164 EASE OF ANIMALS SELDOM CONSIDERED. 



no matter whether the hind-wheels were a yard 

 farther more backward or more forward ; but as the 

 elliptic springs before and behind allow the carriage 

 the liberty of pitching forwards and backwards, or in 

 other words up and down, when the hinder part dips, 

 it in a certain manner gives a forward impetus to the 

 hind- wheels, and the carriage progresses. 'Carriages 

 are specifically lighter without a perch than with one ; 

 but if we were to place the hind- wheels of such car- 

 riages very far behind, the body being on springs, 

 I have no doubt but that, notwithstanding the addi- 

 tional weight a perch would be, such carriage would 

 run lighter with one than without, as it would, by 

 connecting the two axles, prevent the inclination 

 backwards given to the hinder one by the pressure of 

 the weight before it. If horses could talk they would 

 very much enlighten us as to where we do and where 

 we do not apply weight to their advantage. 



To enable horses to draw weight with the most ease 

 to themselves, it must be quite evident that the 

 means by which they draw being so adjusted to enable 

 them to work with the greatest comfort and ad- 

 vantage ought to be most minutely attended to ; but 

 it is a lamentable fact, that in our own country this is 

 less attended to where the greatest labour is often re- 

 quired than it is where less exertion is called for ; and 

 I must with sorrow but candour confess, I do hold the 

 lower orders of my countrymen, when they appear in 

 the character of omnibus drivers, postboys, horse- 

 keepers in coaching stables, carters, grooms, with a 

 long string of et-ceteras, to be the greatest brutes pos- 

 sible to horses. The very wretch who owes his live- 

 lihood to an unfortunate ass or miserable pony uses 

 him ill, and hundreds of animals are daily working in 



