COACHING 



at rest) ; and more especially when laden as this 

 coach was — the greater part of the weight being 

 forward. The situation of our friend, then, was 

 once more deplorable. The Regulator takes but 

 twenty-three minutes for these celebrated five miles, 

 which cannot be done without *' springing the cattle" 

 now and then ; and it was in one of the very best 

 of their gallops of that day, that they were met 

 by the coachman of the Comet, who was return- 

 ing with his up-coach. When coming out of rival 

 yards, coachmen never fail to cast an eye to the 

 loading of their opponents on the road, and now 

 that of the natty artist of the Comet experienced 

 a high treat. He had a full view of his quondam 

 passenger, and thus described his situation. 



* He was seated with his back to the horses — 

 his teeth set grim as death — his eyes cast down 

 towards the ground, thinking the less he saw of 

 his danger the better. There was what is called 

 a top-heavy load — perhaps a ton of luggage on the 

 roof, and it may be not quite in obedience to the 

 Act of Parliament standard.^ There were also two 



^ 50 Geo. III., c. 48 came into operation in 1810. This enacted that on a 

 four-horse coach baggage might be piled to a height of 2 feet. To encourage 

 low-hung coaches this law allowed baggage to be piled to a height of 10 ft. 

 9 in. from the ground. 



37 F 



