42 THE SPORTING FISH 



behind them a ridiculous and often muddy train, 

 which if it does not do duty for a road-sweeper 

 cannot certainly be shown to subserve to any 

 other useful purpose. 



" The influence of dress has been recognized by 

 many philosophers as exercising a powerful effect 

 in moulding the national character ; and I am 

 quite satisfied that if English men and women, 

 and those living in town as well as in the country, 

 were to adopt a dress allowing greater freedom 

 and play to the limbs and muscles, and (so far as 

 men are concerned) would discard, once and for 

 all, chimney-pot hats, frock coats, leg-bags — I use 

 the term literally, not in a slangy sense — and the 

 other paraphernalia of the hand-box, there would 

 be a marked advance in the manliness and 'robust- 

 ness ' of the race. 



" Women who shoot or fish should never hesi- 

 tate to wear a dress suitable for the purpose ; 

 long skirts are not only constantly in the way, but 

 often prove a source of real danger to the wearer. 

 The same remark holds still more true in regard to 

 long riding-habits ; and if the readers of these lines 

 had seen as many accidents, and hair-breadth es- 

 capes from accidents, in the hunting field, as I have, 

 owing to long skirts, they would join in the outcry 

 which ought, in the name of common sense, to be 

 raised against them. However, I am glad to see 

 that there is some improvement of late years in 

 this respect also. 



