CH. XV GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON DRIVING 35 I 



No experience in general practice is thrown away ; 

 a mere knowledge of how to finger four reins in the 

 most accurate manner does not make a coachman ; 

 and a man who has not been brought up among 

 horses, and acquired his general knowledge through 

 rough-and-tumble methods at the time in youth when 

 discretion does not outweigh rashness, will find it 

 difficult, even under the most favourable circum- 

 stances, to attain the highest proficiency, since he 

 will be likely to lack that confidence and coolness 

 which are of the first importance to a good coachman. 



It is for this reason that the old professional 

 coachmen of England were so admirable : put to 

 their work when boys, sometimes under pretty rough 

 masters, they early became familiar with all the de- 

 tails of a complicated art, and acquired an instinc- 

 tive method of meeting every difficulty. Instinctive 

 is the proper expression, because there is frequently 

 no time to think, — the action must be quicker almost 

 than the thought, like the closing of an eye against 

 a missile, independent of any conscious intention. 



One reason for beginning in the right way is, that 

 having adopted a method, it is most important to 

 adhere to it, and obviously no one should wish to 

 adhere for ever to a bad method. Unless a coach- 

 man has a way which has almost become a second 

 nature of doing each thing, he is likely to be con- 

 fused in an emergency, by trying to do two different 

 things at once, and failing in both. 



It will be found that competent professional 



