346 LENGTH OF THE COATS. 



activity, it is evident that he should not be unnecessarily en- 

 cumbered. As any great dissimilarity between the length of 

 the coachman's and groom's coats is displeasing to the eye, 

 the extremes to which the length of either coat should be 

 carried is limited. 



Although the measurements for the livery here given are 

 in accordance with the recognized standard, the reasons ad- 

 vanced for the exact differences in the length of the coach- 

 man's and groom's coats are not sufficient to reconcile the 

 writer to an unconditional acceptance of them. That the 

 groom's coat should in all instances be short enough to en- 

 able him to perform his duties without being encumbered, 

 yet long enough to give as much protection as is compatible 

 with the first consideration, is rational enough ; but to argue 

 that the coachman requires more protection because he is 

 less active is fallacious, as he is protected by a robe and is 

 not exposed to the inclemency of the weather to any such 

 degree as is the groom. It therefore seems reasonable to 

 suppose that all the practical requirements would be satisfied 

 if the groom's coat was made to meet the needs of his posi- 

 tion and the coachman's coat cut to correspond, with possibly 

 the exception of the side pockets as a mark of distinction. 

 Under such conditions there would not be the dissimilarity 

 in the number and location of the buttons, nor the necessity 

 of another coat when the two servants were in attendance as 

 grooms for a coach or mail phaeton, etc. 



Some authorities sanction the use of only five buttons on 

 the front of the groom's coat and the placing of the lowest 

 skirt button a little distance above the bottom of the coat 

 and the middle one equidistant between the other two. The 

 argument in favor of this difference is that the groom's coat 



