7o ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



thigh broken last winter by the upsetting of his coach in 

 the town of Brentford. 



The occupation of a coachman is, generally speaking, 

 a very healthy one. In the Old School, nothing could 

 have preserved their lives to any tolerably long period 

 but the bracing effects on the constitution of passing 

 rapidly through the air. They are for the most part of 

 robust frames — the exercise on the box not being suf- 

 ficient to keep down their flesh when at all inclined to 

 feed. Those who wish to keep themselves light take 

 walking exercise in their hours of rest from their road 

 work. Although their pursuits are various, almost all of 

 them are well inclined towards our different kinds of 

 sporting, particularly the ring ; many among the upper 

 order are much attached to the drama, and some of the 

 swells are often to be seen at the London theatres, very 

 well dressed, with a bit of nice muslin by their side. 

 The service of the coach-box, however, is apt to be in- 

 jurious to the eyes — particularly so in very cold blowing 

 weather. A coachman must keep his eye forward, and I 

 have tried it, and found that the sight cannot be fixed 

 upon anything beyond the heads of the wheel horses 

 without raising the eyelid (and not so far as this with 

 short men), and consequently exposing the eye to the 

 weather. Six parts of cold spring water to one of French 

 brandy is the best lotion that can be used when the eyes 

 suffer from weather. 



Medical men are not averse to coachmen takine a 

 fair allowance of vinous or spirituous liquors in very cold 

 weather, sufficient, as they say, to keep out the weather ; 



