DRESS 259 



When a horse gets into a ditch upon his back much 

 difficulty is often experienced in extricating him. 

 Countrymen are sought for to assist, and sometimes a 

 team of horses is brought into requisition. By passing 

 a stirrup leather through the stirrup iron so as to in- 

 crease the length of that which is attached to the 

 saddle, and procuring assistance to pull forward at 

 them in such a direction that the girths of the saddle 

 will assist the animal's exertions, while another person 

 endeavours to raise the horse's neck and shoulders, the 

 animal may generally be extricated from his difficulty 

 without any other auxiliary, unless the ditch be very 

 deep and inaccessible. 



The changes which have taken place in the manners 

 and customs of sportsmen have had a corresponding in- 

 fluence on dress, and it is rather singular that the 

 costume of the present day is very similar to that of 

 the commencement of the present century. How many 

 of the old school have expostulated in dolorous cadence 

 at the discontinuance of the brown-topped boot, de- 

 claring when that characteristic appointment went out 

 of fashion that the enthusiasm of fox-hunting had lost 

 its vitality. They must be highly gratified now that 

 the subject of their regret is reinstated in favour. It 

 would be difficult to explain in what way the chase has 

 at any period been influenced by the colour of a boot- 

 top. At the present period the tint of the boot-top is 

 so perfectly subservient to the taste of the wearer that 

 no man shall be denounced as outri, let his choice of 

 colour be what it may. Dark brown approximating to 

 black, with every shade between that and cream colour 

 to pure white, have each their supporters. Other tops 

 are seen absolutely blushing at the valet's eccentricity; 

 while some turn blue at the confusion of shades by 

 which they are surrounded. 



Peradventure it is argued that much attention to 

 dress is incompatible with the ardor venandi which 

 distinguishes the sportsman; that it divides the 

 thoughts, in fact, from the ostensible object. But I 



