MATIERE EMBROUILLE. 171 



I should sometimes do what is just to please them, or, 

 to say the least, not to abuse them. 



I recollect readino- of some student having; an 

 author to translate whose writing was somewhat diffi- 

 cult to turn into English, from his peculiar idioms ; 

 so whenever he came to a passage he could not per- 

 fectly comprehend, he always made a marginal note 

 to this eifect, " matiere embrouille.^^ I shall esteem 

 myself particularly favoured, if, on reading these 

 sheets of " Heads, Hands, and Heels," the Reader 

 does not make the same note on the whole : but dif- 

 ferent ideas have struck me as I got along, and in my 

 harumscarum omnium gatherum way I have traversed 

 a much wider field than I ever contemplated entering. 

 Having, however, got so far in the mire, I may as 

 Avell plunge a little farther, and try to get out with 

 as little detriment to myself or the patience of the 

 Reader as I possibly can. 



I have ventured my crude ideas on colt -breeders, 

 breakers, trainers, jockeys, stable-boys, huntsmen, 

 gentlemen, and I know not whom besides — a some- 

 thing; about racino' and hounds and hunting — and 

 also of riding; huntino- which I know is rather a 

 dangerous subject to treat upon : but, as I am seldom 

 personal in my remarks, I trust I as seldom give 

 offence ; and this emboldens me, after having ven- 

 tured some hints on riding, to risk one more on the 

 subject of the kind of horse to ride — I mean Avith 

 hounds. 



From the days when men went hunting on demi- 

 peak saddles, not merely with cruppers, but a light 

 breeching, their horses' tails in a club, and a large 

 single-headed curb bit, to the year 1750 when our 

 good grandpapas went out at four in the morning 



