12 HORSES AND ROADS. 



that ' the frame of the horse is stronger than 

 machinery; but it cannot resist the wilfulness of 

 human misrule.' Yet, strangely enough, this gentle- 

 man, energetically as he speaks, has also failed to 

 seek in mechanics a means of saving the shaft horse 

 excessive and superfluous labour when going down 

 hill, whether over slippery paving, or over rough 

 country roads. 



Amongst the societies which we rejoice to 

 possess in England, there is one to prevent dangerous 

 driving. How many of those who form this society 

 have this sensible appendage to any of their own 

 carriages, even those to which they daily trust their 

 own necks? Accidents are not always the faults 

 of drivers. About a year and a half ago, a brougham 

 horse took fright at the engine whistle, and bolted 

 down Ludgate Hill at a gallop. The weather was 

 dry, and the hill not slippery. The coachman suc- 

 ceeded in turning into Farringdon Street (although 

 it looked as if that was the way the horse wanted to 

 go) ; yet, up the street, it ran into another carriage, 

 and both were wrecked, and both horses very much 

 hurt. Fortunately, no person was seriously injured 

 on the occasion; but the pecuniary damage was 

 great. If the coachman had had, close to his right 

 hand, the handle of a brake which he could have 

 instantly applied firmly to both wheels, he could have 

 diminished the speed from the outset, and have stopped 

 entirely before he came to the spot where the collision 

 occurred ; or, at least, he might have brought the 

 speed down sufficiently to enable himself and the 



