254 WHAT HAS HAPPENED MAY HAPPEN. 



will probably go quietly ; but if something unusual 

 does occur, where are you then ? 



I remember, when a boy, my father driving me in 

 the curricle from Guildford to Cobham : in the middle 

 of Payne's Hill the nut that fastened one of the swing 

 bars to the carriage shook out : luckily he had driven 

 these horses some years, and though high-couraged 

 ones, they were perfectly good tempered and used to 

 their work ; so no harm happened : but suppose they 

 had been young ones, with only the tuition young 

 ones generally get, is it to be supposed such a horse 

 would have borne a bar banging against his hocks 

 without being frightened, and in all probability 

 starting off and kicking every step ? These horses 

 had been so accustomed to feel the pole and splinter- 

 bar of a carriage against their quarters .in putting to 

 and taking off, that they thought nothing about it ; 

 and what horses thus learn from casual events during 

 length of time, I maintain a colt should be taught in 

 a few weeks, by habituating him to it by degrees 

 and gentleness : that is, if he is intended to be put 

 into the generality of men's hands. 



I think I hear some very knowing and self- 

 opinionated amateur coachman say, "But why all this 

 caution to guard against the consequences of a con- 

 tingency that never may occur ?" There can be no 

 possible occasion for it certainly, I should reply, if 

 only you or I were in the case ; because, excuse my 

 being personal, it might not matter to any one whether 

 our necks were broken or not : but if a man's wife, 

 child, or children are brought home only once in his 

 life, killed, maimed, or senseless, I think the question 

 is answered. It matters little that they have been 

 drawn or carried safely for a thousand days, if 



