THE REIGN OF QL'EEN A.\\E AND HER INFLUENCE ON R AC INC. 183 



men left so far behind as in these dull days are our too-decorous swains. The scents 

 of ambergris, of bergamot, of marjoram, of lavender-tic >\v IT. were far from being 

 monopolised by " the Sex." There was even a certain set of painted and ridiculous 

 fops who brought back from Paris a redundant effeminacy which fortunately did not 

 trust its red-heeled shoes and bright silk stockings too far from the sanctuaries of 

 St. James's Street The big dress wig of the period was a thing to be treated with 

 respect, for it was made of woman's hair that cost $ an ounce, and was replaced 

 on Newmarket Heath by the " black riding wig" which the " Spectator" saw. Hut 

 the men who went Racing were a brilliant crowd, even if they disdained the fopperies 

 of the acknowledged beau. Their low cocked-hats were usually black, but they 



wore brilliant scarlet 

 cloaks in rainy 

 weather, for the days 

 of umbrellas were not 

 yet. The exquisites 

 among them even 

 carried little muffs, 

 and nearly all had 

 perspective glasses 

 and clouded canes 

 with amber tops to 

 them ; and they lost 

 their silver- hilted 

 swords (and adver- 

 tised for them) so 

 often that we should know almost exactly how they were made, even if a good 

 many of the best examples had not waited in the most obliging manner for 

 the modern man of taste to rescue them from long oblivion and concealment. 

 Your nobleman, in those times when rank meant something more than title, 

 was not afraid to wear his ribbon and his star at any public gathering ; and 

 the young men all left their waistcoats open to display the folds of their fine 

 Holland shirts, and the graceful lines of the " steinkirk " at their throats. Smok- 

 ing had not yet been countenanced in the open air, though the snuff-box was 

 already indispensable ; nor had cigars encroached upon the sacred hours men 

 gave to port, which soon drove out French claret as being the more patriotic 



Loril Strange' s " Sportsman" 

 By permission of H.R.H. Prince Christian. 



