124 THE HUNTING FIELD 



no taste for. These creatures are only fit for pony 

 phaetons, or Mr. Brown's one-horse chay. Of all 

 abominations, however, that of slang servants is the 

 greatest — fellows who lard their answers with cant 

 terms, get their waistcoats as near their knees, and 

 their breeches as near their ancles as they can. 



An ill-mannered servant is a thing no gentleman 

 should have. Manner is a thing that speaks for itself, 

 therefore a master has no excuse in saying he did not 

 see the want of it when he hired the servant. There 

 is nothing bespeaks the low-lived ill-conditioned fellow 

 so much as calling gentlemen by their proper names, 

 as Thompson, Simpson, and so on. We know servants 

 do it among themselves ; indeed, it is in consequence 

 of their doing it among themselves that causes some 

 of them to sHp it out before their masters ; but candi- 

 dates for place may rely upon it it is very bad policy 

 letting an expectant master hear it. No judge would 

 ask any questions after such a display of familiarity. 

 Touching the hat is a thing there is less of, the lower 

 we get in the scale of servitude, till we reach John 

 Hawbuck fresh from the plough, who gives a familiar 

 grin, and says " it's a foine day." We remember the 

 observation of a nobleman's Stud-Groom one day, on 

 seeing a newly-caught yokel of theirs answer a gentle- 

 man without the touch of the hat, which was, that 

 " there would have to be a deal more politeness 

 before he did for fhem^ 



Touching the hat is an art, and can be made to 

 convey almost as much meaning as words. My lord's 

 servant will take his off, even to a commoner, if 

 the commoner is a friend of his lordship. Mr. 

 Plantagenet's will do the same, or raise his hand 

 slowly and respectfully till he gets fairly hold of the 

 brim. Captain Bolisher's, of the heavies, will give a 

 sort of back hand salute. Mr. Rattlebar's, whose 

 master drives the coach, gives a comical sort of twirl 

 of his arm, as thoueh he wanted to look under his 



