ON DRAFT CATTLE. 285 



as the cafe ftands, belongs to the clafs of un- 

 avoidable evils ; unlefs cr vernment, from a re- 

 gard to the interefts of humanity, and the glory 

 of the country, were to provide their own 

 horfes, under the care of an able infpeclor. 



A frequent and fertile fource of mifchief is, 

 the fuffering horfes to ftand without any perfon 

 to hold them, whilft the coachman is abfent 

 from his box ; and this, I am forry to be au- 

 thorized to fay, is too often the cafe, even at 

 this inftant, 6 notwithftanding the number of ac- 

 cidents which have arifen from it. 



I have been informed, that mail-coach guards 

 have fometimes been very deficient in blowing 

 their horn, a part of their duty of the utmoft 

 confequence to the fafety of other travellers, 

 and carriages, in dark and foggy nights. Many 

 reports have been abroad of drivers proceed- 

 ing (lowly along that part of a ftreet in Lon- 

 don which was free of carriages, and of fetting 

 off, at the rate of fourteen or fifteen miles per 

 hour, the inftant they approached an embar- 

 rafted part. Of others, who were in the abfurd 

 and dangerous habit, of fetting off upon the 

 gallop, and with the whip, their horfes accuf- 

 tomed to it, (landing trembling, whilft they ex- 

 pected the coachman ; and this along danger- 

 ous and narrow ways. I repeat not thefe ob- 

 fervations, with the view of criminating, or 

 cafting an odium, upon any man, or body of 



men. 



