COLOUR AND MAKING UP OF CLOTHING. 57 



having but little dye in it may, perhaps, be the 

 reason of its lasting qualities, as it is, of course, 

 well known that all dyes are more or less apt to 

 rot the material dved. 



However, the colour must depend on the reader's 

 choice. Any saddler will show him a number of 

 good patterns which he can select from ; but what- 

 ever may be his choice, it is of consequence that 

 the clothing should be properly cut. If any 

 saddler were asked if he could make a suit of horse- 

 clothing, he would at once reply ' that he could, of 

 course.' So, likewise, anv tailor will assure a 

 customer that he can make a pair of hunting- 

 breeches. The result of believing in this assurance 

 would, I think, go far to prove that the former 

 would probably end in as great a failure as the 

 latter. My own experience reminds me of the most 

 remarkable productions regarding both. 



It is quite the exception to get horse-clothing 

 well cut. A good London or really first-class 

 provincial saddler will doubtless be able to do so. 

 The ordinary local man will very possibly provide 

 precisely the same material as the London man, 

 bat he either will not or cannot cut it ; he either 

 skimps or bags it. It is tight where it should 

 be loose, and vice versd, and short where it should 

 be long, etc. The result is that it is wretchedly 



