THE FIELD 129 



field buy good enough clothes, boots, and hats, but have 

 no idea how to wear them, or keep them in order, and 

 they present a most untidy appearance. 



The beginner, no matter where he intends to 

 hunt, should at least have a look at a good country 

 before he commences operations. He should spend a 

 week in the Shires, go early to the meets, on wheels 

 or on his own legs, and should take thorough stock of 

 everything. The hounds he need not trouble about 

 unless he has a special leaning in that direction, but he 

 should mark the horses, their condition, saddles, bridles, 

 how they are brought to covert, and make himself 

 master of what constitutes a proper appearance. He 

 should then turn to the men, and study their coats, 

 boots, breeches, hats, neck-wear, spurs, hunting-crops, 

 and in fact every factor in the whole turn-out. He will 

 then observe which cut of coat suits a long, lean man, 

 which looks best on a short, stumpy figure, or the 

 sort which can hardly be made to look becoming at 

 any cost. A few days of this sort of thing, and his 

 mind and vision will be attuned to what is correct 

 and what is bad style in hunting costume, and he will 

 be in a far better position to tackle the subject with his 

 tailor and bootmaker than if he went to them perfectly 

 innocent of how to dress for hunting. 



And beginners should remember that many excellent 

 tailors are not hunting men, and have no real know- 

 ledge of the subject ; they can cut and make hunting 

 clothes, but the greater part of their knowledge is 

 derived from ascertaining and quickly noting the 

 opinions of hunting men who are particular about 

 their clothes, and though tailors have a knack of 

 altering the fashions as often as they can, it is only 

 in very small matters that they can bring about any 

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