HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP. 23 



weapon in his right hand), I think there is a peculiar 

 seat proper to many different styles of riding. The ex- 

 tremes are the manege and the Eastern styles, both 

 admirable in their way, and perfectly practical, but each 

 wholly inapplicable to the performances of the other. 



What can be more perfect than the seats of M. de Kraut 

 and the Marquis de Beauvilliers, in De la Gueriniere's work \ 

 or the engraving of that of M. de Nestier ? But I do not 

 think that a man in such a seat would look well, or perforin 

 well, in a five-pound saddle, over the beacon course ; still less 

 that he could lay the reins on the neck of a well-bred horse, 

 and at full speed lie along his horse's side, and with his own 

 body below his horse's back, prime and load a long gun, jump 

 up and use both hands to fire to the right, or left, or over his 

 horse's croupe ; or that he could wield a long heavy lance with 

 the power of a Cossack ; or, at full gallop, hurl the djerid 

 to the rear with the force of the Persian, and again, without 

 any diminution of speed, pick it from the ground. 



