328 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



years afterwards. In ancient Rome carriages were let 

 out for hire, as mentioned by Suetonius, who calls them 

 rheda meritoria and mcritoria vehicula. 



The use of coaches has given rise to a profession, or 

 trade, which in all large cities affords employment and 

 maintenance to an immense number of people. 



Use of the Whip. — As far as my observation has 

 directed me, I am enabled to state that, generally speak- 

 ing, or, indeed, with few exceptions amongst men of cha- 

 racter, coachmen are attached to, and kind towards their 

 horses. It is, however, their interest to pursue such con- 

 duct if they wish to stand well in the opinion of their 

 employer ; for as a carpenter, says the old proverb, is 

 known by his chips, so is a coachman by his horses. A 

 horse does not cry out when he is hurt ; if he did, who 

 could punish him ? 



There is not a tenth part of the punishment by the 

 whip administered to horses in coaches that was to be 

 seen when I first began to travel with them. At that 

 time, indeed, it was customary to see half-a-dozen 'points,' 

 as they are termed, or pieces of whipcord ready knotted, 

 hanging to a coachman's button-hole, most of which, if not 

 all, would be used before he had finished his day's work. 

 The causes of all this are obvious. The roads were bad, 

 which destroyed the vigour and courage of the horses, 

 and they were not of so good and well-bred a sort as 

 we now make use of in coaches. To these is to be 

 added, that in very many cases horses were absolutely 

 whipped into the necessity of being whipped ; or, in 





