This  was  worn  by  the  private  soldier  of  infan-
try, whose  officer  adopted  the  cocked-hat — ^the
same  in  its  shape  and  absolute  inutility  with
that  to  which  the  dragoon  or  cavalry  soldier
was  condemned.  By  and  by,  however,  the
Prussian  cap  went  out  of  fashion,  and  an  Aus-


HEAD-DRESS.  97

tiian  bead-dress  succeeded^ — a  thing  with  a
fake  front,  a  feather  stuck  on  one  side,  and  a
little  rolled  up  band  of  oil-skin  behind,  which
would,  it  was  said,  protect  the  wearer  from
catching  cold  when,  being  let  down,  it  was  tied
over  the  collar  of  his  coat.  Of  all  the  hideous
and  unprofitable  coverings  that  have  ever  been
applied  to  the  human  head,  this  was  the  most
absurd :  indeed  it  seemed  as  if  the  fabricator
had  laboured,  and  not  unsuccessfully,  to  pro-
duce a  machine  which  should  at  once  contribute
fo  the  discomfort  of  the  wearer's  person,  and
ntteriy  destroy  his  appearance.  Yet  it  kept  its
grtmod  several  years,  till  the  chakot  pushed  it
aad^  which,  with  the  bear-skin  cap,  the  heavy
head-dress  of  the  grenadier,  is  still  in  use.
Meanwhile  helmets  of  various  shapes  have  suc-
Cteded  one  another  in  the  heavy  cavalry,  by  far
the  most  elegant  as  well  as  the  most  useful  of
which  has  invariably  been  that  which  came
nearest  to  the  classical  model;  while  chakots,
liOBcers'  caps,  hussar  muffs,  and  I  know  not  how
mihj  abaardities  besides,  have  each  had  their
nSga  among  the  light  horse,
'^be  practice  of  dividing  military  bodies  into

VOL.  I.  F


98  DIVISION    OF   ARMIES

separate  corps  and  bands  may  be  said  to  be
coeval    with    the   rise    of  armies   themselves.
