The Merry Past 



which gave distinctive decoration to the knights of 

 the Order. The Due d'Aumont was, it is said, the 

 last Grande Croix, or Grand Master of the Order, 

 which is now fallen into decay. 



In the eighteenth century a number of great ladies 

 disdained the side-saddle when hunting, and were 

 habited a V Anglais e down to the waist. 



This jacket was a riding habit, but having very 

 large loose trousers for their lower garment, and 

 sometimes all buttoned down the side. 



In Italy, when the first British female was seen on 

 the side-saddle, the passers-by exclaimed : ''Pater de 

 Bacco I ecco una donna a Cavallo con una ganiha " : 

 " By the power of Bacchus " (a substitute for an oath), 

 " behold a lady on horseback with one leg ! " 



The costume of a gentleman hunting with Louis 

 XV was of a most ornate description. A plain cocked 

 hat, heavy boots, a blue coat of great dimensions 

 with covered buttons, a scarlet waistcoat with broad 

 gold lace, blue velvet inexpressibles, knee caps (man- 

 chettes de bottes) as white as snow, a couteau de chasse 

 by his side richly mounted in silver, and with a crimson 

 velvet scabbard. The saddle was of a sort known as 

 " demi-pique," with a crimson saddle-cloth bordered 

 with rich gold lace. The hair was dressed in large 

 curls on the head and bagged in a rosette behind, 

 which mode of hair-dressing survived till the reign of 

 Louis XVI, though anyone wearing it as late as that 

 date was derisively called a " Crapeau." 



In England, also, there have in the past been 

 magnificently turned-out hunts. When Lord Barry- 



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