300 COACHING. 



all the world possessed them, as they would 

 have been unable to present themselves 

 at court. Xo longer could they go to 

 the Palace on horses, although the privi- 

 lege was still allowed to certain Members 

 of Parliament. This, however, ceased entirely 

 about the middle of the reign of Louis 

 XIY. 



The adoption of this general use of wheel 

 carriages produced a great change in the 

 habits of social life, and had much influence 

 on the political state of the country. The 

 state of public roads, which the necessity of 

 travelling on horseback imposes, must imme- 

 diately influence all military movements and 

 all communication of intelligence, must triple 

 the expense of all commercial transfers, and 

 prevent, or render difficult, all merely social 

 meetings, except between the nearest neigh- 

 bours. 



When Laporte, the valet cle cliamhre to 

 Anne of Austria, tells us that in the Winter 

 of the year 1636, between Piteaux and Paris, 

 on the route of Orleans, the road was so 

 bad that the Queen was obhged to sleep 

 in her carriao-e because neither the mules 



