PETER PRY'S LETTER. 73 



and with grace. Some men, aware of the facility it 

 gives to punishment, will hold the cross over the off wheel 

 perpendicularly, and twist away till the desideratum is 

 obtained, and then the ears and haunches well scored 

 are the result. 



' Cartwright's perfections end not here — his manner of 

 treating the leaders is equally fine. His teams are too 

 good ever to require severity, therefore you cannot get 

 to see a specimen of the different strokes, right and left. 

 However, to see my friend use a back-handed draw over 

 the leaders' heads is worth riding many hours in a wet 

 day for, which I did. Even this esprit de Vhomme is 

 rare, for his system is stillness, and to drive without 

 using the whip. The tits are fair, not first-rate ; but the 

 steadiness and lightness of his hand, cool temper, perfect 

 acquaintance with pace, and knowledge where the best 

 play is to be made, render his task more than easy, quite 

 a pleasure, and he performs his distance always to a 

 minute, load or no load. He is no dandy, but is equipped 

 most respectably and modestly, with good taste. He 

 seems the idol of the road both with old and young ; his 

 manners on the box are respectable, communicative 

 without impertinence, nor tarnished with cant slang (only 

 fit for collegiates in teens, in rough coats and pearl 

 buttons as large as the crown of the low hat with a long 

 brim). He is acquainted with everybody and every occu- 

 pation within his sphere, and is therefore an entertaining 

 companion even to an ordinary traveller, but combining 

 these with his perfect professional knowledge, embracing 

 all niceties, he enchants an amateur, and through rain, 



