^74 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



in the whole of the papers, " Ladies on Horse- 

 back," as to kindness, temper, and gentleness 

 in the treatment of a horse I most cordially 

 endorse, and I have to thank the fair authoress 

 for the pleasure I have had in their perusal. 



A word or two in answer to " The Lady- 

 l)ird." In reply to her opening remarks, I 

 merely observe, " use is second nature," and 

 had she happened to have lived before '* Anne 

 of Bohemia " introduced side-saddles she 

 would have had no room for " indignation "; 

 possibly in that case she would have always 

 Tidden pillion. Oh ! if we could only once 

 realise how much we are the slaves of fashion, 

 how soon would the yoke be broken ! Con- 

 trast the crinoline of 1857 and the umbrella- 

 case attire of 1877 ; put a fashionable belle of 

 the latter alongside her sister of only twenty 

 years earlier mode. What a satire on taste, 

 •on modesty so called ! But I would also ask 

 ** Ladybird " (if it be worth her while) to read 

 a,gain my letter of the 18th, and she will find 

 I did not complain of the side-saddle, which I 

 liave an idea I can use, but pointed out its 

 great inferiority (which I maintain) to the 



