262 RECORDS OF THE CHASE 



course. Lord Wilton would have to wear them as a 

 part of his racing costume ; and in order that the dress 

 of the stewards should be uniform, his lordship's 

 colleagues most probably adopted the same encase- 

 ments ; after which they found favour in Leicestershire, 

 and the fashion naturally spread into other countries. 



To attain distinction in the style of dress suitable for 

 the field is a matter of some difficulty. There are many 

 men who dress well for the ball-room, the promenade, 

 or for ordinary equestrian exercise who have exquisite 

 taste on those occasions, but who do not evince the same 

 propriety in the hunting-field. Patent-leather boots 

 and satin scarfs are not calculated to withstand the 

 effects of ploughed fields, deep muddy lanes, and bull- 

 finches; nevertheless we do occasionally see such per- 

 petrations at Cheltenham and Leamington. Mr. 

 Delme Radcliffe, with good taste, eschews black 

 cravats with top-boots under any circumstances ; and 

 although a blue bird's-eye is often worn by the most 

 punctilious in dress, it certainly does not carry the cor- 

 rectness of costume which appertains to the white. It 

 is in proper keeping with neatness and the most 

 scrupulous attention to cleanliness. 



Any one fastidious in dress of the present day is 

 generally recognised in a coat somewhat of the fol- 

 lowing description. It may be single or double- 

 breasted, made of a good strong cloth, cut nearly 

 straight, with the corners of the skirts just rounded 

 off; the waist made to come down nearly to the cantle 

 of the saddle, to afford protection to the back from 

 cold and wet; the collar moderate in height, and made 

 to turn up in the event of rain; the sleeves large, with 

 inner cuffs of elastic fabric. The body of the coat 

 should be made to fit loosely, as it will be less subject 

 to admit rain ; at the same time if it is extravagantly 

 loose it will be very cold. Caps are unquestionably 

 preferable to hats for many reasons : they afford 

 greater protection to the head in the event of falls; 

 they are not so liable to come off either from the effects 



