THE ROAD. 
who sits beside him on the bench, his horses going at 
the rate of a mile in three minutes at the time. " But 
suppose anything should break, or a linchpin should 
give way and let a wheel loose ? " is the next appeal to 
the communicative but not very consoling proprietor. 
" Nothing can break, sir," is the reply ; " all of the very 
best stuff; axletrees of the best K. Q. iron, faggotted 
edgeways, well bedded in the timbers ; and as for linch- 
pins, we have not one about the coach. We use the 
best patent boxes that are manufactured. In short, sir, 
you are as safe in it as if you were in your bed." 
" Bless me," exclaims the old man, " what improve- 
ments ! And the roads ! " " They are perfection, 
sir," says the proprietor : "no horse walks a yard in 
this coach between London and Exeter all trotting- 
ground now." "A little galloping ground, I fear," 
whispers the senior to himself! " But who has effected 
all this improvement in your paving ? " "An American 
of the name of M'Adam," was the reply "but coach- 
men call him the Colossus of Roads. Great things have 
likewise been done in cutting through hills and altering 
the course of roads : and it is no uncommon thing now- 
a-days to see four horses trotting away merrily down 
hill on that very ground where they formerly were seen 
walking up hill."* 
* Most roads through hilly countries were originally struck out by 
drivers of pack-horses, who, to avoid bogs, chose the upper ground. Con- 
sequently, it often happened that point B was lower than point A ; yet to 
go from A to B the traveller ascended a hill to secure sound footing, and 
then descended to his point; 
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