40 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



of lier horse, without any rigidity whatever from 

 foot to hand and head, to my mind, is the prettiest 

 thing imaginable ! 



Now, let lis look at it the other way. A lady, 

 seated all on one side, as if she was about to slip 

 off, or as if she had been hung like a clothes-bag 

 on the crutch of her saddle, as though it was a peg 

 to hang beautiful things on, or, for that purpose, 

 even if slie is pretty, is not, in that equestrian 

 position, an admirable sight to longing eyes. A 

 badly made habit is a bad thing, an ill-chosen hat 

 is bad ; and here, again, I am bound to declare my 

 real opinion — the ugliest thing in the world is 

 tlie '^ chimney-pot hat." I would far sooner see a 

 graceful hat and a little feather, of any kind, but 

 the chimney-pot sliape and make is my detes- 

 tation, however much I may love and admire the 

 face beneath it. The only ^^l^ce I can tolerate it 

 in is the hunting field. It ought never to appear 

 in Hyde Park. 



In alluding to the equestrianship of ladies, I 

 remember writing the following lines to one whose 

 apj)earance came suddenly upon me ; so as they 

 yet may be interesting to her by whom tliey were 

 suggested, though, perhaps, to no very great 



