His appearance on horseback was not advantageous, and he seemed
aware of it, for he made many excuses for his dress and equestrian
appointments. His horse was literally covered with various trappings,
in the way of cavesons, martingales, and Heaven knows how many other
(to me) unknown inventions. The saddle was _à la Hussarde_ with
holsters, in which he always carried pistols. His dress consisted of
a nankeen jacket and trousers, which appeared to have shrunk from
washing; the jacket embroidered in the same colour, and with three
rows of buttons; the waist very short, the back very narrow, and the
sleeves set in as they used to be ten or fifteen years before; a black
stock, very narrow; a dark-blue velvet cap with a shade, and a very
rich gold band and large gold tassel at the crown; nankeen gaiters,
and a pair of blue spectacles, completed his costume, which was any
thing but becoming. This was his general dress of a morning for
riding, but I have seen it changed for a green tartan plaid jacket. He
did not ride well, which surprised us, as, from the frequent allusions
to horsemanship in his works, we expected to find him almost a Nimrod,
It was evident that he had _pretensions_ on this point, though he
certainly was what I should call a timid rider. When his horse made a
false step, which was not unfrequent, he seemed discomposed; and when
we came to any bad part of the road, he immediately checked his course
and walked his horse very slowly, though there really was nothing to
make even a lady nervous. Finding that I could perfectly manage (or
what he called _bully_) a very highly-dressed horse that I daily rode,
he became extremely anxious to buy it; asked me a thousand questions
as to how I had acquired such a perfect command of it, &c. &c. and
entreated, as the greatest favour, that I would resign it to him as a
charger to take to Greece, declaring he never would part with it, &c.
As I was by no means a bold rider, we were rather amused at observing