ration must have observed since the introduction of the Wellington, it may be seen otherwise. We were, it appears, a booted people before or at least were so considered.

"I will amaze my countrymen" said Gondemar, Spanish ambassador, to the court of James I. "by letting them know on my return that all London is booted and apparently ready to walk out of town.” The reflection certainly is curious; the old Poets, Heroes, were booted, and the Hero of Waterloo has given as proud a distinction to our own boot. But, then people in past days when they had their boots on were thought to look prepared for a journey, whereas, at present the boot is almost as domestic a thing as the slipper. We go to the ball room in it, the theatre, the houses of parliament, and even royalty itself is approached in the boot!"

The Wellington is unquestionably the most gentlemanly thing of its kind, and all the attempts of the Bluchers, Alberts, Clarences, Cambridges, and such like, to rival it most signally fail-its well known character for style, wear, and facility of repair has stamped it the boot of the present day.

A good Wellington boot of the softest calf leather, the sole moderately thick, the waist hollow and well arched, firm and yet flexible, cut to go on without dragging all your might with boot hooks, and made with an intermediate sole of felt to prevent creaking, is the best boot for general wear that can be made.

The varnished or patent leather Wellington is a handsome article of the same class, and is generally made with a tongue, the legs being of coloured morocco leather; it is now brought to a great state of perfection and our boot closers are the most perfect in the matter of fancy-closing, and stabbing in Europe.

For many years this department of the trade has been quite distinct from shoe making or boot making : originally closing, making the boot, shoe, and slipper, and even ladies' and childrens' shoes, was the work of one individual, now they are separate branches, and the closer has not only risen in this country, but his work is universally celebrated from this circumstance, for its strength and beauty. Perhaps nothing in the

way of workmanship is equal to what is termed blind stabbing the leather held between the workman's knees, is pierced with a small pointed awl, which he holds together with the flax or silken thread that is to follow in his right hand; his left on the inside of the boot leg, and in the dark, in an instant sends through the bristle, and receives through the same little hole the point of the right hand one; the thread is drawn the stitch formed, quickly another hole is made, and the same operation repeated.

Nothing in the way of sewing or stitching can equal this blind stabbing, one half of which is done in the dark, the skill being acquired by constant practice and the extreme delicacy of the touch; from 20 to 30 stitches have been done to the inch in this way, and in prize work as many as 60, every stitch being clear, sharply defined, and beautifully regular.

THE ELASTIC Boot for GenTLEMEN, is a light and easy article ; it does not encumber the leg, and unlike the half-and-half clarence with its valve of folded leather and all kinds of holes and contrivances-it fits

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the ankle like a stocking, and readily yields and elasticates to every motion of the feet and legs.

The cut represents an elastic boot with a golosh of leather all round, the upper part being cloth, silk, prunella, cashmere, kid, or the silk stocking net; the material generally determining the kind of boot it is to be, and the thickness of the sole. When it is required that the elastic boot should have the appearance of a Wellington, it is made entirely of leather, spring and all, and thus made when on the foot has every appearance of it, as no join is ever detected above the instep when the trowsers accidentally rise a little higher than the wearer of a would-be-Wellington sometimes wishes them.

Travellers find these boots great comforts, they

take up very little room in the portmanteau, are soon cleaned, and are on and off in an instant, if made of

patent leather they need only a wipe with an old silk handkerchief.

No boot hooks are ever required, the best hooks being nature's own, the fingers, and the only boot jack ever wanted is the toe of one boot applied to the heel of the other.

Dress Pumps-are almost the only shoes now worn, they are generally made of patent leather, and should be cut to sit well at the quarters.

The Oxonion Shoe is, however, a very useful article, and if properly made, is the best shoe for walking, and for wear. It laces up in front with three or four holes and sits snug about the quarters and heel, the vamp comes well above the joint and never hurts, by seams or pressure, the little toes-if it were not for the seam across the instep, girding and making it difficult to get the shoe on, and the frequent breaking at that part from the strain it undergoes, no shoe could be better.

I have, however, effected a great improvement in