The Seated mid Feather-edge Shoe. 155 



of the commoTi class of use for roadsters and 

 hackneys, and it is but seldom that we see one 

 well made. The seating of the shoe is generally 

 unlevel, with the outer edge the highest, whereas 

 the seated shoe should be of an equal thickness 

 from toe to heel, perfectly flat and parallel, only 

 varying in width according to the formation of 

 the hoof to which it is to be applied, and similar 

 to the ordinary shoe in the fullering. The foot 

 surface, however, diJffers in having a narrow plain 

 rim about the same width as the thickness of the 

 crust, extending round the edge of the shoe, 

 except at the heel, where it presents a flat sur- 

 face to the extent of an inch ; the other part of 

 the shoe is hollowed out, bevelling from the inner 

 edge of the seat, making it thin except at the 

 heel, which is the same thickness throughout, 

 the intention being that the crust of the foot 

 should bear upon and be supported by the seat 

 of the shoe. The advantage of this shoe over 

 the ordinary one is that of the crust resting on 

 a flat surface instead of on an inclined plane, and 

 as it bears on the edge it is less liable to induce 

 contraction. The heel of the shoe should have a 

 fair bearing upon the heel and bars of the foot. 

 The bars should upon no account be cut away. 

 Almost all smiths have a fancy for opening the 

 heels, from the idea that it does good by render- 

 ing the foot neater, which is a complete fallacy, 

 as they ought seldom or never to be touched ; as 

 I have already shown in my description of the 

 anatomy of the foot, the bars are the only check 

 in preventing contraction, Nothing, therefore, 



