LESSON TO KICKERS BIPED AND QUADRUPED. 151 



will do. It may be very right and very proper 

 to stop your coach and extricate them for a time 

 or two ; but they are cunning enough, and, ex- 

 pecting this, will often try the same trick on 

 again, and would then be constantly at it. The 

 next time my gentleman makes a rocking-horse 

 of his trace, lay the double thong well on to his 

 ears. Let him take his entire side of the coach 

 along for a mile, with the trace chafing his thigh ; 

 the chances are, if he gets the opportunity, he 

 will kick himself back into his proper place, and 

 not get on his hobby again. I must apprise those 

 readers who might, from want of practice, find 

 the three yards extra of thong somewhat difficult 

 to catch on a windy day, that double-thonging a 

 horse over the ears is one of the severest appli- 

 cations that can be made with a whip, and one 

 that never should be resorted to but on extreme 

 occasions, and where we are quite certain it is 

 fully merited. So in any commands we give, 

 or in any reprimands we may use towards any 

 person, justice, good feeling, and, indeed, common 

 sense, demand that we are quite sure the command 

 is proper, and the neglecting or disobeying it does 

 not proceed from its impropriety, or the impossi- 

 bility of its being carried into effect. Nothing 

 pleases a subordinate more than to receive a 

 command that he has the opportunity of showing 

 to be absurd or unreasonable. It authorises 

 L 4 



