216 coACHma. 



any peacock that ever strutted in a poultry- 

 yard. 



But, alas for human greatness ! my pride 

 was doomed to have a fall. Just as we 

 approached the " Bear Inn " the leader 

 became restive, turned round and stared 

 me in the face, a mode of salutation by no 

 means agreeable ; then he began to lash out, and 

 finally succeeded in upsetting us and breaking 

 the shafts. Happily, we escaped unhurt in 

 body, though not in feeling. 



In thus alluding to scenes of juvenile folly, 

 I cannot forget that I once was young, and 

 that there are still many (among them my only 

 son, now studying farming at Her Majesty's 

 Royal Norfolk Farm, Windsor Great Park), with 

 others at private tutors' and college, equally 

 devoted to the box as I was. To them I would 

 offer a few suggestions respecting tandem- 

 driving, which of all vehicles is the most diffi- 

 cult to manage. 



Its height from the ground and peculiar 

 lightness of construction renders it, at first 

 sight, a very formidable machine ; and the only 

 way to prevent disaster is for the driver to 

 obtain a firm grasp of the reins before he ven- 

 tures to cheer his tits, and to ascertain the 



