40 



was cancelled and a duty of 53. per head 

 imposed on every horse sent over sea. 



As proving the wide interest now taken 

 in racing, the publication in 1680 of a 

 curious little book called The Compleat 

 Gamester, may be mentioned. This gives 

 very full and minute instructions for the 

 preparation and training of racehorses. 



Stage coaches and waggons increased in 

 number during Charles II.'s reign. There 

 is among the Harleian Miscellany (vol. viii.) 

 a tract dated 1673, * n which the writer 

 adduces several reasons for the suppression 

 of coaches, " especially those within 40, 50, 

 or 60 miles off London." His first reason 

 for objecting to the coach is that it works 

 harm to the nation " by destroying the breed 

 of good horses, the strength of the nation, 

 and making men careless of attaining to 

 good horsemanship, a thing so useful and 

 commendable in a gentleman." Charles 

 apparently did not share this opinion ; at 

 all events, he gave countenance to the 

 coach-building industry by founding, in 1677, 

 the Company of Coach and Coach Harness 

 Makers.* 



* History of the Art of Coach Building. By Geo. A. 

 Thrupp, London, 1876. 



