372 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



merit is paid for carrying the mails, Government, and not 

 the public, should pay the persons who protect them. 



GENTLEMEN COACHMEN. 



On looking back into history it is quite evident that 

 the rise and declension of ancient states were strongly 

 characterised by the varying manners of their people, and 

 it can be little doubted that the present commanding atti- 

 tude which England holds in the scale of empires is to 

 be attributed to her manly diversions. Amongst these the 

 management of horses, and particularly of horses in har- 

 ness, has ever held a conspicuous place in all civilised 

 countries. In my first letter on the subject of the road I 

 touched a little on these matters, and how they were 

 managed in days of yore ; but the interest taken by all 

 descriptions of persons in these enlightened times in the 

 actions and sports of the celebrated characters of anti- 

 quity induces me to return to them, particularly as some 

 of them are intimately connected with the present part of 

 my subject. I am further encouraged to do this by a 

 knowledge of the fact that these letters are read by great 

 numbers of road coachmen, man) 7 of whom may not have 

 dipped into this part of the history of the ancient world, 

 but which, in some measure, so much resembles the pro- 

 ceedings of the present day. 



Strange as it may appear to us at this great distance 

 of time, it is a settled point that the greatest honour that 

 could be bestowed upon a man for a period of more than 



