THE XOBLE SCIENCE. 131 



than to the sportsman ; and I believe that, as far as 

 they are supposed to be the means of persuasion, as 

 many races have been lost as won by their stimulus. — 

 Spurs, however, if not indispensable, are unquestion- 

 ably useful when properly applied : if a horse require 

 them to quicken his progress, he may be as well without 

 them ; but they may very much aid the hand, if used 

 in concert, in keeping a horse straight, preventing him 

 swerving from his fences, and are important upon any 

 sudden occasion of rousing his energies. They must, 

 therefore, be numbered in the inventory of hunting 

 requisites. The vocation of the sportsman leads him 

 constantly amidst " the war of elements ;" — experience 

 will best direct him, as to the efficacy of his equipment 

 from head to foot. He should ever be mindful of the 

 precept of old Parr, and " keep his feet warm by 

 exercise, and his head cool by temperance." My only 

 object in writing an article upon, or, rather, of writing 

 a word upon an article of dress, is that of noticing the 

 fact, that inasmuch as the demeanour of the " courtly 

 Chesterfield " — (although he did, after riding "beyond all 

 price," presume to " wonder how men ever hunted 

 twice"), — is that which is far more consistent with the 

 character of a real fox-hunter, than the drinking, 

 swaggering, rough-and-ready picture of the mere vermin 

 killer, so constantly misrepresented as the squire of 

 former days ; so, also, is the most correct mode of 

 habiliment (the total absence of all which, born of bad 

 taste, is, in slang parlance, designated as '' swell," — or 



9—2 



