-Mall. 

 You shall judge. We are a lady and two men. The 

 lady, except that she carries a landing-net, and has 

 taken the precaution of putting on the things which 

 " won't spoil," has nothing out of the ordinary in her 

 costume. We are thus arrayed : a wide-awake hat ; an 

 old coat, with manifold pockets in unexpected places, 

 over which is slung a leathern case, containing hammer, 

 chisel, oyster -knife, and paper-knife ; trousers war- 

 ranted not to spoil ; over the trousers are drawn huge 

 worsted stockings, over which again are drawn huge 

 leathern boots. Mine are fisherman's boots, and come 

 a few inches over the knee. The soles are well nailed, 

 which is of material service in preventing our slipping 

 so much on the rocks. Now these boots, with the 

 worsted stockings peeping above, are not, it is true, 

 eminently sesthetic. I will not recommend them as 

 objects for the Journal des Modes ; but if you con- 

 sider the imperfect success which will attend any hesi- 

 tation as to walking into the water, — and through it, 

 — or if you reflect on the very mitigated pleasure of 

 feeling the water trickle into your boots, — you will at 

 once recognise the merit of such boots as I have just 

 described, covered with liquid india-rubber, and well 

 greased. Never mind the inelegance : handsome is as 

 handsome does ! 



