78 AXNALS OF THE ROAD. 



remarks, as well as from what I saw, that his great secret 

 of keeping his nags in anything like condition, and pre- 

 serving them when apparently worn out, is by putting 

 them properly together, by constantly shifting the situa- 

 tions, by the use of check reins with remarkable judg- 

 ment, by which means he brings the power to as near 

 equality as possible, besides preventing the horrid evil 

 of boring. Indeed they all went light and airy, and though 

 at times his hold of necessity becomes powerful, yet, 

 generally speaking, he takes his load without a severe 

 strain upon his arms.' The idea of having new roads to 

 run in a perfectly straight line, taking London for the 

 centre, had at this time been talked of for many 

 years, on the eastern side of the country, in the direct 

 line between Edinburgh and London. A grand new 

 road had been spoken of for some time; and in 1824 a 

 good road was finished and opened out as far south as 

 Morpeth. There is nothing new under the sun, and in 

 this straight line notion we were but following that of the 

 Romans. A continuation of the road from Morpeth to 

 London being greatly needed, the Post Office authorities 

 engaged Mr. Telford, the eminent engineer, to make a 

 survey of it over the remaining distance. The survey 

 lasted many years. A hundred miles of the new Great 

 North Road, south of York, were laid out in a perfectly 

 straight line when the works (which were to cost an 

 enormous sum) were arrested by the introduction of rail- 

 roads. Who knows but that some day railroads may be 

 found too crooked ! ' direct advantage ' is what certainly 

 is sought in everything. 



