The Brougham. 525 



venience, cleanliness, and economy, upon the straw-littered Jarvey. The history of the 

 brougham — its origin, rise, progress, and triumph over fashionable prejudices — has not yet 

 been written. In the work on pleasure-carriages published in 1837, by Mr. Brydges Adams, 

 then a coachbuilder, he makes no reference to anything like it. 



Broughams were at first built to hold two persons only. They were afterwards extended 

 to accommodate four persons, and have finally settled into the two shapes, single and double- 

 They rapidly came into use in the highest circles, when the fairest of the fair discovered 

 that the windows presented charming portraits, and that, low hung on wheels, they had all 

 the advantages of the curricle or cabriolet, with none of their dangers and difficulties. It 

 was found that the magnificent class of horse previously appropriated to the cabriolet looked 

 twice as well in a brougham, could travel twice as far, and, with a weight off his fore legs, 

 last twice as long. Besides, if it were necessary to make a long journey instead of a suc- 

 cession of flashes through street or park, then, by exchanging the sixteen-hands stepper for 

 a pair of small light blood-horses, the brougham became the most agreeable conveyance, 

 where the beauties of nature were not the object of the journey. In the early days of 

 broughams an attempt was made by the late Lord Lytton (then Mr. Lytton Bulwer) to 

 reproduce the chariots with hammercloth and knifeboard for the footmen ; but these were soon 

 found to be mistakes. 



The first broughams, as before observed, were very heavy; some fashionable builders, 

 with whose customers the cost of horseflesh is no object, still build them up to great weights. 

 These are the most comfortable, although the most expensive carriage; but the majority of 

 brougham-builders nowadays confine the weight to from about six hundredweight for a single, 

 to eight hundredweight for a double brougham. The ladies' broughams, called miniatures, 

 drawn by a blood-horse under 15 hands 2 inches high, seemed only able to hold one in 

 crinoline days. The single brougham has superseded not only the cabriolet but the vis-d- 

 vis, which also held two only ; and with coachman, hammercloth seat, and knifeboard, was 

 a Court carriage. For town use, one horse of sufficient weight and courage is the most 

 convenient, and particularly for night use, especially for those who do not keep a number of 

 men-servants. For show, or for long distances in the country, a pair of small horses between 

 14 hands and 15 hands 2 inches, either cobs or highly bred, are better. 



Broughams vary in price from ^100 (country built) to ;^i8o. A very good carriage may 

 be had for ^150, with shafts, pole, and bars. It is one of the carriages in which the certainty 

 of good materials, good workmanship, and a good price, if sold again, are worth something 

 extra, even by way of insurance. 



Broughams, it must be admitted, are not so easy in long journeys as a well-hung chariot, 

 and they afford no view of picturesque scenery. They have little room for luggage ; indeed, 

 the latest forms of broughams are cut and carved so closely to make them light and elegant, 

 that they barely afford a place for the travelling-bag of more than one passenger. 



Broughams for invalids and London physicians have been built with C springs, but they 

 are cumbrous, expensive, almost unsaleable second-hand, and absolutely require a pair of horses, 

 the swing of the body adding a sensible increase to the absolute weight when still. 



For country use, broughams may be provided with a basket fitted at the top, on which 

 any reasonable number of trunks and portmanteaus can be secured without danger to the 

 roof. 



Broughams are usually lined with either leather or cloth, or a combination of cloth and 

 morocco leather — the latter being a convenient and economical arrangement, as the cushions 



