RIDIXG NOT SYXOXYMOUS TO STAYMAKING. 31 



colour unless requested to do so by tlie noble 

 master, or the Marchioness. I could wisli every 

 hunt had a direct distinguishing livery or uniform 

 for it : it possesses several advantages. It creates 

 a respect for the wearer; it shows him to be a 

 man known and estimated by the hunt, and, like 

 the uniform of the military man^ is a check on 

 many acts that might be done when in mufty. 

 Any stranger who is out, seeing a man in the 

 coat of the hunt start well and go well, takes 

 him for his pilot ; and by so doing steers clear of 

 mischief which he otherwise, from ignorance of 

 localities, might be led into. Should one of the 

 hunt get thrown a little astray, if he sees a man 

 in the uniform going a field or so off, he recognises 

 him as " one of us,^' and feels he is all right : if, 

 on the contrary, he merely rides after a plain 

 red coat, he may be following a stay-maker from 

 Cheapside, who knows as much of the country as 

 the other does of stays. 



Mais a-projjos (not) de bottes, but coats, 1 will 

 here mention an anecdote that affords me much 

 pleasure in narrating, as it shows an instance of 

 feeling and refinement in a servant that should 

 make us keep in mind that there sometimes is 

 among this class of persons, when treated with 

 proper consideration, the germ of sentiment worthy 

 a higher order: — 



The imiform of the Hatfield hunt was, as 



