HARRIEKS. 189 



the first time — distingMiished by their correct costume and 

 mimistakably hired animals — caps and wliite breeches, 

 spotless tops and shining Napoleons — were mounted on 

 hacks battered about the legs, and rather rough in the 

 coat, though hard and full of go ; but trousers were the 

 prevailing order of the day. Medical men were evident, 

 in correct white ties, on neat] ponies and superior cobs ; 

 military in mufti, on pulling steeplechasers ; some farm- 

 ers in leggings on good young nags for sale, and good 

 old ones for use. London lawyers in heather mixture 

 shooting- suits and Park hacks; lots of little boys and 

 girls on ponies — white or cream-coloured being the fa- 

 vourites ; at least one master of far distant fox-hounds 

 pack, on a blood-colt, master and horse alike new to the 

 country and to the sport. Eiding-masters, with their 

 lady pupils tittupping about on the live rocking-horses 

 that form the essential stock of every riding-master's 

 establishment, with one or two papas of the pupils — 

 " worthy " aldermen, or authorities of the Stock Exchange, 

 expensively mounted, gravely looking on, with an expres- 

 sion of doubt as to whether they ought to have been 

 there or not; and then a crowd of the nondescripts, 

 bankers and brewers trying to look like squires, neat and 

 grim, among the well and ill dressed, well and ill 

 mounted, who form the staple of every watering-place, — 

 with this satisfactory feature pervading the whole gather- 

 ing, that with the exception of a few whose first appear- 

 ance it was in saddle on any turf, and the before-men- 

 tioned grim brewers, all seemed decidedly jolly and 

 determined to enjoy themselves. 



The hounds drew up ; to criticise them elaborately 

 would be as unfair, under the circumstances, as to 

 criticise a pot-luck dinner of beans and bacon put before 

 a hungry man. They are not particularly handsome — 



