234 THE ADVENTURES OF A GENTLEMAN 



chief transferred from the neck to supply the band, 

 completes the jockey out of place. Another is a 

 long, loose fustian jacket, out at elbows, buttonless 

 and colorless, overlapping brown corded breeches, 

 that adhere to his person without the aid of braces, 

 by some chemical affinity as yet unknown to philoso- 

 phy, bears the marks of annual migration from the 

 stable yard to Newgate, and back again to summer 

 quarters at Epsom or Newmarket; — boots, that once 

 had tops, approach within six inches of the knee, 

 disclosing stockings that once were white. A third, 

 of more aspiring pretensions, struts in the cast-ofF 

 green frock and tight leathers of Sir John's whipper- 

 in ; a withered nosegay in his button-hole, and a 

 dusky, tattered belcher round his neck. Patched 

 stable-jackets, rough great coats, and here and there 

 a butcher's or a farrier's apron, denote more or less, 

 the wearer's habitual pursuit ; but all are alike 

 marked by certain characteristics of the sporting 

 tribe ; — one hand is employed in sounding the empti- 

 ness of the coat or breeches pocket, while the other, 

 armed with a whip or small ash switch, sometimes 

 applies it to the owner's boot, or horse's flank, and 

 at others, presses it in profound meditation against 



